In Every Generation There Is A Chosen one…

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer (BtVS) is the most adaptable binge-watching show you’ll ever watch. You can see it season by season and connect the extended story arcs and running jokes. Or, you can choose your favourite monster-of-the-week episodes.

Its both a nostalgic trip to the late Nineties, early Noughties, and a timeless story of good v. evil.

I grew up watching BtVS. I was a teenager when Buffy Summers transferred to Sunnydale High and met her Watcher, Giles. My high school wasn’t founded on the Hellmouth but it sure felt like it sometimes. I lost track of BtVS when adult life took over. But I treated myself to the whole DVD collection and have been re-visiting the Scooby gang ever since.

It might be embarrassing to admit I never ‘grew out’ of my Buffy phase, if BtVS wasn’t such a timeless show. And since its 20th Anniversary a lot of us are admitting to our secret life-long love affair.

Did We Not Put The ‘Grr’ In ‘Girl’?

BtVS creator Joss Whedon said he was sick and tired of dumb blondes getting killed off in horror movies, so he created one that kicked ass (not a direct quote). After all these decades, I'm still not sure if it had been an accident to create the most feminist TV show of the nineties.

He created the ensemble show that all shows have been using as a template ever since.

It takes the established tropes everyone knows and refreshes them. As soon as you think you know where it’s going – it doesn’t go there, it’s somewhere else. BtVS is the perfect blend of horror, sci-fi, comedy, fantasy, romance… and don’t forget the teen drama that evolves into young adult dramas.

Even though it defied convention, BtVS did not win that many awards. It won in the make-up and music composition categories, but nothing for writing, directing or acting. Even though the academics love to study this show.

You’re The First Original Slayer Who Tried Killing Us All In Our Dreams … How’ve You Been?

There are many worthy episodes to watch over and over. The favourites in the zeitgeist are:

and

But my personal favourite is Restless.

In which the Scooby gang face the consequences of messing with powers beyond their little world. We meet the First and Original Slayer, who is killing the good guys because she knows nothing but the Kill. There’s a rehash of history and foreshadowing, with the most quoted quote to be quoted:

"You think you know what’s to come, what you are? You haven’t even begun."

And there’s a weird cheese guy. You need to see it to believe it.

The best analysis I’ve ever heard of my favourite episode is in this YouTube clip:

Just Because You’re Better Than Us Doesn’t Mean You Can Be All Superior

I want the sass! I want to say “Conversation’s over. Hell bitch”, but I know I’ll get into trouble. And saying “bite me” to anyone not a vampire doesn’t have the same punch. Nonetheless, BtVS has some great one-liners to churn over in your head.

BtVS has changed the language of a whole generation. I swear Willow was the first person ever to say “have you Googled her yet?”

I love the way they added a -y to everything: A thing can be Vampiry, Holloweeny, and Apocalpsy.

Cringy much? I’m sure a Millennial could speak for your own generation when you say ‘Huh?’

Trust me, one day when schools have gone over the words Shakespeare invented, they’ll start on the Buffy-speak.

You Have A Plan? I Am The Plan.

The language of BtVS is motivational. Forget the posters, forget Tim Robbins or Deepak Chopra, use BtVS as your guru:

The big moments are going to come. You can’t help that. It’s what you do afterwards that counts. - Giles

But my personal favourite is when I need a daily motivation:

“Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever, but get over it. ‘Cause pretty soon you’re not even gonna have the loser friends you’ve got now” - Cordelia

There Is Only One Thing On This Earth More Powerful Than Evil, And That’s Us

I know that when I'm an elderly person, who lives between my bed and lounge room, Home Help is going to find my shelves devoid of anything except Buffy. And the box-set of Angel.

But if Home Help want me to be obedient in taking my medicine they'll know to start with Restless.