Appropriately, it feels like a new show while at the same time being mostly the same.
Lame antagonist, but some good story development and some really relatable experiences for Buffy, and Xander gets to shine in the ways that the show occasionally gives him to be the "key friend". Xander, and his relationship with Buffy, help to ground the show and keep it and her relatable and to feel real in ways that tend to fly under the radar, but without which would leave the show missing a vital piece of what makes it work as well as it does as a complete whole. He's much more than just the goofy joke pivot like a Joey or a Kelso.
Part of what makes this show so cozy is the group of peers banding together and helping each other in prosocial ways. Yeah, there's the escapist element of them banding together to fight antediluvian evils in a disconnected black and white power struggle for the good guys, but the Scoobies are an example of believably flawed young people who commit their lives to making the world a better place. And a vital part of that is an adult support network that are not just committed, but both competent and caring-- something which might as well have been fantasy for some of us.
Buffy is still the darling girl with a heart of gold despite (amusing) childish petulance at Giles' having a love life, and you can understand why Giles is so devoted to her. If I had to describe BtVS in the shortest and most fundamental terms, it would be a show about found family.
I forgot that Riley and Maggie were introduced so soon. I know that we’ve seen self-doubting Buddy before, but getting her butt kicked by Sunday because of it, seemed a bit forced.
Review by LNeroBlockedParent2022-05-25T10:22:20Z
Appropriately, it feels like a new show while at the same time being mostly the same.
Lame antagonist, but some good story development and some really relatable experiences for Buffy, and Xander gets to shine in the ways that the show occasionally gives him to be the "key friend". Xander, and his relationship with Buffy, help to ground the show and keep it and her relatable and to feel real in ways that tend to fly under the radar, but without which would leave the show missing a vital piece of what makes it work as well as it does as a complete whole. He's much more than just the goofy joke pivot like a Joey or a Kelso.
Part of what makes this show so cozy is the group of peers banding together and helping each other in prosocial ways. Yeah, there's the escapist element of them banding together to fight antediluvian evils in a disconnected black and white power struggle for the good guys, but the Scoobies are an example of believably flawed young people who commit their lives to making the world a better place. And a vital part of that is an adult support network that are not just committed, but both competent and caring-- something which might as well have been fantasy for some of us.
Buffy is still the darling girl with a heart of gold despite (amusing) childish petulance at Giles' having a love life, and you can understand why Giles is so devoted to her. If I had to describe BtVS in the shortest and most fundamental terms, it would be a show about found family.