So, you're a Slayer, huh? I like that in a woman... (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Member Name: Larachristina

Product:	Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Date:	07/03/09 (94 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amazing storyline, characters, writing, back story, warm fuzzy feeling in my tummy.

Disadvantages: That its oooooover. Sigh.

(please note, this is a longish review, because im talking about seven whole seasons of slayer-ey goodness)

I am a Vampire Slayer.
By day I may be a makeup artistry student in Liverpool, but by night, I don my fashionable yet affordable boots, collect my stake (Mr pointy but of
course) and crouch underneath my car, awaiting the throngs of vampires that stalk my quiet village in North Wales.

OK. Perhaps not, but if I could, I truly would.


History of Buffyverse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first incarnation of Buffy, was "Rhonda the immortal waitress". not the catchiest of titles. Joss Whedon (Buffy creator) wanted to turn the
stereotypical image of the blonde in horror films, who gets stalked by the monster, attacked by the monster, runs away (invariably up the stairs from the monster) and then either killed by the monster, or rescued by the big macho hero.
Instead he wanted to create a female character who could not only fight and kill the monster all by herself, but save the fella in distress at the same
time.

Buffy first saw the light of day in the ill fated film of the same title. Made in 1992, starring Kirsty Swanson and Donald Sutherland, although an
eventual cult hit it was widely panned by the critics.
Joss Whedon says of the film,

"I had written this scary film about an empowered woman, and they turned it into a broad comedy. It was crushing".

Fortunately (for me, and other Buffy fans out there), Buffy, not for the last time, was given a second chance at life. It was picked up as a TV series
(airing in the US in 1997). The TV series lasted seven seasons.


What is a slayer?
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Into each generation a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One.One born with the strength and skill to fight the vampires"
Slayers are always female, always young, and generally have a pretty short shelf life (being such a dangerous job). Slayers have super human strength.

They are stronger, faster and more powerful than the average human.
Slayers are chosen, supernaturally, when the last slayer has died. They can be from any social class, any walk of life.
Slayers are always issued with a Watcher, sent from the Watchers council. The council is kind of like the slayer government. They do research, and train slayers to their best potential.


Who is Buffy Anne Summers?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy was a normal girl living in LA with her parents, when she was chosen. Suddenly her life was topsy turvy, and she struggled to come to terms with
her calling. After she was expelled from her school in LA (for vampire related activities, not just general naughtiness), and her parents divorced, she
and her Mother Joyce relocated to a small town outside of LA, called Sunnydale. There, Buffy hoped to leave her slaying duties behind.


The seasons.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy ran for seven season. Season one contained 12 episodes, and the other seasons contained 22 episodes.
Mostly the episodes were self contained, but there was always a general story arc during each season, and sometimes there were double episodes ( you know, the to be continued... kind).

Whilst the show contained many many different characters, the core four remained constant. Buffy herself (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar), Giles, her
watcher (Anthony Stewart Head), Willow, Buffy's best female friend (played by Allyson Hannigan), and Xander, Buffy's male best friend (Nicholas Brendan).

Other characters of note were Buffy's mother Joyce (played by Kristine Sutherland), her on off boyfriend Angel (David Boreanaz) her on off enemy Spike (James Marsters) and her little sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg).

Season One through till three, were set in Sunnydale high, until Buffy and her friends graduated at the climax of season three.
Season Four and five were predominantly set at University, season six mainly focuses around the "Magic Box" (the magic shop that Giles owns), and Season seven again focuses on the high school, as Buffy returns there are a school counselor.

What to expect.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The unexpected. Obviously. buffy dealt with many issues, some supernatural, some serious. From werewolves and witches and ghosts and Hyena people (yes really) to death, and breakups, sexual identity and depression. Everything, at some point or another, was covered, without the show every becoming moralistic, or preachy.


What did I like?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You have to realise how hard this is for me. Firstly, i could write about Buffy until the cows come home. it is probably my favorite topic of conversation. I even wrote my university dissertation on it. Eight thousand words on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and feminism...and even then, i struggled to keep my word count down.
I love absolutely everything about Buffy, and I think of her, and all of the characters as friends (I know. I am an utter geek).

Buffy was immediately different to any other show I had ever seen. the opening scenes of episode one, season one, set the tone for the entire rest of the show.
The show opens with two teenagers, alone in a high school, getting up to a bit of no good (the smoochy kind, rather than the vandalism kind). The petite blonde is nervous, as she keeps hearing things. Her fella is more cocksure, more interested in getting intimate than anything else.
All of a sudden the blonde turns her head, and we realise it is her that we should be afraid of, not random school noises. She is a vampire, complete with giant teeth, and a terrifying face. She quite happily bites into her date, and from that moment on, we know to expect the unexpected from Buffy.

The premise of the show, that high school is hell, is something that absolutely everyone can relate to. The main characters in Buffy are not popular. they are outcasts, always too different to be embraced by the popular crowd.
Many of the supernatural monsters in Buffy can really be considered metaphors for the every day horrors that people face in school. OK, so not many of us know what its like to have to slay a giant snake demon in school, but some of us do know what its like to be bullied, or to like someone that doesn't like you back, and this, not all the supernatural spooks and ghoulies, is what Buffy is really all about.

the characters in Buffy were very like able, and very realistic. i always felt like i could relate to them all, in different ways. Buffy always had a lot of pressure on her shoulders, keeping the world spinning and all of that, and I could relate, on a much smaller level, obviously.

The acting is absolutely perfect. So much so actually, that whenever I now see any of the actors in different films or TV shows, I find myself completely unable to separate them from their Buffy alter egos.
Sarah Michelle Geller, who i have found to be slightly lacking in most of the other work she has done (barring cruel intentions) is magnificent. She is sharp and witty, and strong, and vulnerable, and mostly just bloody brilliant.
The supporting cast (although I hate saying it like that, as it is more of an ensemble show than the title would lead you to believe) is fantastic. Anthony Stewart head makes a wonderful progression as originally stuffy character Giles to someone much more flawed and humorous, and human by the end of the show. Nicholas Brendan as Xander has wonderful comic timing, and as the least powerful of the group, you feel a real sympathy toward him. It isn't easy being human in the midst of superheroes. Allyson Hannigan is wonderful as Willow, a shy quiet girl who eventually comes out of her shell, and becomes a powerful witch, something that almost threatens to overwhelm her.

Of course, none of the characters would come alive, if it were not for the absolutely fantastic writing, supplied by Joss Whedons writing crew "Mutant Enemy". The writing and dialogue is so sharp, and so funny, that it lends otherwise serious subjects, such as life and death and loss, a humorous edge.

I found that whilst Buffy didn't appeal to some people (my fella still refuses to watch it with me, and always has done) a vast variety of people, of all ages, absolutely loved it.
I used to watch it with my little brother and my Dad, both who adore the series.
me and my friends, whilst taking sneaky ciggie breaks outside of school, used to play Buffy next to the graveyard.
I was 17 by the way, so no cause for concern on the smoking front. although, perhaps cause for concern on the role playing in graveyards part.

What i loved best about Buffy, although like I said, i could go on all night, was how close i felt to the characters. I eagerly tuned in all week (before i had bought all of the vhs boxsets, and then the dvd boxsets), and felt like i was visiting old friends. i loved the characters so much, and when they hurt I hurt. When they laughed, I laughed.
i know this all sounds a bit freaky...a bit obsessive, but i think its quite a natural thing for a Buffy fan to feel.
When the show finished, at the end of season seven, i actually felt as if I had lost someone. I mourned for Buffy, and I have never done that with another TV show.
I still hope, in my heart of hearts, that they bring it back, in some form.
I know that seas 8 of Buffy can be seen as a comic series, and whilst I have had a sneaky peek, it doesn't feel right to me.
I want the Buffster back into my life, but until the, she will always have a place in my heart.

To buy the complete Buffy boxset, containing all seven seasons, for the very reasonable price of £59.98 ,
go here.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffy-Vampire-Slayer-Comp lete-

Collection/dp/B000X42YPM/ref=sr_1_1?

ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1236458756&sr=8-1

(link has been split to keep it under 80 characters. Just paste it back together.

Summary: The best show every to grace the tellybox, in my humble opinion.