Buffy and Sex

[BuffyElevated]

Growing up as a teenager in the 90's, teenagers having sex on TV was a big no-no for the most part. You had certain shows, such as the original 90210, that definitely had its share of teen sex going on, but for a show that my father swore was for devil worshippers (his words, not mine LOL) when I first started watching, I was always really surprised at the lack of sex on BtVS. Sure, it was talked about and we saw Buffy with Angel, but otherwise it was pretty clean.

Do you think if BtVS was airing on today's TV it would be dirtier? Shows like "The Vampire Diaries" show teenagers jumping into bed with their boyfriends and girlfriends as if there's nothing more normal today... So I ask, do you think in today's society Buffy would have been sexed up a little more?

 

[SinisterPledge]

Definately. Sex scenes are much more frequent as society has accepted it, or at least become more tolerant. The big difference is, like you hinted at (I think), that the sex scenes are rarely built up very well and it feels like they are just thrown in there to fill up time or because it's expected. In Buffy however, the few sex scenes that occur really make a difference to the story (for example the first Buffy/Angel scene). It's not just pointless nude-scenes. Where The Wild Things Are is an exception ofc! 🙂

 

[Robb Stark]

I thought that Joss did an excellent job, especially with Buffy and Angel in the first few seasons, of making sex really mean something. There are so many shows out there today that treat sex as if it's nothing, like you said. Probably because since The O.C. became a smash hit (man, I miss that show...), there has been such a glut of similar shows, all striving for the same demographic. And it's been proven time and time again that sex sells. Sure, that doesn't always create the most compelling television, and it sure as hell isn't always realistic, but it keeps people watching.

If Buffy aired today? I don't know, I really don't. Sex was always something special in Buffy (and to a lesser extent Angel). It meant something. It was usually involved in long-form storytelling and not as a cheap plot device. I mean, more often than not people in the real world don't just hop straight into bed with each other. Most couples, especially when they're in their teens, wait a while before having sex. The Buffy/Angel relationship had such a powerful metaphor for teenage sex, in a few different ways. To tell you the truth, I don't think that Joss would have changed it that much.

At the same time, I don't think the show is prudish or anything. Clearly it's not. Sure, it's not as...graphic as other shows, and most of the sex that is shown is implied (like Buffy and Spike), but I don't think either series lacks it. It's just used better than in 99 percent of the shows out there.

 

[funsmiley]

I agree, sex is in most teen shows nowadays and if its not seen its spoke about much more then it was in t.v shows years ago. Most vampire shows and films are based on sexual desire and passion and stuff. I think joss got it just right, there wasn't loads of it but there was a fair amount and it was never graphic as in nudity and stuff.

I thought it was done well and proper, if you will. i don't think if it was around today joss would have done it any differently. Sex became more of a thing in seasons 5 and 6 of buffy but it fit with the story, these days it just happens in shows because it revolves around teens.

Its the same with books, authors who wrote books with sexual scenes in would get all sorts of controversy but now books like that are all over the place. (i.e 50 shades of grey etc)

I definitely think it has become more accepted in the media these days.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I thought that Joss did an excellent job, especially with Buffy and Angel in the first few seasons, of making sex really mean something. There are so many shows out there today that treat sex as if it's nothing, like you said. Probably because since The O.C. became a smash hit (man, I miss that show...), there has been such a glut of similar shows, all striving for the same demographic. And it's been proven time and time again that sex sells. Sure, that doesn't always create the most compelling television, and it sure as hell isn't always realistic, but it keeps people watching.

If Buffy aired today? I don't know, I really don't. Sex was always something special in Buffy (and to a lesser extent Angel). It meant something. It was usually involved in long-form storytelling and not as a cheap plot device. I mean, more often than not people in the real world don't just hop straight into bed with each other. Most couples, especially when they're in their teens, wait a while before having sex. The Buffy/Angel relationship had such a powerful metaphor for teenage sex, in a few different ways. To tell you the truth, I don't think that Joss would have changed it that much.

At the same time, I don't think the show is prudish or anything. Clearly it's not. Sure, it's not as...graphic as other shows, and most of the sex that is shown is implied (like Buffy and Spike), but I don't think either series lacks it. It's just used better than in 99 percent of the shows out there.

I totally agree with you. One thing I've always loved about BtVS is that they work really hard to show that sex means something to these characters (as it should), and that it's not just some casual thing with no consequences. And I also agree that while they did a great job showing that, they also made sure they show wasn't prudish in any way. It's a fine line to walk and I think they did it remarkably.
That said, I do think that if BtVS was airing today, on The CW, which is what The WB became, it would be a lot sexier than it was back then. I wouldn't be opposed to that, but I also love the show the way it is, too.

 

[Summerlilly]

YES. I thought Buffy was a bit racy back then. God only knows what they would have done in this day and age. 😀

 

[Black Eye Guy]

I think Buffy (the show, not the character)was a little prudish when it came to sex, like it's great that sex was shown to mean something, but there was always such massive consequences, Angel going evil, Parking being a dick, Spike being an abusive relationship, Xander being totally out of his depth the first time, Cordelias pregnancy in season 1 of Angel.

 

[Kean]

Okay, we all saw Season 6 right? If the story demanded (or at least if Joss thought the story demanded it) they're would have been more sex. The first few seasons were about how important sex actually is, so I don't know I'd we would get anymore, even in today's sexed up culture.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

As far as I remember the show, there wasn't any sex scenes, lots of talk about it, on many occasions it was inferred to happen (people in bed together, under the sheets), but no actual sexy scenes.
By American standards it may have been a sexy show, but in 70% of the rest of the world it wasn't sexy at all.
When Angel and Darla got together in the tv show Angel and they had sex on the bed, was that when Darla became pregnant? Was even part of one of Darla's nipples shown? As far as I'm concerned that was not a sex scene but a severely weak rendition of what a sex scene is, at most.
If the show was re-done today it would definitely have to have at least one sex scene, mainly because it is mentioned so much. Would it go to the same lengths as True Blood, I doubt it.
As for The Vampire Diaries, that is like the show BTVS, lots of talk about sex, but no sexy scenes.
To try and claim that the sex(?) scenes meant something good, really.
A vampire slayer who has sex with two vampires, what does that say about the vampire slayer? Does she fail to understand the terminology - vampire slayer? Or is it that she prefers a (vampire) cold one?
Cordelia and Faith, the description of easy fits them, the town bike maybe.
Xander gets it on with a demon.
A witch (Willow) is ok have (implied terminology) a boy who is a werewolf. Then she goes for a witch (Tara), then a vampire slayer (Kennedy).

If the show was re-done and the sex talk became sexy scenes, wouldn't women become sexual objects?
As for the girl power tag, I'd suggest focusing on Willow.

 

[AmelRIOT]

That is a intresting question, a lot of shows and books are all about sex especially in teenage shows now for example in the UK the show Skins the teenagers have sex a lot but the first seasons showed that some teenagers go through that however in the new cast of the show it was just sex sex and more sex and now other shows are just having teenagers jumping into bed, I hate to say this but where I'm from it's like that however I don't think Joss would of done the sex like Skins and other shows if Buffy came out now as I love how Joss filmed Buffy and Angel sex it was shown as beauty and love which I love about it it shown Buffy and Angel truely love each other and that it was actually making love not meanless sex and that it can be beautiful when with the right person.

Season 4 wasn't that bad with the sex compared to season 6 it was showing Buffy trying to be like 'other' college students having sex, partying etc she thought she trusted Parker but then it showed that actually you can't jump in bed with anyone and expect them to love you back, Buffy and Riley were not as beautiful as Buffy and Angel and I think Joss was showing us that it's sometimes not the same with the first person you do it, that's why in season 6 it was rough it was showing us the dark painful times cause a lot of people do it today where they jump into bed with someone who they know aren't a good example just to feel normal or cool. So I thought Joss did a brilliant job, I also like the way he did Willow and Oz once again beauty and then with Willow and Tara showing that you can love again, also Joss shows us that not the first times are not beautiful and sometimes not with the right person like with Xander and Faith, she used him for a one night stand but Xander thought it was more then that, so once again I am glad Joss shows us that sex is different for everyone well that's my opinon 🙂

 

[DeadFlagBlues]

I think the sex on Buffy reflects the time frame when the show was made. In the 90s, there was a lot of emphasis on the consequences of sex because we had a rise in HIV, teenage pregnancies, and STD awareness. I don't think Joss was preaching to any of those points specifically, but the attitude about sex in the 90s did come with that kind of baggage. So it made sense to me that the show would tap into the teenage mind set of a time when sex meant something and negative consequences were possible. I mean, your bf turns into a murderous fiend after you give up your virginity? Reminds me of Chloe getting HIV after her first time in the movie Kids.

 

[KellGreen]

I always perceived Buffy as showing sex primarily when it was applicable to the storyline, not just for the sake of showing sex. Nowadays ('cause I'm like ancient) it seems sex is there just for being there, but not really tied into the plot or character development (well, when there is a show that actually has some - 'cause not so many seem to anymore). S6 had a good amount of it, but it wasn't gratuitous IMO, but necessary for what they wanted to show us Buffy was going through at the time. S4 had a fair bit with Riley as well, although I think i often tend to block it out 😛

I liked that they showed the consequences in a way that wasn't all after-school-special. We see the emotional vulnerabilty and resonance that giving yourself intimately to someone holds, AND that sex is not bad in and of itself, but, rather, that the circumstances can be. We see how it can bond together or create a huge rift between people, and can give comfort or cause insecurity inside. Does that make any sense?