I never watched Buffy growing up because I lived on a farm with no TV reception and only watched NOVA.
I know, just forget it. So all of my 90s nostalgia comes from watching these shows as an adult later on, and remembering what the 90s IRL were like. I’ve never seen My So Called Life, either. Next on my list! Anyways, it was Jamie who finally convinced me that Buffy was not like Clueless, or at least, not like what Clueless is parodying. Because Clueless is awesome. Can you tell I’m hungover? Cool.
In reality, Buffy is this:
It’s smart, endlessly witty, hilarious, campy, and when you least expect it, f*cking ruthless with your emotions. If there’s a chance you have resisted watching, I’m here to tell you to start. If you haven’t watched in a long time, I’m here to tell you to Netflix binge-watch it again with me. Here are reasons:
90s to the FACE
One of the reasons I love it so much is that it’s so timeless, and doesn’t rely on pop culture references for humor. The very reason 30 Rock or The Mindy Project often makes me laugh is actually a writing weakness, and topical references won’t let those shows stand as well over time. This being said, there’s a fair amount of 90s nostalgia in Buffy, what with the clothes and moments like this:
Another benefit to being a show of the 90s is that it has some amazing, Geocities-tastic fan art and behind the scenes photos of the cast…
Haha. Hahahahaa. Look at David Boreanaz!
Makeup>CGI
I prefer my horror to be…a little campy. There’s something simultaneously more and less scary about a vampire that looks like this:
For the most part, all demons, vampires, and crazy nonsense on the show (at least in the first few seasons) appear to be a mixture of makeup artistry, prosthetics, and physical VFX tricks instead of CGI. It’s AMAZING. It almost feels like you’re watching a stage performance, as a result. Then when they DO use CGI, it makes more of an impact because it totally doesn’t belong in the world that you’ve established.
Xander.
One of my favorite TV characters ever. Xander is like Anxiety Girl! in a dude’s body. He also tends to speak for the audience in many WTF moments. I relate to Xander more than I’d like to admit. Here’s a taste:
Complex feels
Joss Whedon is a twister of emotions, and just when you think you’ve got this show figured out, he makes you feel empathy for a character you thought you hated. And then does it AGAIN later on with someone you thought you hated even more.
Cordelia is the most popular girl in school, and at the start of the show especially, rather insufferable, but hilarious. Here’s a bit of her personality:
Some sh*t goes down, and you end up really feeling for her when you thought you had comfortably placed her in the ‘vapid whore’ column. Several characters get this treatment, in various directions. At times in the show, you get incredibly frustrated with Buffy and realize she’s far from right or perfect. These moments sneak up on you, and are never heavy-handed. This is really what makes the show a lot smarter than I think it was ever marketed, which is why I didn’t tune in sooner.
There are 7 seasons. And then, Angel.
Finally, you should watch because there is a LOT of it. Think of how much story can fit into 7 seasons. It’s a solid investment of your time, and it’s a VERY satisfying binge watch, because it doesn’t end prematurely. Especially because you can move right onto watching Angel, which has its own flavor of camp with a few recognizable pieces.
Are you holding out on Buffy? Or are you already a fan? Will you re-watch with me?
