20 years ago, there appeared on our TV screens a chosen one. She alone stood against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And she saved the world. A lot.
Joss Whedon’s masterpiece might have ended back in 2003 (now you feel old), but its ardent fanbase has only grown over time, with new viewers falling for the show in the decade and a half since. It’s not everyday that a TV series defied genre (it’s a horror-comedy/teenage drama with bits of superhero fiction thrown in there, too) expectations (the musical episode! the silent episode!) and broke down barriers with its focus on female empowerment and groundbreaking inclusion of gay relationships. Not to mention its huge legacy, as many popular TV shows of today are either helmed by Buffy writers or inspired by Whedon’s work (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Doctor Who, Supergirl, Grimm, Supernatural, etc.).
So, in honour of the Slayer’s 20th anniversary, let’s take a trip back to the Hellmouth and look at the 10 finest episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.