Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Part 1
The last few months of 1997 I was 15 years old, a sophomore in high school. I fit the typical honors student/nerd stereotype for the most part, but I also had a love for all things spooky, mystical and otherworldly. I'd been reading about the supernatural ever since I was old enough to comprehend it, and at that point in my life I had been following Wicca for about 2 years.
I've learned over the years that once you get people talking about ghosts, astrology, vampires, fortune-telling, witchcraft, etc. they often are fascinated by some tidbit or another, and are rather impressed that you know of such things. At 15, I didn't talk to very many people and thought I would be judged harshly for being interested in such taboo topics. I was also often depressed as a teenager, so I would look for an escape in books, movies, TV-- anything.
Luckily that year the WB debuted a brand new TV show called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I remember seeing a commercial for it and being very intrigued. I'd seen the movie of the same name and thought it fun, but not much more than that. When I saw that first episode I was hooked. The characters were my age, the dialogue was witty and more importantly, the show was about something I was passionately interested in.
I rarely missed an episode until years later when a job I had interfered, but even then I would often tape episodes and watch them the next day. The show made me feel like I belonged somewhere. I would imagine myself as part of Buffy's world, and dream up all sorts of ways that I would help them out, become part of their group. As you might guess, this did lead to my own little bout of fan fiction. It was actually the longest piece of fiction I had ever written, about the size of a small novel. That's how much Buffy inspired me.
It killed me when the show ended, but at the same time I knew it would just go downhill if it went on for too long. I think we all felt some of the pressure and tension that was around that last season. I still thought it was one of their best seasons ever, although I know other fans would disagree. The way they ended the series brought me to tears, as I'm sure it did many others. Over the years I collected the entire show on DVD and have watched it in its entirety at least 3 times.
This show has meant everything to me. It's taught me a lot about who I am and who I want to be. As Buffy grew into adulthood, so did I. I feel like that character has done more to shape me than anyone else could have done, and I know that watching the show got me through some really rough times. Now I'm starting a 4th run through the entire series to see what it has in store for me at this point in my life.
I've learned over the years that once you get people talking about ghosts, astrology, vampires, fortune-telling, witchcraft, etc. they often are fascinated by some tidbit or another, and are rather impressed that you know of such things. At 15, I didn't talk to very many people and thought I would be judged harshly for being interested in such taboo topics. I was also often depressed as a teenager, so I would look for an escape in books, movies, TV-- anything.
Luckily that year the WB debuted a brand new TV show called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I remember seeing a commercial for it and being very intrigued. I'd seen the movie of the same name and thought it fun, but not much more than that. When I saw that first episode I was hooked. The characters were my age, the dialogue was witty and more importantly, the show was about something I was passionately interested in.
I rarely missed an episode until years later when a job I had interfered, but even then I would often tape episodes and watch them the next day. The show made me feel like I belonged somewhere. I would imagine myself as part of Buffy's world, and dream up all sorts of ways that I would help them out, become part of their group. As you might guess, this did lead to my own little bout of fan fiction. It was actually the longest piece of fiction I had ever written, about the size of a small novel. That's how much Buffy inspired me.
It killed me when the show ended, but at the same time I knew it would just go downhill if it went on for too long. I think we all felt some of the pressure and tension that was around that last season. I still thought it was one of their best seasons ever, although I know other fans would disagree. The way they ended the series brought me to tears, as I'm sure it did many others. Over the years I collected the entire show on DVD and have watched it in its entirety at least 3 times.
This show has meant everything to me. It's taught me a lot about who I am and who I want to be. As Buffy grew into adulthood, so did I. I feel like that character has done more to shape me than anyone else could have done, and I know that watching the show got me through some really rough times. Now I'm starting a 4th run through the entire series to see what it has in store for me at this point in my life.
Labels: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Horror, TV
posted by Rachel Storm at
9:31 AM
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