Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Story

Teenager Buffy Summers learns she is the latest in a long line of Vampire Slayers chosen to save the world. With the help of her best friends, Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris, her watcher Giles, and a range of other human and demon allies she battles the forces of darkness to save the world.

Why we chose it

Buffy is an early example of a television series which turned the young vulnerable teenage girl into a hero and role model, particularly for teenage girls. It is a format which has grown since and is now a staple of modern television.

Where it came from

Buffy the Vampire Slayer started as a comedy horror film starring Kirsty Swanson released in 1992. The idea was to break away from the cliché of the young, blonde getting murdered in every horror film of the 1980s and create a powerful character which young women could look up to. The film was written by Joss Wheedon, however he left early as he was not happy with the way the film was being made, and several years later he tried a second time and created the television series.

Where it went next

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons before the show was cancelled. Creator, Joss Wheedon, continued the story for another five ‘seasons’ as a comic book. There are hundreds of related products including games, toys, video games and novels continuing the story, which are known as the ‘Buffyverse’. In 2018 there were rumors of a remake, however this has not yet materialized.

Associated stories

The series also led to a spin off series, Angel, which lasted for five seasons and occasionally overlapped with the main Buffy storyline.