Anyone got a feeling this won't get made?

[DeadlyDuo]

If I am getting you right, the concern is more about how overtly political the ideology of a new Buffy would be, and that it would make use of race to represent that ideology in a hamfisted way.

That is correct.

But that race is immaterial is more of a lovely theory than a practical reality.

It doesn't have to be. The more someone's race is talked about, the bigger an issue it becomes. If black Buffy is just treated like a normal person eg where her race isn't a topic of conversation, then it's treating being black as just as normal as being white. It's an acceptance of Buffy's race because there's no big deal being made over it.

How a black Buffy would be characterized I’ll leave up to the future to tell, but I am sure that both her race and gender will play a part, just like with current Buffy, to hopefully make an interesting human character told in a compelling manner for a wide audience.

I think it would be good if they had black Buffy live with her dad and make him a cop. It gives a difference from the original plus not only would Buffy have to hide being a slayer but she's also got to do it in front of someone who is trained and experienced in people trying to hide the truth. Once black Buffy's dad does learn the truth, they could kind of work together eg he'd likely get called to strange deaths such as someone found dead with two holes in their neck or someone with their heart ripped out etc.

It would give a parental figure more of an active role within the story rather than just being an inconvenience to the main characters.

 

[fauxindigo]

wait, Black Buffy? A black slayer is one thing and perfectly fine, but they are not actually making the character of Buffy black are they? HUGE eye roll if so. Why don't they make her a poor, transgender, disabled man while they're at it?

 

[Faded90]

Is she actually supposed to be ‘Buffy’ though? Or just another slayer? If it’s just another slayer they can do what they want but SMG will always be Buffy to me.

 

[Myheadsgonenumb]

I think originally she was supposed to be Buffy - and they were remaking/ rebooting Buffy with a titular character called Buffy, existing in the world where the the 97-2003 show was never a thing (like Charmed or Sabrina). I think the fan backlash to that was so bad that they then pretended it was just a continuation - a different slayer set in the same world, but maybe some old faces would pop up from time to time - and fan reaction to that was so tepid that in the end it just got quietly shelved.

This is the trouble with the whole reboot/remake phase Hollywood is in right now. They're using it as a quick way to make cash without having to do the hard work of coming up with something original, and they think an already existing intellectual property is a sure fire hit because it comes with a built in fan base. What they don't realise is that, when it comes to messing with a classic, that fan base are not going to come along for the ride - they don't get excited, and just see the naked cash grab for what it is.
Hollywood is so separate from the real world, and they think we're all stupid and will lap up anything they offer - it's only when they cross a line that they get a little taste of the fact that real people aren't stupid and their entire world is dependent on real people wanting to see what they produce and at that point they reverse ferret pretty quickly. Buffy was one of the lines they crossed which they shouldn't have.

 

[Buffy Summers]

This is the trouble with the whole reboot/remake phase Hollywood is in right now. They're using it as a quick way to make cash without having to do the hard work of coming up with something original, and they think an already existing intellectual property is a sure fire hit because it comes with a built in fan base.

I agree. The problem is not the remake, but that they think all they need to do is remake something popular and it will be a hit without any effort. If you make it a great show, no one will care what race Buffy is, or if it's "Buffy" or another Slayer. But if it's badly made then all they see is the box ticking.

 

[DeadlyDuo]

I agree. The problem is not the remake, but that they think all they need to do is remake something popular and it will be a hit without any effort. If you make it a great show, no one will care what race Buffy is, or if it's "Buffy" or another Slayer. But if it's badly made then all they see is the box ticking.

Agreed, and given that the only detail released about the reboot was that the new Buffy would be black, it did seem like a box ticking exercise. I also think remaking a popular show runs a massive risk of backfiring as it is automatically going to be compared to the original, and when fans are already biased to favour the original, unless the new show absolutely hits it out of the park, it is going to be compared unfavourably from the word go. The remake would have to prove it's brilliance within the first episode or two, and most shows don't hit their stride until a few episodes further down the line. A remake of a popular property is more likely to be a failure than a success.

 

[Ann]

Is she actually supposed to be ‘Buffy’ though? Or just another slayer? If it’s just another slayer they can do what they want but SMG will always be Buffy to me. QUOTE]

II feel the same way about Sarah Michelle Gellar and her portrayal of Buffy. She made the role her own.

I don't actually think the Producers had any real plans to make a series, it was just a way to inflate Fox's value prior to the merger. So, claiming a black showrunner and a black lead does make you less of of a target for the Diversity consultant grift, since you really don't want your brand new fake series to acquire either the wrath of woke Twitter, or a useless and expensive diversity consultant who needs to be paid off, but won't do anything for you, except call off woke Twitter.

I agree. I also think it was something they put out there to see if it would be well-received or not. My gut feeling tells me the Buffy re- boot will never happen.