Our Heist Guides introduce new fans to something we think is seriously cool, and they may even provide some behind-the-scenes knowledge to longtime diehards. It's everything you need to know to plan your own heist.
It's time to grab your stakes, scope out the hottest vampires in town, and explore the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series premiered on the WB in 1997 and from there it made an impact on not only horror, but pop culture at large. Many folks across different generations love the series and hold it in high regard in our current media landscape.
Plenty of other series have tried to mimic the magic of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, whether it be through its particular brand of comedy and campy moments or lovable heroines. Hit vampire series like The Vampire Diaries, for instance, took major inspiration. Meanwhile, the iconic musical episode "Once More, with Feeling" inspired other series to try their hand at their own musical episodes as a result. Successfully? That depends on the show. When you take into account the show and its legacy, there's a whole lot to unpack. So how do you navigate this fantastic series in the year of 2025?
Don't fear the slayer (or do because they can kick your ass). This bloody Heist Guide will answer your potential questions about this iconic series — who Buffy Summers is and why she's still relevant, and the Buffyverse at large. Keep your stake in hand and prepare for a battle because we're going to explore this graveyard and make it out the other side.
What is Buffy the Vampire Slayer about?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer debuted in 1997 and took the television landscape by storm with its '90s charm, horror homages, comedic style, and Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) — an altogether different main character. Instead of a blonde who needs to be saved, Buffy came in swinging as a powerful and capable young woman. The very human aspects of Buffy are also what endeared her to audiences.
The series is a supernatural horror drama about a young woman named Buffy Summers who also happens to be a vampire slayer. Her destiny is part of an ancient line of women who have supernatural abilities, are trained by a guide called a "Watcher," and tasked with fighting vampires, demons, and other supernatural creatures. Unlike all the Slayers before her, Buffy does not go it alone. She has a close-knit group of people in her life who range in abilities.
The first three seasons explore Buffy's high school years and issues that come with growing up, often using supernatural metaphors. Meanwhile, the latter seasons focus on her coming into adulthood and what that means for her as a woman as well as a Slayer. While Buffy is the main character, those in her life are important in her journey as a Slayer. Throughout history in the Buffyverse, the Slayer tends to be alone and often meets a gruesome end at a young age. Whether Buffy ever dies is up for you to find out (no spoilers), but let's just say she's an anomaly as far as Slayers go.
Is Buffy the Vampire Slayer based on the 1992 film?
Yes! Joss Whedon wrote the film and Fran Rubel Kuzui directed it. The film follows Buffy Summers (Kristy Swanson), a Californian cheerleader who is suddenly thrust into her destiny as a vampire Slayer all while trying to defeat a vampire king named Lothos (Rutger Hauer). Initially, the film was meant to lean more into horror with a darker tone, but it was tweaked to become a comedy horror film instead. That's something that Joss wasn't happy about in the slightest.
When creating the TV series, Joss chose to not follow the unintended tone of his '92 film. Instead, Buffy the Vampire Slayer cleverly infuses comedy but isn't afraid to be horror. The horror is used as metaphors for adolescence as well as high school experiences. While that might sound like a corny after school special, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is anything but forgettable and speaks to more than just younger audiences. Adults can rewatch or watch for the first time and relate to some or all of the experiences depicted throughout the series. And it might not be the most diverse series ever, but the series still speaks to marginalized viewers.
One might say that without the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie releasing first, we would have never gotten the series. And if Joss' vision had been maintained for the film, would he have felt the need to create a series? The film is necessary '90s horror viewing, if not to just say you've watched it. However, it's not necessary to watch the film in order to watch the series as they separate entities. Is the movie comparable to the series, which is critically-acclaimed to this day? No. But it's worth checking out and seeing where the concept of the show came from.
Who created Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Joss Whedon created the series and was showrunner for a bulk of the seasons. Marti Noxon took over as showrunner for later seasons.
It's important to note that Joss Whedon, while he's problematic, isn't the only reason the series is beloved. Joss created the series and thus gave us one of the best television series of all time. But he isn't the only person to thank, and diminishing the importance of Buffy the Vampire Slayer because of him isn't the route to go.
Who is Sarah Michelle Gellar, and why is she considered the best Buffy Summers?
Sarah Michelle Gellar is an award-winning American actress who has been acting since childhood. Her breakout role was as Kendall Hart on the soap opera All My Children. She's a horror icon, not only just because of her role as Buffy, but due to her other horror roles like Helen Shivers in I Know What You Did Last Summer, Daphne in the Scooby-Doo live-action films, Cici Cooper in Scream 2 and more. Her filmography is extended and she's still active to this day, her latest role being the character Tanya Martin on Dexter: Original Sin.
As for how she'll always be the best Buffy, there's no arguing that fact. It's not simply the fact that she played Buffy for years of her early adulthood. Her commitment to the character and performance makes the TV version of Buffy Summers one of the best main characters ever. The way she plays Buffy throughout the series is a complete flip on what a heroine is usually like. She's flawed and does her best to save the world, as well as those around her.
The journey that SMG takes fans on with Buffy is hard to match, even in this day and age of television. She's a personal hero to many of us (including myself) who are fans and deservedly so. Kristy Swanson (who is unfortunately a Trump supporter) might have played Buffy first, but her depiction of the character just wasn't as culturally impactful. Therefore, it's SMG always!
How many seasons did Buffy the Vampire Slayer run for?
The show ran for 7 seasons from 1997-2003. The pilot aired on March 10, 1997 and the series finale aired on May 20, 2003.
Did Buffy spawn any spinoffs?
Yes, it did! Its spinoff, Angel, follows Buffy's first love ... who happens to be a 200+ year old vampire played by David Boreanaz (who you may recognize from his other hit series, Bones and SEAL Team). Angel is a series about redemption, adulthood, humanity, and what it means to fight battles you might not be able to win.
The spinoff takes place in LA and is different in tone, but there are a few crossovers that happen. Some characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer end up having their own runs on Angel. It's absolutely worth watching overall, but don't go into it expecting a carbon copy of Buffy.
Wait — did the Buffyverse expand into other media?
It absolutely did in the form of comics, novels, podcasts, magazines, an audio series, and video games. There's also merch to seek out (although not so easily found if you're looking for action figures). Buffy also continued on for five more seasons in comic book form. These canonical comics were released between 2007-2018 by Dark Horse Comics. Each season (as well as crossovers and miniseries) ranges in terms of quality, but they wrapped up stories and introduced new developments for the characters. Angel also has canonical comics that directly take place after its series finale.
Following the Dark Horse Era, reboot/reimagining series for both shows were published through BOOM! Studios. You can find the list of Buffy comics here — there's quite a bit to wade through!
Is there any hope of a reboot or remake in television form?
Recently, news came out that a pilot for a reboot series is currently being worked on. Sarah Michelle Gellar will have a minor role in the series. The writers of the pilot are Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face). Meanwhile, Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Eternals) will serve as director.
Where can I watch this fantastic show?
Both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel can be watched on Hulu and Disney+ or you can buy the seasons/episodes on your app of choice. If you want to go old school, both shows are available on DVD. Your local thrift stores might even have them!
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