She saved the world...a lot
We've been away for a couple of days so I've only been able to read about the 20th anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Twitter. It's been very frustrating feeling so nostalgic and not able to watch an episode. Anyway, now we're back from our brief jaunt and I can't let the occasion pass unmarked. I was going to write something about the show and what it meant to me but then I realised that I already had. From a TV meme about 4 years ago when the question was about a show I thought I wouldn't like but ended up loving. Here's my answer about Buffy -
On paper we are not a good fit. I hate horror, have no interest in vampires and can think of few things I'd like to watch less than American teenagers in a High School setting, but I *loved * Buffy. I can't remember why we started watching. It wasn't even the presence of Anthony Head that was the draw as in those days he was "guy in that annoying coffee advert" and nothing else. I think I'd heard by fannish osmosis that BtVS had something special about it, so we gave the first episode a go when it was shown on BBC in their "cult TV" slot. I was hooked from the moment in the teaser that Darla turned from innocent schoolgirl to vampire and all my expectations were subverted. Subverting expectation was what Buffy did all the time. I won't go in to all the twists and turns of the series but let's just say I seldom saw them coming. The dialogue sparkled, the characters were unforgettable, the cast was terrific and Sarah Michelle Gellar simply was Buffy in all her wit and heartbreak. I can count on the fingers of one hand the episodes of Buffy I don't like (*cough" As You Were *cough*) which for a show that ran for 7 seasons is quite an achievement.
There have been some lovely tributes on Twitter and elsewhere which I'm pretty sure everyone has seen by now but I'm listing them here so I remember them. SMG's post on Instagram was lovely, there's a nice article in The Grauniad here and an interview with James Marsters here.
The comment that has made me laugh the most is this one
Dude, Spike, I told you Buffy's a sweet girl, but...Issues. Now are we still on for wings and Knight Rider on Saturday? Spike? Hello? Aw man https://t.co/gHZ03Jc3kc
- James C. Leary (@TheJamesLeary) March 10, 2017
And finally the most important thing is all the people that I know out there because of Buffy. Thanks for the memories.
On paper we are not a good fit. I hate horror, have no interest in vampires and can think of few things I'd like to watch less than American teenagers in a High School setting, but I *loved * Buffy. I can't remember why we started watching. It wasn't even the presence of Anthony Head that was the draw as in those days he was "guy in that annoying coffee advert" and nothing else. I think I'd heard by fannish osmosis that BtVS had something special about it, so we gave the first episode a go when it was shown on BBC in their "cult TV" slot. I was hooked from the moment in the teaser that Darla turned from innocent schoolgirl to vampire and all my expectations were subverted. Subverting expectation was what Buffy did all the time. I won't go in to all the twists and turns of the series but let's just say I seldom saw them coming. The dialogue sparkled, the characters were unforgettable, the cast was terrific and Sarah Michelle Gellar simply was Buffy in all her wit and heartbreak. I can count on the fingers of one hand the episodes of Buffy I don't like (*cough" As You Were *cough*) which for a show that ran for 7 seasons is quite an achievement.
There have been some lovely tributes on Twitter and elsewhere which I'm pretty sure everyone has seen by now but I'm listing them here so I remember them. SMG's post on Instagram was lovely, there's a nice article in The Grauniad here and an interview with James Marsters here.
The comment that has made me laugh the most is this one
Dude, Spike, I told you Buffy's a sweet girl, but...Issues. Now are we still on for wings and Knight Rider on Saturday? Spike? Hello? Aw man https://t.co/gHZ03Jc3kc
- James C. Leary (@TheJamesLeary) March 10, 2017
And finally the most important thing is all the people that I know out there because of Buffy. Thanks for the memories.