Back in 2018, Joss Whedon, along with Monica Owusu-Breen, was doing the thing we all dreamed of: bringing back Buffy the Vampire Slayer. At the time my feelings were mixed at best. Specifically, I had doubts about Joss Whedon being in charge.
By the late 2010's, stories had long been circulating about Whedon's alleged inappropriate behavior towards women on set. By 2022, four years after the initial Buffy reboot announcement, a Vulture expose on Whedon's behavior removed all doubt. Women came forward. Stories of Whedon's questionable-at-best behavior were brought to light. And after decades of him getting away with it, Joss Whedon's career fizzled. The man hasn't had a credit since The Nevers in 2021.
No Joss Whedon, no Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A questionable idea staked kind of right on time.
But that was then, this is now. And for the second time in a decade, Buffy The Vampire Slayer is coming back. Maybe. More importantly, for the first time ever the reason for the reboot isn't comic books, audio dramas, or disgraced showrunners -- it's Buffy herself. Sarah Michelle Gellar, despite whatever complicated feelings she's had about Buffy, both the show and her connection with the legacy of the character, is the one leading the charge this time.
No Joss Whedon, yes Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A good idea long passed due.
In addition to Gellar, the new Hulu (as of now) pilot will also involve Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao in the director's chair and feature writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman handling scripting. If you've seen the Natasha Lyonne series Poker Face, you know Nora and Lilla Zuckerman are a good fit for a 2020's Buffy.
But this is dime store stuff. You can get these facts anywhere. As Angel said in his show's 100th episode: they sell that crap at the airport. The real questions aren't about cast members returning, it's not about debates over who Buffy's truest true is, and it's certainly not over what's "canon".
No, the real question is: will Buffyfest return? Will the original three members who made Buffyfest one of the most read Buffy fansites (there weren't that many) of the mid 2000s reunite once more?
I dunno. Maybe!
The state of entertainment journalism has changed a lot over the years. Buffyfest wasn't birthed because any of us thought this was a career path. It was something we did for fun and to stay in touch. It connected us with other fans.
In the intervening years, there was money to be made covering nerdy news. I did it successfully for over a decade. But, and you'll forgive the crotchety of the following: entertainment news is kind of a grift these days. It's a lot of rumor mongering, ad copy, and SEO slop crafted unlovingly by A.I.
In other words, the only real reason to do it these days is for the love of the game. Over two decades ago, we loved Buffy and one another enough to make Buffyfest the first time. The question I find myself asking is: if Buffy the Vampire Slayer really does return, should we get the band back together?
I'm just one of three, so I can't tell you what happens next. I don't even know if this reboot will actually take. Lord knows the last attempt didn't. The state of streaming is a mess so who knows how Hulu will be doing in the next couple years.
When asked about the odds on this whole thing going down, Spike himself, James Marsters, had the good sense to say "I don't know and I'm not going to talk about it until there's something to say". That's not superstitious actor talk -- it's just good sense. Sarah Michelle Gellar showing interest is a big deal, but it's not a guarantee.
That being said, am I tentatively putting my hand in and seeing what happens? Yeah. I am.
If Sarah Michelle Gellar can say yes after all this time, why not Buffyfest, too? Because I lied: of course I want to talk about the canon and the shipping and oh god they're going to have to say Xander died offscreen, right? It's just that it would be a lot more fun to do it like we used to: together.
