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At 18, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Is Still Revolutionary — The Atlantic

Eighteen years ago, Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired for the first time on The WB in a two-part debut. “Welcome to the Hellmouth” introduced viewers to Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a likable, popular 16-year-old who just happened to have a destiny that included saving the world from the undead; while also introducing Buffy to…

Eighteen years ago, Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired for the first time on The WB in a two-part debut. “Welcome to the Hellmouth” introduced viewers to Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a likable, popular 16-year-old who just happened to have a destiny that included saving the world from the undead; while also introducing Buffy to Sunnydale, a small, run-of-the-mill California town that just happened to sit on a Hellmouth—a portal of mystical energy that attracts demons, vampires, and other boogeymen.

via At 18, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Is Still Revolutionary — The Atlantic.

Happy Birthday to BtVS, one of my favorite series ever.
The article in the Atlantic doesn’t specifically address it, but the show is an excellent portrayal of the burdens of duty. Beyond those burdens imposed on her by fate, Buffy also freely, if reluctantly, often assumes duties that those outside might consider optional, but which she sees as central to her vision of herself as a decent person.

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  1. Retread

    It was one of those shows that appealed to a couple of age groups. Teen girls and also adults who could appreciate the deeper meaning. For a while I belonged to an online discussion group of the latter. Good and evil in modern day incarnations were examined in detail. Thanks for the reminder.

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  2. KenH

    The writing was superb, and kept it from becoming just another teen agnsty show, It was one of the few shows that had episodes and scenes that had you shedding a tear unabashedly. “The Body” is still one of the best, and hard to watch. Probably since it is played so real. Too real. Buffy’s reaction finding her mother dead like that hit home.
    Bravo

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  3. pngai

    “assumes duties that those outside might consider optional”

    Reminds me of George Zimmerman and the complaint that he should have stayed in his car, and Kitty Genovese.

    My liberal neighbor went to see American Sniper and was very eager to tell me about the sheepdog concept. I’m not sure he got the part about how the sheep are scared of the sheepdog, with his claws and fangs.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. xbradtc

    Slap your lib neighbor for me. I got tired of the sheepdog analogy years ago.

    Liked by 1 person

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