Buffy The Vampire Slayer

18. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (1997-2001, 2001-2003 The WB, UPN)

I know, I know what kind of idiot lists this show so low? It should be in the top 5! No, no it shouldn’t. Anyone (I’m looking at you Empire) who thinks that, shouldn’t be allowed to make a list. However, don’t take 18 as a sign of anything, but that this was a great show. First, I’m not a Joss Whedon fan.

I remember the day I found out this was being made into a TV program and thinking WHY? I also remember finding out about ANGEL late (last season) and becoming a fan of that show. However it wasn’t until I saw FIREFLY that I decided to give this show a chance. I just never understood how such a bad movie could be adapted for TV. Sure, I heard the legend of the wunderkid Whedon and how evil Hollywood types had destroyed his script, but doesn’t every writer claim that?

The first season gets a lot of unnecessary criticism. The show was good from the start. Yes, it found its legs in season 2, but you can see how it would get there with season 1. This is basically a high school show with a twist. The twist is that the main character is a vampire slayer. Ok, still doesn’t sound that good does it? Well, what if you take all the monsters she fights and have them be some kind of metaphor for the normal problems that all teens end up having to deal with while maturing? Ah, then you have something…

Throw in some extremely likable characters, witty dialogue, and great acting and what you get is a cult classic. The first 3 seasons of this show are some of the best TV ever created. As soon as she goes to college the quality drops drastically down. It’s still better than a lot of TV, but it’s not great anymore after that point. However the 2nd and 3rd season are so good, they make this show rank as high as it does. Seasons 4-7 don’t make me a Whedon fan, but I am a fan of that work in season 2-3. Amazing stuff. Really.