Some television shows have stood the test of time, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer is definitely among them. The hit horror series is rocketing up the charts at the Apple TV store, per FlixPatrol. It’s currently standing at the #2 spot, with #1 being overtaken by another cult classic in Psych. The timing couldn’t be better, as a Buffy sequel series is currently in the works with Sarah Michelle Gellar slated to reprise her role as the titular vampire slayer. It also shows that Buffy continues to be a major draw, even in the modern day landscape of television.

Part of that allure lies with the title, which perfectly sums up the show. Buffy Summers (Gellar), at first glance, seems like your typical valley girl. Secretly, she is the Slayer, destined to hunt down and eradicate vampires from the earth. With the help of her Watcher, Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) and best friends Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Xander (Nicholas Brendon), Buffy deals with the pitfalls of the supernatural and adolescence. It led to a series that was filled with horror, humor, heart, and plenty of monster-fighting action, not to mention a cultural impact that can be felt to this day.

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Had a Massive Impact on Television & Pop Culture

While Buffy the Vampire Slayer is regarded as a cultural icon, it took a while for the series to pick up when it was airing on the WB. Slowly but surely, WB execs noticed that the show was pulling in a younger audience and started to tailor its programming accordingly, featuring more female-led shows like Gilmore Girls and Dawson’s Creek. Even when Buffy moved to UPN, it continued to pull in strong ratings. It’s no surprise that when the WB and UPN merged into the CW that this type of programming continued to be a major draw, especially with the rise of the Arrowverse.

In fact, a lot of modern media owes its existence to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, especially with the blending of certain genres like horror and teenage drama. Teen Wolf is a prime example, as, like Buffy, it juggled the teenage antics of Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) with his struggles as a newly-born werewolf. On the comedy side, How I Met Your Mother featured plenty of Buffy references and a Buffy alum in Alyson Hannigan. The biggest modern-day successor to Buffy, however, might be KPop Demon Hunters. The parallels are strong; like Buffy, it features a group of young women who balance a KPop career with fighting demons, plenty of humor and angst, and becoming a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.

The ‘Buffy’ Sequel Series Will See Buffy Mentoring a New Slayer

Image via The WB

While Buffy the Vampire Slayer has continued on in the form of comics and Audible series, the upcoming reboot will mark the first live-action project since the series concluded in 2003. It also has an intriguing premise, with Buffy mentoring a new Slayer played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong. If that wasn’t a big enough hook for fans, Chloé Zhao (Hamnet, Eternals) is also slated to helm the pilot for the sequel series, guaranteeing a compelling watch. Sarah Michelle Gellar also assured fans during a panel for her latest series, Breaking Bear, that the utmost care was being taken with the Buffy sequel:

“Now we’re just gonna watch it and edit it to make sure we’re honoring it…because it means as much to me as the rest of all of you […] If we’re gonna do it, we’re only gonna do it right.”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a truly special show, and the fact that it’s returned to streaming charts proves that it’ll continue to be a draw for new audiences. It also bodes well for stoking interest in the sequel — longtime Buffy fans will probably want to revisit the series, while newcomers will want to start from the very beginning.

Release Date

1997 – 2003

Network

The WB

Showrunner

Joss Whedon

Directors

Joss Whedon

Writers

Joss Whedon