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

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!