Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre	Supernatural Fantasy Horror Action Dramedy
Created by	Joss Whedon
Starring	Sarah Michelle Gellar Nicholas Brendon Alyson Hannigan Anthony Stewart Head James Marsters Emma Caulfield Michelle Trachtenberg Charisma Carpenter David Boreanaz Amber Benson Seth Green Marc Blucas
Opening theme	Composed by Nerf Herder
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	144 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time	approx. 42 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	The WB (1997–2001) UPN (2001–2003)
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Original run	March 10, 1997 – May 20, 2003
Chronology
Related shows	Angel
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an American cult television series that initially aired from March 10, 1997 until May 20, 2003. It was created by writer-director Joss Whedon under his production tag, Mutant Enemy. The series narrative follows Buffy Anne Summers (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar), the latest in a line of young women chosen by fate to battle against vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness. Like previous slayers, Buffy is aided by a Watcher, who guides and trains her. Unlike her predecessors, Buffy surrounds herself with a circle of loyal friends who become known as the "Scooby Gang." Buffy the Vampire Slayer may refer to: // Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film) Buffy Summers Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BFI TV Classics S.) Further information: Buffy novels ,  Buffy studies, and Buffyverse guidebooks Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album Further information: Music (Buffyverse) Buffy the Vampire... Image File history File linksMetadata Buffy_logo_0001. ... Look up Supernatural in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Fantasy (disambiguation). ... Horror fiction is, broadly, fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle, or horrify the reader. ... Action movies usually involve a fairly straightforward story of good guys versus bad guys, where most disputes are resolved by using physical force. ... Dramedy, a portmanteau of drama and comedy, is a genre of movies and television in which the lines between these very different genres were blurred. ... Joss Hill Whedon (born Joseph Hill Whedon[3] on June 23, 1964 in New York) is an American writer, director, executive producer, and creator of the well-known television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. ... Sarah Michelle Gellar (born April 14, 1977) is a Golden Globe-nominated, Daytime Emmy Award-winning American actress. ... Nicholas Brendon (born April 12, 1971 as Nicholas Brendon Schultz in Los Angeles, California), is an actor best known for his character Xander Harris in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003). ... Alyson Hannigan (born March 24, 1974) is an American actress who plays Lily Aldrin in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. ... For the British statesman, see Antony Head, 1st Viscount Head. ... James Wesley Marsters (born August 20, 1962) is an American actor and musician, best known for playing the popular platinum-blond character Spike, an English of a vampire, in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. ... Emma Caulfield is an actress best known for her role as ex-demon Anya on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Michelle Christine Trachtenberg (born October 11, 1985) is an American television and film actress. ... Charisma Lee Carpenter (born July 23, 1970) is an American actress. ... David Paul Boreanaz (born May 16, 1969) is an American film and television actor. ... Amber Nicole Benson, born on January 8, 1977, is an American actress, writer, film director, and film producer. ... Seth Green (born February 8, 1974, Overbrook Park, Pennsylvania) is an American actor and television producer best known for his acting roles as Doctor Evils son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films and Daniel Oz Osbourne in Buffy The Vampire Slayer. ... Marc Blucas Marc Blucas Marc Blucas Marcus Paul Blucas (born January 11, 1972 in Butler, Pennsylvania) is an American actor. ... Nerf Herder is a pop-punk band from Santa Barbara formed in 1994 by Parry Gripp (vocals, guitar), Charlie Dennis (bass) and Steve Sherlock (drums). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Chosen Collection of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (seasons 1 - 7). ... The Warner Bros. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1997. ... This is a list of television-related events in 2001. ... UPN (which originally stood for the United Paramount Network) was a television network in over 200 markets in the United States. ... This is a list of television-related events in 2001. ... This is a list of television-related events in 2003. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1997. ... is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of television-related events in 2003. ... Angel is a spin-off of the American television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Cult television, like cult figures, cult film and cult radio, attracts a band of aficionados or appreciators, known as a cult following, devoted to a specific television series or fictional universe. ... A television program (US), television programme (UK) or simply television show is a segment of programming in television broadcasting. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Joss Hill Whedon (born Joseph Hill Whedon[3] on June 23, 1964 in New York) is an American writer, director, executive producer, and creator of the well-known television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. ... Mutant Enemy, Inc. ... Buffy Anne Summers is the eponymous fictional character in the film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the television program of the same name and its numerous spin-offs, such as novels, comic books, and video games. ... Sarah Michelle Gellar (born April 14, 1977) is a Golden Globe-nominated, Daytime Emmy Award-winning American actress. ... For other uses of Fate, see Fate Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events. ... In the fictional world of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, a vampire is a demon of a species which inhabits and animates a human corpse. ... Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details about some or all of information gradually revealed in Buffyverse productions: (Buffy, Angel, Fray. ... A Slayer, in the fictional Buffyverse established by Buffy and Angel, is a young female bestowed with mystical powers that originate from the heart of a pure-demon, which gives her superhuman senses, strength, speed, endurance, agility, and healing in the fight against forces of darkness. ... Two Watchers: Wesley and Giles In the fictional Buffyverse established by the television series Buffy and Angel, a Watcher is a member of a secret organization, the Watchers Council, devoted to tracking and combatting malevolent supernatural entities (and particularly vampires), primarily by locating individuals with the talents required to fight... The Scooby Gang, or Scoobies, are a group of characters in the cult television series and comic book, Buffy the Vampire Slayer who battle the supernatural forces of evil. ...

The series usually reached between four and six million viewers on original airings.^[1] Although such ratings are lower than successful shows on the "big four" networks (ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox),^[2] they were a success for the relatively new and smaller The WB Television Network.^[3] Reviews for the show were positive,^[4] and it was ranked #41 on the list of TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. It was nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe awards. The WB network ceased operation on September 17, 2006 after airing an "homage" to their "most memorable series," including the pilot episodes of Buffy and its spin-off Angel.^[5] When TV viewers or entertainment professionals in the United States mention ratings they are often referring to Nielsen Ratings, a system developed by Nielsen Media Research to determine the audience size and composition of television programming. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... CBS Broadcasting, Inc. ... The Fox Broadcasting Company, usually referred to as just Fox (the company itself prefers the capitalized version FOX), is a television network in the United States. ... The Warner Bros. ... The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time is a list compiled by TV Guide as a cover story for the week of May 4, 2002. ... An Emmy Award. ... The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A television pilot is a test episode of an intended television series. ... Angel is a spin-off of the American television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...

Buffy's success has led to hundreds of tie-in products, including novels, comics, and video games. The series has received attention in fandom, parody, and academia, and has influenced the direction of other television series.^[6] // Introduction A large number of books have been published since 1998 by Pocket Pulse, and Simon Spotlight Entertainment. ... Cover to a Dark Horse Buffy comic) // These were published by Dark Horse, originally in comic format but then gathered into volumes of trade paperbacks. ... The cover of the Buffy video game, Chaos Bleeds Five official video game adaptations of the cult television program Buffy the Vampire Slayer have been released. ... Screenshot from Angel parody, Cherub. ... Screenshot from The Bigger Picture with Graham Norton clip, Poofy the Vampire Slayer. Left, Graham Norton. ... One of many scholarly books published about the fictional Buffyverse; Blood Relations: Chosen Families in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Buffy Studies is a subset of the academic field of cultural studies. ...

Production

Origins

Writer Joss Whedon says that "Rhonda the Immortal Waitress was really the first incarnation of [the Buffy concept], just the idea of some woman who seems to be completely insignificant who turns out to be extraordinary."^[7] This early, unproduced idea evolved into Buffy, which Whedon developed to invert the Hollywood formula of "the little blonde girl who goes into a dark alley and gets killed in every horror movie."^[8] Whedon wanted "to subvert that idea and create someone who was a hero."^[8] He explained: "The very first mission statement of the show [is] the joy of female power: having it, using it, sharing it."^[9] Joss Hill Whedon (born Joseph Hill Whedon[3] on June 23, 1964 in New York) is an American writer, director, executive producer, and creator of the well-known television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. ... Horror Movie redirects here. ...

Buffy, the Chosen One, falls in love with Angel, a vampire.

The concept was first visited through Whedon's script for the 1992 movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which featured Kristy Swanson in the title role. The director, Fran Rubel Kuzui, saw it as a "pop culture comedy about what people think about vampires."^[10] Whedon disagreed: "I had written this scary film about an empowered woman, and they turned it into a broad comedy. It was crushing."^[11] The script was praised within the industry,^[12] but the movie was not.^[13] Image File history File linksMetadata Buffythevampireslayer-1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Buffythevampireslayer-1. ... Buffy Anne Summers is the eponymous fictional character in the film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the television program of the same name and its numerous spin-offs, such as novels, comic books, and video games. ... Angel (also known as Angelus, originally Liam) (born 1727 in Galway, Ireland) is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt for the television programs Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. ... Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a 1992 comedy film about a Valley Girl cheerleader (Kristy Swanson) chosen by fate to fight and kill vampires. ... Renee Kristen Kristy Swanson (born Kristen Noel Swanson on December 19, 1969 in Mission Viejo, California, USA) is an American actress. ... Fran Rubel Kuzui is an American movie director and producer. ... Philip Burne-Jones, The Vampire, 1897 Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings that subsist on human and/or animal lifeforce. ...

Several years later, Gail Berman, a Sandollar Productions executive, approached Whedon to develop his Buffy concept into a television series.^[14] Whedon explained that "They said, 'Do you want to do a show?' And I thought, 'High school as a horror movie.' And so the metaphor became the central concept behind Buffy, and that's how I sold it."^[15] The supernatural elements in the series stood as metaphors for personal anxieties associated with adolescence and young adulthood.^[16] Whedon went on to write and partly fund a 25-minute unaired Buffy pilot^[17] that was shown to networks and eventually sold to the WB Network. The latter promoted the premiere with a series of History of the Slayer clips,^[18] and the first episode aired on March 10, 1997. Gail Berman (born 1956) is the president of Viacoms Paramount Pictures. ... Look up Supernatural in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about metaphor in literature and rhetoric. ... “Young Men” redirects here. ... List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes Known to fans as the unaired Buffy pilot, this thirty-minute production by Joss Whedon was never intended to air. ... The WB Television Network is a television network in the United States, founded as a joint venture between the Warner Bros. ... Lucy Hanover as seen on a WB network promotional clip for Buffy shown in 1996 History of the Slayer was a promotional clip shown on WB Network in 1997 to promote the TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Welcome to the Hellmouth (Welcome for short) is the very first episode of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ...

Executive producers

Joss Whedon was credited as executive producer throughout the run of the series,^[19] and for the first five seasons (1997–2001) he was also the show runner, a role that involves serving as head writer and being responsible for every aspect of production. Marti Noxon took on the role for seasons six and seven (2001–2003), but Whedon continued to be involved with writing and directing Buffy alongside projects such as Angel, Fray and Firefly.^[19] Fran Rubel Kuzui and her husband, Kaz Kuzui, were credited as executive producers^[20] but were not involved in the show. Their credit, rights and royalties over the franchise relate to their funding, producing and directing of the original movie version of Buffy.^[21] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Show runner (alternatively showrunner,[1] or show-runner)[2] is a term used in the United States television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television series, in other words, the person who runs the show. ... Marti Noxon is a television and film writer perhaps best known for her work as a writer and executive producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Angel is a spin-off of the American television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Fray is an eight-issue comic book limited series about Melaka Fray, a Slayer in the future, written by Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon and drawn by Karl Moline (pencils) and Andy Owens (inks). ... Firefly is an American science fiction television series created by writer/director Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, under his Mutant Enemy Productions. ... Kaz Kuzui is an American producer. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Writing

Script-writing was done by Mutant Enemy, a production company created by Whedon in 1997. The writers with the most writing credits include: Steven S. DeKnight, Jane Espenson, David Fury, Drew Goddard, Drew Greenberg, Rebecca Rand Kirshner, Marti Noxon and Doug Petrie.^[22] Howard Gordon, David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon all hold credits as well. Screenwriting refers to the art and craft of writing screenplays for film or television. ... Mutant Enemy, Inc. ... Steven S. DeKnight is a television script-writer best known for working on Smallville, Buffy, and Angel Buffy episodes Main article: List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes Seeing Red (2002) TV Episode (writer) Dead Things (2002) TV Episode (writer) All the Way (2001) TV Episode (writer) Spiral (2001) TV... Jane Espenson is an American writer who has worked on several television series and comic books, as well as on a variety of other projects. ... David Fury is an acclaimed American writer. ... Drew Goddard is a television script-writer best known for working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Alias. ... Drew Z. Greenberg is a television script-writer best known for working on Buffy, Smallville, , and Dexter. ... Rebecca Rand Kirshner was an executive story editor and writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Marti Noxon is a television and film writer perhaps best known for her work as a writer and executive producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Doug Petrie was a co-executive producer, writer and director on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Howard Gordon is an American screenwriter and producer. ... David Greenwalt is an American screenwriter. ... Joss Hill Whedon (born Joseph Hill Whedon[3] on June 23, 1964 in New York) is an American writer, director, executive producer, and creator of the well-known television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. ...

Jane Espenson has explained how scripts came together.^[23] First, the writers talked about the emotional issues facing Buffy Summers and how she would confront them through her battle against evil supernatural forces. Then the episode's story was "broken" into acts and scenes. Act breaks were designed as key moments to intrigue viewers so that they would stay with the episode following advertisements. The writers collectively filled in scenes surrounding these act breaks for a more fleshed-out story. A whiteboard marked their progress by mapping brief descriptions of each scene. Once "breaking" was done, the credited author wrote an outline for the episode, which was checked by Whedon or Noxon. The writer then wrote a full script, which went through a series of drafts, and finally a quick rewrite from the show runner. The final article was used as the shooting script. Jane Espenson is an American writer who has worked on several television series and comic books, as well as on a variety of other projects. ... A television advertisement or commercial (often called an advert in the United Kingdom) is a form of advertising in which goods, services, organizations, ideas, etc. ...

Casting

Selma Blair and Katie Holmes had each auditioned for the title role of Buffy. Charisma Carpenter had also been considered for the title role, before being cast as Cordeilia. Selma Blair (born June 23, 1972) is an American actress. ... Kate Noelle Katie Holmes[1] (born December 18, 1978) is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as Joey Potter on The WB television teen drama Dawsons Creek from 1998 to 2003. ... Charisma Lee Carpenter (born July 23, 1970) is an American actress. ...

The title role went to Sarah Michelle Gellar, who had appeared as Sydney Rutledge in Swans Crossing and Kendall Hart in All My Children.^[24] At age eighteen in 1995, Gellar had already won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Leading Actress in a Drama Series.^[25] In 1996, she was initially cast as Cordelia Chase during a week of auditioning.^[26] Sarah Michelle Gellar (born April 14, 1977) is a Golden Globe-nominated, Daytime Emmy Award-winning American actress. ... Swans Crossing was a syndicated TV show from 1992 that featured a group of wealthy teenagers living in the seaside town of Swans Crossing. ... Kendall Hart Slater (formerly Kendall Lang) is a character on the American soap opera All My Children. ... All My Children (AMC) is a popular American soap opera that has been broadcast Monday through Friday on the ABC TV network since January 5, 1970. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... In the performing arts, casting is a vital pre-production process for selecting a cast (a meaning of the word recorded since 1631) of actors, dancers, singers, models and other talent for a live or recorded performance. ... Cordelia Chase (born December 1980 in Sunnydale, California, died in 2004 in Los Angeles) is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the cult television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. ...

Anthony Stewart Head had already led a prolific acting and singing career^[27] but remained best known for a series of twelve coffee commercials with Sharon Maughan for Nescafé Gold Blend.^[28] He accepted the role of Rupert Giles. For the British statesman, see Antony Head, 1st Viscount Head. ... Sharon Maughan (born 22 June 1951), is a British television actress. ... Nescafé is a popular brand of instant coffee made by Nestlé. In Hebrew, Nescafé (נסקפה) means miracle coffee, possibly a reference to the short time it takes to prepare but the Nestlé website states the name is just a portmanteau of the words Nestlé and café. Nestlés prized powdered coffee... Rupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television program, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...

Unlike other Buffy regulars, Nicholas Brendon had little acting experience,^[29] instead working various jobs — including production assistant, plumber's assistant, veterinary janitor, food delivery, script delivery, day care counselor and waiter — before deciding to break into acting to help him overcome a stutter.^[30][31] He landed his Xander Harris role following only four days of auditioning.^[32] Nicholas Brendon (born April 12, 1971 as Nicholas Brendon Schultz in Los Angeles, California), is an actor best known for his character Xander Harris in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003). ... Production assistant is a movie term for a person responsible for various odd jobs, such as stopping traffic, acting as couriers, getting items from craft service, etc. ... Stuttering, also known as stammering in the United Kingdom, is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases; and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds. ... Alexander LaVelle Xander Harris (born 1981 in Sunnydale, California) is a fictional character in the cult television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...

Alyson Hannigan was the last of the original four to be cast. Following her role in My Stepmother Is an Alien,^[33] she appeared in commercials and supporting roles on television shows throughout the early 1990s.^[33] In 1996 the role of Willow Rosenberg was initially given to Riff Regan for the unaired Buffy pilot, but Hannigan auditioned when the role was recast for the series proper. She described her approach to auditions in an interview through her treatment of a particular moment: Willow tells Buffy that her Barbie doll was taken from her as a child, and Buffy asks if she ever got the Barbie back. "Willow's line was 'Most of it.' And so I thought I'm gonna make that a really happy thing. I was so proud that she got most of it back. That clued in on how I was going to play the rest of the scene. It defines the character."^[34] Her approach subsequently helped her win the role. Alyson Hannigan (born March 24, 1974) is an American actress who plays Lily Aldrin in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. ... My Stepmother is an Alien is a 1988 comedy science fiction movie directed by Richard Benjamin. ... Willow Rosenberg (born either in 1980 or very early 1981 in Sunnydale, California) is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes Known to fans as the unaired Buffy pilot, this thirty-minute production by Joss Whedon was never intended to air. ... Information Occupation See: Barbies careers Family See: List of Barbies friends and family Created by Ruth Handler Barbie is a best-selling fashion doll launched in 1959. ...

Broadcast history

The "Buffy" logo used on the pilot episode

UPN took great advantage promoting the network switch by teasing fans of Buffy's resurrection from The WB's series finale.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer first aired on March 10, 1997 on the WB network, and played a key role in the growth of the Warner Bros. television network in its early years.^[35] After five seasons, it transferred to the United Paramount Network (UPN) for its final two seasons. The show went into syndication in the United States on FX. In the United Kingdom, the entire series aired on Sky One and BBC2. The BBC gave the show two time slots: the early-evening slot for a family-friendly version with violence, objectionable language and other stronger material cut out, and a late-night uncut version.^[36] Sky One had a similar method, in which the show would be edited for an after-noon encore presentation besides the uncut prime-time slot. From the fourth season onwards, the BBC aired the show in anamorphic 16:9 widescreen format, but Whedon later said that Buffy was never intended to be viewed this way. Despite his claims, Sky One now air repeat showings in the widescreen format.^[37] Image File history File links Buffy_unaired_pilot_(Logo). ... Image File history File links Buffy_unaired_pilot_(Logo). ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The official logo for UPN. UPN (which originally stood for the United Paramount Network) is a television network in the United States, owned by Viacom Inc. ... The Warner Bros. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The Warner Bros. ... Warner Bros. ... UPN (which originally stood for the United Paramount Network) was a television network in over 200 markets in the United States. ... In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows to multiple stations, without going through a broadcast network. ... FX (short for Fox Extended Networks) is the name of a number of related subscription TV channels owned by News Corporations Fox Entertainment Group. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... BBC Two (or BBC2 as it was formerly styled) was the second UK television station to be aired by the BBC. History The channel was scheduled to begin at 7:20pm on April 20, 1964 and show an evening of light entertainment, starting with the comedy show The Alberts and... The inner box (green) is the format used in most pre-1952 films and pre-widescreen television. ...

While the seventh season was still being broadcast, Sarah Michelle Gellar told "Entertainment Weekly" she was not going to sign on for an eighth year, "[When] we started to have such a strong year this year, I thought: 'This is how I want to go out, on top, at our best."^[38] Whedon and UPN gave some considerations to production of a spin-off series that would not require Gellar, including a rumored Faith series, but nothing became of those plans.^[39] The canonical Buffy story is continuing outside the television medium in the Dark Horse Comics series, Buffy Season Eight. This is produced since March 2007 by Whedon, who has also written the first story arc, "The Long Way Home".^[40] Sarah Michelle Gellar (born April 14, 1977) is a Golden Globe-nominated, Daytime Emmy Award-winning American actress. ... Entertainment Weekly (sometimes abbreviated EW) is a magazine published by Time Inc. ... The popular fictional Buffyverse established by TV series, Buffy and Angel has led to attempts to develop more commerically viable programs set in the fictional Buffyverse. However some of these projects remain undeveloped for various reasons: Sometimes vital cast members may be unavailable. ... The Buffyverse canon consists of materials that are thought to be genuine (or official) and those events, characters, settings, etc. ... Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight is a comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics. ... The Long Way Home is the first arc from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books based upon the television series of the same name, and is written by creator Joss Whedon. ...

Opening sequence

The second "Buffy" logo, used in the title sequence from Seasons 1 and 2.

The last and most famous "Buffy" logo featured in the title sequence.

The Buffy opening sequence provides credits early in each show. The music was performed by the punk rock band Nerf Herder. The song sounds similar to a German pop song from the 1980s called "Codo" by Döf, but Nerf Herder have said that they had "never heard of Döf", and that the similarity was coincidental.^[41] In the DVD commentary for the first Buffy episode, Whedon said his decision to go with Nerf Herder's theme was influenced by cast member Alyson Hannigan, who had made him listen to the band's music.^[42] Janet Halfyard, in her essay "Music, Gender, and Identity in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel", describes the opening: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Buffy_logo_0001. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Buffy_logo_0001. ... Nerf Herder is a pop-punk band from Santa Barbara formed in 1994 by Parry Gripp (vocals, guitar), Charlie Dennis (bass) and Steve Sherlock (drums). ... DÖF (Deutsch-Österreichisches Feingefühl) was a 1980s Austrian-German Neue Deutsche Welle pop band. ... DÖF (Deutsch-Österreichisches Feingefühl) was a 1980s Austrian-German Neue Deutsche Welle pop band. ... Welcome to the Hellmouth (Welcome for short) is the very first episode of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...

But the theme changes: "[The opening sequence] removes itself from the sphere of 1960s and '70s horror by replaying the same motif, the organ now supplanted by an aggressively strummed electric guitar, relocating itself in modern youth culture."^[43] This music is heard over images of a young cast involved in the action and turbulence of adolescence. The sequence provides a post-modern twist on the horror genre.^[43] Organ in Katharinenkirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The organ is a keyboard instrument played using one or more manuals and a pedalboard. ... Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror) is a German Expressionist film by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, starring Max Schreck as the vampire Count Orlok. ... A poster for Dracula Prince of Darkness (1966). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... The term Postmodernism (sometimes abbreviated Pomo[1]) was a reaction to modernism (not post in the purely temporal sense of after). Largely influenced by the disillusionment induced by the Second World War, postmodernism tends to refer to a cultural, intellectual, or artistic state lacking a clear central hierarchy or organizing...

Music

Main article: Music (Buffyverse)

Buffy features a mix of original, indie, rock and pop music. The composers spent around seven days scoring between fourteen to thirty minutes of music for each episode.^[44] Christophe Beck revealed that the Buffy composers used computers and synthesizers and were limited to recording one or two "real" samples. Despite this, their goal was to produce "dramatic" orchestration that would stand up to film scores.^[44] The use of music was a key component in the fictional Buffyverse established by Buffy and Angel. ... A film score is a set of musical compositions written to accompany a film. ... In popular music, indie music (from independent) is any of a number of genres, scenes, subcultures and stylistic and cultural attributes, characterised by perceived independence from commercial pop music and mainstream culture and an autonomous, do-it-yourself (DIY) approach. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... Christophe Beck interviewed on a Buffy The Vampire Slayer DVD featurette Christophe Beck (born 1972 in Montreal, Canada), also credited as Chris Beck, is a Canadian film and television composer. ... Buffy and Angel (Buffyverse) cast and crew were involved in the making of the television series. ... Synthesizer as used in music, is a term derived from a Greek word syntithetai < synthesis (συντίθεται < σύνθεσις) and is used to describe a device capable of generating and/or manipulating electronic signals for use in music creation, recording and performance. ...

Alongside the score, most episodes featured indie rock music, usually at the characters' venue of choice, The Bronze. Buffy Music Supervisor John King explained that "we like to use unsigned bands" that "you would believe would play in this place".^[44] For example, the fictional group Dingoes Ate My Baby were portrayed on screen by front group Four Star Mary. Pop songs by famous artists were rarely featured prominently, but several episodes spotlighted the sounds of more famous artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Aimee Mann (who also had a line of dialogue) and Michelle Branch. The popularity of music used in Buffy has led to three soundtrack albums: Buffy: The Album, Radio Sunnydale and "Once More, with Feeling" Soundtrack. The Bronze is a nightclub in Sunnydale, the fictional setting for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Dingoes Ate My Baby is a fictional rock band on the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Four Star Mary are an alternative rock group formed in California in 1997. ... Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC,[2] OBC[2] (born January 28, 1968) is a Grammy-winning Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. ... Aimee Mann (born September 8, 1960) is an American rock guitarist, bassist, singer, and noted songwriter. ... Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch-Landau (born July 2, 1983) is a Grammy Award-winning American singer, songwriter and guitarist. ... The use of music was a key component in the fictional Buffyverse established by Buffy and Angel. ... Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album is a soundtrack album featuring music from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. ... Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Radio Sunnydale - Music from the TV Series is the rather long-winded title of the second Buffy the Vampire Slayer soundtrack album, following on from Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album. ... Once More, With Feeling is a musical episode of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...

Setting and storylines

Setting and filming locations

Main articles: Sunnydale, Hellmouth and Filming locations

Most of Buffy was shot on location in Los Angeles, California. The main exterior set of the town of Sunnydale, including the infamous "sun sign", was located in Santa Monica, California in a lot on Olympic Boulevard.^[45] The show is set in the fictional California town of Sunnydale, whose suburban Sunnydale High School sits on top of a "Hellmouth", a gateway to demon realms. The Hellmouth serves as a nexus for a wide variety of evil creatures and supernatural phenomena, and lies beneath the school library. In addition to being an open-ended plot device, Joss Whedon has cited the Hellmouth and "High school as Hell" as one of the primary metaphors in creating the series.^[46] Sunnydale Sunnydale, California, is the fictional suburban setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Hellmouth (Buffyverse) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Many of the filming locations for scenes in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer were shot in and around Los Angeles, California. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , State County Settled 1781 Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government  - Type Mayor-Council  - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa  - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo  - Governing body City Council Area  - City  498. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Sunnydale Sunnydale, California, is the fictional suburban setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... For other uses, see Santa Monica (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Sunnydale Sunnydale, California, is the fictional suburban setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details about some or all of the Whedonverse productions (Buffy, Angel, Fray, etc. ... Hellmouth (Buffyverse) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... A portal in fiction is a magical or technological doorway that connects two distant locations. ... Giles and Buffy read VAMPYR, one of the books in the Sunnydale High School library Buffy the Vampire Slayer is not the only work of fiction in which imaginary books play a central role. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Hell (disambiguation). ...

The high school used in the first three seasons is actually Torrance High School, in Torrance, California.This school was used until the residents of Torrance complained about loud sounds at night.^[47] The school exterior has been used in other television shows and movies, most notably Beverly Hills 90210, Bring It On, She's All That (explaining Sarah Michelle Gellar's uncredited appearance in the cafeteria scene of that movie), and the spoof Not Another Teen Movie.^[47] In addition to the high school and its library, scenes take place in the town's cemeteries, a local nightclub (The Bronze), and Buffy's home, where many of the characters live at various points in the series. Torrance High School in Torrance, California is one of the oldest high schools in continuous use in California and a popular location for television and motion picture production. ... Location of Torrance in the County of Los Angeles Country United States State California County Los Angeles County, California Government  - Mayor Frank Scotto Area  - City 20. ... Beverly Hills 90210 was a popular primetime television soap opera that aired from October 1990 to May 2000 on the Fox Network in the United States and subsequently on various networks around the world. ... Bring It On may refer to: Bring It On, a 2000 film which has become a franchise with three follow-up movies: Bring It On Again 2003 direct to video release Bring It On: All or Nothing 2006 direct to video release Bring It On: In It to Win It... Shes All That is a 1999 romantic comedy film, directed by Robert Iscove, and is a modern remake of George Bernard Shaws Pygmalion (which was also the basis for the musical comedy My Fair Lady starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison). ... Sarah Michelle Gellar (born April 14, 1977) is a Golden Globe-nominated, Daytime Emmy Award-winning American actress. ... In contemporary usage, a parody (or lampoon) is a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author or fictional voice of the parody, or another subject. ... Not Another Teen Movie is a film released in 2001 by Sony Pictures. ...

Format

Buffy is told in a serialized format, with each episode involving a self-contained story while contributing to a larger storyline, which is broken down into season-long narratives marked by the rise and defeat of a powerful antagonist, commonly referred to as the "Big Bad". The show blends different genres, including horror, martial arts, romance, melodrama, farce, comedy, and even, in one episode, musical comedy. Serials in television and radio are series, often in a weekly prime time slot, that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a serial fashion, episode by episode. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... An ... Big bad is a term originally used by fans of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show to describe a major recurring adversary, usually the chief villain in a particular broadcast season. ... Look up genre in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Horror Movie redirects here. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... While most films have some aspect of romance between characters (at least as a subplot,) a romance film can be loosely defined as any film in which the central plot (the premise of the story) revolves around the romantic involvement of the storys protagonists. ... Poster for The Perils of Pauline (1914). ... Look up farce in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The screwball comedy has proven to be one of the most elusive of the film genres. ... Once More, With Feeling is a musical episode of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theater combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ...

The series' narrative revolves around Buffy and her friends, collectively dubbed the "Scooby Gang", who struggle to balance the fight against supernatural evils with their complex social lives. A typical episode contains one or more villains, or supernatural phenomena that are thwarted or defeated. Though elements and relationships are explored and ongoing subplots are included, the show focuses primarily on Buffy and her role as an archetypal heroine. The Scooby Gang, or Scoobies, are a group of characters in the cult television series and comic book, Buffy the Vampire Slayer who battle the supernatural forces of evil. ... Look up Supernatural in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... “Bad guy” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Archetype (disambiguation). ... “Heroine” redirects here. ...

The most prominent monsters in the Buffy bestiary are vampires, which are based on traditional myths, lore, and literary conventions. Buffy and her companions fight a wide variety of demons, as well as ghosts, werewolves, zombies, and ethically unsound humans. They frequently save the world from annihilation by a combination of physical combat, magic, and detective-style investigation, and are guided by an extensive collection of ancient and mystical reference books. Hand-to-hand combat is chiefly undertaken by Buffy and Angel, later by Spike, and to a far lesser degree by Giles and Xander. Willow eventually becomes an adept witch, while Giles contributes his extensive knowledge of demonology and supernatural lore. The following is a list of demons, vampires, human monsters, walking dead, ghosts, beasts and any kind of evil being or supernatural creature seen in the Buffyverse (created by Joss Whedon). ... In the fictional world of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, a vampire is a demon of a species which inhabits and animates a human corpse. ... Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details about some or all of information gradually revealed in Buffyverse productions: (Buffy, Angel, Fray. ... The following is a list of demons, vampires, human monsters, walking dead, ghosts, beasts and any kind of evil being or supernatural creature seen in the Buffyverse (created by Joss Whedon). ... A Werewolf is a human who tranforms into a wolf-like figure on nights of the full moon in the fictional Buffyverse established by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. ... The following is a list of demons, vampires, human monsters, walking dead, ghosts, beasts and any kind of evil being or supernatural creature seen in the Buffyverse (created by Joss Whedon). ... The following is a list of demons, vampires, human monsters, walking dead, ghosts, beasts and any kind of evil being or supernatural creature seen in the Buffyverse (created by Joss Whedon). ... The Sorceress by John William Waterhouse Magic and sorcery are the influencing of events, objects, people and physical phenomena by mystical, paranormal or supernatural means. ... In the fictional Buffyverse established by Buffy and Angel, a Witch is a person who has great knowledge and power over the use of mystical forces, commonly known as magic, to perform various feats that defy the laws of nature. ... Demonology is the systematic study of demons or beliefs about demons. ...

Inspirations and metaphors

During the first year of the series, Whedon described the show as "My So-Called Life meets The X-Files."^[48] My So-Called Life gave a sympathetic portrayal of teen anxieties; in contrast, The X-Files delivered a supernatural "monster of the week" storyline. Alongside these series, Whedon has cited cult film Night of the Comet as a "big influence",^[49] and credited the X-Men character Kitty Pryde as a significant influence on the character of Buffy.^[50] The authors of the unofficial guidebook Dusted point out that the series was often a pastiche, borrowing elements from previous horror novels, movies and short stories and from such common literary stock as folklore and mythology.^[51] Nevitt & Smith describe Buffy's use of pastiche as "post modern Gothic".^[52] For example, the Adam character parallels the Frankenstein monster, the episode "Bad Eggs" parallels Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and so on. For other uses, see My So-Called Life (disambiguation). ... The X-Files is a Peabody- and Emmy Award-winning science fiction television series created by Chris Carter, which first aired on September 10, 1993, and ended on May 19, 2002. ... Night of the Comet is a 1984 science fiction film directed by Thom Eberhardt and starring Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Beltran and Kelli Maroney. ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... It has been suggested that Widget (Marvel Comics) be merged into this article or section. ... Cover of the Buffy guide, Watchers Guide Vol. ... The word pastiche describes a literary or other artistic genre. ... Strawberry Hill, an English villa in the Gothic revival style, built by seminal Gothic writer Horace Walpole Gothic fiction is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. ... Adam is a fictional cyborg in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played by George Hertzberg. ... Boris Karloff as Frankensteins Monster in Frankenstein (1931). ... List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes Bad Eggs is episode 12 of season 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1956 science fiction film. ...

Buffy episodes include a deeper meaning or metaphor as well. Whedon explained, "We think very carefully about what we're trying to say emotionally, politically, and even philosophically while we're writing it… it really is, apart from being a pop-culture phenomenon, something that is deeply layered textually episode by episode."^[53] Academics Wilcox and Lavery provide examples of how a few episodes deal with real life issues turned into supernatural metaphors: This article is about metaphor in literature and rhetoric. ...

The love affair between the vampire Angel and Buffy was fraught with metaphors. For example, their night of passion cost the vampire his soul. Sarah Michelle Gellar said: "That's the ultimate metaphor. You sleep with a guy and he turns bad on you."^[54] Witch is the 3rd episode of season 1 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Ted is episode 11 of season 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... A lesbian is a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted only to other women. ... Goodbye Iowa is the 14th episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Family is the sixth episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Innocence is Episode 14 of Season 2 on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ... Angel (also known as Angelus, originally Liam) (born 1727 in Galway, Ireland) is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt for the television programs Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. ... The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is the self-aware essence unique to a particular living being. ...

The feminist issue comes out especially when facing misogynist characters; the most misogynistic characters, Warren and Caleb, both die in gruesome ways, both killed by heroines of the series. Feminists redirects here. ... Misogyny (IPA: ) is hatred or strong prejudic