Buffy the Vampire Slayer is quite possibly the epitome of cult-television. Never ammassing audiences higher than six million viewers at a time on stuggling networks WB and UPN, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's fanbase was modest in comparison to the highest-viewed TV shows of the 90's.
The fanbase, though small, was as committed and intense as some of the series' plot-lines. Buffy the Vampire Slayer has the most fansites on the web of any television show, has won more internet-TV awards than any other show, and is currently breaking records in syndication on FX.
Though it may seem like a shallow, superficial action-show on the surface, the attentive viewer will be able to discern that the show is in fact anything but superficial. Storylines that revolve around the young adult character that make up the show are starkly realistic and poignant; the dialogue is ingenious, spawing several linguistic and quotes books; the acting is fresh, intense, and masterful; the direction is immaculate; the storylines are complex, weaving intricate puzzles from season to season; and the characters are memorable and utterly original, from Anya the capitalistic 1,000-year old ex-demon to Andrew, the uber-geek that lives his life in his mind's fantasy world.
Scholars, dedicated fans, and TV critics all agree - Buffy the Vampire Slayer transends the television medium in every way possible, and enters into the realm of high-art. Certain episodes convey this truth more than others: Hush, episode 4.10, has no dialogue from the main characters for 28 minutes but still earns the show's first and only "Best Writing" Emmy; The Body, episode 5.15 has the show's most delicate direction and absolutely no background music; Once More With Feeling, episode 6.07, is one of the most critically acclaimed musicals in television.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, though based in fantasy and enriched with mythology, is one of the most human television series ever created. The characters will become your very own best friends, Buffy's triumphs will warm your heart, and each loss of a main character will bring a tear to your eye (it happens often). |
