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Waving Goodbye

© Ellen Ross

During a week when everyone is talking about "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" leaving the WB and moving to UPN, it would be easy to overlook the gifts of "Intervention" and "Dead End," but no matter what the First Slayer might tell you, these are not gifts of death, but generous acts of grace toward the loyal viewers. The future of "BtVS" and "Angel" looks more exciting all the time.

Late on Friday, April 20, 2001, UPN announced that it had closed a $102 million, 44-episode deal with 20th Century Fox for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." UPN has agreed to show "Buffy" for two years and to pay $2.3 million per episode for the first year, and $2.35 million the year after. If the WB chooses to cancel "Angel," UPN will pick it up for at least two seasons at well (at a more modest price of around $1 million per episode).

UPN President Dean Valentine stated: "We are incredibly pleased to have Buffy the Vampire Slayer on UPN, not just because it is one of the best shows on the air and represents a new era in UPN's life and direction, but more importantly because Joss Whedon is one of the finest writers and producers in television."

Reportedly, UPN will air "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in its present timeslot of Tuesdays at 8 PM. UPN is about to lose "Star Trek: Voyager," which ends its final season on May 23, one day after the season finale of "Buffy." It is possible that the fifth and newest "Star Trek" series (with a cast rumored to include Scott Bakula and Marc Blucas, although this is not confirmed) might soon share a network with "Buffy."

20th Century Fox President Dana Walden stated: "Unfortunately, the WB did not share our vision or passion for the show's future, and quite simply UPN did." Although "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was The WB's first hit and defined its identity as a network, former WB chief executive Jamie Kellner was quoted as dismissing "Buffy" as "not our number-one show." ("BtVS" was the WB's third-highest rated show, after "Seventh Heaven" and "Charmed.")

In response to its loss of the bidding war for "Buffy," The WB, which reportedly refused to increase its offer beyond $1.8 million per show, issued a statement acknowledging the move which ended, "We wish Sarah, Joss and David Greenwalt well."

The final comment is believed by many to indicate that The WB intends to drop "Angel" from its schedule as well. The announcement of The WB's fall schedule is expected in May.