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17 Buffy the Vampire Slayer An Introduction R H O N D A V . W I L C O X Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a television series that ran from 1997 until 2003, is the creation that established Joss Whedon’s reputation as an artist. It was preceded by a 1992 film for which Whedon wrote the script—a lesser work over which he did not have creative control. For Buffy, which was made by his production company, Mutant Enemy, Whedon was the showrunner (joined in that capacity by Buffy writer Marti Noxon for the last two years of the series, when Buffy moved from the WB network to the UPN). Other key writers included Jane Espenson, Douglas Petrie, David Fury, Rebecca Rand Kirshner, Drew Z. Greenberg, Stephen S. DeKnight, and Drew Goddard. Key staffers also included composer Christophe Beck, editor Lisa Lassek, production designer Carey Meyer, director of photography Michael Gershman, and costume designer Cynthia Bergstrom. In addition to writing and directing many of the episodes himself, Whedon had final review of the overall narrative arc for each season and the specific script of each of the 144 episodes. The premise of Buffy is that a blonde, sexy teenage girl is not the victim of creatures of horror, but instead a superhero capable of defending not just herself but all the world. As the opening voice-over says, “In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.” Her natural desire to lead a normal life conflicts with the duty and self-sacrifice demanded by her vocation. This conflict forms the basis of many of the plots—along with, memorably, the idea of high school as hell, with various high school problems symbolically represented as various monsters (an abusive boyfriend is a Doctor Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde, a controlling mother is a witch, and so on). Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), by appearance a typical Southern California teen, the daughter of a divorced mother, is the Slayer of these monsters. Her mentor is Rupert Giles 18 ✴ Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Anthony Stewart Head), a member of the mainly British, mainly male Watchers , a group that has through the centuries advised and controlled the single Slayer in all the world (when one Slayer dies, another is activated). At around the time of high school graduation (at the end of the third season), she repudiates their control, though she continues her relationship with Giles. She is aided in her battle against evil by the brave but geeky Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon) and the brilliant but shy Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan), who accidentally discover Buffy’s secret identity. The teens become closest friends despite warnings from the beautiful, popular, acerbic Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), who at first believes Buffy may be socially acceptable. However, Buffy’s social life and studies are hampered by secret monster fighting —not to mention her loyalty to her courageous but unpopular friends, called the Scooby Gang or Scoobies (in reference to the cartoon Scooby-Doo, which features teen mystery sleuths [1969–present]). Also occasionally coming to Buffy’s aid is the handsome, mysterious Angel (David Boreanaz), who is revealed to be a vampire—but with a soul; he too fights evil, and he and Buffy become romantically involved. Each of the seven seasons of Buffy has a season-long arc; the series as a whole also has a narrative arc that reflects the hero’s journey, Joseph Campbell ’s monomyth. Whedon planned each season to be able to conclude the series, in case of cancellation. Each season focuses on a major villain or “Big Bad.” In the first season (technically a half-season of twelve episodes), Buffy faces the Master, a powerful vampire who briefly (for a couple of minutes) kills her. Xander, with help from Angel, revives her. Because of her brief death, another Slayer, Kendra, is activated, unbeknownst to Buffy and the Scoobies. In the second season, it seems that two vampire lovers, Spike (James Marsters) and Drusilla (Juliet Landau) will be the Big Bad, but when Buffy and Angel make love for the first time, he loses his soul under the terms of a curse: his soul was returned to him to torment him, and if he knows a moment of pure happiness (which happens only on that occasion when he and Buffy make love), his soul departs. The evil vampire Angelus looms over the rest of the season. He...

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