Also, I always hated Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered and I've got shit from people for not liking it. Like how could I not appreciate the lovely comedy? Most mind control stuff seriously bugs me. Writers rarely take it seriously enough. Even with Willow in season 6, she mind-controlled Tara twice and then (in talking about it to others) dismissed Tara as being bothered over nothing, yet the show acted like it was a good thing that Tara should get back together with such an abuser.

One factor with how Xander/Cody is portrayed is I think there's this major Popular Kids vs Unpopular Kids angle, wherein the popular are evil and the unpopular are the good oppressed underdogs. That may have helped prevent Joss and co from seeing how much Xander was a jerk to Cordy.