In honor of Buffy here is one analysis I did for college, of the opening and how well it intrigues audiences to watch it. Enjoy!
According to Gray, an opening is a great help when a show wants to "create genre character and tone" (Gray 74). One opening in particular that does this well, is the opening to the high school/supernatural serial tv show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This particular opening helps establish that Buffy the Vampire Slayer will be a fast action based, exuberant, intriguing (with the opening showing clips of upcoming episodes), with a paranormal tone that is hinted with the visuals and sound effects used in the opening. All the while being youthful and stylish, and the show promises the audience a tough as nails lead in the form of Buffy, the show's namesake.
Opening credits are a classic case of "entryway texts " for an audience (Gray 73). For Buffy this is very clear with every episode there were, in fact, two openings. The first being a recap of the plot/focus, that of Buffy is the chosen one who is tasked to kill vampires. This plays as way to get the attention of viewers, and hopefully helps bring in those new to the show, up to speed. Then there is a teaser for the episode, and then the official opening with music and giving credit to the actors.
Aside from the introduction, which includes a voice over explaining who Buffy is and what she does, the official opening credits is all about showing Buffy in her role as the chosen one. Basically the first intro is all about tell, while the second is all about show. Overall the format of the opening credits includes, of course, firstly the show's title, which appears spookily in a gothic-like font with a wolf howling in the background. Then suddenly fast paced rock/metal type music kicks in, with shots that include monsters, demons, vampires, and soon shots of Buffy kicking their butts.
Going back to Gray, his description of the role of opening credits is how they provide "proper interpretations of genre and character" (Gray 74). From that, Buffy's opening sells that the show is going to have a lot of action, all the while being very mysterious since the opening credits include shots of all kinds of strange looking monsters. From that, it becomes apparent that Buffy is an supernatural action show, which in turn sets up hype for the show using intertexuality in regards to the horror imagery.
The monster/horror genre has a very much established successful history with audiences, as shown with the classic Universal monsters and later on with the Hammer Horror series and on television with the serial soap opera Dark Shadows. Thus the hype for the show comes from an intertexual aspect, promising the audience horror genre tropes, such as vampires and the like.
There is, of course, hype with the intertexuality (Gray 117) of how the show being a new adaptation/interpretation of the mildly successful movie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), but the shows hype was more than likely also helped by how the popularity of vampires was renewed with the successful release of the adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire (1994) two years prior. Essentially the opening credits show a lot of promise for audience reception just with the hype of the intertexual appearance of supernatural/horror elements. Beyond the intertexuality within the opening, the strength of the opening being a paratext, that helps intrigue the audience to what to expect, is also helped with the music and the fast paced imagery of Buffy fighting.
The mixture of the rock/metal type music with the fast edited imagery of upcoming episodes (another great way of exciting audiences by giving them a peak of things to come) pumps up the excitement from the audience and promises a more modern show. This combo of music and action based imagery, becomes enhanced as well with the appearance of the young beautiful cast. Which in turn boosts the possibility of a younger audience watching, that the show was most likely targeting towards.
This promise of youthful energy is also aided with the kinetic visuals of Buffy fighting several of the monster baddies. Buffy's down to business and tough appearance also possibly geared up a female based audience since the opening promises a female lead who actually does the fighting and rescuing. In fact her appearance as the main character/action hero almost certainly helped promote the hype for the show, since a female lead in an action based show, at the time of Buffy's release was very unconventional and new.
Basically if the audience, were to go by Gray's term of ""proper" and "preferred" interpretation"" (Gray 72) from the opening credits of Buffy, it would appear the text is forming into the shape that it; wants to communicate the show will be a action based look into gothic/horror subject matter. The text has also decided to break convention with a female action lead, giving the audience a fresh new take on action oriented show. All the while will promise to a hopefully young audience, a young cast of characters they will more than likely relate to.
Gray, Jonathan. Show Sold Seperately. New York: New York University Press, 2010. Print.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dir. Fran Rebel Kazui. Perf. Kristy Swanson Luke Perry Donald Sutherland. 1992. Film.
Interview with a Vampire. Dir. Neil Jordan. Perf. Brad Pitt Tom Cruise Kirsten Dunst. 1994. Film.
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