I don't even know where to begin. Buffy is my favorite television show because it stands above the rest in a plethora of ways. So I've decided to make a top-ten list.
Reason 10: Variety
When I found out that we were going to watch Buffy in my AP English class, I was upset for a single reason: I don't do horror. Because you year the title Buffy the Vampire Slayer and assume that it must be a horror show. But it's so much more than that. It's drama. It's comedy. It's action. It's adventure. It's sci-fi. It has a musical episode. And a silent-movie type episode. Buffy is a little bit of everything, sometimes all at once. Some of the funniest lines come in the midst of the most intensely dramatic episodes. And Buffy is still effectively written in every single aspect of those genres.
Reason 9: Humor
I love the humor found in Buffy. I
already mentioned that there are plenty of humorous quotes. I also love
that the characters are able to laugh at themselves and find humor in
their own situations.
Reason 8: Unpredictability
Buffy is not a predictable show. I mean, it's original premise was about what might happen if the blonde girl who always got killed first in a horror movie was actually the only one who could stop the monsters. The first scene of the show reveals that when a "bad-boy" brings a girl into the school to create mischief, the girl is actually a vampire and kills the boy. Then in the opening two-part episode, one of the characters that seems like he will wind up being a regular is killed off. How's that for doing the unexpected. Not to mention the plot twists in nearly every episode. Plus the times that other main characters, such as Jenny or Tara, are killed off. Or even the times that Buffy herself dies. Then there are the humorous, ironic cuts between scenes at times. The show is unpredictable, and I love it.
Reason 7: Continuity
There is a remarkable sense of continuity in Buffy. Episodes are referenced seasons later, both in meaningful ways and simply in passing. The foreshadowing is phenomenal - most significantly in the lead-up to Dawn's appearance in the show. I
just love that so many events in the show remained important for years
to come. In addition, many of the themes of the show were carried from
the series premier to the series finale. As were many character arcs.
It's hard to find this elsewhere.
Reason 6: Dialogue
When I first watched Buffy
the entire way through, I was grabbed by the dialogue. It's snappy and
unique. At times it's humorous. At others, it's meaningful. The
conversations sound real, not fake or corny - and when they are they're
portrayed is such. I have trouble narrowing each episode down into even
20 memorable and/or meaningful quotes.
Reason 5: Risk-Taking
Joss Whedon took a lot of risks with Buffy over the years. Most significantly are the episodes "Hush," "Restless," "The Body," and "Once More With Feeling." And the best thing about what happened when Whedon took risks is that he was able to turn something that could be a gimmick into something immensely meaningful. The best episodes and best moments of Buffy stem from risks that were taken and turned into great successes.
Reason 4: Depth
I've loved a lot of TV shows over the years, but I've gotten bored of many of them. Given, it took a number of years for me to hit that point, and I'm only into a year of Buffy. However, most other shows that I've loved I've never continued to rediscover. I re-watch episodes and learn nothing knew but instead laugh at the same jokes and cry at the same intense events. But with Buffy, I continually learn more. Each episode re-watch brings me new understanding of something - a character, a theme, underlying meanings. There's just so much new information to discover yet. Furthermore, I believe that this is the reason that some universities offer courses and degrees in Buffy Studies.
Reason 3: Superb Acting
The actors who make up the cast of Buffy are phenomenal. They really make their characters come to life. Furthermore, there exist so many times that they go above and beyond the call of duty to make their characters real to the audiences. Times such as Sarah Michelle Gellar in "Who Are You?", James Marsters in "Seeing Red," Alyson Hannigan in any painful scene, Emma Caulfield in "The Body," the entire cast in "Once More with Feeling," and so much more.
Reason 2: Emotional Intensity
I love the emotional intensity of Buffy. My favorite moments of Buffy are those that are most painful. Not because I enjoy pain, but because they are so beautifully crafted. Only can Buffy make me so sad when a character experiences pain. Only can the final scene of "The Gift" leave me so broken. Only can Buffy, as my favorite BtVS reviewer puts it, "emotionally bring me to my knees," and "punch you in the gut and then kick you while you're down." Buffy, emotionally, is painful, and beautiful, and real.
Reason 1: Characters
I wouldn't love Buffy if it weren't for the characters. I began to watch the series itself because I fell in love with the character Buffy. But the more I get to know these characters, the more attached to them I feel. I love to watch them develop and mature. I love to watch their relationships with each other. I love to continue to watch and discover their stories - their hopes, their dreams, their strengths, their weaknesses, their joys, their pains. Their depth and realism continues to awe me. Without such amazing characters, Buffy could not be as incredibly amazing as it is.
For more reasons that I also agree with see this article from my favorite Buffy review site: "Ten Things Buffy Does Best"
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