It's 2010 and I feel like the time to start my blog up again is nigh. In this first blog of the new year, it will be almost a retrospect, but really not. It will blow your mind (probably not, but lets pretend). I'm going to talk about one of the most important things of my high school life, but also something that I get to enjoy every month in print comic form. That's right noble gay geek readers, its BUFFY!!!
Now for all that maybe lived under a rock in the late 1990s to early 2000s, Buffy was all the rage. It was a show that was about, yes vampire slaying, but really more so about the relationships that Buffy and her best friends (nicknamed "The Scoobies") had with one another.
During the course of it's 7 year run, Buffy died twice, Angel died once, Spike became a goody goody, and Willow blossomed into a lesbian. All this is so much more than I think I have seen any show ever do; especially on the "character becoming gay" storyline. It was the first, and it did it well. Willow coming out of the closet, for me personally, was the biggest TV moment of my teen years. More on that later in the post.
Buffy is something that I can watch over and OVER again. Joss Whedon, the show's creator for those rock people, is someone that I would follow to Neverland if he asked me to. He seems to always create worlds, not just in Buffy, that come to life and make you want to invest. He has his finger on my geek pulse, and I'm better for it. I suggest if this post makes you want to watch Buffy again or for the first time you also check out Whedon's other works: Firefly and Dollhouse.
I wanted to go over my favorite parts of Buffy with a LIST!! I don't know why I haven't done lists in past blogs, cause I love them. Countdowns are my favorite! So here we go...!
Favorite Things from the Buffyverse
10. The Bevy of Killed Off Characters
Now Buffy was known for kicking some Vampire ass, but it was also known for killing lots and lots of people. Remember Jenny Calender, Angel did her in when he went all bloodlusty. Larry is another, oh poor Larry, he was gay and got killed by the Mayor. And my last favorite was Kendra, the African American, ultra hip slayer that was a good foil to miss whitey prom queeny Buffy. She was like Buffy but with more edge. Sadly Drusilla gets the best of her, which was really weak and a total let down, btw! Getting killed by hypnotism...quite anticlimactic.
9. The Episode "Hush"
This is the best stand alone episode of Buffy, ever. It centers around demons named The Gentlemen who steal your voice then cut out your heart. Intense is the least you can say about this episode. Willow running around trying to yell for help but can't with the Gentlemen right behind her, classic. Plus the Gentlemen might be the scariest looking of all the Buffy baddies.
8. The Musical Episode "Once More with Feeling"
Joss Whedon started something copied by many other shows, the musical episode. A demon is conjured that makes everyone sing what they feel. Its funny, the music is downright addictive, and there is even a major plot point of that season at the end. Its a great episode and I think that everyone should see it, Buffy fan or not.
7. The End of Season 6 and Dark Willow
HOLY SHIT!! That sums up the end of season 6 for me. Tara being shot and killed and Willow going all veiny and evil. It is something that I can't fully explain because it this the end of the season and it's like the lid flying off a pot of boiling water. I also love it because story wise it was a point that the characters could never come back from. They had crossed lines that they couldn't uncross, and it made the next season that much better.
6. Buffy's Boyfriends
A nice part for the ladies, and men who don't like ladies that way are the parade of men that Buffy let ravish her. My personal favorite was Riley, he was the college Abercrombie hunk and had that whole military thing too. Angel was sensitive and Spike was a bad boy, but they still didn't beat Riley. Trust me when I say there might be a notebook of mine with his name written all over it.
5. The incarnation of Dawn Summers
Alot of Buffy fans would disagree with me on this one, but I think that Dawn brought a shift to Buffy's character that she needed. Buffy was always more or less concerned with Buffy, but Dawn brought her into a more mature and parental light. I also love how when they brought her onto the show Whedon did it in a way that we all had no clue what was going on. I thought it was genius how everyone knew who Dawn was except the audience and then he turned it around during the course of the season. It was incredibly engaging to be a part of.
4. Andrew Wells
Oh my dear and lovely Andrew. He tried to kill Buffy and the Scooby Gang which lead to Tara's ultimate death, but Andrew's true stride in the series was when he became a part of the gang in season 7. He is the comic relief of the season, but he does it so well that I welcomed it with full heart. Plus he's most likely gay, but has no clue which just adds to his fun character.
3. Faith's Redemption
Now I love Buffy, but if I had to pick a slayer to go on a cruise with it would most definitely be Faith. I loved how Faith was always a very complicated character. She always wanted to do the right thing but never had faith in herself (get the irony...oh Whedon). She always feel short and help the evil in Sunnydale because of all her issues. However the greatest thing Whedon ever did with Faith was turn her force powers to the light side. She finally became the slayer she was suppose to. It was something I wanted to see from first meeting the character of Faith, and I thank you for that Joss.
2. Willow
If you know me and see that Willow is number 2 you might be a little shocked. Willow Rosenberg will always be my favorite part of Buffy. Her character wins the most changed award of the series. I also love that she wears her emotions on her sleeve cause I personally identify with that. She wasn't the prom queen and wasn't the most confident, but in the end she became the most powerful of the Scooby Gang even more than Buffy herself. And as I said before, the gay thing was handled with the most class than any other TV series I have ever seen. Willow rocks my socks period.
1. The creation of Season 8
The best thing about Buffy is that it lives on in comics. Written and overseen by Joss Whedon himself. So far season 8 has been great with a slight slump in the middle. It is one of my favorites to read each month and they are really taking the characters to the next level. Its a great thing for the Buffyverse and for comics in general. And even other canceled shows have taken this cue and brought the continuing seasons in comic form. Once again Joss is on the cutting edge.
So that's it folks, starting off the new year right with talking about one of the most influential shows of the late 90s. It started a whole new trend of funny/dramatic/scary teen shows that still continues today *cough*Vampire Diaries*cough*. And even though I like the Twilight series, I know that Buffy could and would totally kick all of their asses.
BUFFY FTW!!!
