Buffy the Vampire Slayser: Season 1

I honestly think that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best shows that has ever been on television. I know that many of you shake your head at the idea of a teenage girl who kills demons and prevents the apocalypse over and over again as being a ground breaking show, but trust me it is. What is so amazing about Joss Whedon’s Buffy is that he was unafraid of pushing boundaries, evolving his characters, and making unpopular decisions. All of this lead to a show that remained fresh, original and engaging for every episode that aired.

The first season of Buffy was only twelve episodes and was ordered on the new WB network as a mid-season replacement. Buffy was based off an utterly forgettable movie with the same name and very few people expected it to do well but somehow it lasted not through just one season, but seven. The first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is rough to be sure; the show had no budget, the cast was unknown, and it was obvious Whedon didn’t know if he’d get a second season so he did his best to build season one in a way that was self-contained and more than made up for the movie version that was taken out of his hands.

I loved every episode of Buffy’s first year at Sunnydale High, and I am so glad that Buffy, Xander, Willow & Giles became a part of my own high school experience.

Creator: Joss Whedon
Buffy Summers: Sarah Michelle Gellar
Willow Rosenberg: Alyson Hannigan
Xander Harris: Nicholas Brendon
Rupert Giles: Anthony Stewart Head
Joyce Summers: Kristine Sutherland
Principal Snyder: Armin Shimerman

Giles: We're at the center of a mystical convergence here. We may, in fact, stand between the Earth and its total destruction.
Buffy: Well, I gotta look on the bright side. Maybe I can still get kicked out of school!
Xander: Oh, yeah, that's a plan. 'Cause lots of schools aren't on Hellmouths.
Willow: Maybe you could blow something up. They're really strict about that.
Buffy: I was thinking of a more subtle approach, y'know, like excessive not studying.
Giles: The Earth is doomed!