A
children's programme, a teen drama, aimed at the 18-35 age group.
These are different people's opinions as to what age Buffy appeals
to. So what's going on? Why can't the TV schedulers get it
right?
The fact is, no one
really knows what age group the show is aimed at. As said by Joss
Whedon, Buffy's creator, The WB doesn't even know how to handle the
programme. I even doubt the fact that programme schedulers (BBC take
note) have ever actually watched an episode of Buffy.
I think the reason for
confusion is Buffy the Vampire Slayer stars good looking young
people, the characters are young people and the premise is young
people. The 16-18 age to be exact. It seems any programme with
characters of this age will be a teen drama or even a children's
programme as said by the BBC. For example, Dawson's Creek,
Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Hollyoaks, (did I have to say this one!)
and Heartbreak High. Another closer and better example of
this stereotypical behaviour is Ultraviolet. Though I never
watched the show when it was first broadcast, it's probably the closest
show to Buffy you can compare. But the difference is, Ultraviolet
stars actors that aren't in their teens, and therefore it's taken much
more seriously and is actually called an adult drama. Shows
like Buffy, or any shows for the matter starring teenagers, or
teenagers aren't taken seriously enough. But that's my
opinion. Maybe I'm wrong.
But take this idea.
Imagine a show about aliens, the FBI, government conspiracies, starring
adults. Now put it in a 6.45pm timeslot. The BBC would say
no. But why would they say that? Would it be the plots or the
actors? Personally, I still think it'd be the actors. Most of
you reading this by now (are apart from being very tolerant) have probably
recognised that my example is The X Files. No one could
imagine The X Files in a 6.45pm timeslot. It should be the
same with Buffy, but it isn't and that's because Buffy stars
young people.
Another slant in my view
is experience. People seem to think (I'm thinking more of media
critics) that young actors are inexperienced and pretty rubbish and older
actors are more experienced and can actually act. This is not
necessarily so; Buffy is a prime example. I think Sarah
Michelle Gellar is one of the best actresses I've ever seen. For
those of you who have seen Prophecy Girl, Becoming and Dead
Man's Party you'll definitely agree. But TV channels like the
Beeb aren't giving young people a chance, so everyone else will go on
thinking that young actors are awful until shows like Buffy are
given a decent time slot.
The BBC don't seem to
think that adults, who seem to be the only people watching after 9pm
will watch a show with young people in but they are so wrong, most Buffy
fans I know are aged 30 or above. But the BBC seem to be completely
ignorant to this fact (and also completely ignorant to everything else!)
This is not just
restricted to TV though. Twentieth Century Fox are doing it
too. The first Buffy videos are now on release but they're
not in order, they're not even from the same series. Fox's
explanation for this, to quote them: "That it will appeal more to
teenage girls." I was pretty angry about this at the time but I
also completely forgot I'm a teenage girl as well! For those who
don't know, I'm actually 14 years old, hard to believe? But does
this change my view? Does it make my opinion any less valid?
It shouldn't, but it does.
A new show is beginning
in America this fall called Roswell, which is like The X Files
and Buffy. A bit of a mixture of aliens and young
actors. But no American TV channel will show it after 9pm and the
reason for this? Roswell stars young actors.
After all I've said here
I almost forgot the exception to the rule, Angel. Perhaps
this will be the show to chagne things. Then I remembered, it may
star young actors but their characters aren't of the 16-18 year
group. Angel is "244" years old, Cordelia may start to
look a little older than she was in Buffy as she is no longer a
high school student and the new character Doyle is not exactly in his
teens. Then there's the possible love interest of new character Kate
who will probably be in her 30s. Also, there's a major point that
Angel isn't set in the backdrop of a high school.
So nothing will
change. Personally I think the fault lies with TV and film
critics. They have moulded us to what we should like and what not
to. Take a film like Cruel Intentions, starring Buffy's
very own Sarah Michelle Gellar as well as the lovely Ryan Phillippe and
others like Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair. They all played
characters in their teens and the film was based around teens in high
school. It received mixed reviews, but those who gave the film bad
reviews (no names mentioned) gave the weak excuse for it being awful
because it stars another brat pack This is the name seemingly
given by critics to teen (looking) actors in films. I think it's an
awful stereotype given to a range of actors and actresses like SMG,
Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Phillippe, Neve Campbell etc, just because of
their age. It's a form of age discrimination. So, there you
go, I've now linked Buffy with age discrimination! Maybe I've
read too much into this. But if you think about it, it's all true.
The next time you watch a
fictional TV show, compare it with another that's the complete opposite of
what you've just seen. Think of the time slot and the ages of the
characters. Then you'll see what an age discriminative society we
really are.
Text copyright Rebecca
Kidman.
Used by permission.
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