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This is what Buffy the Vampire Slayer is about: Girl Power. Vampires. Witches. And growing up.

My first experience with Buffy was when I watched that very campy 90's movie, headed by Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry. It wasn’t a good movie, and aside from Paul Reuben's deliciously vampiric character "Amilyn", and some witty dialogue, the movie pretty much sucked (no pun intended).

I heard there was going to be a TV show based on this movie and I asked, "why?". Later a friend made me watch the much-lauded musical episode "Once more with feeling" and I hated it. I am not a fan of musicals so seeing a show based on a so-so movie, AND it be a musical on top of everything turned me off to the show for what I thought would be all eternity.

I was so wrong. So, so wrong.

Fast forward about 7 years and a friend lets me borrow the first season. By the third or fourth episode I was hooked. The dialogue was insane; it reminded me of how I talk with my friends. The stories were at times campy, at times very serious, but usually way above what other similar shows presented. As seasons went by the show got even better, and better. The production, writing, and acting improved greatly as time went by. The themes were about growing up, responsibility, mortality, and monsters. The show at times made me laugh out loud, it made me tear up, it scared the crap outta me, sometimes all in the span of one episode!  No other show had ever made me feel this way for its characters, and the things that happened to them. They were not cardboard cutouts. These were well-rounded people, even side characters were great. They saved the day (and the world), they made mistakes, and their actions had consequences.

The way the show was produced was also very interesting. The seasons usually had a strong underlying story, like chapters on a book, peppered with one-off episodes. Some were great, some were silly, but all of them contributed in some way to the season-long story-arc. This writing style made the few filler episodes not feel so empty and pointless. The seasons were wrapped up neatly at the end, usually leaving plot threads or themes open for continuation in the following seasons. By the end of the show there was no way they could close the door on this universe, so a comic book was made, and is still being published, in order to continue the story.

Characters

The show lasted 7 seasons, so a wide assortment of colorful characters made their mark. The main group consisted of Buffy
and her "Scoobies" or "Slayerette's": Willow, the nerdy, shy, and later-powerful witch/best friend.

Xander, the normal everyday guy who served as the heart of the group.

Giles, Buffy's watcher (trainer/mentor, etc) who at first was a stuffy British guy in a suit, who then slowly became Buffy (and the gang's) father figure.

Cordelia, typical bitchy cheerleader (and my favorite character of course) who slowly became a strong ally to the group.

Angel, Buffy's tormented star-crossed vampire lover who later gets his own show and becomes a champion himself.

Other characters included:

Joyce: Buffy's mom. At first she seemed like the oblivious mother-type but later became more involved in Buffy's "Slayer life" and provided support to not only her, but also to her friends.

Oz: Willow's first boyfriend and werewolf. His laid back demeanor was greatly contrasted by his destructive werewolf persona.

Dawn: Buffy's sister. I won't spoil much about her since her appearance is "key" to Season Five (bad pun intended).

Tara: Sweet, adorable Tara. Willow and Tara formed one of the first (if not the first) openly gay couples on TV at the time, without being preachy or political. They were also ne of the longest-lasting relationships on the show. (And if you know Joss Whedon, you know he loves breaking relationships up on his shows so this is a big thing)

Spike: Spike's character went through many changes. He starts out as a anarchist villain and later becomes one of Buffy's closest allies. His show-spanning journey from villain to hero never felt forced thanks to the great writing. The writers loved Spike and it showed.

Drusilla: Spike's lover and fellow vampire. Drusilla was insane, smart, and amazing, all at the same time.

Faith: Some might say Faith was the embodiment of Buffy's dark side. Faith was what Buffy would've been if she hadn't had the support of the Scoobies and her mom. Faith's journey from hero, to villain, to hero again spanned both Buffy's and Angel's shows and became one of the most popular storylines in the series.

Anya: First she was a villain, and then filled Cordelia's shoes after Cordelia made the move to LA. She later became a strong ally to the Scoobies. Anya was always entertaining thanks to her tact-less way of telling the truth.

Favorite Episodes

"The Body, Season 5" - This has to be one of the best episodes of any show, ever. The brilliant and realistic way death and grief are portrayed in this episode has not been matched by anything else I have ever seen in any TV Show or Movie. It is so painful to watch Buffy go through this that you might not want to re-watch the episode ever again.

"Passion, Season 2" - I was not a fan of David Boreanaz's acting until he turned evil in Season 2. Passion just proves how evil he was when he killed one of the main Season 2 characters and relished in Buffy's grief and guilt about it.

"Once More with Feeling, Season 6" - Yes, I ate my own words. When watched in proper context this episode proved to be one of the better written episodes in the whole show. It just so happens that the dialogue was sung, not spoken.

"Hush, Season 4" - This episode was scary, creepy, and disturbing. It reminded me of one of the better Nightmare on Elm Street movies. And there was barely any dialogue at all.

"Chosen, Season 7" - Series Finale. Huge battle in Hell. Buffy's smile at the end. Genius.

Why I like it

I try to think about why I love this show so much and all I can think of is how smart it was. I love how seamless themes about growing up, finding out one's role in life, sexuality, the importance of friendship, consequences of our actions, and responsibility are sown together without coming off as preachy, or silly, or overly dramatic. I love how there were characters who happened to be gay accepted in the family without prejudice. I loved the fantasy aspect and the mythology.

If you like Sci Fi, Horror, Fantasy, Comedy and Drama, you will probably love Buffy. Maybe not as much as I do since I am a huge Joss Whedon fan, but you will definitely find a lot to like here.

Efrain is a Geeky Puerto Rican bear with an intense love of all things Joss Whedon and Heavy Metal music. He's a big fan of Kevin Smith movies, Bill Willingham (Fables),  Doctor Who, and Final Fantasy games. Efrain's opinionated, sarcastic, and brash, but he;s got a good heart and an infectious taste for the geekier side of cub life. Welcome aboard, E!

You can contact Efrain here.