So what age is best to start Buffy?

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Nix

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Sineya
My daughter watched "My Babysitter is a Vampire" movie the other day (major Twilight references along with The Lost Boys)... Got me thinking ... what age is best for her to start watching Buffy and what episodes are a major no go but wont ruin the storylines? My daughter is 8 and a young 8 but she loved that movie and thought the vampires in it were cool....

Your thoughts please?
 
I'd say 10-13 depending on the kid and how quickly you move through the episodes.
 
It depends. My niece is 14 and loves Buffy- she loves the quippy humour, the action, the angst, the horror and the romance, all the characters.

Some of the metaphor she understands and gets and some flies over her head but I'd say, generally, that early teens is a good starting point- 12-14 years old. They get to appreciate all the elements listed above- any younger and I think some of those will be lost on them (plus BtVS can be quite scary on occassion).
 
I remember it being on when I was younger and losing interest after season one. Then I released it was still on television while in my early teens and regained interest. I had to catch up up what I had missed but never missed an episode after that. That said, I think S1 could be enjoyable for someone younger but S2 and beyond are probably more interesting to an older audience.
 
I would have to say that no one could fully understand the deep subtle meanings and subtle nuances of character development and interaction, combined with the cutting edge social comment contained in "Buffy" before the age of 50, but it could probably be enjoyed on a less spiritual level by the age of 13 to 15, assuming that there was a more mature friend there to explain some of the finer points.
 
Overall, depending on the kid, I think anywhere between 14-16 is a good place to start, mostly because you can nowadays finish both series in less than two months and I don't think that kids under 14-16 should be watching certain scenes from season six.

However, if you take it slow and watch a season over a span of a couple of months (like @thetopher is doing with his niece), then I see no problem with starting it at 12 or 13 (depending on the kid), because if you take it slow (with watching Angel back to back), by the time they start season six, they will be mature enough for it.

Just my $0.02.
 
I started watching Buffy when I was like 13-14. As far as maybe some of the more inappropriate scenes, that depends on what you allow your daughter to watch. My parents didn't really monitor what I watched, if I was with them, they would just tell me to cover my eyes or ears or something. But really nothing I saw on Buffy was anything I hadn't seen before. I think that other than Buffy and Angel sleeping together in s2 (cause that is important going forward) you can skip the other sex scenes. And maybe just skip Where The Wild Things Are too. But really you're the parent and it's really your choice at what you will allow your daughter to watch.
 
Honestly, I don't believe much in all that censoring we do with the kids (unless we're talking about R rated stuff, or stuff that is really explicit, whether violence or sexual stuff). But Buffy, I think you can pretty much watch that show at any age as long as you watch with an adult that will be able to explain things to the kid. (Also, as long as the kid doesn't get scared of vampire stuff).

I watched the whole show when I was 11-12 on my own (with a few eps with my dad or brother), and I think it was fine. My dad knew I loved horror movies already, and my parents never shielded me from sex either, they just had an open mentality. And heck, I was so addicted that I'd talk to my mom for hours on end about Buffy, so if there was anything wrong well we could talk about it.

On the flip side I had a friend who couldn't watched the show cause the mom saw one scene where Spike was chained up and she was like "nope, you're not watching that". My dad was just like ya sure you can watch, just realize that this shit going on, it's not healthy.

If you're worried about later season which are a bit more graphic, you could always start a kid on s1. I feel like s1 is pretty tame. Than you can just make them wait a year for s2, just like back in the days 😛
 
Buffy is fairly wholesome campy stuff, at least the first three seasons. The age thing is a bit relative. It's not about the number, it's about how mature they are to appreciate the deeper themes, beginning s5 especially. I have an 11 year old nephew who really liked the first 3 seasons. But that was all I showed him.
 
I would say secondary school age, but it would depend on how she is then.
 
It does depend on the kid, 8 seems a bit young to me, but then I am certain episode an 8 year old could watch and it would just wash over them (although I don't really see the point in that case). On average I would say about 13 is about the right age, and then the parent can guide them through things which might be a bit much.
 
Blaze said:
Indeed he did 😀 I just think that every parent was a little scared of their little girl having a massive crush on Spike (and most did). Little did he know I was just thinking "holy shit, Faith is super hot".
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aw Blaze as a little girl. I cannot imagine that. lol. I did have a huge crush on Spike, I think I had a Spike and an Angel poster in my room. Luckily my dad doesn't question me on these things, he trusts me. But I also thought Faith was hot so win-win for me! lol.

I think that under 13 years old s1 is probably okay, depending on how they deal with horror. S2 gets a little darker, s3 I think is more appreciated if you're in high school though.
 
I'd be more concerned about a kid not appreciating it because they're too young than about them being scarred for life. I'd just glare at them and they'd lose a little respect in my eyes 🙂
 
I watched it with my granddaughter when she was 10 - she loved it. And we watched every episode. My feeling is that this kid is gonna be a driver in 3 years now. If she doesn't learn about choices and consequences before that then she will be far more likely to wrap her car around a tree. We talked about things, and it was good talk. Parker is a great example - she knows about sex, but we could talk about when it was right to finally share yourself that way. There are guys like Parker out there and I would rather she hit her teens knowing that.

Even with my kids I was like this. I let my younger daughter watch Rocky Horror in middle school. It's not that I wanted to be the cool mom. If she really wanted to watch it she would find a way. I prefer having some input to balance the new ideas. Like Blaze, I really don't like the idea of censoring - their are big decision coming their way. Shows like Buffy stay with you, and they can be helpful when decision time comes.
 
bespangeled said:
I watched it with my granddaughter when she was 10 - she loved it. And we watched every episode. My feeling is that this kid is gonna be a driver in 3 years now. If she doesn't learn about choices and consequences before that then she will be far more likely to wrap her car around a tree. We talked about things, and it was good talk. Parker is a great example - she knows about sex, but we could talk about when it was right to finally share yourself that way. There are guys like Parker out there and I would rather she hit her teens knowing that.

Even with my kids I was like this. I let my younger daughter watch Rocky Horror in middle school. It's not that I wanted to be the cool mom. If she really wanted to watch it she would find a way. I prefer having some input to balance the new ideas. Like Blaze, I really don't like the idea of censoring - their are big decision coming their way. Shows like Buffy stay with you, and they can be helpful when decision time comes.
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Very good point. It is one of the skills of the writing that as a show it does educate its audience as well as just entertaining them. I think with the right parential guardance then the show can really beneifit them.
 
bespangeled said:
If she really wanted to watch it she would find a way.
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Which is why shielding children doesn't work in the long run.
(It sure didn't work with me 😛)


The Bronze said:
I'd be more concerned about a kid not appreciating it because they're too young than about them being scarred for life. I'd just glare at them and they'd lose a little respect in my eyes 🙂
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This happens to be a main concern of mine about another WB show-Gilmore Girls (it doesn't have much sex in it-but you need to be old enough to appreciate it).
With Buffy, Spuffy in season six is my main concern 😛


Blaze said:
Indeed he did 😀 I just think that every parent was a little scared of their little girl having a massive crush on Spike (and most did). Little did he know I was just thinking "holy shit, Faith is super hot".
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If you accepted your attraction to the same gender without going through a denial phase, pat yourself in the back 🙂
and while I do find Faith hot as well, I also think that Spike is hot 😛


Anyways, back on topic:
I read a while ago on whedonesque a thread talking about the topic, I was a bit suprised to see people letting their 6-8 year olds watch it, but then again, the world would be boring if we all agreed with each other all the time.
 
Blaze
Blaze
:P oh I was in huge denial, but it was impossible not to find Faith attractive at the same time. To be fair I did also have a crush on Spike
Smile Time said:
This happens to be a main concern of mine about another WB show-Gilmore Girls (it doesn't have much sex in it-but you need to be old enough to appreciate it).
With Buffy, Spuffy in season six is my main concern
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I love Gilmore Girls! And I started watching that when I was like 15-16. I agree you need to be older, because even the teenagers in that show act older than they are, so it's not very relatable for a younger audience. Yea Spuffy is really the main concern, maybe a few of the sex scenes with Riley, just cause it's sex. And I don't think 8 year olds should be watching that.

Smile Time said:
Which is why shielding children doesn't work in the long run.
(It sure didn't work with me 😛)
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This is true. And if you tell kids not to watch it they will want to.

Smile Time said:
I was a bit suprised to see people letting their 6-8 year olds watch it, but then again, the world would be boring if we all agreed with each other all the time.
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Yea I think that's young to be watching the whole show. Maybe s1. and a few of the lighter, comedy episodes.
 
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