It certainly felt inevitable—Buffy the Vampire Slayer, one of the most influential fantasy/horror shows ever, will return in newly rebooted form on Hulu. And yes, Sarah Michelle Gellar will return holding her wooden stake as the Chosen One, Buffy Summers, although not as the lead character. But bringing back an iconic show is always tricky. For every Star Trek: The Next Generation, there’s a Charlie’s Angels. And when it comes to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we have some big questions about what we expect to see when the iconic show returns after over two decades off the air.
Which Other Original Buffy Cast and Crew Members Will Return?
Sarah Michelle Gellar is officially returning as Buffy Summers, but every true Buffy fan knows that the show’s strength was its ensemble cast. What was Buffy without Willow, Giles, Xander, Anya, and the rest? Not to mention, Buffy’s immortal lovers, Angel and Spike? (I won’t mention Riley Finn, so as to not stir up the Buffy fanbase.) It seems if Buffy herself is coming back, at least some of the main cast has to return. And what about the creative team? Yes, Joss Whedon will certainly not be back, (and we’ll get to all that). But what about Marti Noxon, Douglas Petrie, David Fury, and so many other writers who helped make Buffy great? Will they ask them to return as well? This is perhaps the biggest question of them all regarding this new reboot.
The original Buffy the Vampire Slayer had a very clear “mission statement,” for lack of a better word. Essentially, the show’s central metaphor was “Growing Up is Hell,” with all the pain of adolescence amplified through the lens of horror. But Buffy Summers is now a woman in her mid-40s. (Her canonical birthdate is January 21, 1981.)
Will the show’s new mission statement be about women still being allowed to kick ass past the “expiration date” of 40, despite what a patriarchal society says? Will it be about middle-aged women helping guide the younger generation of girls into fighting the good fight? The new show is focusing on a younger protagonist, so we imagine that’s where it’s going. But we’re not 100% sure. What Buffy’s metaphor as a show is as important as just about anything else.
Will Buffy the Vampire Slayer Return to Sunnydale?
All of the action of Buffy the Vampire Slayer occurred in Sunnydale, the seemingly idyllic California town that they built over the Hellmouth, the literal portal to Hell itself. In the series finale, “Chosen,” Buffy and her newly formed army of Slayers defeat the First Evil, collapsing the whole town in on the Hellmouth. But that was back in 2003. By the time the Buffy reboot happens, greedy developers could have rebuilt the town in the interceding 25 or so years. Will Buffy have to come home to face her demons, literal and metaphorical? Or will the action take place elsewhere this time? You never know, we might see that “Welcome to Sunnydale” sign once again.
Will the Buffy Seasons 8-12 Comics Remain Canon?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended its TV run in 2003, but five years later, Buffy and her crew returned in canonical stories for Dark Horse Comics. For several years, Buffy’s storylines officially continued in comic book form, labeled as “Season 8.” The last “season” was season 12. Series creator Joss Whedon wrote many of these stories, joined by other writers like Christos Gage, and former TV series scribes like Steve DeKnight. Many big developments took place in Buffy’s life during these years, and technically, all were canonical.
But will they remain canon? The new creative team might want to throw out anything that isn’t just the TV shows at this point. After all, that’s what Lucasfilm did to the old Expanded Universe of books and comics when Disney bought the Star Wars IP. Now that Disney owns Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel too, we are likely to see the same approach. But it’s not impossible some things from the comics might factor in. We really wouldn’t hate seeing Buffy Summers lead an army of slayers in the fight against the undead. That concept at least should remain in canon.
Does Buffy 2.0 Mean the Original Will Get an HD Upgrade at Last?
The original Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the most iconic shows of the past several decades, inspiring a horde of imitators and homages. But what it doesn’t have is a proper high-definition remaster. The only versions available to watch are low-quality, standard-definition versions which are currently running on Hulu and elsewhere. A high-def remaster of sorts was done about ten years ago, but it was done in a terrible, haphazard fashion that was disavowed by all the original creators. It has since all but vanished from existence. With a high-profile Buffy reboot coming, does that mean we fans can finally get a proper HD remaster of the classic show to go with it? It’s been a long time coming.
Can the Buffy Reboot Avoid Feeling Like Licensed Fan Fiction?
Look, we don’t think Joss Whedon should return for the new Buffy series. We’re not suggesting that. So many accusations of workplace misconduct have been levied against him by way too many in his employ, particularly the actors. However, he was the creator of Buffy, and its top creative voice. He wrote almost all the best episodes, and the show was literally him working out his personal demons through a horror/comedy lens. To say Buffy was his baby is kind of underselling it.
But this begs the question; will the newly rebooted show try to mimic his voice? And if so, will it feel like officially licensed fan fiction as a result? Clearly, the names attached to this reboot are talented (hey, one even won an Oscar!). And they all probably grew up as big fans of the original series. But J.J. Abrams and Jon Favreau grew up as Star Wars fans, and some perceive all non-George Lucas Star Wars as a copy of someone else’s homework. Can this show avoid this controversy with new creatives at the helm? We’ll find out when the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer series eventually premieres.