Some TV shows are cult classics, ones that lose no popularity decades after they end their run on the small screen. Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) in definitely in that category, and is arguably my favorite TV series of all time.
Cordelia was in some of the best Buffy episodes of all time (including the Buffy Halloween episode), before Charisma Carpenter's character pivoted over to Angel. Cordy had a unique tenure on the flagship series, going from antagonist to reluctantly involved in the battle against evil. One fan wrote into Carpenter saying that her character was actually a better friend than most of Buffy's core group, with the actress responding on TikTok by saying:
Ooh, this is such an unpopular take. This is gonna cause some controversy. You really think so, you really think Cordelia was a better friend to Buffy than the Scoobies? Holy shit, I’m going to need a bullet point dissertation on all the ways you can prove that to be true. Get busy, I need to know. Tell me in the comments immediately. Immediately, you gotta tell me all the ways that you can prove that Cordy was a better friend to Buffy than her Scooby Gang.
Talk about a scalding hot take. But hardcore fans will remember plenty of times the Scoobies failed Buffy throughout the show's seven season run. In contrast, Cordelia was always true to herself, and still found a way to be kind to The Slayer a number of times during their time in Sunnydale High School.
There are a number of memorable moments where Buffy's best friends were not kind to her. One of which occurs when Angelus rises, and Xander lies to Buffy in "Becoming, Part Two". And the truth doesn't come out until many years later. Then there's the coup that happened in Season 7, where Buffy was kicked out of her own house by Xander, Willow, Dawn, Anya, and The Potentials.
In the same TikTok, Charisma Carpenter also questioned whether or not her character actually became a full-fledged member of the Scooby Gang. In her words:
Also, was Cordy a Scooby, a reluctant Scooby, a Scooby nonetheless? Give it to me in the comments. I need to know.
It's a resounding yes. While Cordy didn't get to stake a vampire until "Graduation Day, Part Two", she spends years facing off against the forces of evil at the Hellmouth. While she wasn't called to this destiny or doing it for the sake of friendship, Cordelia Chase was usually on the right side of history.
It's fun seeing the Angel actress reminisce positively about her time on Buffy, especially since Charisma Carpenter made allegations against Joss Whedon for a number of disturbing incidents. Despite this, she's still able to think back positively on her tenure as Cordelia, and is able to continue engaging with the still-loyal fanbase. And those fans are able to re-watch her time on both shows via Hulu.