however many days of awesome ladies, days 4-6
Favorite female character on a male-driven show: It’s actually been a while since I could sit through a whole episode of Chuck because of the Lady Issues, which is a shame because it had a lot of charm, but I have to go with Anna Wu, AN UNDERUSED TREASURE. (I thought about Kate Beckett here, but even though Castle is about Rick Castle, there are enough great female characters that it doesn’t feel like a male-driven show, which is great.)
Favorite female-driven show: I feel like the cut here is just insulting.
In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness.
She is the Slayer.
BtVS is my favorite show ever. I actually first gave it a chance because I kept seeing it cited as The Example for fantastic female characters, and I wasn’t disappointed; in fact, I was pleasantly surprised. Buffy herself is the character that takes center stage in such mentions, and for good reason. She’s an icon in every sense of the term and she is my favorite superhero.
But it doesn’t just stop there, even if Buffy herself is a brilliant picture. I never could have seen Willow Rosenberg become what she became, or Darla, or Anyanka, or Dawn. In general, there aren’t stand-outs for me on BtVS, because the ensemble cast is actually full of amazing, fully-realized women who get to grow and change. And to be friends! And enemies, and mentors, and girlfriends, and have all kinds of fantastic relationships with each other.
It’s the whole show. I was hooked the moment Buffy yanked herself out of a Slayer dream to get dressed for school; I loved the show from the moment Drusilla and Spike turned their chins toward us and moved on in; it became my absolute favorite the moment Angel lost his soul, flipping every romantic convention - every trope that keeps female characters flat and subordinate - brutally and irrevocably inside-out. I mean, actually inside-out. The soul was inside and then it came out. This wasn’t just a show that dropped one amazing woman into a man’s world and let her flounder, it was a show that looked at what it means to be strong.
I don't actually have a day for Buffy herself, but since it's all about her. THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER:
I’m sixteen years old, Giles. I don’t wanna die.” (Prophecy Girl)
No weapons; no friends; no hope. What’s left?”/”Me.” (Becoming)
You had SEX with GILES?!?!” (Earshot)
You could never hope to grasp the source of our power.” (Primeval)
I've had a lot of people talking at me the last few days. Everyone just lining up to tell me how unimportant I am. And I've finally figured out why. Power. I have it. They don't. This bothers them.” (Checkpoint)
I don’t want to protect you from this world, Dawn. I want to show you it.” (Grave)
“Every girl who can be a Slayer, will be a Slayer. Can stand up, will stand up. Are you ready to be strong?” (Chosen)