A Buffy for All Seasons

Look at us! We are so funny! Look how hard we are laughing!

At some point early enough in my primary schooling days that I really don’t remember it, my parents laid down the “no TV on school nights” law. I assume that my inclusion in the edict had a lot to do with being fair to my older brother and very little to do with any possibility of me having tons of homework in first or second or whatever grade that was being put aside in favor of the goggle-eyed goodness. Needless to say, as a result, I missed that whole canon of 80’s and 90’s TV shows that continue to re-run nowadays on TBS, WB, Fox, and other stations: 90210, Friends, Seinfeld, X-Files- even the early years of The Simpsons.


It's the evil hand of an average to below-average GPA! Nooooo!

However, as all 1-2 of my loyal readers know, my only true missed TV calling was as a Buffy the Vampire Slayer Überanhänger. Who cares about the rest of that stuff, anyway? And may I just say- thank goodness for the advent of the DVD television series boxed set and, more importantly, Netflix! Through good planning (screw cable- buy a DVD player!) and some unexpected free time (Rival Season 2), I was able to watch the entire series from start to finish in the comfort of my comfy chair. Buffy eventually led to Angel and then a few purchases (Buffy seasons 1-3 . . . sigh . . .) and then I happily discovered the short-lived Firefly on DVD.


I am cute and witty and a positive role model for young girls- be my friend!

But after plowing through the Joss Whedon catalogue, I was left feeling a bit empty. What else can I watch (let's just assume we are in a vacuum where "books" do not exist)? Aren’t there other truly great television shows out there? Am I doomed to vegetate in front of Everybody Loves Raymond re-runs from 6:00 p.m. until I start drooling on my cat each night? “No!” you say? But how?

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Veronica Mars.


But wait! I, too, am a cute, witty, positive whatnot and so on. Like me!

So technically I am not watching this show religiously or in real time. But- I caught a few of the last episodes of Season 1 earlier in the year and got hooked. Now I’m working my way through Season 1 (thanks again, Netflix!) while Season 2 happens under our very noses. And honestly, I feel a bit Jackie Harvey Outside Scoop lauding a show that has already received some notable acclaim. But honestly, most of the folks I have mentioned the show to haven’t heard of it- maybe because it’s on UPN. So the word is clearly still in need of serious spread-age. More importantly, the world needs to know that Miss Mars is at last the young female protaganist we (yes, you, too!) have been waiting for to fill the huge, gaping void left (in my humble opinion) when the Hellmouth was turned into . . . well . . . a huge, gaping void.

I certainly would not be the first person to see similarities between the characters of Buffy and Veronica, but let’s just take a gander anyway:

1) Both are former popular girls who are now alienated from the in-crowd as a result of a difficult choice (at least for VM Season 1)
2) Both have intensely loyal and generally unpopular friends instead
3) Both rely on said friends for general help and research assistance (it is interesting to note that the return for these favors on Buffy is often that the world is saved, meaning that the research buddies don’t end up dead (usually). There is often very little return for Veronica’s friend Wallace, though, and I believe this is currently coming to a head in season 2)
4) Both are in recently single-parent homes and are only children (at least for the high school years on Buffy)
5) Both are blond California girls
6) Both tend to schedule late night patrols and apparently only require 3 to 4 hours of sleep every night
7) Both are an endless source of witty comebacks and cultural references (Buffy: “The girl makes Godot look punctual.” Veronica: “Be cool, Sodapop.”)
8) Most importantly, unlike most stilted TV characters, both are girls I would actually want to hang out with if they were people in real life

Ok, so what this is really about is how much I want to be best friends with Buffy and Veronica. You got me. Nonetheless, the message is still “watch Veronica Mars.” And, if you haven't already, perhaps "Watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer" as well.

It will improve your circulation, which leads to better skin, a fuller head of hair, and a skinnier waistline. Dig.