"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) TV series 1997-2003

Creator:

Joss Whedon

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

10 March 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Get home before dark.

Plot:

After the traumatizing ordeal in the movie with the same name, Buffy Summers and her mother move to Sunnydale, only to discover that L.A. was just a walk in the park...

Plot Keywords:

Demon | High School | Vampire | College | Chosen One

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 34 wins & 99 nominations

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers / ... (145 episodes, 1997-2003)
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris (145 episodes, 1997-2003)
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg (144 episodes, 1997-2003)
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (123 episodes, 1997-2003)
James Marsters	...	Spike (97 episodes, 1997-2003)
Emma Caulfield	...	Anya (85 episodes, 1998-2003)
Michelle Trachtenberg	...	Dawn Summers (66 episodes, 2000-2003)

Also Known As:

BtVS (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Buffy (USA) (short title)
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer: The Series (USA) (long title)

Runtime:

44 min (144 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:12 (some episodes) | UK:15 (some episodes) | Australia:PG (some episodes) | Portugal:M/12 | New Zealand:M | USA:TV-14 | Australia:M | Israel:PG | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) (season 7) | Singapore:PG | USA:TV-14 (some episodes) | USA:TV-PG (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

California State University Northridge - 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Trivia:

The character of Dawn was originally intended to have the power to speak to the dead. She was also supposed to be able to move objects with her mind. These powers were later dropped.

Quotes:

Andrew Wells: Get out of my brain!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Kate Hudson/Radiohead (#26.2)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Theme

Brilliance of Buffy

Buffy The Vampire Slayer, its misguided title put aside, is what I consider, and millions of other devoted fans believe to be a genuine and purely astonishing work of achievement in television history. With creative and daring story lines and terrific character development, the show that began its run on the WB as a mid-season replacement, became a dazzling cult hit resulting in a secure fan base and merchandising for as far as the eye can see.

The show follows a young girl endowed with the ancient powers of the slayer, one girl who fights the forces of darkness, battling alone, relieving the world of vampires and demons. In Buffy Summers' case, after moving to Sunnydale with her single mother, she befriends two loving, but out of place peers, Willow and Xander, who bravely march along side of her. Together, along with her watcher, Giles, they encounter creatures of darkness and strange mystical occurrences, which as a result, draw them closer together and occasionally, set them apart.

On occasion, Buffy is mistaken as a foolish, sci-fi television show which should probably be aired during the depressing Saturday afternoon time slot. But actually, nothing could be farther from the truth. A surprising element to Buffy is that the monsters and demons are a relatively small part of what the show actually stands for. From first love, life, death, sexual experimentation, and self identity crises – Buffy chronicles what it is like to be young person growing up in an overly mature world – with monsters! Between a slayer, a lesbian witch, a carpenter, and a werewolf – anything is possible and welcomed in the Buffy world. With the imaginative and extremely innovative writing of the show's creator Joss Whedon, along with the most intelligent and skillful writing staff that the biz has ever encountered, they were able to produce many groundbreaking episodes including "Hush", "The Body", "The Gift", "Becoming part 2", "Seeing Red", "Conversations with Dead People", "Grave", and "Chosen" – sadly I cannot continue this list for there is not enough space.

Without further ado, Buffy The Vampire Slayer is and will always be an incredible show. If you haven't had the privilege of watching this show, check your local listings for reruns or rent or even buy the entire series on DVD. Without a doubt, you will fall in love with the characters and stories, and by the time you finish the first season you will have welcomed a new family into your lives – sweet and sometimes muddled Buffy, clever and endearing Willow, faithful Xander, perceptive and paternal Giles. This show will linger in our hearts for eternity, and will go on to influence generations of intellectual and audacious writing in television.