It's twenty years exactly since Buffy The Vampire Slayer hit our screens for the first time, and so begins a love letter to the show that changed my life forever.
I was one year old when this show premiered, so I'm not going to sit here and say I was a fan from the beginning, but it wasn't far off. I used to sneak into the bedroom of my older sisters when they were watching it, and soon began to fall for it myself. I vaguely remember my unwavering crush on Spike, my constant fear of The Master and the sadness I felt seeing Buffy jump into the portal to save her sister. I'll also never forget the words she spoke as she did. 'The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live.'
My adoration for BTVS stems from the fact that in it's own vampiric way, each series represented a new step on the way to growing up. It dealt with typical teenage issues in a humorous and almost satirical way, but without ever losing its sincerity. From its depiction of feminism, sexuality, losing your virginity and bullying, to lighter things such as getting drunk, going to university, passing your exams and making friends, it was there every step of the way if ever you needed it.
None of it would have been possible without the genius that is Joss Whedon. Upon realising that there was big potential lurking within the bad 80's movie version of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, he managed to create something that will live on through generations to come. Of course, the characters he crafted were the biggest reason the show was so popular.
Strong, beautiful, funny, albeit a bit self centered at times, Buffy was the center of the show. A typical sixteen year old girl, trying out for the cheerleading team, spending her spare time dreaming about the tall, dark and mysterious man she'd only just met, or generally just being very sarcastic, she represented at least a little something in all of us at her age. She'd had to deal with the separation of her parents, moving to a new city and making new friends, all whilst fighting the forces of darkness. She wasn't just a character to me, she was one of my best friends. My heart broke when she slept with Angel, only to have that thrown back in her face, I felt her breaking when she realised Acathla was awake, I struggled with her when she didn't adapt to life at university, and I hurt when she was dealing with a very realistic portrayal of depression. Buffy Summers was, and will remain to me, the best central protagonist of a television show.
Xander Harris was loveable, funny, awkward and the only male within the trio. He didn't have any powers, which made him believe he was ordinary, but he was always the glue that held the Scooby Gang together. I felt like I had found another brother as soon as he appeared onscreen in Welcome To The Hellmouth, and I still do. He taught me about acceptance, bravery and kindness more than any other character in the show, and I will always look up to him.
The final person in the trio is one of my least favourite characters in the show, however I appreciate how needed she was. Willow Rosenberg was the adorable, woman lovin' witch. I learnt about confidence and not pretending to be someone you're not from her. Her change in sexuality halfway through the series, marked a turning point in portrayal of gay people on TV , and I know so many people who say that she helped them come out.
Of course, BTVS wouldn't have been the same without Giles and Joyce. The latter reminded me a lot of my mum at times, so therefore I had a strong attachment to her from the beginning, and the former reminded me a tremendous amount of my father, so the same applies to him. In fact I still get people saying to me how alike they appear to be! Joyce's death was one of the most uncomfortable scenes to watch, and I think that's a testament to how loved she was. I'm not going to sit here and say I always liked Giles, because from the day he left Buffy to go back to England, he never felt like the same character to me. Having said that, Rupert Giles took care of me, gave me so much advice, and taught me that anything you ever needed to know could be found within the contents of a book.
Angel and Spike's relationships with Buffy remain my favourite television romances. Whether or not you believed she belonged with the angsty, dark and brooding vampire with a soul, or with the funny, British Billy Idol look-alike, you probably had a soft spot for the other as well. They were just that loveable.
Every character, however minor, made this TV show great. It was one massive family. One that each viewer felt like they were a part of.
So thank you Joss Whedon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head, Kristine Sutherland, James Marsters, David Boreanaz and the rest of the cast for making a bloody amazing television show. I know that all of us will make sure it's passed down to our children, and I know that it will help them in the same way that it helped us.
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My Top 10 Episodes
1. The Gift
2. Becoming : Part Two
3. Passion
4. Once More With Feeling
5. Hush
6. The Body
7. Restless
8. Fool For Love
9. Ted
10. Chosen
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