Culture analysis about Buffy

[etca]

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Hi there Buffy fans!

My name is Emma and I´m a swedish culture anthropologist from Lund University in Sweden.

I am currently working on a research project about Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I would like your help to answer some questions about identity, belonging and communication that occours by watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The questions will affect your personal feelings about Buffy the Vampie Slayer, so there is no right or wrong answer.

Please take your time to answer. You don´t have to be concise in your answers instead just answer what you feel and think.
Don´t mind if your anwsers become dissipated, disorganized and unstructured.
All answers are important and will be appreciated, a lot !

You can either reply here, or if you think it feels better, send your answers to my e-mail! My e-mailaddress is: [e-mail]

Except from answering my questions, I would also like to have your consent to let me observe all of you, in general, here in the community, that is to say letting me study how you communicate with each other and what it is about Buffy the Vampire Slayer you are communicating about. Is that ok för you guys?

Thanks xxx!

/ / Emma


1. Name? (Of course you dont´t have to give me your full name in public, if you don´t want to. But give me the name you want me to use in order to refer and to quote in my research. If you give me your real name. I will disidentificate it in the paper, if you want that)

2. Age?
3. Gender?
4.Your occupation and/or your education?
5. Other information that tells a little more about what and who you are?

6. Why did you start watching the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
7. What was it that made you become a fan and continued watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

7. How would you describe the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

8. How do you relate to the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

9. What knowledge does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer give to you?

10. What does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer mean to you?

11. What is it that makes the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer different from other TV series?

12. What was it that made you join this community?
13. Are you active in any other communities, related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides this one ?
14. Are you active on any other internet-based activities related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Fanific-communities for example.

15. How do you feel about other Buffy the Vampire-viewers?
16. What do they mean to you?

17. Are you talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer with people who do not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

17. What does the Internet in general mean for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

18. Except from creating an interest, communication and communities. What else has the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to you?

19. Anything more you would like to add?

.................. .......................... ..................... .........................

[hitnrun017]

Wow, great questions! Welcome to the forum.

1. Name? Ethan
2. Age? 18
3. Gender? Male
4. Your occupation and/or your education? In high school.
5. Other information that tells a little more about what and who you are?
Just an average boring teenager dying to finish grade school and move on with their life.

6. Why did you start watching the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Couldn't sleep, saw there was an episode on and there was nothing else to watch.

7. What was it that made you become a fan and continued watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I was only 10 when I started watching, so I hate to admit that it was mostly for the monsters and fight scenes, but watching it while maturing gave me a better understanding of what the show is really about, and that's what made me stay a fan.

7. How would you describe the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Take away everything supernatural, and it's just life, growing up.

8. How do you relate to the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
The characters and what they go through together. Currently, I'm relating to the struggle some had near the end of Season 3, where high school is ending and it's time for you to grow up and be expected to make your own decisions and think about what you want to do and leave behind, and at the same time being worried about what comes next and if you'll be able to survive.

9. What knowledge does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer give to you?
A lot do's and dont's, actions having consequences. There is tons of real world knowledge that can be taken away.

10. What does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer mean to you?
Along with Angel, pretty much everything. I like to think of it as my drug of choice or security blanket. It's something that will always be there whenever I need it. I always have phases of things I like, usually they last a year at most, but the Buffyverse is something I've loved for eight years, and I can already tell you that will never go away.

11. What is it that makes the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer different from other TV series?
How original and superb the writing was. It's hard not to watch tv shows and always think back to Buffy, even the littlest thing pop out. I have also never seen a show where the characters are developed so well, I don't think anything can compare. You feel emotionally connected to every-single-one. There are also so many metaphors and symbols buried deep in every single episode, something that's hard for me to pick up on while watching other shows, and most of those shows don't even bother.

12. What was it that made you join this community?
There was finally a place to discuss the Season 8 comics, but it became so much more than just that.

13. Are you active in any other communities, related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides this one?
I'm no where near as active in other communities than this one, but I am a member of a few. And I like to explore others that I'm not a member of. Even though there are so many different communites, we are all one fandom.

14. Are you active on any other internet-based activities related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Fanific-communities for example.
I don't write fanfic or make fanart, but I love to read and look at it. The talent and dedication of some people amaze me.

15. How do you feel about other Buffy the Vampire-viewers?
I love us, we are crazy and obsessed. In a month Buffy will have ended six years ago, but I feel its just as popular as it's ever been.

16. What do they mean to you?
A lot. I love discussing the show with people who care about it just as much. But it's also more than that, I've made, what I consider, a few very close friends, people I enjoy talking to more than my friends that I see everyday. I'm incredibly grateful for that.

17. Are you talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer with people who do not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Yes. It annoys them greatly.

18. What does the Internet in general mean for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I remember Sarah Michelle Gellar stating that she thinks the show would have never continued past Season 1 if it wasn't for the internet, and I think that makes sense. Buffy gets a huge amount of support on the internet and it seems it's the reason why it's still so popular, it allows people to interact with other fans.

19. Except from creating an interest, communication and communities. What else has the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to you?
Again, pretty much everything. I don't think I've ever been so emotionally invested in anything as much as the Buffyverse.

20. Anything more you would like to add?
This was great fun to fill out.

[Emmie]

1. Name?
Emmie Gustafson

2. Age?
24

3. Gender?
Female

4.Your occupation and/or your education?
Student

5. Other information that tells a little more about what and who you are?
Majoring in English with aspirations to be a writer or perhaps work in publishing.

6. Why did you start watching the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer back in 1997 but didn't truly become a fan til the middle of the second season. I've loved it ever since.

7. What was it that made you become a fan and continued watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
The two-parter episode Surprise/Innocence when Angel lost his soul. The blend of action, humor, drama and romance. I'm also a lover of words, so the Whedon-y wordplay is a joy to me.

7. How would you describe the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Literature on the screen. Layers. Entertainment. Characters that are more alive than any other show out there.


8. How do you relate to the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I relate through Buffy's POV. She's my touchstone. The way she's always motivated to give to others, to helping those she loves no matter the cost to herself.

9. What knowledge does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer give to you?
I think it speaks to the moral complexity of the world and the importance of family. And Buffy herself shows the importance of self-reliance and the struggle to balance this inner strength with the necessary connections with loved ones.

10. What does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer mean to you?
It's a huge creative outlet to me. It's a way I connect to others. It's entertainment, it's thought-provoking, it's a motivation for me to write.

11. What is it that makes the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer different from other TV series?
The way the characters grow like in real-life. This is in part why they're more real, more alive to me. The effortless blend of all genres - Buffy isn't a drama or a comedy or a horror show. It's all things. The way the show breaks rules, reinvents itself - the silent episode Hush or the musical episode Once More, With Feeling
.

12. What was it that made you join this community?
Issue 12 of Buffy Season 8. Buffy sleeping with a woman threw me for a loop and I wanted to read other fans reactions online because no one else I knew was reading the comics and I needed to talk about it.

13. Are you active in any other communities, related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides this one ?

Oh yes! I also post on Buffy Forums, Whedonesque and the Dark Horse Buffy board. But besides this forum, where I spend most of my time is on Live Journal (there's a link to my LJ in my signature).

14. Are you active on any other internet-based activities related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Fanific-communities for example.

I post at fanfic archives Bloodshedverse, Spuffy Realm and Elysian Fields.

15. How do you feel about other Buffy the Vampire-viewers?
They're awesome! I feel an instant connection to people who are fans. Solidarity that we appreciate the same rich blend of genres from BUFFY. Every person who've I've met in real life who's a fan of BUFFY has been pretty cool to hang out with.

16. What do they mean to you?
They're friends in real life. They're confidantes and thought-provoking instigators of interesting conversation online. And many online have become close friends too. Love you guys! <3

17. Are you talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer with people who do not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Erm, not really. I don't really try to force my favorite shows on people and because Buffy is often misunderstood and judged, I tend to be a little private about how intense of a fan I am.

18. What does the Internet in general mean for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
It's how the fandom still survives, I think. It provides an environment for great fanfiction and meta. It's how we keep in touch with news of the Whedonverse and even get to interact with the professionals and creators.

19. Except from creating an interest, communication and communities. What else has the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to you?
Personally, I think it's helped me learn to be a better reader. I watch the shows with an analytical cap on. Not the first time, that's for entertainment mostly. But on rewatches I'm always looking for the symbolism, the themes, the hidden meaning.


20. Anything more you would like to add?

If you have any questions or would like to know how to reach out to more fans, feel free to let me know. I get around pretty much everywhere and I'd be happy to help you.

[gumgnome]

1) Michael
2) 22
3) Male
4) Studying for MSc in Human Evolution and Behaviour
5) Wannabe academic in biological anthropology - love the study of evolution, both biological and cultural.
6) I was 12 when it first aired in the UK and loved horror/monsters/superheroes, particularly vampires and werewolves, so it seemed right up my alley.
7) The show was humourous, scary and above all gave consequences to actions that had long-lasting impact. If a character did something in the show, it mattered and not only for the current episode but for the rest of the whole series. I remember thinking that that mattered a lot and was unusual for television at the time.
7) I think it is best described as a character-focussed drama that captures a wide emotional repetoire and integrates all of the aspects of life from comedy to horror seamlessly.
8) I think that growing up at the same time as the principal characters (albeit a few years younger) resonated quite a bit - they felt like peers and friends. As the relationships between the characters deepened on screen, I found myself caring more and more about what happened to them, feeling real joy when good things happened and serious grief when bad things happened. I think a large part of that is because the cast and crew took the world so seriously and portrayed it with such depth. Although there are monsters and demons, Sunnydale feels a lot more realistic than the worlds of most other tv shows.
9) It certainly imparts a great wealth of knowledge about how 'good' people should act around one another. It stresses the positive nature of loyalty, determination, duty and love. It frequently emphasises that the people we love are family and should be treated as such, no matter what their actual relation to us is, or their gender, age, sexuality etc.
10) It has meaning for me on many different levels. On a personal one-to-one level, it is one of my favourite things in life - no matter how many times i watch it or think about the characters I smile, laugh, cry, whatever the scene or thought evokes. On an interpersonal level, it allowed me to forge a deep bond with my sister, whom I watched it with originally, which has only strengthened over time. When i think about my sister I think of Buffy, and vice versa. It also has an intellectual meaning to me - it engages philosophical subjects frequently, such as death, meaning/purpose of life, morality (what is good?), and provides in-depth social commentary on aspects such as authority, generation gaps, knowledge and knowledge-wielders etc.
11) In a nut-shell, as I'm sure lots of people on this forum have said and will say again many time, it's all about character development. Buffy never cheaply introduces new character aspects for the convenience of plot, and it never forgets the previous actions that characters have made. As a result, the growth and change that takes place over the seven years is so organic and realistic that my level of empathy for the characters is unlike for any other fictional creations (only the characters from the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake come anywhere close for me).
12) I have always been very slow computer-wise and still hate the dread machines. Recently I discovered a podcast called Buffycast. It energised my desire to engage in Buffychat again which made me search for a Buffy forum - i found this forum and was thrilled to find an active community of avid fans even 6 years after the show ended.
13) I am not active online in any other Buffy communities, but actively try to establish whether people I meet are Buffy fans so that I can share the love.
14) I listen to Buffy podcasts, like Buffycast, Cool Refreshing Zima, The Watchercast, and Whedoncast.
15) I am always thrilled to meet people who love Buffy as much as me - it is like a moral compass. I find that Buffy fans are without exception nice, intelligent, laid-back people with a good heart which makes them excellent company!
16) Sharing Buffy-love is awesome! I have one very close friend among my friends at home who is as much of a Buffy fan as I am and we almost inadvertantly begin talking about Buffy whenever we meet up. It gives me great pleasure to talk about Buffy in any situation.
17) I usually try to get people into the show, and it is never a secret that I am nuts about it - sometimes it works and I convince them of its awesomeness and sometimes they think I'm cracked.
17) Although I am by no means no expert, it is clear that the Internet is a great aid in bringing fans together from far-flung corners of the globe, allowing a true community to exist.
18) I'm not entirely sure what i can say here that i haven't already, but on another level, it's just an awesome story!
19) Thanks for hearing me out!

[Just Willow]

1. Name? Kelsey

2. Age? 15

3. Gender? Female

4.Your occupation and/or your education? I'm in High School right now

5. Other information that tells a little more about what and who you are? i'm just a regular high school girl. okay, i'm a little more nerdy and Buffy obsessed than the average person...

6. Why did you start watching the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer? a friend of my sisters was making my sister watch it, and i was in the room at the time.

7. What was it that made you become a fan and continued watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer? At first it was just a frantic 'i have to know what's going on!' but then i soon realized 'holy crap, i'm in love!'

7. How would you describe the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer? I could go on and on about it forever, but if i had to use one word: "ingenious". There is no way anyone but our beloved Joss Whedon could cram that much emotion, fantasy, and real life into one show.

8. How do you relate to the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Well, i'm at a relateable age to the characters for the first few years. I get a lot of the circumstances they find themselves in. I can so understand what it's like to be an outcast.

9. What knowledge does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer give to you? well, i know to value everything around me a lot more, because any one of my friends could be sucked dry by a vampire any night now. haha, kidding. One of the biggest things it taught me was that people being gay was okay. i used to get all grossed out by it, and now i'm yelling at people in the hallways if they say "That's so gay" or something like that.

10. What does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer mean to you? the world. Sometimes, when you're a teenager, your life sucks. a lot. Buffy was my sanctuary. i could sit and lose myself in a world almost as real to me as my own life. It's an escape from everyday teenage angst.

11. What is it that makes the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer different from other TV series? The messages it sends, and the way it can make you laugh, cry, laugh till you cry, scream, get all warm and fuzzy inside and fall over because you're so far onto the edge of your seat.


12. What was it that made you join this community? There aren't a lot of big Buffy forums out there, and this one seemed pretty nice, so i joined up, and within fifteen minutes i was being welcomed and PMed by members.

13. Are you active in any other communities, related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides this one ? i tried to make my own forum, Slayer's Realm. We had about five very devoted members, and it was fun while it lasted, but that site is kind of dead now, largely due to my inability to keep a forum up and running in addition to my life.

14. Are you active on any other internet-based activities related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Fanific-communities for example. i am a member of fanfiction.net, and out of my seven stories, four of them are Buffy related.


15. How do you feel about other Buffy the Vampire-viewers? All the ones i've met are very nice, and it's great fun to get into debates with people with loads of different opinions. I haven't gotten the chance to go to any conferences yet, so i don't know any of them personally, but from what i can tell, they are all lovely people, even if i sometimes get angry over how their opinions don't match mine.

16. What do they mean to you? Quite a bit. I can never talk to my friends about Buffy, becasue as soon as i mention it they roll their eyes and edge away. It's really nice to be with a large group of people who all share the same interest, and can just talk about it for hours.

17. Are you talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer with people who do not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer? I try. My friends know i'm Buffy obsessed, but they don't really know how much the show has affected me, and how much it means to me. I can't convince any of them to watch it, but someday i intend to tie them all up in front of the TV and force them to watch all the seasons.

17. What does the Internet in general mean for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Well, it hink the internet is one of the main things that brings fans together. i can't fly down to the states for every single conference, and so this in a great way for fans to connect. It certainly does strengthen the show's fanbase.


18. Except from creating an interest, communication and communities. What else has the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to you? Like i said above, it was my sanctuary. Whenever my life became too much for me to handle, i could escape into another (and more interesting) girl's life for a few hours.

19. Anything more you would like to add?
BUFFY'S AWESOME! (but i bet you probably knew that already, if you're here on Slayalive)

[etca]

Thank you hitnrun017, Emmie, gumgnome and Just Willow for sharing you thoughts with me! It´s really really interesting and giving for me to go through your answers

I´m going to read the answers once again, more carefully this time. And then I might have some follow-up questions on some answers. I hope that´s ok with you?!

[hitnrun017]

Apr 20, 2009 5:06:01 GMT -5 etca said:

And then I might have some follow-up questions on some answers. I hope that´s ok with you?!

Definitely.

[Just Willow]

fine by me.

[sla]

If you need someone else...

1. Name?
Katherine

2. Age?
17

3. Gender?
Female

4.Your occupation and/or your education?
I'm in High School

5. Other information that tells a little more about what and who you are?
I live in Chile, I like watch movies and read books (in enlish and in spanish), maths... just a normal teenager.

6. Why did you start watching the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I was like 9, I watch it with my dad, I had curiosity about the show.

7. What was it that made you become a fan and continued watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
At first all the monsters, vampires and Buffy, a girl, fighting the dark forces, it was cool. When I grew up, I could understand better the show and its philosophy.

7. How would you describe the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
A metaphor of the real life, sometimes Cruel, sometimes sad, sometimes funny, just what life can be.

8. How do you relate to the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
In the present, I think that I'm related to the end of season 3, Buffy and Co. got to end High School and that change their lives, they made it through good times and bad times, and now they have to grow up, put the past behind and start something new. There's that question: what are you going to do now? you have to make the right decisions. they are like friends growing up with you.

9. What knowledge does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer give to you?
Many, but the most importantly for me is that no matter how hard things are, you have to fight until the end. you'll never be ready for big moments, but you have to deal with them, not runaway from them.

10. What does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer mean to you?
A nice Guide for living. Along with Angel, it's my favourite series, and like a book, I always can come back to search some episode that makes me laugh, or cry, depending on the mood, even it can give me some advice, not literally, but reading between lines...

11. What is it that makes the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer different from other TV series?
A good plot with fantastic elements but with mature escence that makes you think about important things. It's not just vampires getting dusted by a girl, the show is about how to survive in the world, being responsable, friendship, love and all faces of a human being.

12. What was it that made you join this community?
I want to read (and sometimes posting too) about the new season of Buffy, in the comics, and this is the best place for that.

13. Are you active in any other communities, related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides this one ?
yes, but just one, a Spanish forum about Buffy and Angel called Slayersoul. 'cause I like talking in my native language lol.

14. Are you active on any other internet-based activities related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Fanific-communities for example.
I'm an active user in a Buffy blog (in spanish). I read a lot of fanfics, and I made some fanarts and fanvideos too. Like a normal fan.

15. How do you feel about other Buffy the Vampire-viewers?
I think that we're a intelligent fandom, in general, I have a lot o respect for others viewers, after six years, the fans are still alive, and increasing every year, and it's because we have solid opinions, not just about the show, if you ask anything to a Buffy fan, you can hope a good answer, with arguments. You can't say tha of all fandoms in the world. We have culture.

16. What do they mean to you?
Some are really good friends of mine now, and anyone means a potential good talking about abything. I love that.

17. Are you talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer with people who do not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
of course, in fact, I teach things from school with examples from the series and my friends respect me and the series, it's cool, sometimes they want to watch some episode for curiousity, like Inocence.

17. What does the Internet in general mean for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Buffy is alive thanks the internet. In this moment, along with Harry Potter and Twilight, Buffy have the greatest fandom of all time, an without doubt the most strong.

18. Except from creating an interest, communication and communities. What else has the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to you?
I learned how to analyze in depth, beyond what I see, it is something that serves in all the aspects of the life.

19. Anything more you would like to add?
I'm fascinated with the reactions that Buffy cause in different parts of the world, no matther where you live, you can think like someone in the other part of the world, It's great! it's something that join us.

if you have some question...jus tell me

[Mathieu]

Sorry if this comes a little late, but I guess you can still use an extra set of answers! I really enjoyed filling this out.

1. Name?
Mathieu

2. Age?
22

3. Gender?
Male

4. Your occupation and/or your education?
I study international relations.

5. Other information that tells a little more about what and who you are?
I am originally from France but I spend most of my time overseas for my studies and for work (United States, Canada, Spain). I’m in Boston, MA right now.

6. Why did you start watching the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Because my cousins were watching the show and I felt left out. I wanted to be able to take part in their conversations about it so I started to watch it too. I had to sneak out of my room late at night though because my parents wouldn’t let me watch. They thought I was too young to watch a show about vampires (I was 12). I turned out to be a huge fan. While my cousins, who loved the show, got over it since it stopped airing, I’m still into it.

7. What was it that made you become a fan and continued watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
The stories just kept getting better and better, everything was so addictive about it. I think the recipe for success was the fact that it had so many different layers to it. It was funny, scary, cheesy sometimes, extremely sad too, and always came with a good fight! I just feel like anybody that would actually take the time to watch the show would necessarily fall in love with it. I can’t see why anyone wouldn’t. It has all the ingredients, no matter who you are.

7. How would you describe the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I think I answered already. But to put it in a nutshell, best tv show ever made. Without a doubt.

8. How do you relate to the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I don’t know how I used to relate to it back then when it started. I guess that in junior high school I felt like I was an outsider. Not the most popular kid in the school. So it just felt awesome to watch a show where a bunch of outsiders (especially Willow) got a chance to kick some ass and have extraordinary lives. It was a nice escape from the real world.

9. What knowledge does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer give to you?
By knowledge, I’m not sure what I should answer here. I guess I have to say that it’s partly how I started to learn English and how my fascination for the US started. I think I can say that in that sense it had a huge impact on my life because today I end up living in the US, using English as my second, almost first, language on a regular basis and most of my friends are American. I wouldn’t be here today if it were not for BTVS. It just influenced the choices that I’ve made in my life somehow. I’ve grown from being a French kid to being a citizen of the world.

10. What does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer mean to you?
It brings me back to my teenage years. It makes me feel very nostalgic because it’s a huge part of my life, back to a time when the only thing that mattered was that night when the next Buffy episode would air. I couldn’t get enough.

11. What is it that makes the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer different from other TV series?
Again, it has all the ingredients, a main storyline that runs through each season with a big bad at the end, so you can see the tension culminating until the final arcs and they never disappointed. I also like the fact that some events were planned seasons in advance, it shows how everything was so perfectly thought through.

12. What was it that made you join this community?
I came across this forum randomly when I was looking for more information about the season 8 comics, I joined and never left.

13. Are you active in any other communities, related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides this one ?
Nope.

14. Are you active on any other internet-based activities related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Fanific-communities for example.
Nope, I don’t have time for it. But every once in a while I enjoy reading what other people write.

15. How do you feel about other Buffy the Vampire-viewers?
It’s just incredible that there are so many of us out there. We are just a bunch of crazy people. To be honest sometimes I wonder if we are just a bunch of people who just don’t have a life for spending so much time talking about a show that was taken off the air seven years ago. However the Buffy comics keep us speculating about what’s to come next so it’s exciting.

16. What do they mean to you?
I don’t know them personally so it’s hard to tell. I just appreciate it whenever they get back to me in a thread. It’s like a bunch of people you hang out with to talk about Buffy. I wouldn’t call them friends though because we only discuss on the threads, it doesn’t go beyond that in my case. I know that some people made some very good friends on here.

17. Are you talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer with people who do not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I try to talk them into watching it. It’s hard, they’re put off by the name of the show.

17. What does the Internet in general mean for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
It’s how the show lives on and the fandom is extremely active on the Internet, I guess.

18. Except from creating an interest, communication and communities. What else has the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to you?
Again, for all the reasons I mentioned above, it changed my life. I’m sure my interest for international relations can be traced back to Buffy somehow. Don’t ask me why.

19. Anything more you would like to add?
No. I think I covered it all already.

[wenxina]

1. Name?
Wenxian

2. Age?
23

3. Gender?
Male

4.Your occupation and/or your education?
Graduate student and research assistant

5. Other information that tells a little more about what and who you are?
I like science. I love literature. I like art. I'm fascinated by mythology, culture and various topics. In short, a very broad array of interests.

6. Why did you start watching the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Random whim. Heard of the rather silly sounding title, thought it would be something that I'd be able to get into. Also, was mildly fascinated with vampires... Anne Rice may have had something to do with that. And the notion that of a girl kicking ass every week was much too enjoyable to pass up.

7. What was it that made you become a fan and continued watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I actually don't remember exactly when I caught the bug. I know I had watched some S1 eps casually, but being over in Malaysia at the time, it was on very late at night on a now defunct channel. Was able to catch it more consistently once it got to cable, but I'm pretty sure I was hooked somewhere in S2.

7. How would you describe the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Art. It's topical, relatable, inspiring, controversial, stimulating, contradictory. In short, it somehow captures the essence of humanity. Must be the clothes.

8. How do you relate to the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I see the characters as fully realized individuals, in so far as they are about as real as most people I know. The influence it's had on the way I think, the things I say is undeniable.

9. What knowledge does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer give to you?
See above.

10. What does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer mean to you?
It's wonderful entertainment, I'll say that. But it's also the bridge between other fans and myself, and I've met some really cool folks through out mutual love for the show.

11. What is it that makes the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer different from other TV series?
It's ability to take the mundane and give it a fresh spin. At the core, it's a very human story. But the vampires/demons/apocalypses just add a little zest to the formula. The fact that these things are often used as metaphors just adds to the human story.

12. What was it that made you join this community?
I had been lurking here for a while, since my searches for previews often led me here. Finally decided to join... and I think it's been about 2 years for me now. I just liked the layout of the forum, and I met a few people I chatted with on a regular basis. But I guess what I really liked about the forum was just how new it was; it was still finding its feet in the big bad world of fandom, and things were very dynamic. I look back now, and am exceedingly proud of the community we've built here. We have an active membership, and maintain a wonderful relationship with a lot of out VIPS. If nothing else, this forum can be proud of the fact that it brought the fandom that much closer to Brian Lynch, Scott Allie, Georges Jeanty, Nick Runge, Stephen Mooney etc etc etc... I know I'm probably missing someone here.

That, by the way, was my very subtle attempt at forum advertising.

13. Are you active in any other communities, related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides this one ?
I am a member of Whedonesque too, but not very active.

14. Are you active on any other internet-based activities related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Fanific-communities for example.
Nope.

15. How do you feel about other Buffy the Vampire-viewers?
We play nice.

16. What do they mean to you?
We're members of the same cult. Even if we disagree, there's always the baseline that is that we all love the show.


17. Are you talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer with people who do not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Not really, no. I have no interest in giving the spiel to people. If they are willing to give it a chance, sure I'll watch it with them, hold their hand on their maiden viewing. But conversion isn't high on my priority list. Now... the gay agenda on the other hand... apparently converting the entire world to homosexuality is what I live for...

18. What does the Internet in general mean for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Personally, it's part of the fun of reading S8. Since I've no one to talk to about plot/character developments, I resort to virtual camaraderie. But I agree with Emmie that it's pretty much what sustains the fandom.

19. Except from creating an interest, communication and communities. What else has the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to you?
It's an avenue for exploring my wide array of interests. The show is a hodge-podge of various elements that speak to me. The quasi-mythology that has been woven is in itself, great fodder for discussion.


20. Anything more you would like to add?
Not particularly, no.

[Emmie]

LMAO Xi, your survey answers are hilarious.

"we play nice" and "we're members of the same cult"

I <3 you. Is it my turn to bring the koolaid to our weekly brainwashin...erm, I mean bake sale? Ya know, the bake sale?



ETA: Holy bananas, this is my 3500th post. Wow.

[wenxina]

Hmm... "bake" sale... is this like that Wicca club in S4?
I'm all for bake sales... I'm an awesome baker. I can follow instructions on the box. Or the book.

[Emmie]

Bake this! *shakes fist*




...I have no idea what that's supposed to mean btw. It sounded funny in my head.

[wenxina]

I don't think a knuckle sandwich requires baking.

[Emmie]

Heh. I guess whichever "baking" we're talking about, physical violence doesn't really fit in. Unless we invent a Homemaker's of America Fight Club.


Can I get a hell yeah? No?

[Mathieu]

Wenxina! You said "We're members of the same cult. Even if we disagree, there's always the baseline that is that we all love the show."

So true. We discuss and argue everything, sometimes we disagree, even strongly, but it's because we care. A lot.

[bitca]

1. Name? Jon
2. Age? 24
3. Gender? Male
4. Your occupation and/or your education? College grad (degree in Business finance), work in Finance/taxes

5. Other information that tells a little more about what and who you are?
I live in the US, have also lived in Hong Kong (I was living in HK during BtVS's original run on tv so I didn't see much of the show).

6. Why did you start watching the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
The first two seasons were was available on Hulu.com. I was bored one day, and decided to check it out because I think SMG is really cute, plus I had just watched Firefly and thought it was decent.

7. What was it that made you become a fan and continued watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I really enjoyed the fun tone of the show early on, which made me keep watching. I didn't become totally obsessive until the episode Innocence, when I realized this show would be so much more to me.

7. How would you describe the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Its about growing up and defying conventions and expectations.

8. How do you relate to the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
In the early seasons, I identified with how Buffy wished to just fit in. Growing up was difficult for me due to moving around every few years and living in other countries. I always was able to find my own "Scooby gang" but never really branched out further than that. Later seasons, I didn't really related to much.

9. What knowledge does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer give to you?
I honestly don't watch the show to gain any knowledge.

10. What does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer mean to you?
Its my favorite tv show, that I can watch over and over again. I think about the show alot in my spare time. I'm a huge Buffy (the character) fan, she is my hero.

11. What is it that makes the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer different from other TV series?
The character interaction and development. Plot-wise, BtVS is very average, however its the characters that feel so real that makes the series special. Its got a great mix of humor, horror, drama, romance, and action. That's why I can watch the series over and over again, because other shows with excellent plots get old after repeated viewings. SMG is also my favorite actress, and I never get tired of watching her. I even have most of her movies, many of which are mediocre but I still enjoy because she is in them.

12. What was it that made you join this community?
I liked the comic section, and the collectible section.

13. Are you active in any other communities, related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides this one?
I post on Buffy-Boards, IMDB, and Superjer.com (has the best Buffy reviews). I read alot of the stuff on Televisionwithoutpity. I'm least active on the Slayalive forums.

14. Are you active on any other internet-based activities related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Fanific-communities for example.
No I am not.

15. How do you feel about other Buffy the Vampire-viewers?
Its comforting to know that I'm not alone in my obsession. However, since the only other BtVS viewers I know are through the internet, some of them are real jerks. Not on Slayalive, but on IMDB and TWOP (especially IMDB). It seems like half the people there have a BtVS superiority complex and feel the need to bully others without as much BtVS knowledge as them.

16. What do they mean to you?
Mean? Not a whole lot...I don't know any on a personal level. Its just interesting to see other people's perspectives.

17. Are you talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer with people who do not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
No. My friends do not like Buffy, and my co-workers are generally 40+ and wouldn't be interested.

18. What does the Internet in general mean for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
It keeps the show alive! Not only BtVS, but any cult favorite show. Also, with the first 3 seasons on Hulu.com, alot of new people are being introduced to the series (including me!). BtVS is usually in the top 20 viewed.

19. Except from creating an interest, communication and communities. What else has the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to you?
It feels more special to me that I know about this great show, yet nobody else I know in life has experienced it.

20. Anything more you would like to add?
I collect Buffy merchandise, even though I don't think they're particularly good. I have a collection of Buffy books, most that I haven't bothered to read. I also collect the comics (both the old ones and S8), which I don't particularly like. Some storylines in S8 I feel are extremely awful, yet I still can't wait for new issues to come out.

[etca]

Thank you all for sharing with me. It´s sucha treat for me to read your thoughts and feeling about Buffy. I very much apprecriate it!


As I said before I might have some follow-up questions on some answers but other than that I think I have to draw the line now... Or else I might have created a monster

I´ll get back to ya!

[Skytteflickan88]

Ska du verkligen våga observera oss tokar?

Okej, på egen risk;

1. Name?
Caroline L.

2. Age?
20.

3. Gender?
Female.

4.Your occupation and/or your education?
Studying literature at the moment, plan on studying to become a librarian in the fall.(Har studerat Retorik på universitet förut och gick Specialutformat Estetiskt programmet inriktning teater på gymnasium).

5. Other information that tells a little more about what and who you are?
Swedish, day-dreamer, obssessed with Spike & James Marsters, likes to write, loves to write.

6. Why did you start watching the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I think I read in the TV-guide thing in a paper that a show about "Buffy och vampyrerna" was airing (på TV4 för första gången kanske?). Since I was into monsters, I checked it out.

7. What was it that made you become a fan and continued watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I watched Season 1 and the bigger part of season 2 on TV, liking the show, but not needing it, you know. But the later part of Season 2 got me hooked for life. Specifically Becoming part 2. How could I not love these characters that had lost so much? I had to keep following them to see that they would be okay.

7. How would you describe the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Not as silly as the name sounds.
It's a show about friendship, outsidership and growing up. It has comedy, horror and characters you can relate to. Sure, the monster of the week and the Big Bads are there, making it a supernatural show, but the story isn't about the monsters, it's about the characters. The monsters are mainly methaphors(for example, high school is hell & Angelus is the good boyfriend turned bad).

8. How do you relate to the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I was bullied as a kid, feel insecure and not normal and likes vampires. I relate. Also, it's hard not to put yourself in the characters shoes, since they're so well written.

9. What knowledge does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer give to you?
That I'm okay, even tough I'm not pretty or smart or funny. A person can be okay without being perfect. I've learned that from watching the show.

10. What does the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer mean to you?
It's my biggest hobby. My life would be boring and empty if I stopped obssessing about the show. Right now, I have 6 days until my exame. Am I studying? Nope.

I blame Joss and the rest of cast & crew. The show is too damn good.

11. What is it that makes the tv- series Buffy the Vampire Slayer different from other TV series?

The idea for starters. A blonde whitty ex-cheerleader fighting the forces of darkness?

That's a new one. Also, the comedy. The witty-ness is present in almost every scene. Nut what makes Buffy different/complete, is that it is undefinable. It's not a comedy. It's not a horrorshow. It's not a drama. It's all of the above, and more.

12. What was it that made you join this community?
Time & Space toys were having a competition. I joined this forum so I could leave my contribution. But I stayed for the members.

13. Are you active in any other communities, related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides this one ?
Not really. There are a few other forums I visit from time to time, but this is home.

14. Are you active on any other internet-based activities related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Fanific-communities for example.
I used to be very into fanficion and was an active reader and commented a lot on livejournal-communities, but that was a while ago.

15. How do you feel about other Buffy the Vampire-viewers?
I'm happy that there are a lot of us so I can talk about Buffy. I didn't seriously get into analysing Buffy until I had someone to analyze with.

16. What do they mean to you?
Okay, here it goes; They're the only friends I have. Other than my family and random classmates, I don't speak to people. Not offliner, not online. I'm a lone wolf and this relatively shallow contact I have with people is all I have and all I need right now.

17. Are you talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer with people who do not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Nope. As I said, lone wolf. Sometimes, I can't keep in my glee and share it with my family, but otherwise, nope.

17. What does the Internet in general mean for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
That the fans can communicate, plan conventions and analyze Buffy together. Without the internet some of us wouldn't have many to talk to, since just the name of the show makes some people ridicule the fans.

18. Except from creating an interest, communication and communities. What else has the tv-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to you?
When no one else could give me advice, I turned to Buffy. Sometimes the advice Giles gave to Buffy applied to me. Sometimes Buffy gave good advice that I could follow(for example her speech to Jonathan in Earshot, taht really spoke to me).
And sometimes I just needed to see real friendship, needed to see Buffy come through the dark into the light, to realize that there was more in the world than depression, so I watched Buffy. Hell, I was more upset when Tara died than my grandmom. I just knew Tara better(True, I got over Tara's death quicker than I did my grandmom's).

19. Anything more you would like to add?
Yes, more things that I can cram into this box. There's so very much to say about Buffy.