SPECIAL FEATUREXak: Character Profile
SPECIAL FEATUREAlex Hart Interviews Lex
Recently I was asked some questions by Alex, Hart, who owns the most popular VS on BuffyWorld. He’s written his own Season 8 and 9 of Buffy as well as Season 6 of Angel. So check it out! Anyway, he asked me questions about Shadow Stalker. He’s an amazing and talented writer who has been in the business longer than myself so it was really interesting for us to exchange in this way.
Alex: What made you decide to base a series on such an unconventional premise?
Lex: Well I’ve never been one to go with convention. As you know I live a pretty unconventional lifestyle and a lot of people say I look at things differently. I just like trying to be original and I’m fairly certain no one else would have a series like it so I thought, why not. Also the character Xakiel I’ve used in role plays set in the Buffyverse for over 3 years so I thought it was time he had his own series. I just remember looking at that moment in The Gift and thinking, “What the hell happened to that dragon?” So basically Shadow Stalker was my answer to that question. I hope to answer more like it in future episodes as well. Just think of Shadow Stalker as taking place in Lexverse...which is right next door to Jossverse
Alex: The series is parallel to Buffy and Angel, and has so far had several crossovers, do you expect Buffy and Angel to play a more major part in the coming seasons?
Lex: I know Season 2 in particular is gonna be running alongside both Season 4 of Angel and Season 7 of Buffy. Buffy in particular is probably going to be a bigger aspect of the Season but at some time Shadow Stalker will branch off on it’s own path and not run parallel, but when this time is? I shall not be telling I’m afraid!
Alex: Mythology is currently a large part of season 1, but will Glory and demon mythology play a more major role or other mythology?
Lex: I think the main mythology that will always be important to Shadow Stalker is Ancient Greek mythology. With Persephone, The Fates and Hecate already featuring in Season One, that mythology will always be a permeating theme in Shadow Stalker but whether or not other mythology will play a role…only time will tell!
Alex: Charlie is presumably dead for definite...will Alexis Bledel be returning to the series in the future, and if not can we expect a new female lead character?
Lex: Ah yes…Charlie. I was expecting a question on her. I would just like to clarify, I had planned to kill Charlie off from the beginning but what I hadn’t banked on was that I myself would fall in love with her! So like the readers, I myself was gutted to see her die! I love Alexis Bledel, I think she’s perfect for the role of Charlie, but as regards to her future on the show? Let me just say, Charlie’s death is a major starting point for Season Two. In regards to a new female character? There are various female minor characters in the earlier episodes of Season Two and one who will be joining the main cast, but you’ll have to wait to see who that is.
Alex: Will we be seeing turbulence in the Toole/Cate relationship in season 2?
Lex: Most. Definitely. The honeymoon period is well and truly over for these two now. Their relationship is really tested in Season Two, so Coole fans I think are gonna be particularly interested to watch this relationship drastically change.
Alex: Will Sephy and Patricia Arquette still play a major role in Shadow Stalker?
Lex: Good old Sephy. She shall be returning in Season Two and will be a completely essential character in the earlier episodes but I’m afraid she won’t be a main cast member.
Alex: Will we see more shirtless Milo + where is Xak headed, will he be returning to Sunnydale and will we see Xak's more dragon-esque side appearing again?
Lex: That’s a lot of questions to ask about Xak! But to be fair…there are many! Shirtless Milo? Ha! Wait and see for that little treat. I won’t be revealing where Xak’s gone, but he’s still the main character so he’s not out the picture at all. In regards to Xak’s dragon-side, I would like to make sure people know this…The Fates are done with him now. He did what they tasked him to do, he killed Charlie so now he can live a free life. Thus, any more dragon side we may see of Xak…will all be on his own accord.
Alex: Will the theme of lush non-mainstream bands playing continue in season 2?
Lex: Of course Alex, you know me! Do expect some mainstreamers though, I have Pink planned in one episode, one of her songs from her new album, which is amazing!
Alex: The character of Dante is quite ambiguous. Will we be seeing more of him, and if so in what context?
Lex: You know I hate spoilers right? Well, this is one of those spoilers that I’d like to be public knowledge. Dante will be a main cast member for Season Two! He’s gonna be extremely important to the plot, but I won’t say in which way.
Alex: Can we expect any more crossovers with the fabulous series "Rogue Redemption" in the near future?
Lex: In all honesty I haven’t spoken with Amber about it. With what I have planned I don’t think there’s gonna be one this Season, but I will check with Amber, ‘cause I had the most fun doing 1.07!
Alex: So all that really needs to be said is, what can we expect from Season 2?
Lex: Love, Betrayal, New Beginnings, Action, Devastation, and most importantly…a very interesting new addition to the gang. The style will also be a bit different, i mean in the way it's presented visually to the readers. Also i won't be releasing them rapid fire as i did with Season One, and they'll be of a good length! I really hope everyone enjoys it! Oh and expect it to be longer…there’s gonna be sixteen episodes in this season!
SPECIAL FEATUREBloopers
Ok, I know I destroyed a lot of people’s happiness with the end of Season One, I’m sorry! I hope these bloopers help to raise your spirits slightly with these bloopers until Season Two arrives!
CUT TO – 1.01 – HITCH HIKER
(XAK/MILO playing pool at the beginning of the episode)
XAK: (muttering) White haired vampire attempts to comfort her. He fails. He goes. She watches. Chases him. Embraces him. They kiss, (he misses the black)…oh crap.
The crew laugh.
XAK/MILO: Not so smooth, ok lets do it again.
CAPTION: TAKE TWO
XAK: (muttering) White haired vampire attempts to comfort her. He fails. He goes. She watches. Chases him. Embraces him. They kiss, (the black flies off the table)…
XAK/MILO: (laughing) Man alive! I suck at this.
CUT TO –
(CHARLIE/ALEXIS and XAK/MILO talking down Revello Drive)
CHARLIE: Hey, easy, I didn’t mean to cause offence. It’s just you’re too cute to be human. Most guys in this town have been awound a while and know…
XAK/MILO laughs.
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: What?!
XAK/MILO: Awound a while?
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: Oh no, (to the crew) can’t Charlie have a lisp?
They laugh.
CUT TO – 1.02 “MOCKINGBIRDS”
(XAK/MILO, CHARLIE/ALEXIS, and CATE/AMANDA are all about to enter The Bronze)
CHARLIE: (folding her arms) Haven’t I condemned death on you enough for a few days?
CATE laughs maniacally and totally unconvincingly.
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: Amanda! Stop over acting!
She laughs.
CATE/AMANDA: Was that not good?
CUT TO – 1.03 “IN THIS SKIN”
(XAK/MILO, CHARLIE/ALEXIS, and CATE/AMANDA are all inside The Bronze)
CATE: (thinking out loud) How about, Clint? Or…Milo Ventimiglia?! No that’s like a dogs name!
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: Ooooh burned!
XAK/MILO: Yes I was.
CUT TO –
(CHARLIE/ALEXIS, CATE/AMANDA and MELODY/ROSE are in the mall)
MELODY: God, Charlie? It’s like a geek tragedy…wait…a geek tragedy? That’s not the line is it?
CUT TO –
(XAK/MILO serving drinks in The Bronze)
XAK shakes a cocktail shaker which slips out of his hand and shoots across the bar. A smash can be heard and XAK/MILO can’t help but laugh.
CAPTION: TAKE TWO
XAK shakes a cocktail shaker which slips out of his hand and hits his chin. The crew laugh.
CAPTION: TAKE THREE
XAK shakes a cocktail shaker which slips out of his hand and hits the camera. He laughs.
CUT TO –
(CATE/AMANDA and RACK/JEFF are at Rack’s place)
CATE clasps her hands together and releases them to show the Mockingbird corpse in her hands.
CATE: I think this belongs to you…
She throws it to him but throws it too hard throwing it in his face. CATE/AMANDA can’t stop laughing.
RACK/JEFF: You throw like a girl!
CUT TO –
(GLORY/CLARE in the sewers)
GLORY: (quietly) So it seems she’s proving more of a problem than I first thought. (walks off into the sewers…she trips)…ooop!
CUT TO – MONTAGE OF CLIPS FROM 1.04 – 1.08
CATE/AMANDA’S insane dancing in 1.04, she attempts to do the moonwalk but bumps into a pole.
CATE/AMANDA screaming at XAK/MILO about the potatoes in 1.05 and XAK/MILO laughing and eventually she can’t help but laugh as well.
CATE/AMANDA and TOOLE/ALAN are in the hospital room in 1.06. He’s thrashing around in bed after seeing his brother’s ghost and screaming, but as he shakes he just ends up making AMANDA laugh and they both end up in hysterics.
XAK/MILO and CHARLIE/ALEXIS are both kissing passionately in XAK’S apartment at the end of 1.08 and as she jumps on him and he holds her, he backs into a wall and hits his head causing them both to laugh.
CUT TO – 1.10 “SO, METAPHYSICAL!”
(CHARLIE/ALEXIS and CATE/AMANDA are in the church in their vision together)
CHARLIE/ALEXIS drags CATE/AMANDA to the side towards a cupboard door. CHARLIE opens it…
VOICE: Hey girls.
It’s MARIE KALOFF/MICHELLE WILLIAMS. The girls jump, startled.
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: Oh my god! You scared me hon!
CATE/AMANDA hugs her excitedly.
CATE/AMANDA: That’s the best one yet! Can we use that in the episode? No? Meanies…
CUT TO – 1.11 “HELL HATH NO FURY”
(CHARLIE/ALEXIS and TOOLE/ALAN in the café)
CHARLIE: Because you haven’t asked me about it since we had our visions together, and every time I see you, your eye does that weird twitchy thing.
His eye twitches insanely, with him blinking rapidly and going cross eyed. CHARLIE/ALEXIS laughs.
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: JUST like that!
TOOLE/ALAN laughs.
TOOLE/ALAN: Everytime?
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: Everytime!!
CUT TO –
(XAK/MILO is in The Bronze imbued with rage at the shadow demons)
XAK: (roaring with anger) This is not the time! Leave!
CHARLIE (O/S): (drunkenly) You go baby!
CATE (O/S): Yeah! What she said!
XAK/MILO looks at the demons breathing heavily with rage but then just laughs.
XAK/MILO: I can’t do that line with those two.
CHARLIE/ALEX (O/S): We’re just acting!
CATE/AMANDA (O/S): Yeah! What she said!
CUT TO – 1.12 “WHERE SHE WALKS”
(CHARLIE/ALEXIS and TOOLE/ALAN are in the kitchen at the beginning of the episode)
TOOLE goes into the kitchen to see something in a dressing gown, with sunglasses and a beanie hat on. It has its head underneath the tap, sipping water and downing a few aspirin.
TOOLE: (casually) Hey Charlie.
She turns round and coughs up a lot of phlegm.
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: (in a deep husky voice) Man I feel like crap.
TOOLE/ALAN looks at her for a moment before bursting out laughing.
CUT TO –
(CATE/AMANDA is eating ice cream and walking through the graveyard)
She’s attempting to sing along and dance while she walks.
CATE: (singing in a really loud and deep voice) Uh, can’t touch this! Can’t touch this! Oh oh oh oh!
She carries on walking and waves her ice cream around which disintegrates with her flailing motions, and the ice cream goes everywhere. She laughs.
CATE/AMANDA: (laughing) I can’t act with ice cream!
CUT TO – “1.14 CUTTING THE APRON STRINGS”
(CHARLIE/ALEXIS and CATE/AMANDA are on the sofa, and CATE/AMANDA is eating ice cream)
CATE is eating from a tub of ice cream causing her to make various orgasmic noises from the taste. CHARLIE looks at her trying not to smile, she laughs however and puts her head in her hands. CATE turns to her.
CATE: Mmmm…are you sure you don’t want any? What?!
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: I’m sorry I just can’t keep a straight face!
CAPTION: TAKE TWO
CATE is eating from a tub of ice cream causing her to make various orgasmic noises from the taste. CHARLIE looks at her trying not to smile. CATE screams “Oh Baby!” really loud and CHARLIE/ALEXIS breaks down in hysterics again.
CATE/AMANDA: Stop it Alexis!
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: No! You stop it! (to the crew) Can’t Alan be in this scene?
CAPTION: TAKE NINE
CATE is eating from a tub of ice cream causing her to make various orgasmic noises from the taste. CHARLIE looks at her trying not to smile.
CHARLIE/ALEXIS: Oh yeah, you like that you dirty girl?
CATE/AMANDA: Hell yeah!
The crew laugh.
XAK/MILO (O/S): Take your clothes off!!
CAPTION: TAKE FIFTEEN
CATE is eating from a tub of ice cream causing her to make various orgasmic noises from the taste. CHARLIE looks at her trying not to smile. CATE squeals then puts down the spoon and pulls out a cigarette, lights it and leans back.
CATE/AMANDA: Man…that was good.
END OF BLOOPERS
FAN ARTSeason One Promo Poster by Me Season One Promo Banner by Beth Xak and Charlie by Me Cate and Toole by Me Xak and Charlie by Amber Cate and Toole by Amber 1.10 - So, Metaphysical Episodic Art by Amber Cate by Amber
TRIVIA- The main character Xakiel has been used in RPG's for over 3 years, i constructed him as a character for fun, and i always wanted to give him his own series!
- 1.01 - Hitch Hiker was released in 2005 but not many people read it, and it didn't take off...but...i tried again with a little convincing from Amber and here it is!
- For the character Charlie i originally casted Morena Baccarin aka Inara Serra from Firefly, but it was Alexis Bledel's portrayal of Becky in Sin City that convinced me she was perfect for the role!
- When i cast Milo and Alexis...i was completely unaware of the fact they were in Gilmore Girls together as Jess and Rory! I just thought they looked good together and i find them both utterly gorgeous! Little did i know of the on screen chemistry!
- Episodes 1 - 4 are fairly short in length. This is because i wanted to establish the characters and the series, and i felt that after i had explained everything it seemed a bit stupid putting in pointless scenes that weren't needed. But if you look at the length of Episode 5, that is the length of the episodes from now on, purely as the episodes from that episode onwards are all plot driven and i have to fit a lot into each episode!!
- I originally planned to have 22 Episodes a Season...but i was worried it would become boring and cutting it to 15 Episodes a Season means i get to put all the good stuff in every episode!
- In "1.13 - Three", i cast Amber who writes Rogue Redemption, (the affiliated series with Shadow Stalker) for a cameo role in the Teaser! Also, the teacher's name is Mr Goddard, which is my name!
- For the Season One finale banner set i used Beth's banner set she made me for Shadow Stalker. The only time i haven't used one i've made!
