A review by greatlibraryofalexandra
Seven Seasons of Buffy: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Discuss Their Favorite Television Show by Glenn Yeffeth
4.0
I very much enjoyed this. As a person who was a late Buffy fan (I started watching when I was 25) m, it was so interesting to read a collection that came out right after the finale. I’m someone who thinks Buffy is outstanding, from Season 1-7. I think The finale was one of the most outstanding finales to ever grace television, and I was perturbed to find that some viewed it as disappointing.
This sort of anthology is how I want to consume fandom. For the most part, even the essays that I disagrees with were absolutely excellent.
I rated this down to a 4/5 because there were three essays that I felt should have been eliminated entirely.
“The Search for Spike’s Balls” was so disgustingly sexist I was appalled. I was even more horrified that a woman wrote it. It was misogynistic, uninformed, and almost embarrassing. I wish it had been cut completely.
The essay on Ugliness in Buffy I also found to be somewhat useless and poorly argued. I will admit that it’s a little bit because I think Charlaine Harris is an atrocious writer so I set no store by her opinions. And the essay regarding Buffy potentially having a relationship with Wesley Price was a bit off the wall, too. It had the flavor of someone trying to be subversive by just grasping at straws blindly.
The true subversive choice here is that the “right” boyfriend for Buffy is that women don’t need boyfriends to thrive and be happy.
Oh - and the one about Willow/Wicca. Overall, that one seemed to have little to do with Buffy and a lot to do with someone just being an offended Wiccan.
Overall, I love love loved such a collection of thoughtful and nuanced pieces on what is now my favorite show. I particularly adored the final essay, which outlines all of my personal feelings re: Why Season 7 is the absolute perfect ending to Buffy, and why it is one of the single most incredible television shows every produced.
It would be really interesting to see a revisitation of these essays now.
This sort of anthology is how I want to consume fandom. For the most part, even the essays that I disagrees with were absolutely excellent.
I rated this down to a 4/5 because there were three essays that I felt should have been eliminated entirely.
“The Search for Spike’s Balls” was so disgustingly sexist I was appalled. I was even more horrified that a woman wrote it. It was misogynistic, uninformed, and almost embarrassing. I wish it had been cut completely.
The essay on Ugliness in Buffy I also found to be somewhat useless and poorly argued. I will admit that it’s a little bit because I think Charlaine Harris is an atrocious writer so I set no store by her opinions. And the essay regarding Buffy potentially having a relationship with Wesley Price was a bit off the wall, too. It had the flavor of someone trying to be subversive by just grasping at straws blindly.
The true subversive choice here is that the “right” boyfriend for Buffy is that women don’t need boyfriends to thrive and be happy.
Oh - and the one about Willow/Wicca. Overall, that one seemed to have little to do with Buffy and a lot to do with someone just being an offended Wiccan.
Overall, I love love loved such a collection of thoughtful and nuanced pieces on what is now my favorite show. I particularly adored the final essay, which outlines all of my personal feelings re: Why Season 7 is the absolute perfect ending to Buffy, and why it is one of the single most incredible television shows every produced.
It would be really interesting to see a revisitation of these essays now.