The high school teenagers grew!

[Chosen Enemy]

One of the things I like about the show that it's realistic, more than most people think. And one of the things I like about the show's realism and that I find amazing is, how well the characters changed. To be specific, it amazes me how they grew. They started as high school teenagers, some really childish (and not just Xander). Look at Buffy in season 1 and then look at her in season 7. She started out as a high school girl that all she thinks about is dating, friends, school (in a way that it's part of where she goes daily). She doesn't want to think about slaying or anything about slayer stuff. She just wants to be a girl who dates and have a life without thinking about her own death that can happen any second. Then, as time passes by, she started realizing that the world is not about boys and fun. And she started to understand that she has a job in this world, a very important one. She doesn't only realized that, she accepted that. And I think that it's part of her growth.

And it's not just her. All the characters grew, they didn't stay in high school, mentally (like in many teens shows), they started thinking differently. Xander almost settled down with a woman, for heaven's sake!

Did anyone one else find it as amazing?

 

[WileyDairyGnome]

I agree, the show has really great character development.

Like with Willow, she used to be this really quiet, shy, nerdy girl in the corner, and she became this fun, spicy, spunky, (and even evil) young woman. She still has her quiet and nerdy qualities too, so she didn't change completely, which makes the development still very realistic. 🙂

 

[BuffyElevated]

I do think the character development in BtVS was great. That was what initially drew me into the show was the character development, and not the supernatural element of the show. I loved the relationships and the character dynamics within the group.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I pretty much think all the tv shows are realistic. You know, today, we mostly end up thinking impossible is that we see on tv. We stopped searching for those things like great loves, never ending friendships.. just because we think it's impossible.

Like you said, Buffy is one of the most realistic shows, and people tend to ignore that, or fail to see that. Behind all these metaphors of monsters, real people are hiding. People we face in everyday life. Angel loosing his soul after sleeping with Buffy for the first time, HS on the hellmouth, coming back from Heaven.. these are all things we once experienced, or will experience.

 

[Icarium]

Look at Buffy in season 1 and then look at her in season 7. She started out as a high school girl that all she thinks about is dating, friends, school (in a way that it's part of where she goes daily). She doesn't want to think about slaying or anything about slayer stuff. She just wants to be a girl who dates and have a life without thinking about her own death that can happen any second. Then, as time passes by, she started realizing that the world is not about boys and fun. And she started to understand that she has a job in this world, a very important one. She doesn't only realized that, she accepted that. And I think that it's part of her growth.

Yes but all that already happened in what, Never Kill A Boy on The First Date? Prophecy Girl at the very latest. In S7 she might make any number of speeches on the subject but her actions indicate far less maturity than she had in S1. So not really seeing the development here. More like development for four seasons and pissing all over it in the next four (if we count the comics). Change just for the sake of change or the "coolness" of everybody "going dark" at one point or another isn't really any better than characters staying the same for good.

 

[Marisa]

I find a lot of teen tv shows to be realistic in that way maybe more of the older ones but there are a few these days.

I do think some of the characters did have some great development though.