Apparently Buffy is being rebooted...

[frelling_tralk]

Urgh sorry to have disappeared for so long, I’ve finally managed to resolve the issues with my home broadband :shakes fist at TalkTalk:

So what does everyone think about the news that’s just come out on a Buffy reboot?

One of the most beloved TV series of the past two decades, Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is making a comeback. A reboot

Comments

[frelling_tralk]

That just seems like such a no-brainer to me, especially as a Faith spin-off almost happened at one point, so a new show set around a completely different kind of slayer to Buffy could be really cool. But I keep reading that they’re recasting Buffy herself, and really what’s the point of telling her story again when that’s already been done? They could just come up with a brand new slayer, and call it ‘___ The Vampire Slayer’, that way it still clearly has that name brand recognition from the original show, without being a reboot of something that’s already been done. It’s frustrating too when the Buffyverse has so many fresh potential storylines to tell in that universe (Tales Of The Slayers or Fray being televised for one?)

I get the feeling that Joss is getting a credit in name only kind of thing, just because there was such a backlash last time there was talk of rebooting Buffy without involving him. It sounds like he’s going to be more tied up with his new show on HBO though, and that the Buffy reboot is going to more or less be the new showrunners concept to run with

[infinitewhale]

Seems to be quite a bit of backlash against this, too. Mostly everyone saying the same thing... Why not a story about a new slayer?

I don't get it. You can cash in on the Buffyverse without rebooting the character. Frankly, I don't get why Joss would lend his name to it unless he really doesn't care anymore. The writing in the comics would certainly suggest that.

[frelling_tralk]

It does say that talks are only in the very early stages, so hopefully they might take all the negative feedback onboard and consider making the new slayer her own character... It’s just too strange to imagine a reboot actually casting modern versions of not just Buffy, but also newer versions of Willow, Xander, Giles Cordelia, Faith, Spike etc :shudders:

[sueworld2003]

They're doing a reboot using Buffy's name as thats whats going to draw in any potential audience. A bit like why Star Trek Discovery didn't completely do It's own thing but ended up dragging in elements (including Pike and Spock god help us) into the mix. It's short hand for any kind of fan interest.

[rogueslayer452]

It’s frustrating too when the Buffyverse has so many fresh potential storylines to tell in that universe (Tales Of The Slayers or Fray being televised for one?)

Exactly! The concept of the Slayer is that "into every generation, a Slayer is born", Buffy was just one of the many, many Slayers that came before and that came after. We shouldn't have to reboot the character when there are so many other stories to tell with other Slayers. New girls, new stories, new journeys.

But I see this, much like with the whole Charmed nonsense, with trying to get their "woke" brownie points by attempting to be more inclusive. Except you can have all of that diversity....with original characters. It can still be set in the same universe, obviously, with the same mythos, just have it all be original. I would love to see more WOC Slayers and show their stories, but I don't want them to recast Buffy. That's shitty, imho, and it's completely disrespectful to the legacy that was already told. Again, Buffy isn't the only Slayer, so why limit to just her story?

I get the feeling that Joss is getting a credit in name only kind of thing, just because there was such a backlash last time there was talk of rebooting Buffy without involving him.

Yep, that's what I'm thinking too. The only way this would actually happen was for him to be involved somehow, even if it was only to be in-name only, because otherwise people will continue to go "no Joss, no Buffy"; but even with his named attached he's still not going to be part of the process anyway, so it's all pointless. Also, keep in mind that he kind of fell out of the good graces with many people in recent years so him being attached to this reboot project with a more diverse cast is probably an attempt to try and get his name cleared in a sense.

I'm just so, ugh. Reboot culture is the worst. :/

[frelling_tralk]

I’m in total agreement, it does feel disrespectful if their plan is to literally reboot the new series with younger actors, that would only lead to unfavourable comparisons for the actors too as I can’t picture characters like Cordelia, Drusilla, Spike, Willow etc being any better cast than they already were (can you even imagine a young actesss trying to take on the role of Faith for example after Eliza made it her own!), never mind Buffy Summers herself. That would place a huge burden on any young actress being expected to follow in SMG’s footsteps, and it’s just so unnecessary when they could easily come up with the story of an original slayer and her own group of friends

[rogueslayer452]

It's also strange because BTVS became such a widely huge pop culture phenomenon at the time it was airing that it was majorly influential and opened many doors for other shows/things in the media that came afterwards. It's rather foolish to think that they can recreate it by rebooting it entirely -- it just won't work.

That would place a huge burden on any young actress being expected to follow in SMG’s footsteps, and it’s just so unnecessary when they could easily come up with the story of an original slayer and her own group of friends

For real, especially a WOC actress because the amount of harsh criticism would be directed at her for all the wrong reasons. :/

Also, this is why these reboots oftentimes don't work in general anyway, because what is often rebooted are things already beloved (and sometimes hugely successful) with fiercely loyal as fuck fanbases, many which already don't like the idea of something trying to cash in on its success, so there's already so much against it to begin with. It's why this constant reboot culture of wanting to reboot everything because of success to cash in a few bucks makes no sense since it often backfires miserably. Granted, yes, it's not truly "ruining my childhood" because I can just easily ignore it like so many other things out there, but it's not about that anymore. It's the principle of Hollywood being so obsessed with remakes/reboots/revivals that the lack of actually having any kind of originality anymore or any kind of thinking outside of the box of wanting to extend/expand a franchise that's making many of us angry.

[frelling_tralk]

It's also strange because BTVS became such a widely huge pop culture phenomenon at the time it was airing that it was majorly influential and opened many doors for other shows/things in the media that came afterwards. It's rather foolish to think that they can recreate it by rebooting it entirely -- it just won't work

Mte, it’s almost like saying that oh sure we can do an updated version that will equal or even surpass the original, even though the original series is such a phenomenon in its own right and still widely discussed and watched today, yet apparently we need to have a new version of it?

And agreed again, the lack of originality in movies these days especially is so frustrating when you look at the hugely varied number of blockbusters that were being out out in the 90’s, whereas it seems like studios these days will only greenlight a movie if it’s part of a franchise.

[rogueslayer452]

even though the original series is such a phenomenon in its own right and still widely discussed and watched today, yet apparently we need to have a new version of it?

Exactly, plus we just celebrated its 20th anniversary too, and so much merchandise is being released as well because of that. So this announcement feels like it's definitely riding the wave of the BTVS success and hype which is not a good thing, imho. Also, so many people I've seen are just getting introduced to the series because of the anniversary and because it's been heavily recommended all over for being so good, and it still heavily resonates with people today. Why try to reboot something that is still getting so much attention and is beloved so much by almost everyone? Just, why?

Again, if you want to make an original story with another Slayer, I'm definitely here for that! Make a spin-off with more Slayers from all over the world, from all different cultural backgrounds and experiences, that would be great to see since it would be an extension of the universe. That's what some fans have been asking for quite a while now. But don't reboot something that's already been told, ffs.

when you look at the hugely varied number of blockbusters that were being out out in the 90’s, whereas it seems like studios these days will only greenlight a movie if it’s part of a franchise.

Seriously. Someone else I talked with pointed out that nowadays there aren't really that much variety at the box office anymore as there used to be. Where things would be a mixture of different genres, now it's just action/superhero movies and constant remakes and sequels. At the end of the day, it's about making money, not about making something with substance, and that's what all these reboots/remakes are about honestly.

[frelling_tralk]

Literally just the movies from 1999 are so depressing looking back, because there was SUCH a huge variety, and studios just aren’t doing anything like that these days

The Green Mile, Fight Club, American Pie, The Matrix, American Beauty, Notting Hill, The Sixth Sense, Cruel Intentions, Girl, Interupted, The Talanted Mr. Ripley, The Virgin Suicides, Runaway Bride, Eyes Wide Shut, 10 Things I Hate About You, Being John Malkovich, Jawbreaker, Magnolia, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Blair Witch Project

That’s just *some* of the films released in a single year in the 1990’s, whereas these days you’re lucky to find any mainstream release that isn’t a superhero movie, or a brainless action movie with either the Rock or Tom Cruise

[rogueslayer452]

I remember going to the movie theaters a lot during my teens/early 20s, but nowadays I barely see anything in the theaters unless it's something I absolutely 100% want to see. And that isn't much anymore, unfortunately. One could argue it's the way we view media which has been shifting and evolving, where sometimes indie films or Netflix films are more accessible for more varied content, but as a whole the film industry is just screwed on multiple levels. Movies end up getting made under a limited amount of time thus sometimes looking rather cheap, which results in a mediocre presentation and lacking any kind of soul or heart. But really, the lack of variety and only relying on action/superhero movies to bring in the box offices and overdone sequels and neverending franchises that burn-out faster than they arrived, it's just sad.

The late 90s/early 00s were a godsend of having so many options, in both movies and television, now we're lucky if we get one original idea that gets attention or lasts longer than season or two. :/

[liliaeth]

there's also the part that the idea Buffy was based upon, aka the blond cheerleader, is very specifically white. It implies a level of privilege that a black girl wouldn't have. So a black Slayer would inherently face more adversity than a blond girl like Buffy did.

[frelling_tralk]

I agree, the whole concept behind Buffy’s character was that she was the slightly ditzy blonde cheerleader that everyone underestimated at first. I think it’s a great idea to have a black actress as the lead, but it would make so much more sense to give her her own character to play, and create a different kind of slayer to Buffy

[infinitewhale]

Buffy as a character was a subversion of the pretty white cheerleader massacred in an alley. Sarah's character in I Know What You Did Last Summer, pretty much to a T. Taking that archetype and constructing a narrative around her. Recasting that is pretty much undoing it.