10 Things Non-Fans Don't Understand About Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Subverting expectations doesn’t always work. If you prioritise the element of surprise over authentic storytelling, you’re going to anger your audience.

Thankfully, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is generally spot on when it comes to subverting expectations. The very first scene takes you by surprise when Darla turns around and bites into the show’s first victim. And the shocks don’t stop there.

Plot twists are sprinkled throughout all season sevens. But they rarely grow old because the writers know where to toe the line. Deliberate misdirection is balanced with subtle clues so that when the truth is revealed, the audience don't feel cheated.

Whilst there are a couple of plot twists that are a little hard to swallow, there are no situations in which the writers completely lose their heads. It’s just a shame some of today’s writers can’t manage to do the same.