Seemingly the most fantastical of television series,
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
proves on close examination to be firmly rooted in real-world concerns. In this collection of critical essays, fifteen authors from several disciplines, including literature, the visual arts, theatre, philosophy, and political science, study ways in which Buffy reflects, illuminates, and clarifies its audience’s real-life experiences.The topics include the series’ complicated portrayals of the relationship between soul, morality, and identity; whether Buffy can truly be described as a feminist icon; the ways in which Buffy attempted, somewhat unsuccessfully, to undermine stereotypes of Native Americans in Western culture with the season four episode
Pangs ; the role of signs in the interaction between Buffy’s aesthetics and audience; and the problem of power and underhanded politics in the Buffy universe, where characters frequently manipulate others for self-serving reasons or give in altogether to the dark pleasures of raw power.