It was with utter shock that I realised that it's been 25 years since Buffy the Vampire Slayer exploded onto the small screen...Does this mean I'm old???
(I had to stick my CD insert under a book for a few hours so I could take the photo, as it had been handled so much it was wonky - oops)
Seriously, though, I think I listened to this album on replay for a least a year. Even now, it has an astoundingly eclectic mix that (dare I say it) even non Buffy fans would be pleased with what they heard.
Anyway...I digress. The music is just one, small part of the phenomenon that is the BuffyVerse. In the time before Netflix and chill, there were times when groups would gather together at pre-arranged times to watch episodes of Buffy, and we did this. Every. Single. Week.
Why? Because she's The Slayer. She saved the world. A lot.
In the late 1990's Buffy was the antidote to the stereotypical hero. In fact, she looked just like the victim in so many horror movies. But looks are deceiving, and like all women, Buffy turned this trope on it's head.
Not only was she a kick-ass super hero, she had a life, angst from her parents, plus the trials and tribulations that can only be experienced in school. We could relate.
Thing is, Buffy balanced all of the stresses we were going through, and slayed demons as well. I cannot even imagine. It gave you hope that if she could do it, we could too.
And yes, mistakes were made, people were hurt (Evil Willow?) and towns destroyed, but she - and her Scooby Gang - always saved the day.
Having not seen the series for the longest time (and no, sorry, I'm not even going there with the movie...sorry no) I dug back into it during lockdown, and it still stands up. The themes are still ones we struggle with today, as are the lessons we learnt alongside them all.
So my advice? If you haven't seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer in a while, dive back into it, reimmerse yourself, and celebrate it all. Trust me, it still stands up.
And if you've never seen it? Well, what are you waiting for???
Annabelle 😊