Whedon Women I

[Response to a post on NEBrowncoats board re: Hating Buffy]

I saw bits and pieces of a few episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer when it first aired.

And I was really turned off. What did it?

Willow.

(Before you Willow fans jump in, let me explain.)
I'd graduated from Wellesley College, surrounded by strong, opinionated women. TV portrayals of female characters as overly meek, insecure, and too self-deprecating are a redflag to my fingers to hit the remote and flip channels.

I'm not saying that Willow as introduced was necessarily all these things. And I'm certainly not saying that she didn't evolve big-time during the series. However, when I first glanced at the show -- her character drove me away.

It wasn't till the 6th season, [Smashed?] I flipped by the station during the big building demolition moment* and went, Whoa! Who is that blond stud? What? THEY're together?

Hook, Line & Sinker. Who sez s*x doesn't sell? I don't know if this makes me a reverse sexist or not... but that scene motivated me. I borrowed all the dvds and galloped through them at lightening speed. Realized all the Buffy goodness I'd been missing out on for years!

Never really a big Angel fan, but final season was must-see-Spike tv for me.

It was Firefly, however, that really stepped it up a notch and made me think, "gee, I kinda liked this guy Joss' stuff!"


*Buffy and Spike do the deed