While director Joss Whedon is now synonymous with superhero movies like The Avengers and Justice League, his career truly got its start with Buffy The Vampire Slayer. The acclaimed series ran for seven season in the 90s, and has an absolutely rabid fanbase to this day. Buffy had some ambitious episodes during its tenure on The WB/UPN, including a musical episode, a drama no background music, and an episode with barely any dialogue at all. But which episode was Buffy herself the most fond of? Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar was recently asked that very question, and her answer may surprise you.
I like 'The Prom'. Just because to me that was all about who she was and the isolation that you feel as a teenager.
It looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar's favorite episode as the title character was smack dab in middle of the show's tenure. Season 3 saw the end of Buffy's High School career, including her action filled and tear jerking Prom.
Sarah Michelle Gellar's comment to Pop Sugar points to one of the central themes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. What made the supernatural drama so relatable is that Buffy's interpersonal demons mirrored the physical ones she was killing. So while she had to fight hellhounds at Prom, Buffy also dealt with feeling alone and knowing her relationship with Angel wasn't going to work out. This type of storytelling kept the show from becoming a procedural, as each new creature helped move the characters forward.
"The Prom" is also one of the rare moments when Buffy is thanked for her work as The Slayer. When the Prom Committee is giving out awards like Class Clown (Xander was snubbed, btw), Jonathan eventually surprises Buffy with an award of her own. She's given the Class Protector Award, as well as a "trophy" in the form of an ornamental umbrella. The entire class applauds her for her work, and she's able to feel like the last three years truly meant something.
The cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer recently reunited for the show's 20 year anniversary, and reflected on the show's importance in TV history. And while the fandom would likely lose their minds over a potential revival, Sarah Michelle Gellar doesn't seem interested. And with Joss Whedon seemingly in bed with the DC Extended Universe for the long haul, he's likely have little time to work on another Buffy project. But the series has continued on in the form of the comics, so we can find out what The Scooby Gang has been doing since they closed the Hellmouth at the end of Season 7.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is currently available to stream on Hulu. Be sure to check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
