By Chris Snellgrove
| Printed 29 seconds in the past
Lately, Deadline broke what’s already essentially the most shocking information of the 12 months: Sarah Michelle Gellar will likely be returning to headline a reboot of her insanely well-liked ‘90s style cult basic Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Particulars about this are nonetheless sparse, although the outline of this as “the subsequent chapter within the Buffyverse” implies that it is going to be set in the identical world as the unique present. And that’s a giant a part of why this Buffy reboot is destined to succeed: as a result of it would construct off a sequence that left the door huge open for a continuation.
The Buffy Reboot Plot After Season 7
Some Buffy followers don’t love Season 7, however the show-stopper of a finale is a giant a part of why this reboot is probably going going to be a smash hit. The entire schtick of this universe’s lore was that just one Slayer was lively at a time and blessed with all the ability that comes with it. Within the sequence finale, Buffy managed to totally unleash this energy, giving “potentials” all around the globe the identical set of low-level superpowers that she had used to defend Sunnydale from evil all through the years.
Whereas we don’t know precisely what route the brand new present will take, it’s a reasonably secure guess that Buffy herself not be the lead character. In actual fact, she’ll nearly definitely be a Watcher-like determine to a number of Slayers who want steerage. Due to the unique Buffy finale, this facet of the reboot would make sense as a result of we all know for a incontrovertible fact that this fictional world was out of the blue stuffed with younger ladies who, in a single day, out of the blue gained powers that would remodel them into both heroes or villains. Both method, that world will want the veteran presence of Buffy, the one Slayer with extra expertise than any of the remainder.
Don’t Make The Picard Mistake
Assuming the Buffy reboot goes this fashion, it looks like it is going to be off to a greater begin than its closest analog: Star Trek: Picard. That Paramount+ present was additionally a revival of a beloved ensemble style present everybody cherished within the ‘90s, and it equally located its title character as an older mentor determine to a brand new technology of heroes. Nevertheless, many Trek followers hated that first season as a result of it modified all the pieces we love about Picard (together with his hatred of turning androids into slaves) with the intention to make him into this aloof determine who out of the blue must return to motion to save lots of the day.
Narratively talking, that’s an effective way to get a returning character again into the motion, which is why it’s a secure guess that the Buffy reboot will just do that for our favourite Slayer. Nevertheless, Buffy doesn’t should lose her beliefs and standing like Picard did. As a substitute, she merely must be what she was on the finish of the sequence: only one Slayer in a world the place a whole bunch and even hundreds of others now share her powers.
It will be completely good if Buffy’s persona and morals remained the identical however she needed to trip herd on a brand new crop of Slayers who, within the parlance of Silicon Valley, simply need to transfer quick and break issues. At any fee, the writers for the Buffy reboot have loads of materials to attract on, together with some killer comics which might be (for now, not less than) canonical. And if the present manages to snag another returning actors (none have but been confirmed), we are able to lastly study whether or not Buffy ended up with Angel, Spike, or another person altogether (though if it’s Riley, the fandom could riot).
This Buffy Fan Has Hope
As an enormous Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan from my teenagers (I joined mailing lists to obtain VHS recordings earlier than my city lastly obtained WB!), I’ve excessive hopes for this reboot. That’s vital as a result of I’ve watched different revivals like Frasier fail, and I’ve watched Picard almost destroy its title character’s legacy earlier than sticking the touchdown with its remaining season. The world of TV reboots is, frankly, one thing of an apocalypse proper now, however who higher than Buffy Summers to navigate it and save the world but once more?
Supply: Deadline
