The Show That Has Everything

nerdgirl97

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is pure brilliance. I discovered Buffy the summer before my freshman year of high school. I had recently moved to a new area where I knew a total of no one. I was sitting around the house for twelve hours a day, browsing Netflix, when something amazing happened: I found Buffy.

By Welcome to the Hellmouth, I was hooked. I was insatiable in my Buffy hunger. I watched it all day and then secretly at night. And I loved it.

The first season is a little cheesy, but I love it anyways, especially 'Angel' (the episode). Besides, we've all felt like Xander or Willow at times, and the show displays such a realistic portrayal of high school ... except it's on a Hellmouth.

Then comes the second season - the best season of BtVS EVER. Joss Wheden should be put on a pedestal for his ingenious ideas. Having Buffy's soul mate (so to speak) lose his soul after sharing a moment of perfect happiness with her ... brilliant. And who doesn't love Spike and Dru? They're awesome.

Season Three gets into deeper stuff as the Scoobies prepare to graduate and Seth Green joins the cast full-time as the stoic yet hilarious Oz, and we get into a love triangle ... er, quadrilateral? Pentagon? I don't know. Either way, there's a love mess with Willow, Xander, Cordy and Oz. And Buffy and Angel and Faith (who is my third favorite character, behind Willow and Spike. Gotta love a Rouge Slayer).

Season Four gets more mature as Angel and Cordy leave to start their own (epic) show, Angel, while the Scooby Gang goes to college. Well, at least Buffy and Willow. Xander and Giles are just hanging out (but not together). And midway through the season, James Marsters joins the cast as a regular with Spike, who is hilarious. Sadly, we lose Seth Green, who runs away to get away from his werewolf-iness (really, he just wanted to me Dr. Evil's son). But he's soon 'replaced' by Amber Benson as the shy and lovable Tara Maclay.

Season Five brings Harriet the Spy (Michelle Tratchenberg) into the cast as none other that Buffy's lil' sis. I know a lot of people hate Dawn, but I think the sister relationship was perfect. And the Key thing made sense, too. Season Five also brings a load of sadness when Buffy's mom dies, bringing Angel back into town for some snogging. Too bad Angel never finds out about Spike's crush on Buffy while he's there, those would have been some great scenes.

Season Six starts off with Buffy dead (oh yeah. Buffy dies in Season Five, too), but Willow soon brings her back. Then we get a fun episode with 'Once More With Feeling,' which I love. There's a lot of metaphors in this season, mainly with Willow's magic 'addiction.' It's a metaphor for drug abuse, and Alyson Hannigan plays right into my heart every time she breaks down sobbing in 'Wrecked.' Sadness and death strike again when Tara is killed and Willow flays her killer alive (well, he's not alive for long).

Season Seven brings in the Potentials, who I somehow subconsciously knew about before they were mentioned (in my pathetic fanfiction about a girl (me) being the 'Next Slayer'). They're okay, but Kennedy irks me. Her character is all right, but when she starts hitting on Willow, she pisses me off. There's also the First Evil, which can only take the form of dead people (and really likes to take the form of Buffy, who's died twice). Spike and Buffy grow closer, old and new allies (aka, the hilarious Andrew) join the cast, and it all leads up to an epic finale with 'Chosen.'

I haven't read any of the comics, just because I really love how Joss ended the series and I think I'll just use my imagination and fanfiction to see what Buffy's going to do next.

I rewatch Buffy and Angel constantly now, and both shows will forever be in my heart. Too bad I don't know anyone else that has anything to say about my Buffy T-Shirt other than "That show's stupid." And when I ask the why, they reply, "Cause ... it's called Buffy the Vampire Slayer." To which I dumbly ask, "So?" and they shake their heads like I'm a lost cause.

Ah. Some day they might watch it. Until then, I'll keep watch Buffy, Angel and Bones (which stars David Boreanez and is basically the same character as Angel except he's an FBI agent, not a vamp, and he smiles a lot).

score 10/10

nerdgirl97 31 January 2014

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2968889/