I have The Killing Floor. The movie is a thriller and the ending was a shocker to me. Not a role I'd have ever expected him to play, that's for sure.

I loved him as Riley. I only wish the fan reaction hadn't been so against the character because Marc was wonderful in the role.

menomegirl | January 10, 08:40 CET

I've never heard before that Marc asked to leave the show. I know he denies it here, but I hope his leaving was in no way spurred by some of the negative comments. And, it seems to have become something of an article of faith for Blucas fans, but yes, my name is SNT and I loved Riley too.

SoddingNancyTribe | January 10, 09:34 CET

I always liked Riley too. Not Buffy's true love maybe, but he definitely had an interesting character arc. I always wanted to see how he would have fit in on Angel. It seemed a lot of characters ended up joining Angel Investigations after a shift in loyalties or a shock to their world view. Could have been interesting.

shamoogity | January 10, 10:13 CET

I liked Riley pretty well. Maybe not the most popular relationship for Buffy, but probably the healthiest (which is probably why it wasn't the most popular -- there's that whole thing with the love and the pain and the conflict and the having people watch the show Joss always seems to be going on about).

He did a great job in "We Were Soldiers" and, y'know what, he made "First Daughter" work, even. I had no idea he was a Deac, though. Very cool that he finds similarity in the pressure of being a freshman playing basketball on Tobacco Road and jumping into a television series with a serious fandom.

KingofCretins | January 10, 11:43 CET

Didn't like Riley at first, but now I have a lot of time for his character.

Wow first post!

SmileTime | January 10, 12:57 CET

I never hated Marc! *hugs MB trying vainly to make up for the trauma of rabid fan-ing* I did dislike Riley –not when he first appeared, in S4 I could care less- but in season 5 when they started to round up his story. It may have past over to hate at times (him coming back for that one episode with his husba-*cough* wife really hit the spot) but after the show ended and I rewatched the show I began seeing him in another light. I especially like his scenes with darling Spike (shocking no?). My dislike for him wasn't because he took Angel's place (honestly I never like Angel on BUFFY, I loved him on his own show) I'm not sure what it was that I didn't like about him – I just didn't. Might need to rewatch again (uh, the hassle!) to recall. Although I do remember wincing when Angel and Riley acted like they were six with fists – magnified the ugh for me there.

Mirage | January 10, 13:34 CET

I cannot say that I agree that the writers did everything to get the fans to like Riley. I always thought he was a character tset up to be disliked by the fans. It was a show about outsiders finding each other, and Riley was the epitome of the golden boy insider...who was therefore never totally part of the group. Ironic, hey? ;-)

newcj | January 10, 15:56 CET

Since my first exposure to Buffy came in s4, I had no comparison with Angel to work with, since I hadn't a clue who Angel was. And, since I wasn't an online Buffy fan at the time, either, I did not know about all the negativity until months later. But I was always lukewarm about Riley because Blucas wasn't a very good actor, I thought. I didn't know until now that it was his first real role, so that makes sense. Just about the time that I thought he was getting better as an actor, they limited his role to that strange period of competition for Buffy's affections, if you will, with Buffy's dying mother. I didn't "buy" the premise, even if, in retrospect, it was to set up his leaving the show.

This was a nice interview, and I'm glad to see he's trying new things.

palehorse | January 10, 15:59 CET

Interesting point, newcj.

I always liked Riley, particularly during his S5 arc. I felt for his feelings of inadequacy and the dark path he started down. Not necessarily the smartest or most mature series of moves he could have made, but believable and fascinating to watch.

(Although I have to admit, I always laugh at the "Coin-Operated Boy" fan video.)

Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner | January 10, 19:09 CET

I started liking Riley when he said, "But she doesn't love me." I like a character who can face the truth and try to go on from there. And then I loved that his story went all dark.

lycoming | January 10, 19:38 CET

Wow, zandra, that's exactly what I was going to say! I was lukewarm to him until that moment- I think most of us at some point in our lives can relate to his unrequited love. That's what made him real to me, and I genuinely cared about him after that.

El Diablo Robotico | January 10, 20:15 CET

Everyone always beats me to the good comments. Good one, zandra. ;)

I wasn't too sold on Riley at first either, but season five did it for me. In retrospect, I'm kinda glad I wasn't around when the fandom first reacted to him. It sounds like things got pretty nasty. And it would have made it harder for me to form my own opinion about his character. Glad Marc is still finding good roles, though. I'll have to check The Killing Floor out.

deepgirl187 | January 10, 21:06 CET

With my hardcore Ike/JFK Era worldview, I automatically thought Riley was a great character. I just never felt the relationship chemistry between him and Buffy.
But i'm glad he's doing well. He seems exactly the kind of actor we *should* have around, sort of a Keir Dullea type but with a brain instead of a vacuum.

And this article confirmed what I had already thought; in my Ahtlete-to-Actor classification system he's an "Athletic Career of No Real Note Followed by an Acting Career of Note." A smaller category than that in which the acting career isn't but the athletic career was. And 15 guys who were noteworthy in both.

DaddyCatALSO | January 11, 05:44 CET

First time poster here, too, SmileTime. Like palehorse, I started watching Buffy during S4 but as reruns on fx. I'd completely missed Angel and all the Riley hatred. I know I'm in the minority but Riley was, is, and will always be my favorite Buffy boyfriend. Guess I never went for the bad boy.

I've always found it funny, given Joss' lack of happy endings, that Riley rode off into the sunset with his wife (though I'll never accept that Riley got over Buffy that fast) for what, in Whedon terms, would be about as close to a happy ending as he gives. The only other relationship that comes anywhere close to a happy ending is Willow/Kennedy. (cringe :( )

I'd forgotten that "The Killing Floor" was coming out on dvd this week. Must add it to my Blucas collection.

janiceinla | January 11, 07:44 CET

You know, I never thought of that and you just made me smile with that comment.

Welcome, SmileTime and janiceinla!!

menomegirl | January 11, 08:17 CET