Hello, everybody!
After lurking for a little while, I'm writing my first post on the Buffy Boards to introduce myself and explain how I came to be a fan of BTVS.
For years, I had heard about Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I'd often say to myself, though, "It's hugely popular, so it can't be very good!" (Yeah, I know. What a terrible reason to dismiss something! Then again, I'm used to having unusual taste and so I was (incorrectly) sure that whatever "the masses" liked was not for me. Little did I know that BTVS was an atypical show whose fans were not any ordinary "masses".) Also, I wasn't quite old enough to watch the show in its heyday, though I did see the opening theme for Angel once and asked a friend about it, who explained to me that it was a show about a "good vampire".
Personally, I had always found evil characters and bad guys attractive. The idea of vampires was very interesting to me, even at a young age. I remember reading a children's vampire book once and being intrigued by its storyline. (I also recently read most of Anne Rice's "Interview", but the last third of it bored me for some reason and so I never finished.)
A few years after I had seen a bit of Angel on TV, "Twilight" was everywhere. I tried to read it, but after getting two or three pages into the book, I found myself physically repulsed by the writing quality (I'm a writer myself) and could not continue. I watched the first two films, though, and their only redeeming qualities (in my opinion) were the lighting and the existence of Jacob Black. I thought Bella was boring, insipid, and helpless; and sparkly vampires who were decidedly un-evil disgusted me.
Enter BTVS. While on YouTube some months ago, I noticed a Buffy-related video in the sidebar. I'm pretty sure it was Spike-centric, because I remember seeing an extremely sexy, bottle-blonde man and clicking on the video for fun. "Wow, he is SO late '90s and early 2000s!" I thought. That was OK, though, since such was the era during which I came of age, and so the costuming and fashion seemed nostalgic and fun rather than "dated". Over the next several weeks, I found myself viewing dozens of BTVS clips on YouTube, especially those that focused on Spike, who I had quickly found myself infatuated with. I then began to snoop around Buffy Boards and other websites, talking to friends who were BTVS fans, and generally figuring out why I was so interested in a show that has been off the air for a decade.
In July or August, I purchased the first two seasons of the show on DVD. "If I like the beginnings, I'll watch the rest," I said...
I was HOOKED! I'm quickly making my way through the series and am now in the second half of Season 5. Spike is still my favorite character on the show, and I am quite obsessed with him at the moment. (Spuffy are wonderful, but I personally think he was just too good for her!) My other favorite characters are Faith, Xander, Angelus, Joyce, Giles, and Tara. I dislike Buffy a lot of the time, though I admire her character deeply. And I strongly dislike Riley, Jenny, Darla, and Angel. My opinions might change over time...For instance, my dislike of Angel lessened after I saw him fight with Riley! I have not watched Angel yet; some people tell me I'll like it and others tell me I won't.
All I can say is that something about this show speaks deeply to me. It is intelligent, funny, scary, and beautiful; and many of its lessons have applied to me personally. So, while I'm certainly a latecomer, I'm an authentic one. (I've even written some BTVS-inspired poetry, though I'm pretty sure it's better than William the Bloody's poems were.) My other loves are music (particularly the Grateful Dead), reading, helping my students think deeply (I'm a teacher), and nature. (I've looked into the Buffy comics a bit, but I honestly can't stand them.)
...I wasn't intending to write such a long first post! I'm sorry if it was a lot to go through. Anyway, I'm glad to be here and I hope to be able to discuss the show some more in the future!
P.S. My username is an acronym. You'll probably understand it immediately.
After lurking for a little while, I'm writing my first post on the Buffy Boards to introduce myself and explain how I came to be a fan of BTVS.
For years, I had heard about Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I'd often say to myself, though, "It's hugely popular, so it can't be very good!" (Yeah, I know. What a terrible reason to dismiss something! Then again, I'm used to having unusual taste and so I was (incorrectly) sure that whatever "the masses" liked was not for me. Little did I know that BTVS was an atypical show whose fans were not any ordinary "masses".) Also, I wasn't quite old enough to watch the show in its heyday, though I did see the opening theme for Angel once and asked a friend about it, who explained to me that it was a show about a "good vampire".
Personally, I had always found evil characters and bad guys attractive. The idea of vampires was very interesting to me, even at a young age. I remember reading a children's vampire book once and being intrigued by its storyline. (I also recently read most of Anne Rice's "Interview", but the last third of it bored me for some reason and so I never finished.)
A few years after I had seen a bit of Angel on TV, "Twilight" was everywhere. I tried to read it, but after getting two or three pages into the book, I found myself physically repulsed by the writing quality (I'm a writer myself) and could not continue. I watched the first two films, though, and their only redeeming qualities (in my opinion) were the lighting and the existence of Jacob Black. I thought Bella was boring, insipid, and helpless; and sparkly vampires who were decidedly un-evil disgusted me.
Enter BTVS. While on YouTube some months ago, I noticed a Buffy-related video in the sidebar. I'm pretty sure it was Spike-centric, because I remember seeing an extremely sexy, bottle-blonde man and clicking on the video for fun. "Wow, he is SO late '90s and early 2000s!" I thought. That was OK, though, since such was the era during which I came of age, and so the costuming and fashion seemed nostalgic and fun rather than "dated". Over the next several weeks, I found myself viewing dozens of BTVS clips on YouTube, especially those that focused on Spike, who I had quickly found myself infatuated with. I then began to snoop around Buffy Boards and other websites, talking to friends who were BTVS fans, and generally figuring out why I was so interested in a show that has been off the air for a decade.
In July or August, I purchased the first two seasons of the show on DVD. "If I like the beginnings, I'll watch the rest," I said...
I was HOOKED! I'm quickly making my way through the series and am now in the second half of Season 5. Spike is still my favorite character on the show, and I am quite obsessed with him at the moment. (Spuffy are wonderful, but I personally think he was just too good for her!) My other favorite characters are Faith, Xander, Angelus, Joyce, Giles, and Tara. I dislike Buffy a lot of the time, though I admire her character deeply. And I strongly dislike Riley, Jenny, Darla, and Angel. My opinions might change over time...For instance, my dislike of Angel lessened after I saw him fight with Riley! I have not watched Angel yet; some people tell me I'll like it and others tell me I won't.
All I can say is that something about this show speaks deeply to me. It is intelligent, funny, scary, and beautiful; and many of its lessons have applied to me personally. So, while I'm certainly a latecomer, I'm an authentic one. (I've even written some BTVS-inspired poetry, though I'm pretty sure it's better than William the Bloody's poems were.) My other loves are music (particularly the Grateful Dead), reading, helping my students think deeply (I'm a teacher), and nature. (I've looked into the Buffy comics a bit, but I honestly can't stand them.)
...I wasn't intending to write such a long first post! I'm sorry if it was a lot to go through. Anyway, I'm glad to be here and I hope to be able to discuss the show some more in the future!
P.S. My username is an acronym. You'll probably understand it immediately.
KendraTheSlayer
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