Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I remember watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer as it aired (beginning from its' first show) and thought the series was really good. The whole concept it self was creative and well executed, the series succeeded where the film (of the same name)failed. It was about a young girl (to be more specific the most popular girl in school complete with blond hair and blue eyes) who just so happened to be chosen by fate to become among a line of girls who slay vampires. Overlooking her is the watcher who guides and teaches her (who also works in her school). Then there were her friends, a small group who knew her secret and all who eventually ended up helping her slay vampires. This series was very good in terms of developing a strong female character from the steorotype of the 'dumb blond' to the strong in control independent women she becomes. It was also clever as most of the metaphors used were reflection of her personal problem or those of her friends that comes as one grows up (remember she is in high school when she begins to slay vampires). It managed to be a soap opera without becoming chessy as it combined that with supernatural elements that worked smoothly together. As the series moved forward and the characters became older the series began to take new paths and for a while she stop fighting vampiers (????) and began fighting demons and other creatures. Some of the episodes were bizare but for the most part it was fairly a good series that introduced a number of great characters. It proved so popular the series still continues (except now it continues in the comics) as the comic picked up right where the television series left off. In the beginning the series was straight forward (with vampires beinf the villian and her the hero) but then demons was introduced along with other weird elements and then good vampires (yes they just had to do it) to create a complex series which (to my surprise) still managed to do well. What this series have over vampire films in genereal is time. Unlike a two hour film in a series you spent about 24 hours with a character per season and therefore every character in the series was explored in full, given depth, and even allowed for new characters to be introduced and explored in the same way.