It really is interesting to me that the most multi-dimensional characters in ‘BtVS’ to me are the ones that are most known for their performative behaviour as opposed always authentic: Willow. Spike. Buffy.
Or rather - it’s the characters that have an arc where the theme of identity is incredibly significant for them to the point where their usual attire and choice of dress every now and again away from their usual attire reveals something juicy about their characterization and therefore gives greater character representation.
I am not usually a person particularly interested in image or appearance on the outside unless it informs who the person is/isn’t on the inside and provides depth of character in such a way that feels divine.
The times when the external affects the internal. Even if not intentionally. Subconsciously and indirectly.
And I haven’t seen a show do this better than ‘BtVS’. I haven’t seen another TV show that knows how to fuse the use and purpose of the narrative, the theme and the characterization as well as this show can. And as pointed out below by @spuffybot’s meta, that may be because it wasn’t intentional at all. It was either fate’s intervention or just a happy accident. And sometimes some of the best TV art/entertainment comes from the fact that nobody ever actually intended anything… rather everybody just interprets differently and adds on to what was already there. Making it insightful.
This is why shows like ‘BtVS’ are timeless shows.
Because technically… the show is still being created. I’ve said this before in a Xena post but no one goes to see the Mona Lisa to learn what da Vinci intended.
They might think that’s what they’re doing but they’re not. What they’re actually doing is still painting it.
We can give the creators of any TV art/entertainment that provided the scope and space for the audience to be able to do this all the credit if we want. But I think we should start considering and acknowledging that we have a lot more to do with why and how a TV show thematically resonates with us than them at some point. Because WE are actually the reason why all this stuff matters so much to us. We put it there ourselves. It has nothing to do with the original creators really…
All they did was allowed their creation to breathe so that it could have a life of its own. But we’re the ones actually keeping it alive by throwing our two cents in. I absolutely understand appreciating and praising the original creators for all of this stuff we come up with in regards to our favourite art/entertainment but the fact of the matter is they never intended any of it. We should be appreciating and praising and crediting ourselves on our creative abilities of using the high skills and qualities of attention to detail and passion.
Whether it’s writing meta, making videos, graphics designing or any kind of artistic or creative contribution we assign to our favourite TV shows/movies or books or video games or comic illustrations.
It’s really all us. Especially with a TV show like ‘BtVS’.
And we’re teaching each other so much every time. I don’t know about you guys but I think it’s fucking incredible the power a fandom can have in this way.
