Talk:Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Looking for deleted comment on the decision on which character would be made lesbian or homosexual in page histories.

I don't remember very well, but there was a quotation/comment by Joss Whedon or another writer for the series on either this page, Willow Rosenberg's page or possibly Anya Jenkins's page concerning the decision on which character would be made lesbian and possibly something about minorities (wording of the exact phrase is uncertain). While the comment might be inaccurate (and has since been removed), I'm looking for the source and also the identity of the other character (i.e. the person other than Willow who was considered a possibility).

I've been looking through the histories of the three pages, but if someone could help narrow it down, it would be helpful. 142.58.43.181 (talk) 22:59, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

You may want to try Google, or some Buffy fan forum, because this page is not for general enquiries, but for suggestions to improve the page. Do you have any? Darrenhusted (talk) 23:07, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

Furthermore, please don't ask the same question in many places. I've deleted the identical question from the Anya and Willow talk pages. I seem to recall it was a question between Willow and Xander, with misleads in the first two seasons for both, but beyond that, I agree with the above editor. Jclemens (talk) 00:11, 19 June 2009 (UTC)

The other character according to "The Q Guide to BtVS" is Xander. It states that Whedon thought about making Xander gay and had dropped hints in the episode with high school jock Larry Blaisdell. I suppose it is interesting to note for character development if anything else.--Hanaichi 09:24, 19 June 2009 (UTC)

Impact on television

I think this should be extended to include Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, etc. And instead television, be "popular media"

(94.193.49.11 (talk) 16:12, 28 November 2009 (UTC))

That's cool but we need reliable sources to verify Buffys impact on those series, we can't just make it up as we go.  Paul  730 16:31, 28 November 2009 (UTC)

Besides, it probably isn't correct. Those series all owe more to Laurel K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series than they do to the Buffster. --Orange Mike | Talk 21:16, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

I've never even heard of "Anita Blake" before reading your response today. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.238.143.14 (talk) 17:23, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

I am a writer, book reviewer, and pub a couple of fanzines; I am perhaps a bit more in touch with the publishing industry than you are, 128.238. You can be assured that the writers of these books (not to mention their publishers), know exactly who Laurel K. Hamilton and Anita Blake are. --Orange Mike | Talk 15:33, 23 March 2010 (UTC)

Influence is not a zero-sum game. It is entirely plausible that both BtVS and Anita Blake have had an impact on modern media. Still, citation needed. Remco47 (talk) 16:38, 23 March 2010 (UTC)

Main image

I reverted the main image back to the title screen from the opening sequence. I feel that image is much more appropriate and iconic as it appears in the title sequence for every episode, then just a black and white version of the logo. Drovethrughosts (talk) 23:51, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

brain teaser

Each [opening title] sequence ends with a long shot of Buffy ....

Except the seventh! —Tamfang (talk) 00:07, 20 June 2010 (UTC)

Well, it's The First in the guise of Buffy. The season six intro ends with a shot of the BuffyBot as well. Are you wanting to change the sentence a bit to reflect it? Drovethrughosts (talk) 01:50, 20 June 2010 (UTC)

Feminism in Inspirations and metaphors section

Hello! This sentence stands out to me in this section for some reason. It doesn't feel like an accurate description of feminism or a metaphor for feminism. Any ideas?

"The feminist issue comes out especially when facing misogynist characters; the most misogynistic characters, Warren and Caleb, both die in gruesome ways (the first tortured and skinned alive by Willow, the second eviscerated and cut in two by Buffy)."

I'll certainly try to come up with something here. I feel like there's a better way to express this idea. Mabe a citable source on feminism in Buffy might be a place to start? ScreenRighter (talk) 03:48, 26 August 2010 (UTC)

Good news! I found some excellent resources for this topic, from here. I think this quote from Cathleen Kaveny (What Women Want: 'Buffy,' the Pope, and the New Feminists, Commonweal November 7, 2003, pg.18-24) addresses the issue of feminism without invoking murder or misogyny:

The series is about vocation; it explores what it means for Buffy to be a vampire slayer, not merely to slay vampires for fun or profit. It shows her struggling to live up to the demands of the role, sacrificing the usual teenage pleasures to meet her unusual responsibilities. It also shows her growth in competence, wisdom, and confidence, and her eventual realization that the sacrifices are worth it. In exploring the meaning of vocation, the show suggests ways of overcoming several dichotomies that hamper a creative and humane response to the contemporary situation of women.

I'm thinking maybe a small intro and this quote in there would much better serve to illustrate feminism as expressed by BtVS. Any one have other thoughts? ScreenRighter (talk) 01:21, 27 August 2010 (UTC)

Ok, I settled on this:

Buffy struggles throughout the series with her calling as Slayer and the loss of freedom this entails, frequently sacrificing teenage experiences for her Slayer duties. Her difficulties and eventual empowering realizations are reflections of several dichotomies faced by modern women and echo Feminist issues within society.

If anyone has a problem with it, please let's discuss it. :) ScreenRighter (talk) 03:24, 27 August 2010 (UTC)

Article introduction

I think the article introduction does not describes the TV-show. It just states some facts about the period when it was created and the author. I think an avareage reader would want to know immediately what the show was about. The show was not about some kind of "vampire slayer" that "surrounded himeself with friends". The show (IMO) is about the struggles of a young woman while growing up. Vampires are just a metaphore. Maybe it should be said at the top that the show uses vampires as a parody and a metaphore to the adult world? Anyone agrees with me? Sorry for my English.

I would like to propose this introductory text: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an American television action drama series that depicts life struggles of a young female and her family and friends by using vampires and monsteras as an alegory to the real world problems."

Than I would continue with the existing text: "...The series aired from March 10".

Any suggestions? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Supersmola (talk • contribs) 21:49, 19 July 2011 (UTC)

You are trying to change things from a simple statement of fact, into an unsourced theory about the show as a metaphor. Sorry, can't support that. It was not advertised and marketed as a metaphor, it was advertised and marketed as a show about a vampire slayer who surrounded herself with friends. Any reliably sourced analyses of the show as more than that, belong in the body of the article; and speculation and original research have no place in the article at all. --Orange Mike | Talk 12:52, 20 July 2011 (UTC)

The IP user is correct, that the show uses the vampires and/or monsters as metaphors for life. This has been stated by creator Joss Whedon. There's a subsection in the article about it. Even though it's correct, it's probably best to leave as is for simplicity, as it is the lead. Again, there is a subsection about the metaphors, so the content is there. Drovethrughosts (talk) 21:46, 20 July 2011 (UTC)

I'm apt to agree with Drovethryghosts and the above IP user. What kept viewers coming back to Buffy was not the weekly vampire stacking or demon beheading, but the sympathizing with Buffy on a more personal level: "...the opportunity to watch more common human fights: the fight to maintain relationships, the fight to find one's place in the world, the fight against self-doubt." ("The Psychology of Joss Whedon: an Unauthorized Exploration of Buffy, Angel, and Firefly" Joy Davidson) Wouldn't it be useful for first-timers to Buffy to be introduced to some of this in the introduction?

Thelibrarian24 (talk) 16:13, 22 September 2011 (UTC)