115 Reasons Why We Love Joss Whedon's 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer'

By Joanna Robinson | Lists | March 10, 2017 |

By Joanna Robinson | Lists | March 10, 2017 |

(Publisher’s Note: This poset was originally published on the 15th Anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We are re-publishing it for the 20th Anniversary. — DR

Twenty years ago “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” premiered on the WB to a somewhat skeptical response. A mid-season teen soap on a fledgling network? Based on a campy film that wasn’t even old enough to attain cult classic status? And who outside of Pixar had heard of Joss Whedon? Little did we know that in creating Sunnydale, Joss had built the first little metropolis in the vast empire now known as the Whedonverse. I was 15 when “Buffy” premiered and, as idiotic as it may sound, it changed my life. I had never before (or since) interacted with a TV show on such a deeply personal level. My high school and college years followed lock-step with Xander’s, Willow’s and Buffy’s and though our experiences weren’t exactly the same, their jokes became mine, their joy was mine and, most of all, their pain was mine. I realize that might sound heavy and melodramatic for an often-times silly show, but the heart wants what the heart wants. So here, here is my clumsy love letter to the seven years I spent watching the show. This is for my high school friend who used to bring me a VHS tape of every episode so I could watch it at home when I wasn’t allowed any TV. (She cried when she handed me a certain tape mid-way through Season 2.) This is for my college roommates who indulgently watched with me every Tuesday. This is for my “grown-up” friends who join me in re-watching the DVDs. This is for the strangers I meet who light up at a casual reference. And this is for my dad who called me the first time Tara and Willow kissed. This is for them and for me and for you and for Joss and for Jane and for Marti and for Doug and for the Davids. So, in no particular order and in honor of the 15th Anniversary, here are the 115 Reasons Why We Love “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.” Thank you for the things that were perfect and for the things that weren’t. We loved it all.

115. For Taking Us To Hell

114. And Back Again

113. Acting!

112. Willow’s Mad Hacking Skills

111. Because It Was Chock Full Of Hoot, With Just A Little Bit Of Nanny

110. The Monkey Animal Cracker, Who Mocks You With His Monkey Pants

109. The Prom Princess And Fiesta Queen Of Hemery High

108. The Foreshadowing

107. The Painful Moments

106. The Cheesy Moments

105. The Annoying One

104. The Cutest Of The Scoobies

103. Zombies!

102. Hyena People!

101. Snyder!

100. Scrunchfaces

99. Bitchfaces

98. Bunnies

97. Bunnies

96. It Must Be Bunnies

95. Or Maybe Midgets

94. Buffy’s Stylish Yet Affordable Boots

93. The Awesome Blossom

92. That Time Buffy And Luke Perry Burned Down The Gym

92. Janna Kalderash, Techno-Pagan

91. Bad Roommates

90. Good Roommates

89. The Best Roommates

88. Ladies

87. And Gentlemen

86. Mr. Pointy

85. Short Skirts

84. And A Looooong Jacket

83. The Supporting Characters We Loved

82. The Supporting Characters We Didn’t

81. The Supporting Characters That Grew On Us

80. Five What By Five What?

79. The Arsenal

78. No Weapon Forged

77. Ol’ Fruit Punch Mouth

76. Ripper

Part I: 115 - 76 || Part II: 75 - 36 || Part III: 35 - 1.

Joanna Robinson is bored now. To watch “Buffy” from the beginning, head over here.Twitter! Email!