Ok, for a short-read format, choosing to review a whole season probably isn’t the most conducive. Choosing to review three in one go is just downright irresponsible. So, see this as less of a comprehensive review and more of a brief synopsis written to tempted you into binging a bit of brilliant television.
Often touted as the best out of seven, the first three seasons follow the exploits of Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a high school inbetweener, and her friends, The Scoobies, as they face off evils. Produced in 1997 by well-known arse hole, Joss Whedon, Buffy The Vampire Slayer offers us a nice window into the Nineties. Given that the showrunner was a female combatant, the programme was undoubtable positively progressive for the time. So progressive in fact that nearly 25 years later, at the height of our world apparent culture wars, some of the humour may just in fact be accepted as appropriately edgy today. Appropriate enough to escape any offensive archaeology and not get the contemporary edit treatment (something that, for the record, doesn’t bother me personally).
Let’s get to the show. From the off we’re staking vampires with our mildly troubled teenager, who has recently joined a new school, Sunnydale High, due to issues at her old spot. She does a great job of meeting new friends, Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Willow (Alyson Hannigan), who learn of Buffy’s prophesied, vampire slaying, chosen one nature at the same time as the viewers.
In the first season, in between identity issues, love interests and singular stories we see the good guys taking on The Master (Mark Metcalf). An ancient vamp who wants to open the doors of Hellmouth by killing Buffy, thus unleashing evil on the world. He also has some innocent child, The Anointed One (Andrew J. Ferchland), dwelling in his subterranean caves, nurturing him to become the next leader. Insidious.
Season two sees the crew take on The Anointed one in all his child-like wickedness followed by the blue devil-like demon known as The Judge (Brian Thompson). Rocket launcher vs The Judge is a must see. We are also introduced to two new long stay antagonists, Spike (James Marsters) and Drucilla (Juliet Landau). This season gives us a bit of bonus Slayer action with Kendra (Bianca Lawson) joining the team temporarily as the season works through Buffy’s evil not evil love interest, Angel (David Boreanaz) storyline.
After rounding up the previous season on a high with a bit of torture and our hero becoming something of a fugitive, number three brings back some high school normalcy. You know, just a bit of vamp and demon slaying. We get to meet the new Slayer of Sunnydale, Faith (Eliza Dushku), who, for the most part, teams up with Buffy and team. In addition, we get an all new and powerful enemy, the Sunnydale Mayor (Harry Groener). The season is made up of plenty individual storylines with a nice overarching theme of [more] love issues, unfaithful Slayers and redeemable vampires. The season culminates with the high school event of the year, which nicely coincides with graduation and includes our biggest anthropomorphic demon yet. Could this be the end for Buffy? Or just for good Buffy narratives? Perhaps, or perhaps not.
While each individual story, subplot and overarching narrative are strong enough to entice viewers, it is the characters and their dynamics that keeps me watching. In Buffy’s close knit Scoobies group, we have the originals Xander, a mid-range popular high school guy who is like some manner of Joey and Chandler hybrid; Willow, a soft-spoken, big-hearted teen, who in 2021 would be considered cool af, is a bit of a Nineties book nerd. On top of Buffy’s school friends, this original clique also includes the unflappable British gentleman, Sunnydale School Librarian and the Slayer’s Watcher, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head).
Additions to the Scoobies, though I am not entirely sure if they are fully fledged members include: Oz (Seth Green), Willow’s stoic werewolf love interest; Ms Calendar (Robia LaMorte), the mysterious witchy love interest of Giles; and everybody’s favourite, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), the high school beauty queen and unlikely love interest of Xander. Now, I am sure he would personally shun a Scoobies membership card, but it would be unfair to miss out Buffy’s vampire love interest, Angel. It would also be fair to put our other long stay Slayer, Faith, on this list and by extending a bit of generosity we can probably include her Watcher, Wesley (Alexis Denisof).
Throughout the seasons we get to see some splendid antagonists, but none stick in the memory better than the wicked British vamp turned reluctant antihero, Spike. This all-black clad former vestige of evil almost always does a good job of brightening any scene with his cocky humour.
It really would be difficult to pick a favourite singular scene, so I’ll keep it brief. The finale of season 3. Get started now and you’ll be there in no time.
In regard to general themes, one of my favourite things is the background mythology that surrounds the Slayer. My ultimate favourite thing is the dynamics of our main crew, though not just in terms of their relationships within the narrative but also how their deeds would and could be mythologised within the Buffy universe. An idea that seems even more exciting at this moment in time with the potential of a Buffy reboot doing the rounds.
Given the giant leap in the quality of special effects offered to television shows nowadays, Buffy does a great job of not appearing too dated. The same consideration can be offered in regard to the general stories, themes, humour etc… A lot of the underlying narratives are aimed a simple poignant teen struggles that almost every human can empathise with. With the addition of vampires.
In conclusion, for those with the time and who enjoy binging, I would recommend Buffy. For younger fans not familiar, who perhaps enjoyed Netflix’s Sabrina, I would highly recommend it. Even it is just to ‘get in the know’ before we see a cool new reboot.
I am currently making my way through seasons four to seven, in conjunction with Buffy’s spinoff detective series, Angel. So, until I have finished devouring them, I will reserve any judgement and leave you with only positive thoughts. Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 1 to 3, are splendid examples of Nineties young adult television. Sit back and enjoy.
Rating
Visual: 5/10
Narrative: 5/5
Overall: 6/10
superSCOPE 
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