It's depressing to watch all this fan investment in a product the author isn't invested in at all.

Yeah, that's the part that depresses me the most, actually. Never mind what's happening in the story, it's the impression of disinterest I keep getting, like it really doesn't matter what happens to these characters or what kind of worldview is being put forth, that brings me down. (I'm reminded, faintly, of a panel I saw during the aftermath of Tara's death, where the writers on hand seemed genuinely surprised by the anguished reaction of the lesbian community. Like, wow, Willow/Tara meant something to some people, you know, besides the shock value. Who would've thought? It's just, you know, TV, ain't it?)