Buffy the Vampire Slayer how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Since the first writer put chisel to tablet it has been pondered and debated just what draws an audience. Three little words can answer that age old question. Layers, Layers, Layers. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a perfect example of a quality television show that along with wonderful acting, has sucked and addicted it’s audience with the writing and subtext.

Aside from the window dressing of who is hot and who is kicking butt in a particular episode, there is layered a wonderfully crafted story, a history and subtext of various themes.

An audience in order to become addicted has to be able to connect with the show on different levels. An audience must respond to a show from their own experiences and backgrounds in order to make this connection. In Buffy, the writers have woven a deep and rich fabric for many types of viewers. They have been able to reach out and grab across age cultural and sexual differences to hook a devoted following. What makes Buffy so successful?

The writers have first found an attractive cast to hook the superficial viewers. Secondly, they also have chosen universal themes such as alienation loyalty, belonging acceptance friendship good verses evil and love as many of their main arcs. Thirdly they have taken these themes common and woven an intricate lace of entertainment for all ages. It reaches and audience who is experiencing and has experienced these same life moments. This background knowledge, makes us, a united blanket of fringers say, “I get it and you get it and I am not alone” . It is within this fabric that Joss Whedon et al. has found his collective audience. He has crossed the blood, click, socioeconomic barrier. You reach the geeks, the brains, the jock with a secret (Hello Larry! We see you! We accept you. We accept you. One of us. One of us. Gabba Gabba Hey. ) the intelligent, the loner, and the quiet shy dude with the wit that would melt the best freeze ray. I get the joke, have saddled the pain and made it through the tunnel. I lived it and I can be sympathetic and empathetic.

The writers of Buffy take the subtext themes, background history and fill in the blanks with entertainment. They make us believe that moving forward in this morass that is life is worth while. If Buffy can make it through the hellmouth, we can survive the mundane. What could be worse than being an orphan with the weight of the world on your shoulders? Hello! Am I the only recovering catholic that see the parallels with that one? Savior people savior Superman, Captain America, The Green Hornet, Jesus, Aquaman, Batman or you pick. Weight of the world on your shoulders ????
I cannot fully grasp the the responsibilities of Buffy but I can fully sympathize with the struggles. It is these struggles, the love and the loves lost and the longing that draw us in. It is the connection of the audience and the wanting of more, the needing of more; the demanding of more that the Mutant Enemy group has made us want and need for our futures of viewerships.

I find myself, this 40 year old something (Mother, Wife and productive member of society, thinking what am I doing watching this show about young disenfranchised adults with their struggles in the Hellmouth? I find, I answer this show speaks to me. It finds me. My insecurities, past and present and makes me part of the joke and the “in crowd”. I am no longer the geek the outsider and the freak ! I am the one they are talking about. I am you Joss. I was you Joss. The honor society student, the one who struggled with being excepted, the one who was a bit too blunt for her own good. The freak. FREAKS! Unite! Love the Clem! Love the creature that is unholy! The vamp with a soul. Accept and Love. Love without fear. Love! We will survive. We are here and we are the damn CEO’s!

Your entertainment awaits just remember as Joss says “BYOS”. (bring your own subtext).