It was 10 years ago today...

[orangerful]

'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' premiered on the WB (in the US) 10 years ago today.

As usual, I missed it.

Yes, the show that I obsess about, drool over, fangirl at innocent passers-by about - I didn't start watching until the summer of season 4. *hangs head in shame*

But I figured this was a time for memories - so I ask you, what was the first episode of 'Buffy' you ever saw? And what made you sit down and watch a show with such a silly title?



So, maybemanda and I were up in Boston visiting beckanon. beckanon and I had both once been die-hard X Files fans, but she had gotten wise earlier than me and given up on the show. I had held out, hoping it would all make sense, but once again my hopes had been crushed by a season of Butt-Genies and Mulderless-ness. beckanon had just gotten into Buffy. I was hesitant, since I had been very anti-teen angst shows and had no idea what it was really about.

So beckanon dragged out a video of 'Hush'. Even though the backstories to all these characters were unfamiliar to me, I still loved the episode. It was funny, scary, clever, smart, and the chicks kicked ass. The next night, she managed to borrow the video set from a friend of the entire season 2 Angel/Angelus arc. The boxed set came with just the Angelus/Buffy-centric episodes, including the season finale.

And that did it. Having only spent a few hours with Buffy and her friends, I was ready to cry for her. I was in love with the show, the writing - everything. For my birthday that following year, another friend got me season 1 on DVD. After that, season 5 started up right about the same time FX starting marathoning episodes.

And now I'm some crazy fangirl blogging about how much she loves Buffy while she sits at her desk surrounded by academic books discussing Buffy and also lots and lots of action figures. And not only that, I'm surrounded by friends, both in the flesh and in the internetz, that have the same respect and love for these shows and the things they stand for.

THANK YOU beckanon!!! I'm so happy you sat me down and made me watch. After spending so many years wanting to believe with X Files, only Buffy had the power and strength to turn me into a believer.

Comments

[ladynaberrie.livejournal.com]

I didn't really get into it until about the end of season 2. Nothing was ever the same again.

[impalalove]

First episode of Buffy was 'Chosen' I believe, and it was so intensive for me, and such a 'girl-power' show, that I became addicted, as you say, to the show...

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

whoa, starting with 'Chosen'? That had to be something! Especially when you started watching from the beginning and were missing half the characters from the one episode you'd seen! haha.

[impalalove]

Yeah, scary, no? I got addicted though re-runs, so I never saw the episodes in the proper order. And in the later seasons, I had finally tracked down what time it was on in order to see it. I had gotten the gist of what happened, so I know what you mean..

I need the box set. Badly.

[faeriesfolly.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm...I think I was a very beginning girl.

I loved the movie, so when it was going to be a show I was like...'Really??? AWESOME. Sign me up.'

Then I was initially a bit put-out that it was so different from the movie, but it quickly won me over. I used to even make fun of Angel when he was just popping up randomly with advice. lol. I was like, "Who the heck is this dude? He's good looking...but...he could maybe do a little more to help a sister out than saying...'hey some bad stuff might happen.'" haha.

Angel sucked me in when it premiered, but then quickly lost me again....until Fred showed up. Then I would watch if she was in an episode for more than two seconds.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

see, I had seen the movie but not really liked it, except for Paul Reubens dying a lot haha.

I love Fred. But I also love 'Angel' - season 1 was very 'monster of the week', but the other seasons were much stronger. Plus, Fred! Amy Acker needs to be in more TV!!

[demonqueen666.livejournal.com]

I didn't get into "Buffy" when it was first on because, frankly, I was still too young (Ten years today? I would have been nine).
But my cousins watched it, and when they came over for Christmas they'd watch it in the back room at Grandma's and I'd sit with them and try to understand. Finally, about the time season 4 or 5 was wrapping up, I was intrigued enough by things I had heard that I started watching it for myself (I was very confused in those early days, until they started showing old episodes during the week on FX and I caught up hella fast).

So what's the first episode I ever watched all the way through? Of all things, the dream episode. The one where the First Slayer tries to kill them in their sleep. To me, it shows you just how amazing that episode was...I had no idea who these people were and yet I was captivated by their internal psychology. And just the great weirdness of it all.

"I wear the cheese. It does not wear me."

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

'Restless' is probably in my top ten episodes. It's one of the first few I saw since I began watching the summer reruns of season 4. It was such a different kind of episode that i knew this show was for me. :) I mean, weirdness and cheese? Who could stay away??

[blu-harvest.livejournal.com]

I started watching with the first episode. I liked it, but it really "hook me" as it were. Until Season Two. Then I fell in love. I drifted back and forth for a while but it was still in my " stay home from a fun night out to watch TV" category. BTW, thank god for Tivo! My VCR never did work right.