The thought of Oprah watching Buffy tickles me pink for some reason. Reminds me of when I read that Spielberg watches Angel.

Simon | April 20, 10:15 CET

I honestly don't think Oprah watches Buffy. I'm surprised Buffy was even mentioned in the magazine. I think it was one of the writers who put that in, and not Oprah.

electricspacegirl | April 20, 10:57 CET

Yeah you're probably right. I don't even think Oprah *could* watch Buffy. There's a lot of scary horror stuff in there with all the demons and bloodsuckers. And I recal how incredibly over the top she reacted to 'Interview with the Vampire', practically running out of the theater after the first 15 min, and then asking Tom Cruise on her show why he had chosen 'such a role' and why, and she always tried to do POSITIVE things with her work.

Ya know...as opposed to playing a vampire.

It always stuck with me as rather stupid. Of all the stupid, brainless gorefest horror movies out there, she had to pick on Anne Rice's Vampire chronicles? (I assume she hadn't read the books, but if she had she probably wouldn't have gotten it anyway.)

Anne Rice made us BE the monster instead of fighting it or running from it, and gave the whole genre a fresh injection. It was about the essence of being human and the relativity of it. About alienation and relations between people that fell outside of any conventional human definition. I'm not her biggest fan I'm sure, I haven't read any in a while but the first bunch at least were good, insightful books (if a little too fond of descriptions of clothes and furniture) and the movie was a pretty good adaptation of those themes. Some aspects of Joss' vamp mythology reminded me of her work and I always wondered if she was another influence in the mix. The way the 'fang gang' travelled together, the way Darla and Angelus, or SPike and Dru formed these couples, roaming the world through the decades, the tasting of the vamps blood being necessary to 'turn' you....all things with a hint of Rice's approach. Anyone know anything about that?

And all Oprah could see was "ahhh, scary and horrible". It didn't plead for her in my eyes. So I doubt she could even watch some scenes of Buffy. She'd probably whince at Harmony remarking she shared a class with her half dead dinner hanging from the wall.....even though it's perfectly funny;-)

EdDantes | April 20, 11:16 CET

I always thought that Spike and Lestat were very similar. Now James Marsters and Tom Cruise in a movie together......man what a feast for the eyes that would be.

kathylovesspike | April 20, 15:58 CET

I agree with electricspacegirl...that stuff about Buffy being a "positive role model" is just too pat...Buffy isn't a "role model" (gawd, I hate that term) anyway, she's a flesh-and-blood real character, brilliantly created and executed...yes, Joss has often said he wanted to turn the tables on the stereotypical girl in the alley being rescued by the big strong guy...but it is also so, so much more than that.

Chris in Virginia | April 20, 18:01 CET

Didn't we have an article in here recently about how Jane Espenson believed the role models were bunk, and the very best characters to learn from were the ones who screwed up and then made good?

TheJoyofZeppo | April 20, 19:13 CET

The article lists Buffy as one of a long list of strong women in media, including WonderWoman, Xena, Cagney & Lacy, and Hermione. Buffy is not perfect--she screws up, too, and then she comes back and "makes good."

Some of us may be too sophisticated to see her as a "role model," but there's considerable anecdotal evidence--mainly in the form of reams of fan-mail--to show that plenty of young women have seen Buffy as an example of how to be who you are and stand up for a cause, regardless of social pressures. On the downside, Buffy is super-petite, Anglo, and very pretty, but that's just Hollywood. It's what's inside that counts.

Maeve | April 20, 20:05 CET

Point well-taken, Maeve...just because we may be "smarter" than younger viewers doesn't necessarily mean they aren't getting something out of the Buffyverse that we are missing...but maybe wouldn't have missed were we younger.

But: why is it of necessity a "downside" that Buffy is Anglo, pretty, and petite? Seriously, if "it's what inside that counts", why is that a downside?

Chris inVirginia | April 21, 02:40 CET

Lizard, one of my favorite things in the world is to rewatch episodes of Buffy. The show started when I was eleven, so I didn't catch, well, any of the metaphors used during the first few seasons. Rewatching episodes multiple times is a completely necessary thing to do with a show as complex as Buffy.

Invisible Green | April 21, 03:09 CET

Invisible Green, agree, agree, agree...I'm way the hell older than you, and I get something new and different and delightful out every time I watch any episode...

Chris inVirginia | April 21, 06:12 CET