Anthony Head brought gravity to Buffy and everything else he touched | television

FOr years, fans have been eagerly anticipating the oft-troubled idea of ​​a spinoff from the beloved 1997-2003 TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As described by creator Joss Whedon, the miniseries will not follow beloved supporting characters like obsessive witch Willow, sarcastic vampire Spike, or teenage Oz. It will be called Ripper, and will focus on the younger days of Rupert Giles, the school librarian and ‘Watcher’ character played by Anthony Head. Giles served as Tweedy’s mentor and father figure to Buffy, the woman chosen to keep vampires away, throughout the show’s seven seasons.

Sadly, the show never happened – and now, with Head’s death at the age of 72, it likely never will, at least not with its breakout star. (And perhaps not its creator, who has since faced multiple accusations of misconduct during filming.) But creative and fan interest has been consistently high; Just think about that for a moment. This ’90s teen drama thrilled viewers with its promise of incorporating an adult character into its own adventures. The depiction of Buffy’s contemporaries following her example is absolutely laughable. Consider its Dawson’s Creek equivalent, for example. Will it be Jane Gram’s star? The teacher who committed rape with Basi? Even with the expanded possibilities of a more fantastical world, Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s aunts weren’t in talks with the BBC either.

This was the power of Anthony Head. He transitioned into Buffy as a British stage actor, occasional singer and frequent television guest star with a sideline in coffee commercials, inspiring as much devotion as any of his younger teen co-stars. Giles is positioned as a menacing foil to the lead cast, the stuffy British overseer of the irreverent, slang-wielding Californians, and Head certainly hits those notes perfectly. But over the course of the series, he brought some darker, funnier, and weirder notes to the character as well; He provided such a clear and charming frame for Giles that the writers clearly relished opportunities to subvert his dry, bland wit. For this reason, the idea of ​​a TV series about the “Ripper” (Giles’ former nickname) seemed so attractive: among a group of characters who were still discovering themselves, Head played Giles as a man who presents a book-smart authority and a harsh experience haunted by clear remorse, sometimes showing in his eyes even when the show does not allow it.

Buffy also called on some of Head’s past life skills, clearly shaping Giles to suit the multi-talented actor, especially when it comes to singing. It’s become a surprise that Giles displays an unexpected ease with his voice and guitar in private moments (or in one case, during a dream sequence), which pays off spectacularly in the show’s sixth-season episode Once Again, With Feeling. Part of the ring game involves getting characters and actors who might not normally excel at singing and dancing to get into the musical spirit; No such persuasion is necessary for Head, who solos with a vaguely Bowie-ish tune on Standing, a tune about how he feels he’s holding back Buffy’s development as an adult. He brings the house down — just as he performed a comedic patter with the group in “I Have a Theory” earlier in the same episode.

Head also had the opportunity to show off his pipes in a genre context with the more versatile Repo! The Genetic Opera, an adaptation of an offbeat, gothic-flavored sci-fi musical released in 2008. Head has a rare lead role as the heroine’s father, who secretly moonlights as one of the transplant recoveries – a part that benefits from his ability to play potentially ridiculous material with a straight face, while not ignoring its comedic dimension. His other film roles tended to be smaller character parts, partly because he had instant appeal that didn’t require much introduction. (It’s been a pleasure to see him appear in projects from Woody Allen’s Scoop to the underrated Ghost Rider sequel.) Head was also a TV follow-up to Buffy, most notably in the BBC sketch series Little Britain. But he is perhaps best known to contemporary audiences as another Robert: the frivolous ex-husband of Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), and the reason she ends up owning a soccer club that employs Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) as coach.

Was this a tribute to his Buffy character, with Head once again playing a man named Robert in the Apple sitcom? Or was Head just oozing Robert Ness? Either way, Robert in later life couldn’t be more different from the one he played two decades earlier: flashy, arrogant, largely unconcerned with how his actions affect others (or, worse, preferring negative effects) — a villain, though in Head’s hands not entirely cartoonish. Although he had less screen time than he did as Giles, the mechanics were similar: quickly show how this man introduces himself, so he can have some fun filling in the less expected details (here his betrayal rather than his decency). Head’s legacy as an actor emulates the powerful contributions made by the attentive and rational Giles: across television, film, theater and music, Head was the workhorse who never let you see the work.