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Loading... Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BFI TV Classics)by Anne Billson
   None No current Talk conversations about this book. 1   xicanti | Jun 12, 2009 |    ) JamieBlustein | Mar 17, 2008 | no reviews | add a review
Belongs to Series
"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer." Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons, from 1997 to 2003, and in that time it revolutionized American TV. It was a television series that single-handedly reinvented the high school genre, splicing it with action, comedy, and the supernatural to captivate its core teenage audience while providing enough formal experimentation, existential reflection, and, above all, pitch-perfect writing and acting to extend the show's appeal to viewers of all ages. Anne Billson unravels Buffy's magic, examining her antecedents and influences and exploring how, in a broadcasting environment inimical to long-running series, the show's creators were able to push the envelope and create a fully realized mythology in which fantasy elements are underpinned by emotional honesty. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a superheroine for our times. Not only that, but she's funny as well. Television will never be the same again. No library descriptions found. |
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This was my first foray into the prolific world of Buffy criticism, and I'm quite impressed. Billson's tiny book makes for a good survey text. She explains where she's coming from as a viewer, places Buffy within the context of similar TV shows and movies, and launches into some good, (if brief), analysis of the show's themes and events. Each chapter begins with a concise summary of a season, followed by some deeper discussion of the issues that arise therein. The result is a readable, engaging take on the show that manages to cover some good, scholarly ground without ever becoming dry and boring.
Billson structures her arguments well, backing up each of her conclusions with solid evidence from the show. Not all her stances are positive, either; she's got strong opinions on certain matters, including the overall quality of season four and the efficacy of certain characters. I felt that she made a good case for each of her complaints; even when I didn't agree with her, I could see where she was coming from.
I definitely recommend this to Buffy fans, especially those who've just started exploring the media crit surrounding the show. (As it is a survey text, I'm not sure how much seasoned Buffy Studies veterans would get out of it). Also, be forewarned that there are some brief but major Angel spoilers. (