Season 8 TV Version?

[The Night Lord]

It may sound cool, but seeing as how Joss and the others are so busy with their work and the budget involved would be probably more than they can afford for a TV series with all the stuff they have shown in season 8 (skinless Warren, forest creatures, giant goddess and aerial battles just to name a few)

[PJ]

^^i agree.
everyone of us would want to see Buffy come back on the air, but i think a reason why he put it in comic form now is so that he could go all out without 'TV budget' holding him back.

[Ferg]

Not really no, S8 has been really hit and miss and I don't (personally) take it as canon so I like where the show ended.

[spurtyknowledge]

I would not want Season Eight on television at all. Buffy made its mark on the small screen, and I sincerely doubt it could reproduce its niche success once again. The actors have moved on and gotten considerably older than their respective roles. Also, Alyson is hysterical and so perfect as Lily Aldrin, that I would hate to see her leave the certain creative and financial success of How I Met Your Mother for a possibly alienating and underwhelming pickup of a show that's been gone for seven years, which mind you, is longer than what it actually lasted.

For budgetary reasons the story of Season Eight would have to be massively compromised and/or retooled, which might make it better in certain aspects, but worse and messy in others, and despite the hit and miss storytelling, I'm anxious to see how it all ends and where Season Nine picks up. I've just grown accustomed to comic BTVS and I'm not sure that I'd be ready for a televised adaption.

The only way I'll ever accept a live-action continuation or reboot of the character and title is if in ten or more years from now (at least around twenty years after the series ended its original run) Whedon feels the need to bring the character into the 21st century as a sixteen year old: new actress and updated character history to fit the times (Valley Girls and "posh" post-feminism belongs firmly in the 1990's, not anywhere after 2010).

[AndrewCrossett]

I don't think it would be possible to film season 8 on a TV budget, unless it was animated. I'm pretty happy to just leave it as a comic. Though I think certain parts of season 8 would have gone over better if the actors had been there to perform it. Quite a few things in the TV show would have been ridiculous if not for the way the actors sold it.

[jamesmarsters]

Sarah Michelle Gellar would never do a BTvS again. End of the story. It won't be made, however I would love it.

[Hallow Thorn]

Yeah, In Live action I could only ever see a Tv-Movie and Season 8 would just not work as that. But animated season 8 would kick ass!

[Astray]

^I agree, I'd definitely be into an animated version.

I don't see Buffy coming back to TV. But I think a movie would be possible. I think there is a large enough fan base for it. If they were to make one I'd rather have them reference Season 8 than try and recreate it. Some of the S8 stuff just seems to be written specifically for the freedom comics allow and probably wouldn't go over great on film. CGI giant Dawn would just be...silly. Maybe even short episodes posted online, like the Guild or Dr. Horrible...

[kaan]

There will never be any more live action Buffy. They only people who want it are fans, and unfortunately we have absolutely no power. Everyone involved has moved on. Joss clocked off sometime around S6, SMG a few episode into S7. I just don't really think either of them care about live action Buffy anymore. The comics are enough for Joss to scratch whatever itch the Buffyverse still leaves him. The only thing to still keep hope alive would be for something like Ripper to finally be made, but after nearly a decade it doesn't seem too likely now.

I would love for the world Joss created to be expanded though. In other original shows based on the slayer mythology. I'm sure it wouldn't be to difficult for Joss to convince one of the old ME writers to co-create and showrun a new slayer show. There's enough slayers running around out there now. The only thing would be the pressure of living up to Buffy. But there is an inherent challenge in that desire to better the original that would be exciting to try and pull off.

As for Buffy I would absolutely LOVE for them to start to create an animated Buffyverse, like the top quality DCU animated features they are producing now. An adult-orientated Spike animated DVD voiced by James Marsters? Fans would eat that stuff up!
And then expand on all of Joss's back catalogue. Animated Firefly movies anyone? There would be widespread cheering throughout the interwebs. They could never be as good as live action would be, but it would be the best we're ever likely to get.

But I think the only way we are ever likely to get something like that is if Joss wasn't as directly involved in it as everyone wished he'd be. But if he could appoint someone say like Tim Minear or Jane Espenson (I know they have their own careers and aspirations so I doubt it would be them) to oversee those projects for him, so he can concentrate on making The Avengers and then Goners or whatever, then I could live with that scenario.

[AndrewCrossett]

My thought is that the only chance for any more live-action Buffy would be a charity special, similar to what they do in the U.K. for Children In Need or Comic Relief. It would only be a one-off, and it wouldn't have much of a budget, but it would be an opportunity to get the old cast back together for one more curtain call. If it's for charity and only a one-time commitment, I'll bet even Sarah might get on board. Joss could just give her the sad eyes and say "But Sarah, are you going to let these poor children starve just because you're too cool to play Buffy one more time?"

I think an animated TV movie or DVD would be great, as long as the quality was there, it was canonical, and they got all or most of the original cast to do the voices. I'm sure an animated movie featuring Spike or Faith or Willow would be very well received.

Even notwithstanding the challenge of getting the whole cast onboard, and the fact that they're all 7 years older now, I don't think there's enough public interest right now for more live-action TV or a movie, and won't be for another 10-15 years, when the people who remember the show from childhood start having nostalgia attacks.

Even the "reboot" movie doesn't seem to be getting any traction, and the "angsty romantic vampires" fad is getting closer to its expiration date with each passing day.

The idea of starting an animated spinoff franchise with some other Slayer is an interesting idea, and could work if Joss was involved and the quality was good. (Though it depends on the future of the season 8 storyline... there may be no Slayers aside from Buffy, and maybe Faith, by the end of the season.) A Faith series would be the one everybody wants. I'm sure Eliza would agree to do the voice work, and you could have the other actors drop in for guest appearances whenever needed. Cartoon voice work is easy money. You don't even have to go through wardrobe or makeup.

So, my ideal scenario for the future of the Buffyverse:

1. A live-action charity special with the original cast;

2. Continue the canonical Buffy comics;

3. One or several animated series, done either as webseries to be collected on DVD, or straight to DVD.

[buffyfan21]

I would love to see Buffy S8 on TV, but sadly, this will never happen. I do think an animated series (like the one they were planning years ago) would be awesome, and has more likelihood of happening than a television series or movie, in my opinion. For now, I am happy with S8 and S9 we are getting in comics. And if I really want to scratch my itch, I always have my DVDs. As of now, it looks like the S8 motion comic is the closest thing we are getting to Buffy animated.

[VampSlayer]

As some above have said: No Season Eight for TV. No. Never.

I loved the ending of the show. It was pretty perfect, if you ask me. The comics are a nice way of seeing it live on, but not too nice. This season hasn't been too great. Really confusing. But most of all: It was made for comic format. These stories would cost too much to shoot in RL.

I would be okay with a live action movie. But I want it set before S8.

I also like the idea of a reboot, in about a decade. But only if it's Joss' decision.