The original post: /r/television by /u/James-Samuel17 on 2026-05-09 19:13:46+00:00.
I’ve come to make this post for multiple reasons, the primary being that we had a whole discussion about the episode of The Wish, an episode of the show, talking about the philosophical concept of the leap of Faith. Also, I’ve been studying the show at length, the origins of it, the behind the scenes, the creation of it and the casting direction and I’m in awe. I mean, everything about the show shaped the type of screenwriter I am. I am a fan of The Sopranos, Breaking Bad and Mad Men, and I know those are the ones more likely to be bring up and for good reasons. They have phenomenal writing and acting but Buffy is up there with them. I mean, I am not the only one thinking that since critics in 99 have been saying that both David Chase “The Sopranos” and Joss Whedon “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” have been turning the medium into something groundbreaking. Back in the day, people were hailing Buffy to the same level as The Sopranos and The West Wing. David Simon himself said that Buffy was the best show in years. And it’s still one of the most academically acclaimed show ever made (I got 100 on my oral exam just because my teachers and director loved Buffy).
The concept itself is the idea of the typical young attractive blonde girl not being the victim killed like in the horror movies but being the thing that monsters have nightmares about : the Slayer. Joss Whedon is an asshole but he’s very ambitious with his concepts and more often than not, succeed in making the most absurd premises meaningful (even Dollhouse that had a LOT of problematic elements had potential to be genuinely good) : e.i a detective vampire (Angel) or a bunch of cowboys in space (Firefly). Now, feminists have been examining the feminist aspect of the show and while some stuff really didn’t age well (it was in the 90s for half of it’s run after all), I think the Slayer aspect of Buffy have been pretty well handled. For example, the Council is clearly treated as a form of the toxic patriarchy of society and as the show goes on (season 3 being prominent about it), they are clearly viewed as the villains, failing especially the slayer Faith (one of the most fascinating characters on TV and she not even in 30 episodes across BOTH shows of the verse).
Philosophy is also so well brought up in the themes of the episodes. Who Are You being one of the best use of the trope “Freaky Friday”, exploring self-loathing, identity, and the concept “the Look of The Other” by Jean Paul Sartre. The Body which is one of the best portrayal of death, grief and realism on the medium. Doppelgangland being a very funny episode but still dealing with the concept of the shadow self very well (again season 3 is excellent). Passion explores…well… passion, what makes us human and even the beauty in pain, concept very connected to “The Birth of Tragedy” by Nietzsche. Restless exploring the surreal aspect of dreams but also being a perfect exploration of characterizations. Once More With Feeling being a campy musical episode but managing to be a deep dive into the characters and making 6 years of storytelling worth it. The writers write extremely human and powerful scripts, both funny and dramatic mixed with action and pure, assumed camp being carried by stellar acting, that SHOULD have been nominated for Emmys. Now, speaking of the cast, I will speak on it by saying it’s one of TV’s best ensembles and if there is one thing Whedon is good at is casting amazing actors.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is one of the best TV’s lead out there. Her acting in the Body alone is phenomenal and breath-taking and she’s been in most scenes and always delivering (her chilling acting in Normal Again stayed with me). She’s up there with some like Michelle Williams for me. I watched her show Ringer (which had not so great writing) just for her and she elevated the hell out of the material. Alyson Hannigan is equally amazing. I mean, from season 2 onwards (as most of the show actually) she consistently gives amazing performances. She’s really good at the range of big and small emotions and she can do a whole lot of storytelling and characterization with just her eyes. She’s also got impeccable comedic timing. Just like SMG, her work in season 6 was so powerful. It was Nicholas Brendon’s first role and he was very competent in it, especially in the comedy department. The Zeppo was probably the best episode for him and his character (who was very hit or miss by the writers honestly). And it was a good acting class because I saw him in Coherence and he was equally amazing. Shame who he became but RIP. Anthony Head Stewart is also great. I first saw him in Merlin and he was a completely different and a complete dictator but as Giles, he’s the very opposite.
Michelle Trachtenberg (RIP) who was so young, blended so well with an already established and experienced cast and gave us really amazing performances (I was already familiar with her talent thanks to Six Feet Under, another one of my all times favorite and very underrated with a perfect finale). Emma Caulfield is one of the most underrated cast member of the show, like SMG and AH are still very known for other projects (SMG being one of the 90s/2000s it girl with Cruel Intentions, IKWYDLS, Scream, Scooby-Doo etc… AH with American Pie, How I Met Your Mother etc…, MW being known for the Europe Trip, Ice Princess, Gossip Girl etc… Charisma being known for Charmed, Veronica Mars and just a cult star, like if you go on other subs and type her, you will have a lot of people knowing her but Emma, I tried to post her and no one other than Buffy’s fans seems to know her). Like I said, Emma is truly gifted, she was a natural comedian but when the show asked for it, she had some of the most heartbreaking moments of the show (her speech in the body comes to mind). Charisma shows more of her acting chops in Angel but is already so funny in Btvs. David Boreanaz’s acting was wooden in season 1 but again, drastically improve in season 2, with his swtich as Angelus being one of the best plot twist of the show and most of that thanks to his performance. That’s also the season that confirmed to the writers and Whedon that David could carry a show (which he does very well). James Marsters is truly the gem of the show and turned a one season villain into a legendary character of the franchise.
Each seasons are honestly good, with season 1 being the weakest but still pretty fun and giving the characters good dynamics between each other. Season 4 has a weak arc but is funny as hell and as some of the best standout. Season 7 is also weak but as some incredible episodes and wraps up the show quite well, with the Chosen speech being so special to me. The spin off Angel is also stellar and doesn’t get recognized as much a Buffy but the finale is one of TV’s best.