Buffy The Vampire Slayer Cast And Exec Reflect On The Television Series 20th Anniversary

In 1997, Joss Whedon created a television series based on the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which starred Kristy Swanson as the titular character, but he made sure to make things different. Whedon succeeded on his making his vision a reality, and despite its underwhelming start, the television series led by Sarah Michelle Gellar soon gained a cult following.

As Buffy the Vampire Slayer celebrates its 20th anniversary, the stars and producers look back on their experiences and share the lessons they have learned from the series and the Buffyverse.

Buffy Slayed, Buffy Speaks

Sarah Michelle Gellar posted a photo of a Buffy shoot on her Instagram account and expressed her gratitude to her cast mates and crew who worked with her on the show. She also recalled how much impact being a part of Buffy had on her life.

"[We] liked to think of ourselves as the little show that could. While we knew the potential, I don't think any of us saw the lasting impact our show would have [...] As an actor, you wish for that one role where you can leave your mark and forever be remembered, with Buffy I got so much more. She's a feminist challenge to gender hierarchy," Gellar writes.

She ended her statement by reminding her fans to beep her when the apocalypse comes - yes, beep.

Read Gellar's full statement below.

Angel Thinks Back To Sunnydale

David Boreanaz may be busy with the conclusion of the FOX forensic series Bones where he plays Agent Seeley Booth, but he took the time to reminisce about his experience in an interview.

"I remember being thrown into this world of complete chaos [...] At the time, I didn't think much of the fact that [Angel] was a vampire. But I loved the fact that you can knock him down but you know he's going to come back up [...] the casting process turned into a quick, first day of shooting that ended up like a madhouse for me. I embraced it and went along with the ride," Boreanaz recalls.

Giles Offers His Insight

Anthony Stewart Head, who played Buffy's Watcher, Rupert Giles, wrote an article in The Guardian expressing how Buffy the Vampire Slayer became a feminist parable for its fans and the cast - or, at least, him.

"The executives who commissioned it had no idea what they were unleashing, and the impact it would have [...] We were lucky Buffy was off-the-radar - nobody expected it to do anything, so we weren't subject to their scrutiny [...] And that was the real power of the show - it resonated. [...] In the final season, Whedon started to build up this young group of 'Slayerettes' around Buffy. I was confused [...] But after seven years, in the series' final moments when Buffy handed over the mantle to all womenkind, he encapsulated the true message of the programme," Head shares. As for Buffy's best friends, Willow and Xander, they tweeted their love for the series and the fans.

A Writer Speaks

Drew Goddard, producer of NBC's The Good Place who worked on some Buffy episodes, won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation for his work. Goddard recalls that he was such a huge fan of Buffy that he was incredibly excited when he worked in the series from 2002 to 2003.

"I was one of the extreme fans who was lucky enough to get to work on the show. It was surreal [...] There are too many moments to name. But I suppose the thing I miss most is the fearlessness. It's there in every single episode," he says.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was definitely a game changer in the TV industry and it has rightfully earned the praises it continues to receive.