Why I love the Joss Whedon show… in spite of it’s name.
Joss Whedon is a unique writer. As a director he is most famous for the first two Avengers films, as well as Cabin in the Woods. He has made countless films and television shows loved by nerd culture, including Firefly, which I have talked about on this blog before. Perhaps his most long running and career defining creation however, is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Over the seven seasons of this show, Joss experiemented with the style, format and character arcs in such creative ways that each season feels completely distinct and yet part of a larger whole. Joss has a defining voice and style in his writing that can be simultaneously hilariously quippy and moving at the same time. Buffy is a rare show that lives up to it’s reputation, in fact it’s probably much better than a lot of cynical people will give it credit for.
When I first heard about the show, I dismissed it. I had yet to go to film school and my taste in film and TV was decidedly narrow. I like action and fantasy and that was mostly it. I saw Buffy as some cheap corny show about love triangles and that was all. I was technically right, but I made the mistake of looking at the show from a distance and leaving it at that. I think the title also put me off a little. Its a mouthful and sounds like a cheap B movie. I was wrong. Buffy is a show with one or two love triangles, and the production values are sometimes stretched, owing to the small budget. But it’s also so much more, an exploration of becoming a responsible adult, a grand story about the very real consequences on a person’s life when they actually become the “chosen one” and all the burdens that comes with.
It wasn’t until I watched a video called Why You Should Watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Passion of the Nerd that I realised I had been missing out for years.
The show is an epic adventure with many unique and iconic episodes that not only pushed the limits of writing (Hush) but often also influenced the trend of writing for TV for years after. There is a reason that many shows like Grimm and Charmed sprang up after Buffy gained success. The story is compelling, but what really makes me come back to the series is the characters. Joss is best at create interesting and nuanced characters that feel grounded and real. He is the master of witty dialogue, but some of the best moments of the series are when characters simply sit down and talk candidly to each other.
The arcs that each character goes through provide plenty of opportunities for varied stories, and often go in completely unexpected directions. Some characters start off as the main villain of the season, only to become more and more heroic as time goes on. The acting from the main cast is also stellar, as each actor manages to very quickly embody the personality of their role. Sarah Michelle Gellar in particular is just the right blend of spunky, cheerful and intense when neccesary, and the range of performance she demonstrates through all the seven seasons makes me wish that she was still playing the character.
Other films can boast a bigger budget with more polished effects and choreography, but Buffy has something none of those can offer, depth. TV shows have the luxury of being able to explore stories and characters for far longer than most movies, and Buffy takes full advantage. Rather than being an easy show about the relentless return to the status quo, the town of Sunnydale is in constant change. Friends become enemies and vice versa. Characters grow and start new relationships. The show is not afraid to embrace change, and part of that might have been owing to the fact that Joss Whedon was never quite sure if he would get another season greenlit, and so he felt willing to take more risks than he might have if the show was guaranteed.
I’m not suggesting that this show is flawless. It took me a while to get into it properly even after watching Why You Should Watch Buffy. The first season is a mixed bag tonally, and suffers from too many one-off monster episodes, many of which are extremely cheesy. However even in those episodes there are things to enjoy, and by the time I got to season 2, I was having a whale of a time. It keeps you interested by having many interesting themes that drive the motivations of the characters and allow you to understand them better. For instance, choice is often brought up. Characters often argue whether or not they have a choice in their actions and if what they are doing can be judged. There are often heavy consequences for the characters in many of the choices they make. The show implies through Buffy and her stance that there is always a choice in our lives, even if it isn’t always a pleasant one, and that central theme runs through most of what Buffy does throughout her story.
This show has much to offer. I am immensely glad that I finally got around to watching it as has had a profound effect on me and taken it’s place as one of my favourite TV shows of all time. Joss Whedon is an exellent writer and is in my opinion, at his best writing for long running series. Once you get past the title (and parts of the first season) you might just find that this 90’s show about vampires and high school has a lot more to it than you assumed. I did.
Major Cinephile 