Previously On... Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy the Vampire Slayer may have been off our screens for over 20 years now (how old does that make you feel?!) but is alive and well within the world of fanfiction. For this special bonus episode, we're joined by writer Skyson to discuss all things Buffy fanfic: what it is, why it inspires and resonates with people, and the sense of community it's created.

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We've reached the end of Season 1, and joining us for a round-up of all the best bits is a very special guest: Meredith! You may be familiar with the amazing watercolour artwork Meredith has done for each episode of the podcast. She'll be chatting to us about how and why she started creating Buffy fanart and some favourite pieces she's worked on. She'll then help us decide on the best episodes, scenes, lines and characters of Season 1.

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Previously On... Buffy:

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We've reached the season finale, and things are really getting tense in Sunnydale. Remember that book Giles was looking for? Well, unfortunately it contains an ancient prophecy confirming a terrible fate for Buffy when she faces the Master. Even worse, she finds out about it and decides to quit her Slayer duties once and for all. Join us as we discuss the emotional fallout, Angel finally being useful, Xander redeeming himself to help his friend, and the return of Jenny Calendar.

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Cordelia is about to be crowned May Queen, but the festivities are put in jeopardy when she and her friends are targeted by an invisible foe. It's up to Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies to figure out whether the person responsible is a ghost, or something else. Oh, and Angel's back with an important book for Giles... but it spells bad news for Buffy. Join us as we discuss the penultimate episode of Season 1 with its overall theme of loneliness and isolation, Buffy and Cordelia's newfound understanding, and Giles and Angel's little bromance.

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Spoiler warning: From 1h37, themes from future seasons of Buffy as well as the comics and Slayers Audible series are discussed. Please be mindful of this if you haven't seen/heard/read any of the above.

Can you imagine what it would be like to have your worst nightmares come to life? Well that's exactly what happens to Buffy and her friends in this episode, and it's all got something to do with a little boy named Billy who just so happens to be in a coma in hospital. So of course they need to find a way to wake him up before it's too late and the world comes to an end... Join us as we discuss this action-packed episode and how it foreshadows quite a few things in the Buffyverse.

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It's time for the annual Sunnydale talent show (or 'talentless show', as Buffy calls it) and Giles has been roped in to oversee it, much to his horror. When one of the students taking part is killed (this is the Hellmouth, after all) and the culprit looks unlikely to be human, Buffy suspects a ventriloquist dummy named Sid may be to blame. We also meet the new school principal, Snyder, and Sarah faces her fear of dummies.

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There's a demon in the internet at Sunnydale High... Unfortunately for Willow, that means her new online boyfriend probably isn't all he's cracked up to be. Luckily Ms. Calendar the computer science teacher is here to help, and Sophie is seriously smitten — but Giles is seriously horrified. Watch out Vision in Tweed, you've got competition! Join us as we reminisce about the good old days of dial-up internet, discuss how Giles's technophobia in this episode proved strangely prophetic, and enthuse about this super cool new teacher we've been introduced to.

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It's the return of Mr. Dark and Mysterious, also known as Cryptic Guy, also known as Angel. Buffy clearly has a massive crush on him, but things get complicated when she learns he's a vampire, and a pretty notorious one too. We also get the return of Darla, who turns out to be an important part of Angel's past. Join us as we discuss Buffy's entirely impractical pillowcase, Angel's gratuitous shirtlessness, the appropriateness of their relationship... and the appropriateness of the school librarian turning up at your mother's hospital bedside!

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Warning: This episode contains references to sexual assault, which may be triggering for some listeners.

The joys of the Hellmouth continue, as a school trip to Sunnydale Zoo results in Xander and a gang of bullies becoming possessed by a pack of hyenas. This makes for an uncomfortable rewatch at times. We navigate Xander's awful behaviour towards Willow and Buffy and say an emotional goodbye to yet another character we've become pretty attached to. And don't even get us started on poor Herbert the piglet... But hey, at least we have our beloved Vision in Tweed to distract us with his very fetching scarf.

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Poor Buffy can't catch a break. All she wants is just one night off from vampire-slaying duties to go on a date with poetry-loving Owen. Unfortunately, it happens to be the same night that the Anointed One shall rise... that's if Giles's calculations are correct. Join us as we rewatch one of our favourite episodes of Season 1, with loads of fantastic dialogue and some interesting parallels between Owen and Giles.

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