I hate to admit this, but I’ve never seen Buffy before… like, never seen an episode. I’ve seen the movie with Donald Sutherland, and I liked it.
I love Firefly, so I know Joss Whedon is great.
I do not like the Supernatural show from the 2000s.
It is spooky season right now and I would love to give Buffy a try, but I’m worried I won’t like it and all of my hopes and dreams for liking this spooky show will be gone.
Can someone tell me why Buffy is good so I can psych myself up for watching it?
I can’t say it better than this guy.
Love this, thank you! It’s good that he gives a few episodes I “must see” from the first season. I may watch those and see how I feel about it afterwards.
Just keep in mind while those are the best of the first season and have important setup storyline, they are no where near the shows highs. It takes time to ramp up and find its focus on the characters, but when it does it is fantastic. I suggest watching those episodes and then working your way to the introduction of Spike and Drusilla. They represent a tonal reset for the show and give you a better idea of what you’re in for than the first season does.
Will do! This is great insight on when to keep watching until. I’m also happy to hear that I can jump to those 4 episodes and then work my way back through season 1 if those episodes hit right.
Excited to start my Buffy journey!
I’ve had a lot of friends who love the show, so it’ll be nice for me to be 30 years late to the party.
Yes. I was in your shoes, more or less, a long while ago. Coming off Firefly and hungry for more. It did not disappoint in the least. Great from the get-go and only getting better. Just go for it.
Ok. So first off the movie was not whedon and was a comedy in case you watch that. The show is old so its special effects are like old school doctor who level. Basically costumes and makeup. Because its old it has some nostalgic computers for some people. Its kinda painful initially but it builds and if you want to watch angel you will have backstory for when that show takes off and angel as one of the best series finales ever imo (please don’t watch it unless you watch the series as it is only great in relation to the series). Im not sure but I think it started the thing with singing episodes and puppet episodes that other shows down the line then did. Maybe someone did it before but I feel the buffyverse is where it started.
It’s got the same vibe as the later supernatural seasons, where they have some serious things but mostly stopped taking themselves seriously. Good fun and worth a try if nothing else.
If you liked the movie, there is a good chance you will dislike the show. It is not the same thing. Very serious teen drama angst and none of the fun. To be fair, I have only seen bits and pieces because I just wasn’t into it. Def more like Supernatural than Firefly.
None of the fun? Yeah it’s obvious you haven’t seen the show.
The movie was a comedy, which is not what the show was trying to do. The very tropes the movie was making fun of were taken pretty seriously by the show. They are very different things. I will admit, fun may have been the wrong word when I should just said comedy.
After a few episodes, you will feel invested with the great character personalities and will look forward to their next adventures and experiences. After a few seasons, you will love the show as the great piece of TV art that it is.
I’m worried it’ll be awful. I have high hopes, however.
If you loved Firefly (I also loved Firefly), you’ll love Buffy. There’s a great balance between funny moments with clever writing, and taking things seriously to move the plot along.
The characters feel like people we all know without being stereotypes, and grow over the course of the series. The spooky-woo-woo MacGuffin stuff isn’t overly contrived usually, and when it is, it’s supposed to be like that. The show is an ensemble show, and so dynamics that swirl around a group of friends, for good and for ill, are what keep is grounded. Story arcs are clear and planned, and not every character is safe or safe to be around. There’s a whole, expensive cinematic universe that develops over time, all ultimately built around the concept that life is complex and you can’t just punch your problems in the head and expect them to go away.
I will say that the series had a shoestring budget to start, so Season 1 is bare bones and a bit rough at times. Season 2 is not my favorite, but Seasons 3 and 5 especially are some of the best television that has ever been. I’ve never seen Supernatural, not even an episode, and have no desire to do so.
Edit: I’ll add that once you get invested in the characters, the show leaves an emotional impact on you. There’s a couple episodes that when I see them on TV, especially one in particular (some of y’all know which Season 5 episode I mean), I simply won’t watch because they’re too real and will just change the trajectory of my day.
Okay, this has me a bit hyped! Thank you for the summary.
I want to experience the highs of season 3 and 5, but I hope the investment of 2 seasons to get to the “good stuff” will be worth it.
The first episode so far is half-decent, so I think I’ll keep going, but I can imagine it getting tedious.
