History Series / Buffythevampireslayer

There was also a few stand alone comics based on Buffy high school days, being much LighterAndSofter then the source material, it only got three books and was forced to end due to the aforementioned losing of the licensee by Dark Horse. Bizarrely, the series likewise got an all ages story set in it's own continuity, ''Buffy: New School Nightmare'', in which she once more arrives in a new town and has to contend with vampires, joined along the way by a witch and a werewolf Sarafina and Alvaro and a new, female watcher named Ms. Sparks guiding her. In this version, Buffy is much younger (12) and the vampires are all silly ones from various eras (in fact there isn't any kid vampire at all). While it does mention death and what not (with even ''Santa Claus'' being a vampire) it never gets as dark as it's mainstream counterpart and is even more Lighter and Softer then the Stand Alone "High School Years" series. A sequel to this continuity is said to be in the works.

In 2007 ''Buffy'' started up again -- [[ComicBook/BuffyTheVampireSlayer in comic form]]. Produced by Joss Whedon, it encompasses three "Seasons" of TV time so far. In 2011, the mainline series branched off into ''ComicBook/AngelAndFaith'', which is London-based (in a nod to ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'').

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy learns that she is the most recent in a line of warrior women chosen by fate to fight evil, and in a pitched battle sets [[KillItWithFire the school gym on fire to kill the vampires inside]]. She can't fully explain this to the authorities, making her a social pariah. Hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities, she and her mother moved to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. In spite of that, she learns Sunnydale is sitting on top of a Hellmouth, a [[MagneticPlotDevice well of evil that attracts all types of demons]]. She is assigned a "Watcher" from an AncientConspiracy dedicated to finding and training Slayers. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy battles hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Since demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical feminist wink]] inserted.

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised '''''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''''' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy learns that she is the most recent in a line of warrior women chosen by fate to fight evil, and in a pitched battle sets [[KillItWithFire the school gym on fire to kill the vampires inside]]. She can't fully explain this to the authorities, making her a social pariah. Hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities, she and her mother moved to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. In spite of that, she learns Sunnydale is sitting on top of a Hellmouth, a [[MagneticPlotDevice well of evil that attracts all types of demons]]. She is assigned a "Watcher" from an AncientConspiracy dedicated to finding and training Slayers. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy battles hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Since demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical feminist wink]] inserted.

In 1992, Creator/JossWhedon wrote a [[Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer somewhat decent if largely forgotten film]] about a bog standard trope: the fragile (and doomed) blonde cheerleader attacked by monsters in a dark alley. In a {{postmodern}} twist the blonde cheerleader is the "Slayer," a powerful warrior that monsters are afraid of meeting in dark alleys. Since Whedon, a mere writer, [[ExecutiveMeddling lacked creative control]] over his work, he viewed the actual film as a disappointment (though still entertaining). Not wanting the character and overall concept to go to waste, and given the opportunity to re-visit it as a television series, he wasted no time in saying "yes."

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised '''''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''''' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy learns that she is the most recent in a line of warrior women picked by fate to balance the fight against the forces of darkness and in a pitched battle sets [[KillItWithFire the school gym on fire to kill the vampires inside]]. She can't fully explain this to the authorities, making her a social pariah. Hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities, she and her mother moved to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. In spite of that, she learns Sunnydale is sitting on top of a Hellmouth, a [[MagneticPlotDevice well of evil that attracts all types of demons]]. She is assigned a "Watcher" from an AncientConspiracy dedicated to finding and training Slayers. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy battles hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Since demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical feminist wink]] inserted.

[[caption-width-right:281:I'm the thing that monsters have nightmares about.]]

Nobody can deny or ignore the influence of ''Buffy'' on the TV shows that followed it, both within and outside the genre. (Creator/RussellTDavies had at least one eye on this show when he revived ''Series/DoctorWho''.) This series has become one of the most TropeOverdosed and {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d shows in existence -- thousands of references to ''Buffy'' exist across this entire wiki -- partially because Wiki/TVTropes began with a specific focus on ''Buffy'' (based on a 2004 thread on the fan site BuffistasOrg) before branching out to all of TV and eventually all of everything. However, we no longer consider this show as merely Trope Overdosed -- we now officially classify it as kilo{{Wick}} and one of The Truly Awesome. With over 7,000 wicks and a runtime of 6,056 minutes, this page (well, this ''entry'' and its metapages) now has over one wick per minute.

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised '''''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''''' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy learns that she is the most recent in a line of warrior women picked by fate to balance the fight against the forces of darkness and in a pitched battle sets [[KillItWithFire the school gym on fire to kill the vampires inside]]. She can't fully explain this to the authorities, making her a social pariah. Hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities, she and her mother moved to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. In spite of that, she learns Sunnydale is sitting on top of a Hellmouth, a [[MagneticPlotDevice well of evil that attracts all types of demons]]. She is assigned a "Watcher" from an AncientConspiracy dedicated to finding and training Slayers. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy battles hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Since demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical feminist wink]] inserted.

In 1999, Joss and co-producer David Greenwalt conceived a [[SpinOff spin-off]] starring her vampiric love interest, Angel, along with some side- characters from Sunnydale. Usually spin-offs have very little to do with their parent shows, and ''Angel'' was no exception. ''Buffy'' is about growing up, deciding the type of person you're going to become. ''Angel'' is about having grown up, made hard choices, and maybe not liking how those choices look in hindsight. Mind you, most of us don't commit atrocities like some of ''Angel''[='=]s characters, but this mature attitude is which is why some fans preferred ''Angel'', if only slightly. Crossovers and cross-references between the shows persisted even after ''Buffy'' ended in 2003. Those ranged from the [[RedSkiesCrossover superfluous]] (Angel phoning Buffy and then hanging up) to the essential (6-episode redemption of Creator/ElizaDushku's Faith Lehane).

In 1999, Joss and co-producer David Greenwalt conceived a [[SpinOff spin-off]] starring Buffy's vampiric love interest, Angel -- the [[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983 He-Man]] to ''Buffy's'' [[WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower She-Ra]], if you will. While ''Buffy'' focused on adolescent woe, ''Angel'' revolved around stressed-out twenty-somethings in thankless jobs, trying to hold onto their youthful ideals. ''Angel'' ended the only way it could have: the gang sold out and become {{Corporate Sponsored Superhero}}es, much to the disgust of Buffy and her allies, who [[AHouseDivided disavowed them]]. Crossovers and cross-references between the two shows persisted even after ''Buffy'' ended in 2003.

Nobody can deny or ignore the influence of ''Buffy'' on the TV shows that followed it, both within and outside the genre. (Creator/RussellTDavies had at least one eye on this show when he revived ''Series/DoctorWho''.) This series has become one of the most TropeOverdosed and {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d shows in existence -- thousands of references to ''Buffy'' exist across this entire wiki -- partially because TVTropes began with a specific focus on ''Buffy'' (based on a 2004 thread on the fan site BuffistasOrg) before branching out to all of TV and eventually all of everything. However, we no longer consider this show as merely Trope Overdosed -- we now officially classify it as kilo{{Wick}} and one of The Truly Awesome. With over 7,000 wicks and a runtime of 6,056 minutes, this page (well, this ''entry'' and its metapages) now has over one wick per minute.

The show didn't catch fire in its first season, but did garner enough critical acclaim to attract viewers by year two. However, ''Buffy'' (and ''{{Series/Angel}}'') were ''not'' inexpensive shows to produce, and neither were expected to grow beyond their cult demographic. Although WB attempted to shove ''Buffy'' off the air in 2001, it was picked up by {{Creator/UPN}} in time for Season 6 and 7. The jump was heralded by Buffy's literal death and resurrection, along with a ratings-grabbing [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mRsITLBUvg ad campaign.]]

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised ''Buffy'' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy learns that she is the most recent in a line of warrior women picked by fate to balance the fight against the forces of darkness and in a pitched battle sets [[KillItWithFire the school gym on fire to kill the vampires inside]]. She can't fully explain this to the authorities, making her a social pariah. Hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities, she and her mother moved to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. In spite of that, she learns Sunnydale is sitting on top of a Hellmouth, a [[MagneticPlotDevice well of evil that attracts all types of demons]]. She is assigned a "Watcher" from an AncientConspiracy dedicated to finding and training Slayers. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy battles hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Since demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly feminist wink inserted.

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised ''Buffy'' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy learns that she is the most recent in a line of warrior women picked by fate to balance the fight against the forces of darkness and in a pitched battle sets [[KillItWithFire the school gym on fire to kill the vampires inside]]. She can't fully explain this to the authorities, making her a social pariah. Hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities, she and her mother moved to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. In spite of that, she learns Sunnydale is sitting on top of a Hellmouth, a [[MagneticPlotDevice well of evil that attracts all types of demons]]. She is assigned a "Watcher" from an AncientConspiracy dedicated to finding and training Slayers. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy battles hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Sice demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly feminist wink inserted.

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised ''Buffy'' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy learns that she is the most recent in a line of warrior women picked by fate to balance the fight against the forces of darkness and in a pitched battle sets [[KillItWithFire the school gym on fire to kill the vampires inside]]. She can't fully explain this to the authorities, making her a social pariah. Hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities, she and her mother moved to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. In spite of that, she learns Sunnydale is sitting on top of a Hellmouth, a [[MagneticPlotDevice well of evil that attracts all types of demons]]. She is assigned a "Watcher" from an AncientConspiracy dedicated to finding and training Slayers. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy battles hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Given that demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly feminist wink inserted.

Nobody can deny or ignore the influence of ''Buffy'' on the TV shows that followed it, both within and outside the genre. (Creator/RussellTDavies had at least one eye on this show when he revived ''Series/DoctorWho''.) This series has become one of the most TropeOverdosed and {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d shows in existence -- thousands of references to ''Buffy'' exist across this entire wiki -- partially because TVTropes began with a specific focus on ''Buffy'' (based on a 2004 thread on the fan site BuffistasOrg) before branching out to all of TV and eventually all of everything. However, we no longer consider this show as merely Trope Overdosed -- we now officially classify it as kilo{{Wick}} and one of The Truly Awesome. With over 7,000 wicks and a runtime of 6,056 minutes, this page now has over one wick per minute.

In 1992, Creator/JossWhedon wrote a [[Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer somewhat decent if largely forgotten film]] about a bog standard trope: the fragile (and doomed) blonde cheerleader attacked by monsters in a dark alley. In a {{postmodern}} twist the blonde cheerleader is the "Slayer," a powerful warrior that monsters are afraid of meeting in dark alleys. Since Whedon, a mere writer, [[ExecutiveMeddling lacked creative control]] over his work, he viewed the actual film as a disappointment (though still entertaining). Not wanting the character and overall concept to go to waste, and given the opportunity to re-visit it as a television series, he wasted no time in saying "yes".

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised ''Buffy'' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy learns that she is the most recent in a line of warrior women picked by fate to balance the fight against the forces of darkness and in a pitched battle sets [[KillItWithFire the school gym on fire to kill the vampires inside]]. She can't fully explain this to the authorities, making her a social pariah. Hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities, she and her mother moved to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. In spite of that she learns Sunnydale is sitting on top of a Hellmouth, a [[MagneticPlotDevice well of evil that attracts all types of demons]]. She is assigned a "Watcher" from an AncientConspiracy dedicated to finding and training Slayers. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy battles hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Given that demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly feminist wink inserted.

In 1992, Creator/JossWhedon wrote a [[Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer largely forgotten film]] about a bog standard trope: the fragile (and doomed) blonde cheerleader attacked by monsters in a dark alley. In a {{postmodern}} twist the blonde cheerleader is the "Slayer," a powerful warrior that monsters are afraid of meeting in dark alleys. Since Whedon, a mere writer, [[ExecutiveMeddling lacked creative control]] over his work, he viewed the actual film as a disappointment. Not wanting the character and overall concept to go to waste, and given the opportunity to re-visit it as a television series, he wasted no time in saying "yes".

In 1992, Creator/JossWhedon wrote a [[Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer largely forgotten film]] about a bog standard trope: the fragile (and doomed) blonde cheerleader attacked by monsters in a dark alley. In a {{postmodern}} twist, the "Slayer" -- the most recent in a line of warrior women picked by fate -- has the power to make monsters afraid of meeting ''her'' in dark alleys. Since Whedon, a mere writer, [[ExecutiveMeddling lacked creative control]] over his work, he viewed the actual film as a disappointment. Not wanting the character and overall concept to go to waste, and given the opportunity to re-visit it as a television series, he wasted no time in saying "yes".

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised ''Buffy'' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy, hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities (and the authorities after burning down the high school's gym), transfers to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy continues to battle hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Given that demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly feminist wink inserted.

In 2007 ''Buffy'' started up again -- [[PostScriptSeason in comic form]]. Produced by Joss Whedon, it encompasses three "Seasons" of TV time so far. In 2011, the mainline series branched off into ''ComicBook/AngelAndFaith'', which is London-based (a nod to ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'').

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network raised ''Buffy'' from the dead with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treats the motion picture as originally ''[[BroadStrokes scripted]]'' (not the film that resulted) as canon: Buffy, hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities (and the authorities after burning down the high school's gym), transfers to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy continues to battle hellspawn while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet. Given that the demons on ''Buffy'' are walking metaphors for existing evils -- reptilian authority figures, suddenly-soulless boyfriends, and so on -- the B-horror trappings take on an entirely new meaning, usually with a sly feminist wink inserted.

The show didn't exactly light the world on fire in its first season, but did garner enough critical acclaim to attract viewers by year two. However, ''Buffy'' (and ''{{Series/Angel}}'') were ''not'' inexpensive shows to produce, and neither were expected to grow beyond their cult demographic. Although WB attempted to shove ''Buffy'' off the air in 2001, it was picked up by {{Creator/UPN}} in time for Season 6 and 7. The jump was heralded by Buffy's literal death and resurrection, along with a ratings-grabbing [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mRsITLBUvg ad campaign.]]

[[quoteright:246:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/buff.jpg]][[caption-width-right:246:"I'm the thing that monsters have nightmares about."]]

In 1992, Creator/JossWhedon wrote a [[Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer largely forgotten film]] with a {{postmodern}} spin on a bog standard trope: the fragile (and doomed) blonde cheerleader attacked by monsters in a dark alley; in contrast, Buffy scared monsters into becoming afraid of meeting ''her'' in dark alleys. Since Whedon, a mere writer, [[ExecutiveMeddling lacked creative control]] over his work, he viewed the actual film as a disappointment. Not wanting the character and overall concept to go to waste, and given the opportunity to re-visit it as a television series, Joss wasted no time in saying "yes".

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network took ''Buffy The Vampire Slayer'' and [[ObligatoryJoke raised it from the dead]] with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treated the motion picture as originally ''scripted'' (not [[BroadStrokes the film that resulted]]) as canon: Buffy Summers is the "[[TheChosenOne Slayer]]," the most recent in a line of girls -- one chosen every generation -- given mystical strength and other powers to confront the ghouls that stalk the night. Buffy, hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities (and the authorities after burning down the high school's gym), transfers to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy continues battling evil--often couched in terms youths can relate to, like reptilian authority figures or suddenly-soulless boyfriends--while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet.

The show didn't exactly light the world on fire in its first season, but did garner enough critical acclaim to attract viewers by year two. However, ''Buffy'' (and ''{{Series/Angel}}'') were ''not'' inexpensive shows to produce, and neither were expected to grow beyond their cult demographic. Although WB attempted to shove ''Buffy'' off the air in 2001, it was picked up by {{Creator/UPN}} in time for Seasons Six and Seven. The jump was heralded by Buffy's literal death and resurrection, along with a ratings-grabbing [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mRsITLBUvg ad campaign.]]

The show pioneered the HalfArcSeason, with a singular villain behind that year's events, and [[{{Foreshadowing}} signposted]] a few major plot developments months (and even ''years'') in advance. Perhaps most surprisingly, the central cast grew like kudzu, with even [[AscendedExtra walk-on roles]] getting a dose of character development much later on... Just in time for Joss to kill them off, alas.

In 1997, the fledgling [[Creator/TheWB WB]] network took ''Buffy The Vampire Slayer'' and [[ObligatoryJoke raised it from the dead]] with an abbreviated first season. The pilot treated the motion picture as originally ''scripted'' (not [[BroadStrokes the film that resulted]]) as canon: Buffy Summers is the "[[TheChosenOne Slayer]]," the most recent in a line of girls -- one chosen every generation -- given mystical strength and other powers to confront the ghouls that stalk the night. Buffy, hoping to elude her Slayer responsibilities (and the authorities after burning down the high school's gym), transfers to Sunnydale, a sleepy town in Southern California. Forming a tight-knit group of friends, Buffy continues battling evil while juggling her double life as a carefree schoolgirl. That last part is easier than it sounds, as Sunnydale's adults are too wrapped up in lawn care ([[StepfordSuburbia and denial]]) to acknowledge the evil brewing right under their feet.

The show pioneered the HalfArcSeason, with a singular villain behind that year's events, and even {{foreshadow|ing}}ed a few major plot developments several ''years'' in advance. Perhaps most surprisingly, the central cast grew like kudzu, with even [[SpearCarrier walk-on roles]] getting a dose of CharacterDevelopment much later on. Just in time for Joss to kill them off, alas.

In 1992, Creator/JossWhedon wrote a [[Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer largely forgotten film]] with a {{postmodern}} spin on a bog standard trope: the fragile (and doomed) blonde cheerleader attacked by monsters in a dark alley; in contrast, Buffy scared monsters into becoming afraid of meeting ''her'' in dark alleys. Since Whedon, a mere writer, [[ExecutiveMeddling lacked creative control]] over his work, he viewed the actual film as a disappointment. Not wanting the character and overall concept go to waste, and given the opportunity to re-visit it as a television series, Joss wasted no time in saying "yes".