Fascinating read, thank you. I agreed with most of what you said, and am completely onboard with Could Andrew have been a bit more accepted had he been portrayed as less annoying? Very possibly. Could Riley have acquired a larger fanbase if he had been written out of the program without resorting to vampire prostitutes and ultimatums? Maybe. Could Kennedy have gone down easier with fans if she had been slightly less bratty and self-centered? There’s a chance of it.

Joss gave us great characters. Perhaps so good that we find it difficult to warm to new additions, or see them as weak carbon copies of what we've already got, or as poor replacements to departing characters, and so we never give them the chance they deserve.

Poor little Andrew. Poor big strapping Riley. And poor... no, I can't do it. I hate Kennedy so much my teeth hurt, too.