With news of a possible Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot (sequel?) series coming to Hulu in the future, fans of the series are cautiously excited, especially since Sarah Michelle Gellar has expressed interest in reprising her iconic role. But, we are also obviously a little worried that our favorite Chosen One may not be treated in the way we want her to be, right?
The ground-breaking series ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003, even changing networks at one point, and fans like yours truly were along for the entire exhilarating ride. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was unique in a number of ways. It was a spinoff of a film with the same title, which was written by Joss Whedon – a film that received lackluster reviews. Whedon himself was very unhappy with the changes that were made to his original script, and was thrilled at the chance to make it what he had originally envisioned.
Whedon is basically persona non grata in the entertainment world now due to his problematic history of fostering a toxic workplace among the sets of his series and films. Buffy actors including Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia), Amber Benson (Tara) and Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn) have all spoken out about his “casual cruelty.” So, the absolute brilliance he displayed with series such as Buffy, Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse will definitely not be repeated with the new Buffy series.
As a fan, what do I (and others) think might make this a series worth watching?
Bring back more of the original cast members
Having Sarah Michelle Gellar on board is an amazing start, but which other actors might be willing to return? My personal dream picks would be James Marsters (Spike), Alyson Hannigan (Willow), Seth Green (Oz) Nicholas Brendon (Xander) and Anthony Stewart Head (Giles). But I wouldn’t say no to David Boreanaz (Angel), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn) or Juliet Landau (Drusilla) either.
Heavily featuring the original cast members would be a sure fire way to lure in die-hard fans of the old Sunnydale crew. And we aren’t talking just five-minute cameos in one episode, either. I want to see the Scoobies back in action.
And even though Eliza Dushku has more or less retired from acting, I would LOVE to see the return of Faith! Hey, a gal can dream.
Choose the writers with care
While we know Joss Whedon won’t be writing the new series, how great would it be to bring in writers from Buffy’s heyday? Marti Noxon (season 6’s Villains) is a must, along with David Fury (writer of season 4’s Fear, Itself) and Jane Espenson (who wrote the episode Earshot). They were responsible (along with Whedon) for many of the best episodes, and know the Buffyverse better than anyone else.
Obviously, it’s hoped that the new series will bring in new viewers, but given the lasting love fans have for Buffy, it would be wise to entice us to come back, and then to hook us so we remain. The best way to do that is to keep to the original spirit, and how better to do that than to employ those talented writers?
Keep the series relevant, edgy and smart
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was unique in a number of ways. The writing was relevant to the times, but it wasn’t sloppy. Especially for a series dealing with high school students (in the beginning), the writing was smart and funny, and it didn’t get stuck in a rut. Some episodes were scary, some were campy, some were angsty, and many were heart-wrenching. It also wasn’t afraid to walk a fine line; Tara and Willow’s romance was one of the first realistic depictions on network tv of a lesbian relationship. The story didn’t involve lurid, “sexy” love scenes, instead choosing to depict the two women as just any normal couple.
Although television has changed a lot since Buffy left the airwaves, a reboot series should try very hard to explore tricky subjects, and not fall into a rut. That includes not being afraid to make risky plot moves. Joss Whedon was never afraid to kill off a beloved character, so viewers never felt safe. We lost Tara and Anya, remember? Both deaths were shocking moves, but it kept us on our toes.
With Oscar winning director Chloe Zhao at the helm, here’s hoping the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot/sequel series will do our Scoobs justice.