There are two types of people in this world—ones who love Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and ones who don't (poor souls).
The web is awash with sites devoted to the quirky teen program that became a pop culture phenomenon. From fan pages misspelling a number of characters' names, to the complex musings of Buffy'd up academia, little has been left unsaid.
To be honest my inner teen would love to blog a slightly hysterical rant, something along the lines of "OMFGangelishotbuffykicksassxandercracksmeupozwasmyfavourite" or something like "ilovegileswillowissocutecordeliamakesmeLMAO". Likewise, my inner philosopher wouldn't mind putting her thinking cap on, maybe apply the infamous Tipping Point approach to the Buffy cultural experience.
Instead, I'll simply comment on why audiences were enthralled, or more accurately, why this audience member, who hates horror and scary stuff, loved the show so much.
Maybe I've left my run a little late, but it can be argued the show still impacts today's scripted television output. A number of Buffy writers have since scribed for successful programs (Mad Men, Torchwood, Game of Thrones, Gilmore Girls, Lost, 24), while other tv writer's cite Buffy as a strong creative influence. Buffy spoofs and tributes also continue to pop up...
Besides, like a fine wine, Buffy gets better with age.
BEST BITS
*The inherent humour, often peppered with on-the-money cultural references. Everyone was so witty! The cultivated flippancy offered some release from the seriousness of the themes, but was slickly abandoned when the story crossed over to more dark and complex material.
(Not many scripts are consistently, cleverly funny, yet somehow able to transition smoothly to serious moments without losing the audience. These transitions were always beautifully handled by the Buffy writers, and were in no way jarring).
*Like Clarke Kent, Buffy soon learnt secret identity does not equal super cool. Not to mention, the pay's less than minimum wage...
*Interesting cinematography that often tried for a more filmic approach (ie use of long shots) despite budget restrictions.
*The character's personal growth. Some shows drag their character through many adventures that never seem to realistically reshape their psyches (here's looking at you, Gossip Girl). In the Buffyverse, everyone changed, partly as a result of living on the Hellmouth, partly because they were growing up. Willow went from nerd to black magic addict, Riley went from soldier to borderline fangbanger, while Buffy went from living, to dead, to living, to dead. Oh, and to living again.
*The way the show took modern teenage scenarios, and added a supernatural twist to the 'lesson' portion of the story. For example, underage Buffy drinks spiked alcohol at a frat party, and wakes up chained to a wall, about to be sacrificed to a demon. Talk about lesson learnt. In another episode, Willow meets a guy on the web, only to discover her new boyfriend is a demon loose inside the internet. (There's a worst case online dating scenario for you).
*Buffy's bob cut that nobody liked except me. (Gellar tried to make her hair less blonde as the series went on).
TIMES I CRIED
Yes I am that much of a girl. I'm not talking category five, red alert kind of emotional outpourings, like heart-wrenching sobs... maybe more mini-tears?
-Buffy killing Angel
-Buffy breaking up with Angel
-Oz leaving
-Tara dying (oh yeh. Um, spoiler?)
-Jenny dying
-Joyce dying
There's no denying Sunnydale had a high mortality rate. Basically, love and loss were the cornerstone of Buffy-inspired emotional empathy.
BEST BADDIES
Faith, Spike and Angel (on a soulless day). When they were bad, they were EVIL... yet somehow, still riveting viewing. You really cared about the three regular baddies on Buffy. They were multi-faceted, made a lot of morally bankrupt choices, but deep down, all were in some way redeemable.
BEST EPISODES BY FAR
I'm keeping this for a whole other blog (I can't help myself).
BEST QUOTES
Come on, there are entire BOOKS dedicated to this!
THE ROMANCE
Why don't we start with a Baker's Dozen? Angel and Buffy. Angel and Darla. Xander and Arnya. Willow and Oz. Xander and Cordelia. Buffy and Riley. Willow and Tara. Spike and Druscilla. Harmony and Spike. Buffy and Spike. Giles and Ms Calendar. Giles and Olivia. Spike and Anya.... & the list goes on.
For some reason, romance in the Buffyverse (generally) kicked ass. I cannot put it more succinctly. From healthy relationships, to very, very unhealthy partnerships (who can forget Xander and the bug lady?), Whedon & his crew really knew how to write the many different facets of love.
WORST BITS
*I bought the dvds as they came out. Single eps, then group eps, then 3 disc half-season sets, etc... unfortunately, now I want the whole Buffy TVS In One Pretty Box collection, instead of the bits and pieces I've acquired. Like a miscellaneous tea set of vintage crockery, I try to think of them as charming, but really, it's ultimately unsatisfying.
*The last season. It doesn't exist, do you hear me? Bad fan fiction that leaked over from an alternate reality. In my world, there is no Season 7 of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. THERE IS NO SEASON SEVEN.
*There is also no excuse for the massacre that was the introduction of Dawn. Apparently, the character was meant to be a lot younger than the actress they finally cast: perhaps this is why she came off as ridiculously immature and almost unwatchable. Buffy being a single child was part of the show's premise, an aspect that shaped the character. Trying to shove a little sister in there just didn't work.
*Buffy's mum Joyce, in early seasons, is little more than a one-dimensional mum puppet, more startlingly Stepford than the well-programmed robot wives from that movie. In fact, she accidentally ends up dating a robot in one episode. Personally, I think he was probably surprised to learn his true love wasn't also mechanical.
*Angel's straggly hair in the flashbacks.
IN SUMMARY
If you love Buffy, watch it again. If not, well... watch it again!
Also, the spin-off series Angel isn't included in this blog, 'cause that's another nostalgic topic for another rainy day.
For anyone wondering about the image at the beginning of this blog, I had a Buffy theme party once and hung the walls with images and articles about BTVS pulled from magazines.... (yes, now might be a good time to delete me from your facebook friend's list). I wore a black wig, floor length old-fashioned dress and carried a porcelain doll. (If you don't recognise that as Druscilla, I'm surprised you even read this far!).
Druscilla: "I'm naming all the stars."
Spike: "You can't see the stars, love. That's the ceiling. Also, it's day."
Druscilla: "I can see them. But I've named them all the same name... and there's terrible confusion."
Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 2, Episode 14.
Finally, I thought I should finish up with some words from the Buffy master himself, creator Joss Whedon:
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