LogFAQs > #911019477

53. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Series) (19 points)
Nominated by: Anagram (3/6 remaining)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCJoKDHRbDc" data-time="

Importance: 8
Fear: 4.5
Snake: 7.5

When the original 1992 film came out, the world perhaps wasn't ready for its subversive take on the horror genre. As its script was altered and changed, Whedon's vision wouldn't be fully realized and the film suffered as a result. Luckily, the satirical Scream came along in 1996, changing the face of horror forever, giving Buffy and Whedon the second chance they so desperately deserved. The series stars Sarah Michelle Gellar in her career defining role as Buffy Summers, a typical high school student who's life is turned upside down when it's revealed she's the last in line of a series of vampire slayers. Buffy subsequently tries to balance her normal life with her destiny, battling supernatural forces whilst trying out for the cheerleading team or going on dates. Buffy was specifically created as a subversion of the final girl, and is in the inverse in almost every way: blonde, promiscuous, and having a strong fighting spirit in her.

Buffy presents itself primarily as a comedy-drama series, but it could be damn scary when it wanted to be, rivaling the X-Files in memorable monsters of the week, such as the Queller, Der Kindestod, and arguably the scariest and most well-known, The Gentlemen. The fact that Buffy was able to bring significant chills to the table definitely helped separate the series from similar teen dramas, opening up accessibility to several different types of audiences. Buffy's strong and memorable cast also helped the series maintain relevancy. Characters like Willow resounded with early audiences as a loner, outcast, and vulnerable young woman, before developing into a stronger and more confident adult with latent magical powers and a relationship with Tara Maclay, bringing to television one of the first lesbian relationships. Fan-favorite vampire Spike started off the series as a one-off villain, but his Billy Idol-inspired look and complex emotions that defied the typical heartless vampire made Spike a permanent fixture of the series. Angel is another vampire cursed with a human soul, and his complicated relationship with Buffy as he's torn between two worlds is extremely compelling. Angel even ended up getting his own spin-off series.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer continues to endure and gain new fans even after the series has long since ended. It was creative, experimental, hilarious, emotional, and wasn't afraid to be scary when it needed to be. It came along at a perfect time in horror history where teen slashers ruled and a resurgence of vampire flicks rose to popularity, as Buffy challenged all sorts of long-standing horror tropes and created something new and memorable out of those tools.
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