It's kind of hard to believe, but the very first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired exactly 21 years ago. After debuting on 10th March 1997 on The WB, a now-defunct US network, the show would run for seven seasons, produce the hit spin-off Angel, and establish Sarah Michelle Gellar's title character as an ass-kicking, self-determining feminist icon.
It's been nearly 15 years since the show's final episode, but Gellar still speaks proudly and eloquently about its legacy. "As an actor, you wish for that one role where you can leave your mark and forever be remembered, with Buffy I got so much more," she told fans last year. "She’s a feminist challenge to gender hierarchy. Buffy may have been the Chosen One, but I was the lucky one."
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Now Gellar has celebrated Buffy's coming-of-age by sharing some rare photos from the show and a heartfelt message about its continued relevance.
"I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the anniversary of #btvs is the same week as #internationalwomensday. I have always believed that the world is changed by your example, not by your opinion," she wrote. "We have all learned a lot from Buffy, and the best part is, that never ends. 'From now on, we won’t just face our fears, we will seek them out. We will find them, and cut their hearts out one by one. There is only one thing on earth more powerful than evil, and that’s us.''"
Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on the show, also shared a throwback snap on Instagram. In her caption, she made a point of thanking all the folks who worked behind the scenes to help make Buffy an international phenomenon.
So, let's wish a very happy 21st birthday to Buffy Summers, a TV icon who was slaying (literally and figuratively) before RuPaul's Drag Race was even invented.
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