Gabrielle Moss
From the Valley to the Hellmouth:
“Buffy”’s Transition from Film to Television
( 1) T he Buffy w ho fi g ht s d emons i n Sunnyd al e t od ay i s a far cry from t he ai r - head ed Buffy w ho
foug ht vamp i res on t he b i g screen i n t he earl y ni net i es . In t he t rans i t i on from fi l m t o t el evi s i on,
Buffy has mut at ed from a b ub b l y Val l ey g i rl i nt o a femi ni st heroi ne more i n acc ord anc e w i t h Joss Whed on's
ori g i nal vi si on. In t hi s ess ay, I w oul d l i ke t o exami ne t he c ul t ural c urrent s w hi ch al l ow ed for t he emerg ence of a
st rong er, more comp l ex Buffy, t he d i fferences i n med i um t hat faci l i t at ed t hi s chang e, and t he c onseq uences of
t hi s t ransi t i on on t he d ep i ct i on of young w omen i n t he med i a. I w oul d l i ke t o exami ne t he G i rl P ow er w ave of
t he mi d - ni net i es, i t s i mp ac t on t he charact er of Buffy as p art of a l arg er med i a i mp act , and , i n t urn, Buffy's
i mp act on t he p ort rayal of young w omen on t el evi s i on and b eyond .
( 2) T he fi l m Buffy t he Vam p i re Sl ayer w as rel eas ed i n 1992 as a camp y s end - up of t he era’s rei g ni ng
t een fi l m g enres, sup ernat ural horror as exemp l i fi ed b y t he N i ght m are on E l m St reet s eri es and T he Lost Boys ( a
fi l m P aul R eub ens’ g l am vamp i re henchman i s c l earl y meant t o l amp oon) and t een c omed y s uch as Fast T i m es at
R i d gem ont H i gh and Val l ey G i rl . “Buffy” t he fi l m exi st ed as p ap er - t hi n p arod y, w i t h many of t he l aug hs at t he
exp ense of i t s Val l ey G i rl cari c at ure heroi ne. Buffy’s vap i d i t y and s t ereot yp i cal femi ni ni t y rep eat ed l y p l ace her i n
d ang er, and her l ack of ow nershi p of her ow n s exual i t y, d i s p l ayed w hen s he i s red uced t o a t ranc e s t at e d uri ng
her p seud o - sed uct i on at t he hand s of vamp i re Lot hos , res ul t s i n t he d eat h of her Wat cher. Buffy i s marked for
sl ayershi p b y a mol e on her neck, her menst rual cramp s act as a d ang er - d et ect i on s yst em, Lot hos s ed uces her
i n her d reams— she i s a sl ayer b arel y i n cont rol of her ow n b od y. “Buffy” s t i c ks t o an ob vi ous and p hysi cal
g end er l og i c, d i sp l ayi ng her t ri ump h over femi ni ne w eakness b y w eari ng p ant s. Buffy’s s t rug g l e as a w oman and
sl ayer i s one t o feel comfort ab l e i n b ot h her w omanl y b od y and p ow erful rol e, and i n t he end , s he i s nei t her; at
t he fi l m’s cl ose, d anci ng w i t h her b oyfri end P i ke, Buffy t el l s hi m s he d oes not w ant t o l ead , and he s ays t he
same. N ot comfort ab l e l ead i ng or b ei ng l ed , “Buffy” exi st s i n a l i mb o, not read y t o b e a p ow erful w arri or nor
cont ent b ei ng her former b eaut i ful ai rhead sel f. P ot ent i al l y a p ow erful s t at ement ab out t he d rama of g row i ng up
and w omanhood , t hi s sent i ment i s not ful l y t ang i b l e und er t he fi l m’s many l ayers of d i s t rac t i ng p arod y.
( 3) Ul t i mat el y , Buffy t he Vam p i re Sl ayer s ees i t sel f as a c omed y rat her t han horror fi l m, and much of
t he fi l m’s humor i s d eri ved from t he p ercei ved i ncong rui t y of “Buffy” and “Vamp i re Sl ayer,” of a g um - c rac ki ng
Val l ey t een b ei ng acc ord ed p ow er and resp onsi b i l i t y. Des p i t e her vamp i re - s l ayi ng p row ess and heroi s m, Buffy i s
p ort rayed as a comi c fi g ure, and any p os si b l e soc i al s i g ni fi c ance t o b e found i n t hi s d ep i c t i on of one t eenag e
g i rl ’s st rug g l e t o und ers t and hersel f as a p ow erful fi g ure i s und ermi ned b y t he fi l m’s c art ooni sh c amp i ness ( a
hi g h school p ri nci p al p l aces d et ent i on sl i p s on t he corp ses of s l ai n st ud ent s; Buffy d ecl ares, “I’m t he chosen one
and I choose t o g o shop p i ng ”) . T houg h creat or Joss Whed on mai nt ai ns t hat t he scri p t for “Buffy” w as creat ed as
a t ri b ut e t o t he g i rl s w ho w ere vi c t i mi z ed i n t he era’s sl ashed fi l ms, “Buffy” t he fi l m d row ned i n i t s ow n
camp i ness and l i mp p arod y of t een horror fi l ms. Whed on hi ms el f l at er sai d , “When you w i nk at t he aud i ence and
say not hi ng mat t ers, you can’t have p eri l ” ( Jacob s 20) , and far from b ei ng any s ort of femi ni s t p arab l e ab out
t aki ng b ack t he haunt ed ni g ht , “Buffy” w as an ext remel y t i mel y fi l m d ep end ant on t he movi es i t mocked , w i t h a
t een savi or heroi ne w ho w as al mos t a d ecad e aw ay from b ei ng anyt hi ng ot her t han a j oke.
( 4) T he t een fi l ms “Buffy” soug ht t o l amp oon fel l out of fashi on s oon aft er Buffy t he Vam p i re Sl ayer w as
mad e, l ead i ng p op ul ar c i nema i nt o several years of d omi nanc e b y act i on fi l ms and t he oc cas i onal “c hi ck fl i c k”
emot i onal d rama. At t he same t i me, i n ot her forms of med i a, t he root s of t he G i rl P ow er movement w hi ch w oul d
one d ay al l ow “Buffy” t o exi s t as a seri ous g i rl p ow er femi ni s t heroi ne w ere b eg i nni ng t o g row .
( 5) G i rl P ow er as w e know i t can d eb at ab l y b e t raced b ac k t o t he “R i ot G rrrl ” movement of t he earl y
1990’s. Local i z ed i n t he P aci fi c N ort hw est , R i ot G rrrl w as a femi ni st movement comp osed most l y of t eenag e and
t w ent y - somet hi ng and g eneral l y w hi t e and mi d d l e - cl ass young w omen, w i t h a focus on t he art s and med i a.
T houg h oft en t he aud i ence of p op ul ar med i a such as fi l ms, t eenag e g i rl s w ere rarel y c at ered t o. Mi ramax Fi l ms
chi ef Bob Wei ns t ei n ass ert ed t hat “[ t ] w ent y years ag o, convent i onal w i s d om w as t hat you had t o make movi es
for sevent een - year - ol d b oys. T hey d rove t he market p l ace. G i rl s d eferred t o b oys” ( Berns t ei n 88) . R i ot G rrrl w as
an ang er - b ased femi ni ne sub cul t ure, exp osi ng and cel eb rat i ng t he ang er young w omen w ere us ual l y encourag ed
t o hi d e, d i rect ed mai nl y at soc i et al i nst i t ut i ons, exp ec t at i ons, and p ress ures . R i ot G rrrl al so focused on a cl ear
conveyance of t he t eenag e femal e exp eri ence, and how i t d i ffered from t he one d ep i c t ed b y t he med i a. “R i ot
G rrrl s fel t ab l e t o op en up , t o w ri t e honest l y ab out t hei r exp eri ences of b ei ng i n a b and , of s ex and sexual
harassment , of p ersonal p ol i t i cs and revol ut i on” ( R ap hael , xxvi i i ) . R i ot G rrrl forg ed a l i nk b et w een young w omen
harassment , of p ersonal p ol i t i cs and revol ut i on” ( R ap hael , xxvi i i ) . R i ot G rrrl forg ed a l i nk b et w een young w omen
and creat i on and cri t i c i sm of med i a, w hi l e d emand i ng at t ent i on ab out i ss ues affec t i ng t he l i ves of young w omen.
( 6) O ver t he next several years , young w omen b eg an c omi ng t o med i a p romi nence, p art i cul arl y i n
p op ul ar musi c. Femal e musi ci ans, many w i t h current or former R i ot G rrrl affi l i at i ons , s uch as t he b and s H ol e and
Bi ki ni Ki l l and si ng er - song w ri t er Li z P hai r, b eg an w hat w as p ercei ved as a femal e t akeover i n nearl y every form
of p op ul ar med i a. R i ot G rrrl “und eni ab l y g ave w omen more confi d enc e t o make musi c ” ( R ap hael , xxi x) , b ut as
t he t op i c of “Women i n R ock” g ai ned i nt erest and sup p ort , i t exp and ed from R i ot G rrrl ’s exp ress i on of s el f ri g ht eous ang er t o a movement t o exp ress t he s p ect rum of w omen’s exp eri ences. T he earl y ni net i es s aw vast
amount s of at t ent i on l avi shed on t he concep t of Women i n R ock, i n t he form of mag az i nes and t el evi si on
sp eci al s, and t he concep t snow b al l ed out from t here i nt o ot her art - forms, al l t aken w i t h t he c oncep t of femal e as
creat or.
( 7) By t he mi d - ni net i es, a cross - med i a c hang e ap p eared t o have oc curred i n at t i t ud es t ow ard w omen,
p art i cul arl y young w omen as creat ors and p erformers . At t he same t i me, at t ent i on w as for t he fi rs t t i me b ei ng
g i ven t o t he vari ous i s sues of femal e ad ol escence. A g enerat i on of g i rl s g row i ng up i n t he w ake of 1970’s
femi ni sm, as t hey hi t ad ol esc enc e, w as sud d enl y i n t he l i mel i g ht reg ard i ng s el f - est eem, eat i ng d i s ord ers, and
ot her l ong - i g nored p eri l s of g i rl hood . In her G enerat i on X femi ni st ant hol og y, Li st en Up ! , Barb ara Fi nd l en s ai d , “
We are t he fi rst g enerat i on for w hom femi ni sm has b een ent w i ned i n t he fab ri c of our l i ves”( xi i ) ; l og i cal l y, t hi s
w as t he fi rst g enerat i on of t eenag e g i rl s t o have i ss ues w i d el y ad d res sed b y femi ni s t med i a. T he w ound ed
t eenag e g i rl b ecame an i c on of t he mi d - ni net i es . She g ot si ng l e - sex mat h c l ass es and s el f - hel p b ooks ( Mary
P i p her’s R evi vi ng O p hel i a , P eg g y O renst ei n’s Sc hool gi rl s ) , al l ost ensi b l y t o rai se her s el f - es t eem. T o emp ow er t he
w hi t e, mi d d l e c l ass t eenag e g i rl b ec ame a maj or med i a g oal , w i t h count l ess new s mag az i ne c overs and p ri me t i me sp eci al s d evot ed t o i t , many w i t h p ort rai t s of i nt ense t eenag e vi c t i mhood l i ke t hi s one from Mary P i p her’s
R evi vi ng O p hel i a :
C ayenne w as a t yp i cal t herap y cl i ent . She had had a reasonab l y hap p y chi l d hood . Wi t h p ub ert y, t he
chang es and chal l eng es i n her l i fe overw hel med her. H er g rad es fel l , s he d rop p ed out of s p ort s and
rel i nq ui shed her d reams of b ei ng a d oc t or. As s he moved from t he rel at i vel y p rot ec t ed s p ace of an
el ement ary school i nt o t he more comp l ex w orl d of j uni or hi g h, al l her rel at i ons hi p s g rew t urb ul ent . She
had d ec i si ons t o make ab out ad ul t i ss ues s uch as al c ohol and sex. Whi l e s he w as fi g uri ng t hi ng s out , s he
cont ract ed herp es . ( 35)
T houg h i t cl ai med t o d esi re t o emp ow er t eenag e g i rl s , t he mi d - ni net i es vi ct i m - cent ri c med i a w ave t rul y
d i scovered a new d emog rap hi c. T he fi rst g enerat i on of g i rl s t o have g row n up w i t h femi ni s m w as now read y t o
b e cat ered t o. T he t eenag e g i rl , once a shad ow y fi g ure t o t he med i a at b es t , w as now a t arg et market .
( 8) T he p hrase “G i rl P ow er” w as ori g i nal l y coi ned i n ass oc i at i on w i t h R i ot G rrrl , b ut G i rl P ow er as w e now
know i t i s a curi ous mi x of soft ened femi ni st p ol i t i cs and ec onomi c s. By t he mi d - ni net i es , “ many . . . of us have
i nt eg rat ed femi ni st val ues i nt o our l i ves, w het her or not w e choose t o us e t he l ab el ‘femi ni st ’” ( Fi nd l en xi v) , and
“G i rl P ow er,” a t erm t hat not onl y l ac ked many of t he neg at i ve assoc i at i ons t he w ord “femi ni sm” b ut op enl y
d ecl ared i t s focus t o b e t eenag e g i rl s, a g roup rarel y sp oken t o or c onsi d ered b y mai nst ream femi ni s m, came t o
rep resent a new ki nd of femi ni s m for mi d d l e - cl ass , t eenag e Ameri c a. T he s ub j ect of vari ous mal l - s ol d t - shi rt s
and Sp i ce G i rl s s ong s, G i rl P ow er exi s t s as i mag i ned emp ow erment t hroug h s el f - est eem b ut act ual i z ed
emp ow erment t hroug h p urchas e. P ol i t i cal act i vi sm market ed w i t h mat chi ng nai l p ol i sh, G i rl P ow er has c ome t o
mean a fuz z y, d e - fang ed femi ni st p hi l osop hy of “G i rl s Ki ck As s!” comb i ned w i t h mass real i z at i on b y market ers of
t he $82 b i l l i on d i sp osab l e i ncome t eenag e g i rl s have every year ( Berns t ei n 87) T he l i t t l e s i s t ers of t hose w ho
had b een t he t arg et s of t he mi d - ni net i es sel f - es t eem camp ai g n, t he g i rl s of G i rl P ow er c ame of ag e d i rect l y aft er
O p hel i a w as revi ved . In her b ook, R ai s i ng T hei r Voi c es , Lyn Mi kel Brow n sug g est s t hat “g i rl s’ i ncreas ed ang er and
assert i veness at el even and t w el ve refl ec t s t hei r emerg i ng comp rehensi on of t he c ul t ure t hey are ab out t o ent er
and t hei r p l ace as young w omen i n i t ” ( 15) . “G i rl P ow er” t end ed t o reach young er g i rl s most s t rong l y, g i rl s w ho
had reached t hei r ag e of ang er d uri ng a t i me w hen t hey w ere encourag ed b y t he w orl d at l arg e t o i nd ul g e i t .
P erhap s t he mass heal i ng w orked ; mi d d l e - cl ass w hi t e g i rl s w ere now “more s el f - rel i ant ” ( Berns t ei n 88) and w ere
chang i ng t he shap e of med i a t he onl y w ay ad ol escent s c an—t hroug h t hei r sp end i ng hab i t s. In t he sec ond hal f of
t he ni net i es, g i rl s w ho had g row n up i n t he era of vari ous “Y ear( s) of t he Woman” i n everyt hi ng from fi l m t o
p ol i t i cs, b eg an maki ng b ox offi ce succ es ses of fi l ms w i t h st rong t een femal e l ead s , s uch as W i l l i am Shakes p eare’s
R om eo and Jul i et and T i t ani c . T he next chal l eng e G i rl P ow er w oul d t ake on i n i t s t akeover of mod ern med i a w as
t o re - creat e t he t rad i t i onal l y mi sog yni s t i c t een horror fi l m i nt o somet hi ng t eenag e g i rl s c oul d i d ent i fy p osi t i vel y
w i t h.
( 9) T he fi rst st ep t ow ard t he mod ern recl ai mi ng of horror as a g enre i n t he name of G i rl P ow er oc curred
i n 1996’s Scream . Desp i t e a heavy d os e of p arod y, Sc ream b ent t rad i t i onal horror fi l m rul es p ert ai ni ng t o femal e
sexual i nd ep end ence and mores, and conveyed a s t rong messag e of femal e emp ow erment ( t he fi l m’s heroi ne
shoot s t he vi l l ai n w i t h t he ass urance t hat i n “her movi e” he w on’t come b ac k) . Sc ream exi st ed as a mi l est one i n
G i rl P ow er, t he fi rst real mass med i a d oc ument t o champ i on i t . Sc ream set off t he c i nemat i c arm of t he med i a
w ave t hat G i rl P ow er rod e, and l i ke t he t een med i a w ave b efore i t , t hi s one w oul d s oon c ome t o b e d omi nat ed
b y romant i c comed i es and g ore - fi l l ed horror out i ng s. H ow ever, t hi s med i a w ave c at ered t o young w omen, and
soon sel f - d et ermi ned young w omen b ecame cent ral fi g ures i n t een - ori ent ed fi l ms. O ne of G i rl P ow er’s fi rst maj or
med i a coup s w as t o rec l ai m t he t een horror fi l m, a t rad i t i onal si t e of femal e d eg rad at i on, and forc e i t t o b ecome
re - shap ed i nt o a vehi cl e for femal e emp ow erment . “In t he 70’s and 80’s , t he w omen i n t hos e t yp es of fi l ms used
t o b e t he vi ct i ms,” sai d Mi ramax mog ul Bob Wei ns t ei n. “T hey w ere t here for eye c and y . . . What ’s hap p ened i n
t he ni net i es i s t hat femal es are t he heroi nes. Y oung w omen have somet hi ng t o i d ent i fy w i t h” ( Berns t ei n 88) .
( 10) T w o years b efore Scream , i n 1994, w hi l e s t i l l l i t t l e more t han a foot not e i n t he “Women i n R ock”
( 10) T w o years b efore Scream , i n 1994, w hi l e s t i l l l i t t l e more t han a foot not e i n t he “Women i n R ock”
i ssue of R ol l i ng St one , G i rl P ow er saw i t s fi rst i mp act i n t el evi si on, “My So - C al l ed Li fe.” T houg h c ancel l ed aft er
one season d ue t o p oor rat i ng s , My So - C al l ed Li fe w as a cri t i c al l y p rai sed d ramat i c exp l orat i on of t he l i fe of a
t eenag e g i rl . Deal i ng w i t h i s sues of sexual i t y, schol ast i c and fami l i al p ressure, and femal e i nd ep end ence, My So C al l ed Li fe w as a w at ers hed i n G i rl P ow er med i a hi st ory. Al so, t he st rong g rass - root s c amp ai g n t o ret urn i t t o
t he ai r aft er i t s cancel l at i on, a l et t er - w ri t i ng camp ai g n t hat l at er l ed t o t he b road c as t of re - runs of t he show ’s
fi rst season on MT V, w as sp earhead ed b y ad ol escent g i rl s , foreshad ow i ng t he med i a p ow er t he t eens of t he G i rl
P ow er g enerat i on w oul d soon w i el d . Several years p as sed aft er t he c ancel l at i on of My So - C al l ed Li fe w i t h no real
at t emp t s t o creat e furt her G i rl P ow er t el evi si on, unt i l earl y 1997, w hen Buffy t he Vam p i re Sl ayer ai red on t he
fl ed g l i ng WB N et w ork.
( 11) A d i rect d escend ant of My So - C al l ed Li fe — creat or Whed on hi ms el f has referred t o i t as a cross
b et w een My So - C al l ed Li fe and T he X - Fi l es ( T racy 22) — Buffy d eb ut ed i n t he mi d st of G i rl P ow er’s ci nemat i c
p ri me b ut w as t he fi rs t t el evi s i on show of t he l at e ni net i es t een med i a w ave. Di fferi ng from i t s c i nemat i c
p red ecessor i n many w ays , such as l ocat i on and p remi se ( p art i al l y for met ap hor’s s ake, p art i al l y d ue t o t he
chang i ng t i mes, and p art i al l y out of conveni enc e for t he s how ’s p l ot ) , t he Buffy w ho now p rot ec t ed Sunnyd al e
b ore many surface si mi l ari t i es t o t he Buffy w ho roamed t he Val l ey b ut i mmed i at el y p roved d i fferent . T he c hang e
i n med i a— fi l m t o t el evi s i on—w as more cond uci ve t o t he d ep i ct i on of a mul t i - facet ed Buffy t han a ni net y - mi nut e
fi l m, b ut more had oc c urred t han si mp l y more s creen t i me. In t he w ake of t he G i rl P ow er t akeover, Joss
Whed on’s ori g i nal vi si on, of t he t ri ump h of t he b ouncy b l ond e vi ct i m from s l ashed fi l ms “w ho w as al w ays g et t i ng
hersel f ki l l ed “ ( Whed on) , coul d exi s t as a real i t y.
( 12) T he Buffy of t el evi s i on w as a si g ni fi c ant l y s t rong er c haract er t han t he Buffy of t he s creen; as t he
fi rst t el evi si on amb ass ad or of G i rl P ow er’’s “T ake Bac k t he N i g ht ” - t yp e recl ai mi ng of horror, Buffy b ecame a far
d i fferent sl ayer t han her screen si st er. Wi t h t he l oss of t he fi l m’s p recog ni t i ve mens t rual c ramp s , Buffy w as no
l ong er vi ct i m t o her fat e b ut mas t er of i t , d et ermi ni ng d ang er w i t h keener t han averag e s ens es and fi g ht i ng
ski l l s. Buffy Summers i s a g i rl t i g ht l y i n cont rol of hersel f and her l i fe i n al l t he w ays t he p revi ous Buffy w as
not .
( 13) Buffy’s ap p rop ri at i on of horror as a femi ni st form i s so d ramat i c b ecause, d esp i t e s t ep s forw ard
mad e i n fi l ms such as Scream , vi ol enc e on t he p art of femal e charact ers i n horror fi l ms i s s t i l l accep t ed onl y i n
t erms of sel f - d efense. T he t yp i cal femal e horror movi e heroi ne— t he “l as t g i rl st and i ng ”— i s p ermi t t ed t o use
vi ol ence of any sort , b ecaus e she i s “[ p ] reyed up on, t orment ed , and t errori z ed , she i s p us hed t o t he l i mi t and
d ri ven t o fi g ht b y any means necessary” ( P i ned o 77) . T houg h “Buffy” exi s t s more i n t he vei n of t he g ot hi c and
sup ernat ural ( w here, from Mary Shel l ey t o Anne R i ce, t here has t rad i t i onal l y b een a p l ace for femal es, at l east as
creat or) rat her t han t he more recent “sp l at t er” g enre, Buffy i nvert s al l of sl ash ci nema’s c l i chés ab out femal e
vi ct i mi z at i on. Joss Whed on has sai d , ”[ T ] he i d ea of ‘Buffy’ came from, a b eaut i ful b l ond e g i rl w al ks i nt o an al l ey,
a monst er at t acks her, and not onl y i s she read y for hi m, she t rounc es hi m” ( Whed on) , and w i t hi n t he seri es’
fi rst ep i sod e, Buffy has d one j us t t hat , i n a seq uenc e mod el ed on cl assi c sl ash c i nema: Buffy runs d ow n a d ark
d ead - end al l ey l i ke a t housand p ret t y b l ond e g i rl s on cel l ul oi d b efore her, b ut s he i s t he fi rs t not onl y t o come
out al i ve, b ut w i t h her foot across her st al ker’s neck.
( 14) Buffy exi s t s as a show fi l l ed w i t h sexual i t y, b ot h l i t eral and met ap hori c al . T he d i c hot omy of young
w omen’s sexual i t y—t he soc i et al p ush t o b e a vi rg i nal “g ood g i rl ” yet s exual l y avai l ab l e and d esi rab l e—i s a t heme
rep eat ed l y ap p roached b y t he show , freq uent l y rep resent ed b y t he use of d oub l i ng , p art i cul arl y i n t he s how ’s
t hi rd season. In t hat season’s “Fai t h, H op e, and T ri c k” ( 3003) t he c haract er of Fai t h i s i nt rod uc ed , a fel l ow
vamp i re sl ayer w ho act s as Buffy’s raw i d , sed uces Sc oob y G ang memb er ( and l ong - t i me w annab e - p aramour)
X and er and op enl y ad mi t s t o ( and enj oys ) t he s exual nat ure of vamp i re s l ayi ng . C l ad i n b l ack l eat her and
t at t ooed , Fai t h p resent s Buffy’s d ark si d e, w hi ch she occas i onal l y t emp t s Buffy t o i nd ul g e ( “Bad G i rl s,” 2012) ,
and w i t h her ab sent ee p arent s and d ead Wat cher, Fai t h i s p erhap s a nod t o t he fi l m’s Buffy, a g l i mp se of w hat
real i t y may p resent for a g i rl i n t he fi l m’s ci rcumst anc es . “Dop p el g äng l and ” d eal s w i t h t he t heme of s exual
d oub l i ng even more exp l i ci t l y, w i t h t he re - i nt rod uc t i on of “evi l Wi l l ow ,” a sad o - masoc hi st i c ( s ee “T he Wi sh’s”
ext remel y sexual i z ed t ort ure of Ang el b y Wi l l ow ) s exp ot d oub l e of s hy Wi l l ow , s ug g est i ng a p ow erful s exual i t y
b ub b l i ng b eneat h Wi l l ow ’s b ooki sh ext eri or ( and p romp t i ng t he c l ass i c Wi l l ow remark , “ I’m s o evi l and skanky.
And I t hi nk I’m ki nd a g ay”) . T he t op i c of t he d ual l i ves of t eenag e g i rl s and t he c hoi ces t hey must make
reg ard i ng t hem i s d eal t w i t h i n si mp l er t erms i n t he s how ’s fi rst ep i s od e, “Wel c ome t o t he H el l mout h,” i n a
scene w here Buffy i s d ressi ng b efore her mi rror:
Buffy: ( hol d i ng up a t i g ht vi nyl d ress) H i , I’m an enormous sl ut .
( hol d i ng up a fl oral p at t erned d ress) H el l o, w oul d you l i ke a cop y of “T he Wat cht ow er” ?
Dod g i ng t he sexual i z ed b i t e of vamp i res , yet surrend eri ng her vi rg i ni t y t o one, “Buffy” d i s p l ays t he c omp l exi t i es
of d eci si ons t hat t eenag e g i rl s must make, t he t ang l ed t hreat of t hei r ow n sexual i t y t hey must l earn t o
neg ot i at e. N ot c ont ent t o b e “g ood ” or “b ad ” g i rl s, t he w omen of “Buffy” show t eenag ed s exual i t y t o b e t he
comp l ex, somet i mes st rong , somet i mes confused t hi ng i t i s , and i t i s t he frankest d eal i ng w i t h s uch ever on
t el evi si on.
( 15) Buffy’s i ncreas ed i nd ep end enc e i s al so show c ased i n her d eal i ng s w i t h her Wat cher; t el evi s i on Buffy
b eg i ns w here t he ci nemat i c Buffy l eft off, st art i ng t he seri es w i t h a c hi p on her s houl d er ab out her d est i ny, b ut
fai t h and t rust i n her Wat cher, yet over t i me d efyi ng hi m and event ual l y b ecomi ng aut onomous . T houg h t he
t el evi si on ad d i t i on of a “Wat cher’s C ounci l ” neut ers her Wat cher t o s ome ext ent , t he c reat i on of a more fal l i b l e
Wat cher faci l i t at es a more emp ow ered Buffy. Whi l e t he fi l m’s Sl ayer i s forc ed i nt o s ud d en and aw kw ard aut onomy
b y t he d eat h of her Wat cher ( a d eat h p art i al l y at t ri b ut ab l e t o her l ac k of w i l l p ow er) , t el evi s i on Buffy t akes her
i nd ep end ence s l ow l y, event ual l y reachi ng t he p oi nt w here sl ayi ng c an b e navi g at ed w i t h t he ai d of a Wat cher as
i nd ep end ence s l ow l y, event ual l y reachi ng t he p oi nt w here sl ayi ng c an b e navi g at ed w i t h t he ai d of a Wat cher as
a p eer, not an aut hori t y fi g ure. ( Buffy i s a show w i t h an ant i - aut hori t ari an st reak a mi l e w i d e: al l p osi t i ve
aut hori t y fi g ures — P ri nc i p al Fl ut i e, G i l es , P ri nci p al Snyd er, P rof. Mag g i e Wal s h— must event ual l y b e ki l l ed ,
d et hroned , reveal ed as evi l , or some comb i nat i on of t he ab ove.)
( 16) Buffy’s i nd ep end ence and st reng t h as b ot h a w oman and a s l ayer i s al so emp hasi z ed b y t he
t el evi si on show ’s l ack of a mal e eq ual . T he fi l m p ort rayed Buffy’s mort al l ove i nt erest , P i ke, as nearl y as ad ep t
as she at vamp i re sl ayi ng , w hi l e t he seri es ’ Buffy c an fi nd her mat ch onl y i n a 200 - year - ol d vamp i re, Ang el , and
l at er, i n a p arami l i t ary sol d i er. Furt heri ng t he concep t of Buffy’s si ng ul ari t y of st reng t h i s t he p resenc e of her
effet el y Bri t i sh Wat cher, G i l es , and sarcast i c and unmacho Sc oob y G ang memb ers X and er and O z as t he maj or
mort al mal e p resence for t he fi rst several seasons. Buffy’s s t reng t h i s unp aral l el ed and i nvert s t he g end er
st ereot yp i ng i nherent i n a sup er - heroi cs si t uat i on. Seas on T w o’s “H al l ow een” rai sed t he q ues t i on of g end er rol es
on Buffy b y d ressi ng several maj or charact ers i n hyp er g end er - s t ereot yp e c ost umes , and t hen havi ng t hem eac h
t ake on t he p ersona emb od i ed b y t hat cost ume ( Buffy b ec omes a hel p l es s Bri t i sh ari st ocrat and X and er a sol d i er,
w hi l e Wi l l ow , aft er p ut t i ng a sheet over her reveal i ng H al l ow een c ost ume, end s up emb od yi ng t he “R evi vi ng
O p hel i a” - era t eenag e g i rl st ereot yp e: a scant i l y cl ad i nvi si b l e w oman) , sug g est i ng t hat g end er i s s i mp l y a
cost ume, a “d rag ” w e d on for ap p roval .
( 17) P art i cul arl y aft er t he i nt rod uc t i on of Fai t h, Buffy reveal s her d ark si d e more oft en t han any sup er
heroi ne ( Wond erw oman ? Bat G i rl ? ) b efore her Buffy at t emp t s murd er for l ove and reveng e, Buffy has sex, Buffy
d ri nks t oo much and g et s si ck; she d oes t hese “b ad ” t hi ng s not w i t hout c ons eq uence ( hang overs, d e - evol ut i on,
l oss of soul s) b ut w i t hout t he und ue shame and p uni shment of an aft er - s chool sp eci al . Fi g ht i ng s ki l l s and
mag i cal know l ed g e asi d e, Buffy i s mos t remarkab l e for s i mp l y b ei ng t he fi rst w el l - round ed , real i st i c p ort rai t of
t he l i fe of a young w oman on t el evi si on. Si nc e t he ri s e of G i rl P ow er, t el evi s i on Buffy c an b e s omet hi ng t he earl y
ni net i es sl ayer never coul d b e: a real t eenag e g i rl .
( 18) Buffy st and s out i n soc i al cont rast t o her fi l m c ount erp art ; t houg h fl as hb ac ks have s how n Buffy
l ead i ng a l i fe of cheerl ead i ng and p op ul ari t y si mi l ar t o her p red ecessor, her s t reng t h has b een i n her evol ut i on
i nt o an everyw oman, her j ourney from a vap i d p om - p om g i rl i nt o sel f - p os sessed s avi or of t he human race,
hi nt i ng t hat t here w as more g oi ng on b ehi nd t he ci nemat i c Buffy’s cot t on - cand y façad e. T he c hang es Buffy has
faced , from fi l m t o t el evi si on, and even w i t hi n t he run of t he seri es , show an i d ent i fi ab l e evol ut i on i n t he
d ep i ct i on of young w omen i n t hat era. Id eal femal es of t hei r t i mes, fi l m Buffy’s t rans format i on i nt o T V Buffy, her
evol ut i on from cari cat ure t o ful l b ei ng exemp l i fi es t he chang es t hat have occurred i n t he rei g n of G i rl P ow er.
( 19) Buffy t he t el evi si on seri es d i ffers from t he fi l m i mp ort ant l y i n t hat i t w as t he t rai l b l az er of i t s
p art i cul ar med i a ( G i rl P ow er horror and t een t el evi s i on) i nst ead of comi ng l at e t o t he t een t rend p art y l i ke Buffy
t he fi l m. T he chang e i n med i um creat es a w i d er sp here of i nfl uenc e i n a more effec t i ve med i um for c onveyi ng a
mass messag e. Whi l e Buffy has creat ed t he t emp l at e for t oug h t el evi si on heroi nes, few have fol l ow ed i n i t s
foot st ep s q ui t e s o b ol d l y; ot her show s of t he t een t el evi si on renai ss ance, many on Buffy’s WB N et w ork, d eal w i t h
t he i ssues of l i fe as a t eenag e femal e, b ut i n a more t rad i t i onal c omi c w ay ( Fel i ci t y , P op ul ar ) or as a s i d e - not e
t o t he ang st of mal e t eens ( Daw s on’s C reek , R osw el l ) . Buffy st i l l s t and s rel at i vel y al one.
( 20) E ach Buffy has b een emb l emat i c of her era; ci nemat i c “Buffy’ of t he Val l ey g i rl ei g ht i es, t el evi s i on
“Buffy” of t he G i rl P ow er ni net i es. T he p remi se of b ot h Buffy s— of havi ng t he w ei g ht of t he w orl d on your
shoul d ers and havi ng t o fi g ht j us t t o remai n t rue t o yours el f— i s a st ory of g row i ng up femal e, a s t ory g eneral l y
consi d ered not w ort h t el l i ng b efore t he ad vent of G i rl P ow er. T el evi s i on Buffy g et s t o g row up i n a w ay c i nemat i c
Buffy never d i d . A l ong j ourney from t he G al l eri a, G i rl P ow er has b roug ht Buffy t o a p l ace w here t he fat e of
humani t y l yi ng i n t he hand s of a t eenag e g i rl c an b e more a one - not e j oke.
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