Skip to main content

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer": Things You May Not Know About Everyone's Favorite Slayer

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was an iconic series which had a huge influence on television as well as on society. What really made the show stand out was that while it had themes of the supernatural and even science-fiction, "Buffy" was at its heart a show about life. The name "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" sounded like a cheesy B-movie, but in reality it was one of the most intelligent and thought-provoking shows on the air. In fact "Buffy" was so innovative and philosophical that it has been studied in classrooms the same as any classic literature. However, the series didn't begin the way we came to know it. From the small beginning to the lasting impact, there are some interesting things you might not know about "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Sarah Michelle Geller almost wasn't Buffy

That's right, Sarah Michelle Gellar's Iconic portrayal of Buffy Summers almost didn't happen. Gellar auditioned and read for different parts where she was told that she would be better for Cordelia Chase (a role later filled by Charisma Carpenter). As the casting search went on with no Buffy, Joss Whedon noticed that Gellar had something special that would make her the perfect choice for his slayer.

Alyson Hannigan almost wasn't Willow

Originally Hannigan was not cast in the pilot. The original Willow was much different as played by the largely unknown actress "Riff Regan." When the "WB Network" picked the series up they replaced the over-weight and clumsy Willow with the petite and lovably awkward Willow we came to know as played by Alyson Hannigan.

More Alternate casting

If Sarah Michelle Gellar hadn't become the famed Slayer, who might have gotten the role? Actresses considered included Selma Blair and Katie Holmes. Ryan Reynolds was offered the role of Xander and Danny Strong (Jonathan) originally auditioned for the same role.

The original Pilot was never aired, and Joss Whedon likes it that way.

There was a different pilot filmed before the polished network version we have all seen. There were familiar faces like Cordelia, Xander, Darla, and Jonathan, but there was no Angel and no Alyson Hannigan. More importantly, the un-aired episode was not very good. In fact, series creator Whedon stated that the original pilot would never make it onto DVD as long as "there is strength in these bones."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the subject of academic study

The series had an influence beyond popular culture that even lead to college studies of its themes and sociological importance.

Sources:

Buffy Bites - Casting Buffy

IMDB Trivia

Unaired Pilot

Buffy Studies

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Increase Strength: The Best Exercises

Strength training is important for athletes of all kinds and anyone interested in fitness and overall health. It's important to know what exercises are best for your fitness goals. Some workouts are best for burning calories others for building muscle and some are designed for adding strength and endurance. Here are some of the best exercises to increase strength. Increase Arm Strength Twenty-Ones for stronger biceps: One of the best bicep workouts, twenty-ones push your arms to their limits. Begin with dumbbells that are a challenging weight but not too heavy (you're going to have to do 21 reps.) First perform a standard curl, but stop half way and hold for a second. Lower and repeat for 7 reps. On the last rep, hold at the halfway point and then do 7 reps the rest of the way up toward your shoulders. Don't let the weights drop below the halfway point. You are doing half reps at the bottom and then the top. Next bring the weights a...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is Shinto? An Overview of Ancient Japanese Mythology Spiritualism, Mysticism, and the Kami

Shinto began in ancient times as a shamanistic practice of nature worship much like the early druids. As outside cultural and spiritual influences came to Japan, what started as a loosely formed nature cult grew into a religion that has acquired many followers and greatly impacted world culture. Shintoism is a religion that is strongly connected to teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Shinto belief borrows much from the teachings of these sister religions, but still it remains unique in its structure. Without great study of Shintoism, one could easily see the influence from Buddhist and Toaist temples by looking at a Shinto shrine. In Japan it is common to see statues of Koma-inu placed outside of Shinto shrines. Koma-inu are guardians against evil that strongly resemble the Chinese guardian lions found outside Buddhist temples. To further show the importance of Chinese Taoism in the inspiration for Shinto beliefs, the word Shinto adopts the Chinese word Tao which translate...
Post a Comment
Read more

Top Ten Best Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Segments

Halloween is coming up, and to get in the spirit of the season, I've compiled this list. Consider it assigned viewing. These are the ten best segments from The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials. 10. "Married To The Blob" (Treehouse of horror XVII) "The blob" is one of the all time great monster movies, and the Simpsons parody is definitely one of the best offerings of the show's last several years. Alien goop transforms Homer into a giant Springfield destroying blob creature that eats everything including Doctor Phil in a quick cameo. 9. "Send in the Clones" (treehouse of horror XIII) It's like "duplicity" except entertaining. One Homer is funny. A herd of Homer clones reeking havoc is undeniably awesome and classic. 8. "Hex and the City" (Treehouse of horror XII) This one is very underrated. Homer angers a fortune teller and falls victim to a gypsy curse. The story isn't as great ...
Post a Comment
Read more