‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ Cast Reunites For 20th Anniversary

Big news for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fans! The cast just reunited for a special 20th anniversary photo shoot and group interview, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been TWO DECADES since we first fell in love with Buffy and her pals. It’s even harder to believe when you see that the cast looks as gorgeous as ever (seriously, how did Joyce Sutherland not age a day?).

The only person missing was Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) because he was taking part in a tech rehearsal for another show. However, he did tweet his support:

Not only was the photo shoot stunning and ’90s teen’s Sunnydale fantasy come true, but the cast also had a deep discussion about why they think BtVS was such a huge success. Sarah Michelle Gellar noted that the vampires on the show were really symbolic of the demons that teens face as they grow into adulthood, and how watching Buffy and her friends conquer these bad guys was therapeutic for kids who might otherwise feel completely alone.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was also a fiercely feminist show that pushed the limits of what had been done on TV. Creator Joss Whedon is a noted feminist proponent who prides himself on creating strong, fully realized female characters.

Buffy, accordingly, was a tough, intelligent and brave character for young girls to look up to, and “Buffy” was also one of the early television shows to feature a lesbian couple. Tara and Willow shared one of the most deeply moving relationships on the show, and their first kiss on the show in season 5 made national headlines (it was also the first program to show a lesbian sex scene on broadcast TV).

Whedon says that he battled the network when it came to showing any physical aspect of their relationship, and the cast discussed their frustration with this as well.

“Buffy” also tackled tough topics like death, school shootings, sexual assault and depression. (In fact, numerous episodes of the program were pulled at the time, as network executives worried that the mature content of the show.) However, as many “Buffy” fans will tell you, the show’s frank look at the true realities of the world were what made it special. And, even though Buffy, Willow, Xander and the rest of the “Scoobies” were always facing major demons, they did so together… with compassion, humor, strength and love.

As Gellar says in the reunion video, “I think for all of us here, we have been a part of something that’s bigger than us that still holds up, and… that’s all you can ever really hope for.”

Sigh. Now who else wants to go and binge on the best TV show of the 90s? Oh, and make sure to pick up a copy of Entertainment Weekly’s special issue so you can read the whole interview and see the reunion photos.

h/t: Entertainment Weekly