I liked Cowboy Bebop, and yet I have to agree that it's over hyped. As for Spike, it's more than a casual resemblance to Lupin- the Bebop cast (with the exception of ed and Ein) was directly based on the Lupin gang, and the series itself is pretty much a riff off of Lupin III, so much so that I wonder if it's descended from the failed "Lupin IV" pilot.

And I totally agree with your comment about Keanu- I find him a pretty decent B-list actor. I've heard that one of the major reasons that directors love the man is that he shows up on the set every day, on time, sober, not hung over, and he's even memorized his lines. It says something about Hollywood culture that these traits can make an actor incredibly popular.