Into every generation a Slayer is born.

[rogueslayer452]

Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I want to add my piece on reflecting what this show meant (and still means) to me.

I started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer during its third season, when I was in junior high. I didn't know much about the show other than what I was introduced to from a random episode I happened to come across. I saw that it had vampires, demons, witches, and other paranormal elements and a kickass female lead and I was like, this is my jam. Little did I know how much this show would become hugely influential during those formative years of my life and would contribute much to who I am today. In fact, BTVS was perhaps the first fandom I actively participated in with the online community, and was definitely part of the reason why I ended up creating this journal, hence my username.

As for the show itself, it certainly wasn't perfect, but there is a reason why it's considered a cult classic even after all these years. It resonated with so many people because it transcended its own genre; this wasn't just a mere fluffy "supernatural teen show", this was a coming-of-age story which featured so many emotional and powerful moments, particularly empowering moments with women and their stories. As the characters transitioned from teenagers to young adults, we were right there along with them, going through their struggles and personal journeys, possibly identifying along with them. There were honestly so many memorable episodes that just pushed the boundaries of what television could do at that time with its messages and performances, especially for a show like this on the network it was on. Even now when I revisit the show it continues to blow my mind on how outstanding it is still, and how well it holds up with its relevance. It's important to recognize that BTVS wasn't just a show, it was, and still is, a cultural influence which paved the way for many other things that would come after it.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer holds a very special place in my heart for many reasons, and I sincerely consider it to be one of my top five favorite television series of all time. ♥

(And of course, with the 20th anniversary there will be a resurgence of new merchandise released in celebration and honestly I am completely down for this, mostly because my collection of BTVS merch is severely lacking to a pathetic degree and I need more things.)

Comments

[ericadawn16.livejournal.com]

Now i feel like I half-assed my post, lol. Your post is far more elegant and I never thought of how Buffy got me into internet fandom, too. My first long-form finished fanfic was Buffy even though i never published it online...the first one i published online was The X-Files.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Looking back now it's so surreal thinking on how BTVS was definitely one of the reasons why I started getting involved with the online fandom community. Before I was just casually looking on different websites/forums/message boards, but never joined or participated in anything. But here, I actually engaged in discussion, I befriended so many people who were apart of the BTVS communities and are even still friends with a few of them to this day. It's just so amazing. :)

[morbidmuse.livejournal.com]

I watched Welcome to the Hellmouth yesterday to honor the show. I can't believe it has been 20 years. I started watching in the middle of season one, when I was 10 years old, and really grew up with the show. Like you said, I can't even count or express the ways it has been influential in my life and formative years. This show. <3

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Hey you! It's been a while! How've you been? *hugs*

And yeah, it honestly doesn't feel like it's been that long ago when the show was still airing, and yet we've reached the twentieth anniversary mark. It's so bizarre, and yet so fascinating that the fandom still thrives no matter where it resides. Reading all these nostalgia posts, the cast and crew remembering the show, it makes me happy that even after all these years the fandom is still alive and well. :)

[morbidmuse.livejournal.com]

I definitely meant to respond to this earlier! But hi! I'm great, thanks. Healthy, getting married in a few weeks, doing well! I am giving you all the digital hugs back, lady, it's been a long livejournal break for me. <3

Absolutely! I started reading a lot of Buffy related articles lately due to the 20th anniversary and it just fills me with feels to see how this show touched so many people in so many ways.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Oh yay, that's awesome, congratulations on getting married! :D

It's always wonderful seeing longtime LJ friends returning back to this space after a long absence. Even if it's not as frequent, it's just nice to know how you've been doing and that you're doing alright.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

So much love for Buffy! I watched it from the start, despite the silly-sounding French title (literally Buffy against the vampires, which definitely doesn't sound as classy as "vampire slayer"), which made me think it was some sort of comedy (not that it doesn't have some humour).

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

lol, that's quite a hilarious translated title. XD

One of the things that I have always adored about BTVS was how it balanced out the lighthearted moments with the darker, more serious and emotional moments. The humor featured was unlike anything I had seen at the time (the "Buffy-speak" as it is referred to now) and it added a lot of personality to the show and has become one of the iconic aspects of the show itself. :)

[noybusiness.livejournal.com]

I recently got my belated birthday gift from a forgetful friend of mine. It was a Sunnydale Razorbacks T-shirt! And this was even without him remembering that Buffy Summers's fictional birthday of January 19 is my actual birthday! (first he gave me a joke gift box with lettuce in it; both the joke box and the real one had Minions reindeer wrapping paper)

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is so awesome!

Some while ago I went to a store called Boxlunch (which features a lot of geeky/fandom stuff) and I got myself a Buffy shirt, keychain and a pin. This was before I had known about this being the 20th anniversary and I don't know if this was because of that, but when I saw those I was like yes! Jackpot! And now with there going to be more merchandise I'm quite ready to save up and buy more things. :D

[hiddleasaurus.livejournal.com]

I was 9 when the show came out and my mom wouldn't let me watch it because it was about vampires. Eventually, she relented and I caught the odd episode here and there. It wasn't until I was in high school that she bought me the complete series for my birthday and I finally watched it all. So much love! :D

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I'm thankful that my mom didn't necessarily care what I was watching. And I was watching quite a bit of things from the WB (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Dawson's Creek, etc.) BTVS was actually the gateway show that grabbed my attention when getting into the other WB shows, and I'm so grateful for that. :)

[silverusagi]

I never watched Buffy when it was on (we didn't get that channel) but caught up with it later on DVD. And of course, it's what got me into LJ.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I love hearing that BTVS brought so many people together here on LJ, no matter whether they were watching it during or even after it had aired. I joined in 2003 and that was when the show was already over, but the fandom was quite active here (because Angel was still going on), and even though fandom has shifted and moved to different places it is surprisingly still quite active even after all this time, which pleases me. :)

[eowyn.livejournal.com]

This is a bit crazy ... but ... I've actually never seen a single episode of BTVS!

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

That's not strange at all! There are plenty of people who haven't seen the show, or have just started watching it way late in the game or even only just know of it due to its pop culture influence.

Are you interested in checking it out, by any chance?

[eowyn.livejournal.com]

Honestly, not sure! Has it aged well? If it's dated then I might've missed the Buffy boat and not get it now, if that makes sense? I might've missed it's awesome period and not enjoy it the way it was meant to be twenty years ago.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Personally, I think it holds up quite nicely. I mean, obviously since it premiered in 1997 there is going to be pop culture references and things like that which are era appropriate and evolve as the seasons go on, but those aren't too distracting and actually are part of the charm of the series itself.

I would say keep an open mind when it comes to the first season, which some consider to be mostly a fluffy monster-of-the-week filler in comparison to the rest of the show. I mean, it was a mid-season replacement and it was more of an introduction to who Buffy is and her relationships with other characters and her responsibility of being a Slayer. Nevertheless, I wouldn't say it's less important because it does go into some interesting places when it comes to Buffy and the things she deals with and how it changes her, especially when it comes to the season finale. (S1 is quite underrated, imho). The second season is where things definitely pick up and set the tone for the rest of the show.

I hope I'm explaining this right, because I love recommending this series to others who haven't seen it and I don't want people to be put off by how long ago it premiered and in fear of it being too dated, which I don't think it is. It is definitely a relevant show that remains strong to this day because of its messages and how the story unfolds.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

(And of course, with the 20th anniversary there will be a resurgence of new merchandise released in celebration and honestly I am completely down for this, mostly because my collection of BTVS merch is severely lacking to a pathetic degree and I need more things.)

Same! Although honestly I'm a bit bummed that it doesn't sound like we'll be getting a Blu-Ray set, or even a special DVD set to commemorate the anniversary. Not that I can really justify double-dipping with the episodes again, but they could totally have my money if they released a really deluxe set with all new interviews and features :sighs: Forever my fav show <3

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

It would be pretty sweet to have a Bluray release of the entire series, like an exclusive 20th anniversary set that has new interviews with the cast reflecting on the show and perhaps some new-old content that wasn't previously released. But alas. :( Of course, I do wonder how S1 and S2 will translate to Bluray, considering how it was filmed.

[teagues-veil.livejournal.com]

I love everything about this post. ♥♥♥ I don't think I would have come to identify as Pagan OR bisexual if it wasn't for Buffy.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

It's so wonderful knowing that BTVS is not only important to many, but has impacted many of our in such meaningful and influential ways, from discovering who we are about ourselves to sharing this love with others.

:) ♥

[honeymink]

Every time I think of BtVS, I think about The WB's line-up at the time... Roswell and Felicity. Such good times.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Same here. I also think about this amazing promo (https://youtu.be/ctu9s0lsmKQ) for those lineups too. The WB had some pretty quality programming back then, a wide variety of them. From teen and young adult dramas to comedies and sitcoms. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Charmed, Roswell, Dawson's Creek, Felicity, Popular, etc, those were my jams. Ah, good times.

[honeymink]

I also remember Young Americans, a mini summer series that was kind of a Dawson's Creek spin-off. And Dead Last, a show about a terrible indie band who somehow found an amulet that made them see ghosts which usually needed them to solve their problems to move on to the afterlife. I managed to acquire the episodes a few years ago although in awful quality, a TV-rip with either Swedish or Portuguese subtitles but I'm still glad I have them since it doesn't seem like this will ever see the light of any other form of release. Lots of good shows were made in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

but I'm still glad I have them since it doesn't seem like this will ever see the light of any other form of release.

Doesn't that just suck? The fact that there are so many shows out there that won't ever get released on DVD and with no possibility of it ever seeing the light of day again for one reason or another.

I'm someone who used to buy blank VHS tapes all the time to record my shows or things I thought were interesting, and I still have them stored away in boxes. I'm pretty sure I have some shows that are impossible to find anymore.

[honeymink]

Yes! No question that totally sucks. The first half of Dead Last I found on some confusing Brazilian website (hence the Portuguese subtitles), the second half, I sent a couple of VHS tapes to a friend in Sweden (hence the Swedish subtitles), then she sent them back and I used to have a TV (turner) card in my old desktop computer, so I could connect my VCR with the computer and record and convert the episodes to mpegs.

But even with commercially successful shows – like I loved Crossing Jordan and I downloaded it from mid-season 3 till the end of the series in its sixth season but it never came out on DVD (well, I think the first season did but not here... and there is still this terror with Region codes).

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's totally weird. I can understand not releasing obscure lesser known shows that studios don't believe will make enough money through sales alone (as unfortunate as it is, esp for the fanbases because no matter how small they're still dedicated nonetheless and would do anything to get their favorite shows available to purchase just to see them again), but commercially successful shows that aren't even released on DVD baffle me. It makes me curious as to why that is, what BTS business negotiations are happening that aren't allowing this to happen, and what decisions are made to have some released on DVD but others not, even when those shows were successful and there may be a demand for them.

Hell, I feel like most things should at least be available on Netflix and other streaming services, which could indicate how many people are watching them and add that to the numbers of the demand of releasing it on DVD/Bluray, or something along those lines.

Also, I remember really loving Crossing Jordan when it was on. I now have a hankering to get the first season on DVD (the only season that exists on DVD, weirdly and unfortunately).

[honeymink]

I always figured that at least some of it had to do with the rights to the music that was used in the original broadcast. Then again, it's not like you can't switch that out (although to great detriment like one has seen on the "Felicity" DVDs). In any even, I remember distininctly that both Jill Hennessey and Amy Brenneman hoped that they shows "Crossing Jordan" and "Judging Amy", both which ran for six seasons, would eventually be released on DVD but nothing happened to this day which I find highly disappointing.

I loved both of these shows because they were NOT your run off the mill medical/CSI or law dramas. I loved that on Crossing Jordan the cast was growing together like family without any all too crazy romantic entanglements that would have been bound to annoy me. I loved how Jordan, who was so much of a loner in the beginning, became friends with Nigel, Bug and Lily... especially Lily. And I loved that a lot of the cases were a bit quirky but never disrespectful. And it had freaking Miguel Ferrer from Twin Peaks!!! The same is true for Judging Amy in a way – this was not about proving absurdly intricate murders and kabals by high-tech CSI and high-strung clever lawyering but about the juvenile court system and how to find compassion while still making a stand and finding ways to integrate these children and young adults into society again. I liked that it went hand in hand with the main character's mother's work as a social worker and them struggling to live under the same roof after her divorce. So many layers. So much character development. *sigh*

And yes, I agree … I suppose DVD/BluRay may be dying anyway. I just keep bringing it up because where I live at the moment streaming is impossible because of an incredibly slow internet connection. In any event, it would be really nice if things were available on streaming services. I'm sure a lot of people would make use of it. I'm not entirely sure how many people still watch regular TV and syndication in the US anyway. I'm sure there are surveys...

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I always figured that at least some of it had to do with the rights to the music that was used in the original broadcast. Then again, it's not like you can't switch that out (although to great detriment like one has seen on the "Felicity" DVDs)

That's definitely one of the downsides, unfortunately. A lot of times the music used in the original broadcast hardly makes it to the DVD edition because of those issues, either being replaced entirely by different songs or having no music played at all, which makes rewatching them super weird or not work at all in some cases.

It's been a long, long time since I've seen Crossing Jordan, I don't think I watched it regularly but rather sporadically when it came on, but I remember enjoying it regardless.

I suppose DVD/BluRay may be dying anyway.

I wouldn't say it's dying necessarily, since these sales are still a huge deciding factor, but considering how advanced the digital age has become when we consume things I think the industry needs a better system and actually adapt in these changing times. DVDs/Bluray, digital and streaming can all coexist and can all benefit from each other. This also includes getting rid of the archaic Nielsen rating system.

I'm certain there are countless surveys and studies over the years regarding who watches live television versus those who stream/Netflix/etc. I can only speak for myself, but I don't watch live television as much as I used to. That's not to say that we don't still watch it from time to time, it's just not as frequent as it used to be.

[honeymink]

I haven't had television for a good while because when I lived in the U.S. I always watched things via hulu and when I moved back home it turned out that my father had for some crazy reason capped the connection to the splicer that'd led from the satellite dish to the basement so I only had four state television programmes that were broadcaste via antenna. That was good for the news and political discussion rounds but not much else. Now they've introduced a new television standard last week and suddenly I get heaps of HD channels over antenna again after having bought a new television receiver. Unfortunately I haven't really got the hang of it yet. I guess I'm not really used to watching things at a specific time anymore.