Marcie Ross or Catherine Madison - which is the most interesting?

[Stoney]

I think both were really strong S1 single episode characters and their characters/stories could obviously have been delved into more. Which did you find more interesting, and why? How do you think they could have been used further?

[Priceless]

For me it's Catherine Maddison. Witch is the episode that got me hooked on this show. I think both she and Marcie are interesting, and Marcie was a wonderful character when I was younger and had complete sympathy with the overlooked girl. But as I get older I see more and more Catherine Maddisons in the world, living through their children in ways I never could have imagined. These women are trapped in their own hells and pass the psychological harm down to their children who will do the same to their kids. That story has more impact on me then Marcie's, even though I suspect most of us were a Marcie at one time of another.

[flow]

For me it's Marcie. Both characters do horrible things or intend to do them but I can sympathize at least to a certain degree with Marcie because we know what happened to push her over the edge. We know almost nothing at all as to why Catherine Madison went evil. Marcie was being bullied whereas Catherine Madison was a bully.

flow

[Stoney]

I think Catherine Madison interests me more actually because we don't know about her background. The actress playing her was superb too which definitely gave her more presence. So even though I get to see some of the psychological elements of what Marcie went through and understand why she became unhinged and vengeful, I feel like I've seen her story. I do think what happens next with her could be very interesting (like the fic esmerome posted), but I want to know more about what brought Catherine to become the person she did. Was she mirroring the behaviour she had grown up with? Or perhaps she was trying to push back against parents that she saw as underachievers. Both have a lot of potential for more to be learned about them, but I think I crave more on Catherine because I know less.

[vampmogs]

I really enjoyed both characters but I'm going to have to pick Catherine Madison.

Robin Riker really was just *that* good in that brief scene with her. I loved her voice, her sass, her anger etc. She does such as a wonderful job playing Amy as well but, wow, her Catherine really was something. And she seemed like a pretty powerful witch so she'd have been a great villain to return.

I really liked Marcie as well. I love the concept around her character and I did feel for her a lot in the flashback scenes of her turning invisible during class. It's probably one of my favourite 'MotW' concepts that the show ever did and I thoroughly enjoy the episode.

However, unlike most fans, I never felt the need to see Marcie again as an assassin. I thought she worked well in this episode but honestly invisible character episodes don't normally interest me all that much as I find them a bit of a bore to watch. I wasn't interested at all in bringing a bunch of invisible assassins back. Whereas, I would have absolutely loved for Catherine to break free from the statue and return for an episode. So Catherine wins for me.

[Mistress9]

For me it's Marcie. Don't get me wrong, I love the Witch episode. But what I find more interesting is how Marcie was ignored for years, how it apparently affected her psyche and behavior. And how being ignored and unnoticed eventually led to being invisible.

[Stoney]

For me it's Marcie. Don't get me wrong, I love the Witch episode. But what I find more interesting is how Marcie was ignored for years, how it apparently affected her psyche and behavior. And how being ignored and unnoticed eventually led to being invisible.

I think this is why I would find learning more about Catherine Madison more interesting though, because we know less about what happened to make her who she is. But going from what is there already, her jealousy and wish to regain her youth again in and of itself I would agree is less interesting that the emotional turmoil that we know Marcie went through to create the scenario she is in. But it is then of course her ongoing story that would need delving into more.

It could also be interesting to know what Marcie's home life was like too. Presumably she wasn't noticed there either. There is more deliberate cruelty, or careless cruelty, in how her peers treated her, but being ignored by the adults around her (parents, presumably, and teachers) who should be more aware is arguably worse. They should have noticed her.

So I'd still like to know more about Catherine between the two, but I can definitely understand being interested in Marcie.

[PuckRobin]

I have to pick Marcie. When I was catching the Buffy reruns in the summer of 1998, the concept of turning invisible because people didn't notice you seemed like such a great idea. Not a knock on The Witch, which had good moments too.

I did love the callback when Oz noticed the statue's eyes appeared to follow him. I think that's actually the best kind of reappearance they could do.

[GoSpuffy]

For me it's Marcie. Both characters do horrible things or intend to do them but I can sympathize at least to a certain degree with Marcie because we know what happened to push her over the edge. We know almost nothing at all as to why Catherine Madison went evil. Marcie was being bullied whereas Catherine Madison was a bully.

flow

I'm voting for Marcie and Flow described exactly why.