Apologies for not writing any reviews lately. Life has been very difficult for all of us obviously.
I don't want to let the blog die though. I know it will come back to life, just needs some time. I was reading somewhere that even Black Mirror's new season is on hold because of the state of the world. The world sometimes feels like a horror movie. The health crisis, the economy, politics, the way we treat each other. I think it's taking a weird toll on me personally so I can imagine that some people relate. So what do I do when I need some old reliable comfort? I re-watch Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Now I can get PRETTY defensive over this show, because of my deep adoration for it. Some people weren't watching it at the time, some are too young, or some never even had the interest. It's difficult to sell a"Teen Drama/Fantasy/Romance/Vampire" TV show to almost anyone. The combination is absurd.
In 1992, Joss Whedon wrote a movie with the same title and mostly the same premise. He wanted the "Damsel in Distress" to be the hero for once. But it got absolutely trashed by horror fans, horror/comedy fans, and basically any critic. I mean, I don't HATE the movie. It's fairly goofy but it has some redeeming qualities. Sorta? Donald Sutherland! Luke Perry! Oh well, it happened - it's out there in the world. It's fine.
Years later, obviously Joss didn't give up on the Buffy concept. He was approached by the CEO of a production company called "Sandollar Television". Interestingly enough the same production company helped save the production of the Buffy movie. And guess who financially supported this company? None other than DOLLY PARTON. That's right folks, without Dolly, we'd have no Buffy. He grouped together his own team of writers and his own production company, Mutant Enemy. ("Grrr... Arggg.."). The idea for the show was to display high school as the actual horror. The first season is so incredibly low budget, that it was really quite a miracle it got picked up for another season. But after being picked up by the WB (which was a newer network at the time) it did grow a bit of steam.
The first season, even to me, is a LITTLE bit unwatchable at some times. But I do believe it redeems itself near the end of the season. It starts out as an accessible teen drama about high school, but with the problems of high school being literal demons. The writing is so clever that they make it amusing without it being overly cheesy. The character development is also so carefully thought through. They dedicate entire episodes and metaphors of monsters and such to really show who these characters are and how they interact in this strange environment. It's really a battle about accepting responsibility, who you can trust, and what is worth fighting for.
Only until the second season, does the writing team escape from the whole "Monster of the Week" concept and really build a season long conflict. Each season has it's minor issues throughout, but from beginning to end - there is one ultimate "Big Bad". It's the evil that ties the whole season together and it's mapped out and carefully constructed so well. Yes some of the CGI and effects are a little corny but hey this was late 90s. Some of these things were actually new technologies being tested. I think the makeup and gore remains tasteful (heh heh) throughout the series and they don't steer away from the roots of it too far.
Without going too into depth about each season, I think my main point is that the show means and represents so much more than what is easily seen on the surface. Falling in love with a vampire goes beyond just that. Being a werewolf, being a witch, being THE SLAYER. Each character and action has deep symbolism that is incredibly relatable to pretty much anyone. It's clever, it's funny, it's heartbreaking, it's terrifying and it's beyond exciting.
We face bullying issues, fragile masculinity, feminism, addiction, judgement, responsibility, suicide, LGBT+, love, friendship, etc. The list is never ending. This show has contributed significantly to who I am as a person, and how I treat people, and how I deal with life. There are absolutely incredible performances throughout. There is comedic relief when things get overwhelming. It makes you question everything.
I cannot stress enough how important it is (from me) for people who watch this show and truly learn from it. There is something for everyone in it. And most importantly it gives you a tonne of perspective.
They teach university classes on Buffy. Wikipedia states, "Nonetheless, Buffy eventually led to the publication of around twenty books and hundreds of articles examining the themes of the show from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives, including sociology, Speech Communication, psychology, philosophy, and women's studies." "Popular media researcher Rob Cover argued that Buffy and Angel speak to contemporary attitudes to identity, inclusion and diversity, and that critiquing the characters' long-narrative stories lends insight into the complexity of identity in the current era and the landscape of social issues in which those identities are performed."
If you're looking for advice, answers, or something to relate to - you will find it.
Anyways that's all my gabbing for now. I'll probably go on about Buffy again in the future if anyone cares. OR even if no one does care. If the apocalypse comes... Beep me!
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