Ok, I wasn’t the demographic it was aimed at, but I’ll admit, I loved it. It had snappy dialogue, charismatic leads, good plotting (generally), Anthony Head and Angel. What more could a woman (or over-grown school-girl at least) ask.
Yes! One can enjoy a show without worrying about whether or not it is “feminist”. If it entertains me, I don’t care.
David Morley
2 years ago
But if Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a feminist hero, she was also, undeniably, a male fantasy: the ass-kicking action hero men wanted to be, dressed up as the feminine archetype they wanted to be with.
Another stunning insight into male psychology lol.
Frivolous drivel of an essay. Especially it’s absurd conclusion that because Joss Whedon is a lech his work is tarnished. This essay is the embodiment of pseudo-insight of a killjoy midwit pretending to be intelligent.
Oh dear – Unherd gets worse. Someone is seriously taking their eye off the ball letting stuff of this low quality get through.
My guess is that the main movers are getting bored and have their eyes on other projects.
A “feminist” or a male fantasy? What’s the difference?
Since the end of the “Second Wave” feminism has been all about catering to male fantasies.
Does anyone honestly believe that Buffy would have survived as a franchise had she been a lesbian played by Queen Latifa? Now THAT would have been subversive!
When it comes to Girl Power, it’s all about the T & A.
Hugh Hefner was celebrated as a “feminist” for decades, despite being besties with Roman Polansky and Bill Cosby. And it turns out – oh shock! – that the Playboy mansion was a Barbie’s Dreamhouse for predators.
Girl Power!!!!
But hey, at least Hef didn’t s**t shame the Bunnies. He and his rich friends just drugged and raped and exploited them and stuff.
My feminism will include sexual exploitation or it will be trash!
For women on both sides of the political aisle it’s all about male fantasies.
Conservative women must cater to male fantasies in the kitchen, and “progressive” women must cater to male fantasies in the bedroom – as many bedrooms as possible if she’s a really “cool girl” (no kink-shaming, prudery, or pubes allowed).
There hasn’t been a genuine feminist movement since the 1980’s, which is why women in the USA are on the brink of losing their reproductive rights. But hey, at least we now say “pregnant people” instead of “pregnant women.”
Sorry Jeff – the cool girl will be having your baby.
Mark Knight
2 years ago
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” it made me laugh in 1992, and it makes me laugh now! The rest is entertainment and hot air, I am still laughing.
David Morley
2 years ago
subversive as hell
and yet simultaneously popular. A paradox? At the time I remember it as seeming mildly, comically, subversive, with a cultic sex appeal for a certain type of male. That aside, the appeal was the contrast of occult action going on beneath the banal surface of teen drama.
There is nothing subversive about a violent hot blonde who loves having sex with men. It’s an old male fantasy that Whedon exploited.
Graeme Archer
2 years ago
“It’s important to understand just how shocking this was for the era” It’s not in the slightest bit important. And it wasn’t shocking.
Zac Chave-Cox
2 years ago
This article feels like it’s going somewhere and then just… stops.
Aidan Trimble
2 years ago
To be honest, I enjoyed reading this article more than I did the comments about how the West is to blame for Putin invading Ukraine and how Zelensky should just capitulate. THAT really was vacuous.
Ian Moore
2 years ago
“Not only did Buffy sleep with Angel — her brooding, emo vampire boyfriend — in the second season of the show, but she kept on slaying after the act of love caused him to callously dump her, and go on a killing spree.”
Maybe I have a false memory here, but wasn’t the plot twist in their relationship that they couldn’t be together because when they were it sent him over to the dark side?
Anyway, why is Friends now unacceptable? I avoid that kind of news so had no idea it was excommunicated.
Sam McGowan
2 years ago
It was a good series but without Joss Whedon, it would have never happened.
Ok, I wasn’t the demographic it was aimed at, but I’ll admit, I loved it. It had snappy dialogue, charismatic leads, good plotting (generally), Anthony Head and Angel. What more could a woman (or over-grown school-girl at least) ask.
Yes! One can enjoy a show without worrying about whether or not it is “feminist”. If it entertains me, I don’t care.
Another stunning insight into male psychology lol.
You read and commented on the article, so you obviously found the subject interesting.
Not necessarily
Frivolous drivel of an essay. Especially it’s absurd conclusion that because Joss Whedon is a lech his work is tarnished. This essay is the embodiment of pseudo-insight of a killjoy midwit pretending to be intelligent.
Yaaaaaaawwwwwnnnnn…….
Oh dear – Unherd gets worse. Someone is seriously taking their eye off the ball letting stuff of this low quality get through.
My guess is that the main movers are getting bored and have their eyes on other projects.
Time to cancel my subscription
A “feminist” or a male fantasy? What’s the difference?
Since the end of the “Second Wave” feminism has been all about catering to male fantasies.
Does anyone honestly believe that Buffy would have survived as a franchise had she been a lesbian played by Queen Latifa? Now THAT would have been subversive!
When it comes to Girl Power, it’s all about the T & A.
Hugh Hefner was celebrated as a “feminist” for decades, despite being besties with Roman Polansky and Bill Cosby. And it turns out – oh shock! – that the Playboy mansion was a Barbie’s Dreamhouse for predators.
Girl Power!!!!
But hey, at least Hef didn’t s**t shame the Bunnies. He and his rich friends just drugged and raped and exploited them and stuff.
My feminism will include sexual exploitation or it will be trash!
For women on both sides of the political aisle it’s all about male fantasies.
Conservative women must cater to male fantasies in the kitchen, and “progressive” women must cater to male fantasies in the bedroom – as many bedrooms as possible if she’s a really “cool girl” (no kink-shaming, prudery, or pubes allowed).
There hasn’t been a genuine feminist movement since the 1980’s, which is why women in the USA are on the brink of losing their reproductive rights. But hey, at least we now say “pregnant people” instead of “pregnant women.”
Sorry Jeff – the cool girl will be having your baby.
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” it made me laugh in 1992, and it makes me laugh now! The rest is entertainment and hot air, I am still laughing.
and yet simultaneously popular. A paradox?
At the time I remember it as seeming mildly, comically, subversive, with a cultic sex appeal for a certain type of male.
That aside, the appeal was the contrast of occult action going on beneath the banal surface of teen drama.
There is nothing subversive about a violent hot blonde who loves having sex with men. It’s an old male fantasy that Whedon exploited.
“It’s important to understand just how shocking this was for the era”
It’s not in the slightest bit important. And it wasn’t shocking.
This article feels like it’s going somewhere and then just… stops.
To be honest, I enjoyed reading this article more than I did the comments about how the West is to blame for Putin invading Ukraine and how Zelensky should just capitulate. THAT really was vacuous.
“Not only did Buffy sleep with Angel — her brooding, emo vampire boyfriend — in the second season of the show, but she kept on slaying after the act of love caused him to callously dump her, and go on a killing spree.”
Maybe I have a false memory here, but wasn’t the plot twist in their relationship that they couldn’t be together because when they were it sent him over to the dark side?
Anyway, why is Friends now unacceptable? I avoid that kind of news so had no idea it was excommunicated.
It was a good series but without Joss Whedon, it would have never happened.