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What's the formula for creating an enduring cultural icon? Blond hair, wit, a gaggle of sidekicks, and a knack for driving wooden stakes into the undead are just a few of the qualities that have helped give Buffy the Vampire Slayer a long shelf life.
Text by J. Jennings Moss
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy's first appearance was in 1992, in a feature film starring Kristy Swanson as Buffy and Luke Perry as her boyfriend. Conceived and written by Joss Whedon, one of the writers of Toy Story, the movie earned an anemic $16.6 million at the box office and was staked by critics.
Buffy, the Series
Whedon got the chance to revive Buffy in 1997 for the small screen. It began as a mid-season replacement series on the WB, starring soap-opera actress Sarah Michelle Gellar. The series relocated Buffy from Los Angeles to the fictional California town of Sunnydale. Buried beneath Sunnydale was a hellmouth, and from this plot device sprung vampires, demons, werewolves, and one cranky god.
Buffy's First Rebirth
Buffy was canceled after five years on the WB, ending that season with Buffy dying to save her sister, Dawn. But like a vampire who rises after being bitten, Buffy returned. 20th Century Fox, which owned the show, shifted it to the new UPN, where it ran another two years. At its high point, during the third season, 5.4 million viewers watched Buffy. But by the seventh and last season, it hit a low of 3.8 million.
Angel, the Series
Buffy sired one spinoff, Angel, about a 260-year-old vampire with a soul. Angel, played by David Boreanaz, had been a character on Buffy since the first season, but after three years moved to Los Angeles and became a private detective with a penchant for strange cases. Angel lasted five years on the WB. For one year—Buffy's last on the air—the two shows were on different networks.
Buffy, the Comic Book
When Buffy ended its run in 2003, there was talk about continuing the story with more spinoffs or TV movies; but aside from Angel, none came to be. In 2007, Joss Whedon continued the Buffy story in comic-book form. The series, known as Season Eight, picked up where the TV finale left off, with Buffy leading hundreds of young women who were given the gift of the slayer. Season Eight is expected to run for 40 issues.
Buffy, the DVDs
20th Century Fox was one of the first studios to put television shows on video, and it compiled several episodes of Buffy onto themed tapes. From there, whole seasons were issued on DVD. When the two series were finished, Fox released the entire run of Buffy and Angel in special compilations.
Buffy, the Books
Buffy spawned such a loyal fan base that books detailing every episode were produced by Simon & Schuster's Pocket Books. Simon Pulse also published a paperback series of separate Buffy stories. The show even spawned academic tomes that probed deeper into the societal meaning of a girl with a big pointy stick.
Buffy, the Games
The Vampire Slayer inspired videogames, card-trading games, and a role-playing board game.
Buffy, the Barbies
Sideshow Collectibles produced a series of 12-inch dolls, including those of Buffy, a vampire Angel, and Faith (a bad-girl slayer) at about $50 each. Other playthings included seven-inch figures from Diamond Select Toys, mini-figures from Palz, and even a Ouija board inspired by an episode of Buffy called "Conversations With Dead People."
Buffy's Creator Lives On
Joss Whedon, the man who created Buffy, returns to television in the fall with Dollhouse, a story about mind-wiped, DNA-altered humans who go on missions for a secret organization. The show stars Eliza Dushku, who played the rogue slayer Faith on Buffy, and is scheduled to air on Fox.
Back to: Buffy Won't Die
