Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer is based on his 1992 film of the same name and premiered on The WB in 1997. The series follows Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a “slayer” who is fated to fight vampires, demons and other supernatural beings. While she is a reluctant hero who wants to live a normal life, Buffy learns to embrace her destiny.

Buffy receives guidance from her “watcher,” Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), and surrounds herself with a group of loyal companions consisting of Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan), Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon), Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), Daniel “Oz” Osbourne (Seth Green), Jenny Calendar (Robia LaMorte) and Anya Jenkins (Emma Caulfield). Buffy also finds a love interest in Angel (David Boreanaz), a vampire with a cursed soul.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer concluded in 2003 on UPN and spawned a spinoff series titled Angel as well as hundreds of other tie-in products, including novels, comics and video games.