Awww. Hope she has the DVD commentaries.

Pointy | August 18, 19:02 CET

That's really cool.

Sunfire | August 18, 19:11 CET

I tried to explain to my older sister the other day how tv shows, movies, and pretty much all entertainment output is really a view of society from the point-of-view of the creator. I tried to use Buffy as an example, but she dismissed it because "[she] doesn't like vampires."

Frustrating, but what are you gonna do, right?

Nolan | August 18, 19:14 CET

Nolan - duct tape her to a chair and tape her eye's open. She'll have no choice.

Edit - that is, to make her watch the show and get what you are saying.

[ edited by Chewy on 2008-08-18 19:28 ]

Chewy | August 18, 19:28 CET

This, BTW and IMHO, is a perfect example of why Buffy wins things like "best superhero" polls over characters like Superman and Batman. No one thinks or writes such things about Superman or Batman.

The One True b!X | August 18, 19:28 CET

And people call us fanatical lunatics ;).

zeitgeist | August 18, 19:32 CET

Buffy love in the Tulsa World?!?! Maybe I need to start taking the local paper again.

TiffintheOK | August 18, 19:39 CET

Awww, that made me go all verklempt.

''I don't want to create responsible shows with lawyers in them. I want to invade people's dreams.'' - Joss

QuoterGal | August 18, 19:41 CET

I'd rather have a show that a hundred people need to see than a thousand people like to see.
-Joss

windmillchaser | August 18, 19:53 CET

Interesting point-- I'd also imagine that it might be because Buffy is one of the few popular super-heroes who also connects with the 50% of the population that isn't XY chromosomal. ;)

Speaking of polls-- the Tulsa World's site posts the "Most Viewed/Commented" stories next to every article. Wouldn't it be amusing if this column from a teen topped the list?

Whedonage | August 18, 19:58 CET

Smart young woman. I look forward to her future television projects.

Tonya J | August 18, 20:11 CET

That's wonderful. I can't wait for her first show!

JessicaMelusine | August 18, 20:12 CET

Lovely and very well-written article. This girl pretty much summed up my feelings for Buffy exactly. Kudos to her!

Jossfan_21 | August 18, 20:12 CET

That's a smart girl. She perfectly describes just why I connect with Buffy (and Buffy) as much as I do (and also why I was always drawn to Spider-Man, for that matter). Buffy made me want to become a filmmaker in a very real way, after years of pretending I could be one.

I should write an essay on how Wash is my role model. I don't think it'd get in the paper, though.

UnpluggedCrazy | August 18, 20:46 CET

Thank goodness those people aren't us, eh z?

Madhatter | August 18, 20:54 CET

This kind of thing makes it all worthwhile.

Not that being fun ain't worthwhile in and of itself.

Craig Oxbrow | August 18, 21:21 CET

That's a very well written article, it's inspirational in its own right, good work.

No one thinks or writes such things about Superman or Batman.

Or maybe they just don't get linked to on a Joss Whedon weblog ? ;)

"What Batman Means to Me".

"The Philosophy of Batman".

"Superman Inspires San Antonio Cop to Become Real-life Hero".

From a couple of minutes googling. Skimmed them, not saying they're as well written or articulate as this nice bit of writing about Buffy (especially the newspaper article because I can't read the full text ;) but people have been writing stuff like that about Superman/Batman for decades. And you could make a case that every story in each title/film/etc. is the creator basically saying "Why I love Superman/Batman" or "What Superman/Batman Mean to Me". The graphic novel "It's a Bird ..." is pretty much a book length elaboration on that very point for instance, almost a pre-'Superman Returns' counter-argument to Lois' fictional article "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman".

Saje | August 18, 21:48 CET

Wow, that's so cool. I like that girl, she knows what she's talking about. And I feel the same way about Buffy. The only girl on tv that can show girls to be something that is good, strong, and everything else, that us girls have to face everyday.

Allen Doyle | August 19, 00:58 CET

Heh, I knew I could count on Saje to make that point. Don't get me wrong, Buffy was a big influence on my late-teen/semi-adult life, but when I was younger those role-models were Peter Parker, Professor Xavier, Captain America, Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, etcetera. I was never that into the DC stock, but I've no doubt that for others Superman and Batman were pretty influential figures on their lives.

But it didn't stop at superheroes and television characters. Movies, great books, even music, pretty much all of culture influences people (and influenced me). If I do some soul-searching, I'd say I learned from the world from friends, parental advice and works of fiction all in about equal measure.

But, yes, Buffy is of exceptional quality and very true to life. Relevant to a lot of life situations and grounded emotionally. Which is why I think it'll keep inspiring people for some time to come. And that's simply a great thing.

GVH | August 19, 02:03 CET

Seemed worth saying ;). Personally I think the difference with Buffy is, she's there entire, warts and all. As a youngster you might read Batman or Superman and see them as unalloyed heroes, dark maybe or with a bit of an edge but basically flawless. It's only when you get a bit older that it occurs to you to ask e.g. the fascist question or consider the "just get over it" criticism of Batman or to see how distant he is with people or get a real feel for his paranoia. But with Buffy her mistakes are there for all to see (at least I think they are, maybe younger viewers actually thought she was in the right throughout season 7 ?) which makes her more relatable and in many ways a better role-model.

Saje | August 19, 10:05 CET

Batman's a crazy fuck who beats the shit out of people. He's got a moral center, yes, but he also dresses like a bat and beats the shit out of people! I love him, it's just that he's insane in a way that he doesn't even realize it. When acting as Bruce Wayne, he seems totally normal...but inside he is cracked.

So, Buffy? Definitely a better role model (well, if we can forget that whole torrid sex affair business which kind of nibbled away at the corners of her already hollow post-resurrection existence).

UnpluggedCrazy | August 20, 09:11 CET