'Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Making of a Slayer' book review

Has it really been fifteen years since Buffy the Vampire Slayer first exploded onto our screens? Well, not quite in the UK, but it was only a year after when this mid-season pickup started redefining the rules of genre television.

Beginning with a straightforward, monster of the week format, Buffy quickly grew into far more complex, character-led storytelling with a reputation for defying conventions and surprising the audience. Highly pop-culture literate, the show became a heady mix of teenage angst and the battle against the demonic.

The attractive young cast, led by Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan were bright, pretty and funny. British support came from Anthony Head, shedding his ‘Gold Blend’ advert image to fulfil the role of Watcher, a mentor to the young vampire slayer.

Nancy Holder’s new book celebrates the television show as it developed over its seven year run. As much as it tells the tale of Buffy, it is also the story of Joss Whedon and the challenges he encountered in bringing his vision to the small screen. The show, which ran from 1997–2003 in the US, was not his first attempt at telling the tale. Buffy had already graced the silver screen but unfortunately the Kirsty Swanson, Luke Perry and Donald Sutherland fronted 1992 film had failed to live up to its promise.

Beginning with a High School environment, Holder charts the evolution of the characters from the birth of the show and though to the school and college phases. We are given an insight into how tough a show it was to write, with scripts being produced relatively short spaces of time. The programme apparently earned the nickname ‘Buffy the weekend slayer’ from its writing staff.

In addition to the main narrative, there are regularly interspersed features on aspects of the production, offering insights to ‘The creative process of Joss Whedon’ and what went on ‘Inside the Writer’s Room’. Musical contributions to the show, including a rundown of all the real acts that performed, are listed in ‘Live at the Bronze’. Other features include a map of Sunnydale and pieces on the show’s make up and special effects.

Special attention is lavished on some of the show’s more groundbreaking episodes, such as the silent ‘Hush’ and the musical Emmy award nominated ‘Once More, With Feeling’, as well as the bold drama of the episode surrounding the death of Buffy’s mother ‘The Body’.

As with many genre shows the television programme was not the only place where the story played out and the book provides a good run down of the Slayer’s adventures in comic strip form. Some of these are ‘canon’, either written or endorsed by Joss Whedon himself, and form a ‘Season 8’ storyline to show what happened after the television adventures ended. The spin-off series Angel is also covered, with its interactions with the main show detailed.

Given this high level of detail, an episode guide to the series seems a surprising omission from the appendices but we suppose in this internet age such information is at the reader’s fingertips anyway.

The book also acts as a lexicon for all things Whedon and provides a ‘Bibliography of the Whedonverse’ containing details of the works written about both Buffy and his other shows since, such as Buffy spin-off Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse.

This is an attractively presented hardback and the author’s love for the show is evident throughout. The book runs to 175 pages with plenty of glossy photos from the show, including both promotional and behind the scenes shots.

With a forward by Amber Benson (Tara) who talks about the show’s immersive quality, this is a beautifully produced volume and really encourages you to return to the show and spend time in the ‘Buffyverse’ again.