Buffy the Vampire Slayer : SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

Before I watched Buffy all the way through, I saw these really well-made fan trailers on YouTube, and from them, I could see the progression in the characters' looks, and SMG was, by far, the most noticable. From season 1-3, we could see that she was a girl. Then, all of a sudden, in the trailer for season 5, she looked sooo much mature, especially in the clip where Quentin explained to her that Glory isn't a demon, but a God. SMG looked not at all like a 20 year-old, she looked mid 20s, which was her age at that time, I believe. It's probably due to the weight loss and the styling that made her look older. Then, in the premiere of season 7, even the principal thought that she was Dawn's mom (albeit he also thought that she'd be too young), but yeah, Buffy did have mom hair and could pass off as Dawn's mom.

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

I don't think she looked nearly old enough to be Dawn's mom. She definitely looked older not in a bad way. She wore more colors/youthful looks in the earlier seasons especially in season 4 and she wore quite a few more sophisticated updos. It worked for what she was going through character wise and she looked great during the whole show. I noticed that both Buffy and Cordelia wore more "professional" outfits in season 3 during certain episodes.

"When life gives you lemons"
Jessica D: sleep with their fathers and have secret lemon children 

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

It's definitely a lot more gradual, though still distinct, watching it in real time; over the course of the seven seasons. The most dramatic was her obvious weight loss during the course of the first two seasons. After that, Buffy's personal style started changing, making her look more mature, but all of the "younger" characters who weren't playing their normal age when the show started, began to look a little long in the tooth in contrast to what they were supposed to be playing, by the time the series ended. Charisma Carpenter started looking too old to pass a high school student, before they were even out of high school; which shouldn't be too surprising, since she was one of the oldest members of the cast, especially among the so-called teen characters. She looked a lot less out of place on Angel, where the actors weren't of any particular age, and you could take for granted just how young CC was supposed to be. Even then, by last season 3, early season 4, she starts looking older; between the super short, platinum hair and matronly, flowing clothes they put her in; it arguably made her look even older than she actually was.

One of the things that sometimes takes me out of later seasons of Buffy, are instances like Hells Bells; where I see Nicky Brandon in his tux for Xander's wedding, and there's a disconnect when I think about just how young Xander is supposed to be in that moment. Xander looks like someone old enough to be reasonably mature and well adjusted enough to be ready for marriage; whereas I feel that if he looked more like his character's age would have him be - which would be closer to his appearance in season 1 - it might seem more like he's rushing into that decision; and him walking out would seem more in character for someone that age.


"What's the matter, sir? It still tastes like cream of corn."
"Except it's deviled ham!"

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

one of the biggest mistakes the show made was making buffy loose weight to become a thin size 2. not only did it make her look older, it made her loose her good all american girl looks. she was so unattractive in most of season 6 and 7. meanwhile charisma carpenter who played cordelia chase looked more beautiful as the seasons went on in angel. charisma was pregnant and a little thick in season 4 due to her pregnancy ,hpwever she still looked more beautiful than buffy ever did in season 6 and 7.

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?


one of the biggest mistakes the show made was making buffy loose weight to become a thin size 2.
I've never heard anything with her weight loss having to do with Buffy; by most accounts I've seen, the lions share of it came off during filming of "I Know What You Did Last Summer," and even then, it seemed to be predominantly due to a change in her own personal eating habits and physical routine, but there may have likely been other factors.

I also wouldn't downplay how much of it was how they were dressing the character, and the mindset her character was in, during the later seasons. I regularly have to remind myself that the scene they use in some of the opening credits and promotions, of the gang opening the door and screaming during "Tabula Rasa" isn't from one of the earlier seasons; distinctly because SMG looks so much like she did during the first three seasons in that scene. She definitely played the part much differently; the weight of the world was offer she shoulders, she was lighter and happier. In a certain context, Willow may not have been wrong about the idea of using a memory charm to ease her pain; the mistake was arguably more her making that decision for Buffy herself, instead of giving Buffy control over what she does or doesn't remember, and how. And then of course taking it a step further to manipulate Tara, abusing not only magic for her own purposes, but the trust she had with both Buffy and Tara, with everyone else being collateral damage.


"What's the matter, sir? It still tastes like cream of corn."
"Except it's deviled ham!"

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

True and the body changes in your 20s too. I would imagine her schedule was pretty intense and exhausting.

"When life gives you lemons"
Jessica D: sleep with their fathers and have secret lemon children 

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

I did see she looked a lot older in season 7 than even season 4. It's a bit odd but she still looks hot.



Cena doesn't overcome any odds. He's a wrestler with a God Mode cheat on.

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

Yeah she did age a lot, and Xander's weight gain made him seem to age more. By season 7, I "see" the main scoobies as being 24-27, when, in reality, they'd be 21 tops.

Say, do you hear that? It's the sound of the Reaper.....

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Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

Well compared to how well David, Charisma, Julie and Seth all aged it is.

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

I thought SMG was gorgeous all the way through. I actually liked her look more in the later seasons. She went from girly to mature woman rather gracefully imo.

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Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

David looks younger on Bones now then he did in the last season of Angel.

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Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?


Oh come on you can see a big different from David in season 1 of Buffy and season 5 of Angel
You're not wrong. In season 1 he still had a kind of youngster face. However once he had his adult face, he appears quite ageless ever since.

---
A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me.

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

With David, I would say the biggest noticeable change over the years has been a modest fluctuation in weight; not dramatically, but his face and frame are distinctly fuller towards the end of his primary run on Buffy, in comparison to when he started, and throughout AtS. I've seen promos of the latest season of Bone, where he looks a lot thinner, at least in comparison to his Buffy and Angel days. There are certainly some of aging in his face, but again, not a tremendous contrast.
James Marsters is a similar story; very few signs of aging, even in spite of being a none smoker. His face looks fuller, but not a whole of wrinkles or wear.
SMG looks a little more mature, but still incredibly gorgeous. In my opinion, I would she looks better now than some of the last few seasons of Buffy, where I thought she looked too thin.


"What's the matter, sir? It still tastes like cream of corn."
"Except it's deviled ham!"

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Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

.

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

SMG starts with baby fat ... which looks good on her. She lost it after season one though.

Thats basically all I registered about her, since I'm not that attracted to her in the first place.

---
A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me.

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

By season seven I feel like Buffy could be Dawn's real mom

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

I thought it was ridiculous that she was mistaken for Dawn's mother. She only looked about 10 years older at most.

Re: SMG ages quite a lot during the course of the show, doesn't she?

But that was the whole idea, Buffy's growth from innocent schoolgirl to responsible young woman. When you look at her seducing RJ outfit she can appear younger when she wants to.
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