"Buffy the Vampire Slayer": Future is Now

August 06, 2006 by
Elena Telingater  
Elena Telingater
Elena Telingater
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Whedon  |  Buffy the Vampire Slayer  |  Threesomes  |  Threesomes  |  Threesomes

Art and Entertainment at the Crossroads

Editor's note: This article contains adult content.

"I don't want to be a member of a club that accepts types like me". 

Recently this old joke got practical application: a fan of the show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" accused its writers of excessive immersion in the themes of sex and violence that fascinate her and are persistent themes of her fanfiction. 

This unprecedented case is a good starting point for reflection on paradoxes of professional and amateur art in the age of Internet. 

Heather Fowler's paper "Messages About Sex and Violence in the Buffy/Spike Relationship on Buffy the Vampire Slayer A Fine Line Between Love and Hate" has been published on AssociatedContent June 01 2006, more than three years after the show ended. Fowler, a romantic fiction novelist, uses TV show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" as prime example to illustrate her point that TV should be more responsible in telling stories about dark and unhealthy relationships. She doesn't insist directly on tightening TV censorship but maintains that controversial scenes may send "mixed messages" to the audience. Fowler writes "In this paper, I deal specifically with the message given by the complicated sadomasochistic relationship between the series' heroine, Buffy Summers, and the wildly popular arch-villain-turned-hero, Spike. [...] I contend that the message of this relationship to young viewers is a dangerous one." 

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  • Heather Fowler. "Messages About Sex and Violence in the Buffy/Spike Relationship on Buffy the Vampire Slayer A Fine Line Between Love and Hate"  Ducks' fanfiction site DenialBubble ducksfanfic.denialbubble.com/
 
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Such a big feast with so much to digest *grabs knife and fork*. Thanks for taking the time to write this and share it with us. >> Hmm..not an either or question when it comes to writing, imo. One suggests a career only in after school specials or something from the Discovery Channel that would be flipped through. To avoid anything with social redeeming value would suggest a future writting for porn, although I'm sure there are people who watch them for the riveting plot lines. I feel the majority of writers want to convey a social message AND express themselves. The writers for BtVS gave us characters that we could really care about, not in spite of their bad behavior but most times it was because of it. We all saw the facts, Souled Willow, Angel and
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Posted on 08/15/2006 at 10:08:00 AM

Excellent article, Thanks for writing it.
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Posted on 08/12/2006 at 4:08:00 PM

Elena: I applaud your attitude. One of my least favorite things about AC is the manipulation of the comments field by CPs. I guess I understand why AC has to allow CPs to delete comments, but it's really lame/cowardice when CPs delete legitimate criticism or comments that simply represent an opposing viewpoint. I mean, you have the opportunity to defend yourself by leaving a rebuttal - step up and leave one!
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Posted on 08/12/2006 at 11:08:00 AM

I am grateful to everybody who read and commented on my article. I want to emphasize that I hadn't deleted a single comment and I will never do it. I believe in the pluralism of opinions. The comments that disappeared has been voted out by people who disagree with my views. I had time to read and appreciate the eradicated comments before they disappeared. I apologize to the authors of these comments for the behavior of the people whose self-affirmation is based on obliteration of dissenting opinions. And I strongly recommend to read Colette Wedding's article - she regards the problem from a different standpoint and her analysis is very insightful.
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Posted on 08/10/2006 at 3:08:00 PM

LW - it is back up now. Just click on my name.
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Posted on 08/10/2006 at 2:08:00 PM

It truly is a sad commentary on a fandom when people like Ducks and her coterie of followers feel so threatened by other fans--of a show that has been dead three years--that they still pursue internet campaigns with delete cookies/negative comment bombs and mass complaints to delete and eliminate dissenting views. It is a television show. Unlike Duck's deluded dream, we do not all need to have the same goosestepping opinions and are allowed to embrace other facets of it. That said, great article and thank you for writing it.
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Posted on 08/10/2006 at 1:08:00 PM

Wonderfully well reasoned post. I am wondering, though, what happened to the other article responding to Duck's essay. It seems to have disappeared. Is it due to comment abuse? Just wondering. Anyway, I enjoyed reading your essay.
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Posted on 08/09/2006 at 2:08:00 PM

continued::::::: When Buffy says no to Spike in the bathroom, she means it. Let's also note that no way did Spike blame her due to the nature of their previous sexual relationship. I know it's easy to say he was confused, but that's putting the blame on the victim and Fowler is right, we should never do that. In Spike's case, he IS a vampire, he has no moral compass, so I would look at this differently then if it were Giles or Xander because hey...Buffy kills vampires... After the fact, I interpreted it that Spike looked inside and knew he had to have help with the demon inside of him. (meanwhile, the demon in him is kicking and fighting all the way) Anyway, this is obviously not a show which is supppose to deal with Buffy taking rape therapy. It's about redemption, growing up, life, but also hey..vampires/slayers/witches and sisters made out of green glowy stuff.
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Posted on 08/09/2006 at 12:08:00 PM

I know many say balcony sex is bad, evil, but I'm in the crowd that says Spike is playing with her kinky side. Obviously, he's mistaken that she belongs in the dark, (or even that he does) and she thinks she came back wrong because she kind of likes doing these things with Spike... As Ramses has smartly pointed out, mysogynist Caleb calls slayers "Dirty girls, sluts, etc. Obviously, we aren't suppose to think he's an authority on women, but on old school perception of what makes a "good girl". When Buffy says no to Spike in the bathroom, she means it. Let's also note that no way did Spike blame her due to the nature of their previous sexual relationship. I know it's easy to say he was confused, but that's putting the blame on the victim and Fowler is right, we should never do that. In Spike's case, he IS a vampire, he has no moral compass, so I would look at this differently then if it were Giles or Xander because hey...Buffy kills vampires... After the fact, I felt Spike
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Posted on 08/09/2006 at 11:08:00 AM

Unfortunately there isn't anything we can do about it yet, Chris. But now you see what some of us have to deal with for having opinions on things.
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Posted on 08/09/2006 at 9:08:00 AM

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