h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is a good start.

There are a few inaccurate or incomplete statements here --

It seems worth noting that Joss Whedon studied feminist theory and film at Wesleyan University, and that the concept of BtVS was that the traditional victim -- the blonde who walks down a dark alley and ends up munched -- should in fact be the *monsters'* worst nightmare. That was Joss Whedon's whole reason for writing the script that later became the movie. The added theme in the TV show is "High School Is Hell." Someone associated with the show said early in the second season that if Joss had had a single good day in school they wouldn't be making a TV series. Joss, by the way, attended school in England, moving back to the U.S. for universtity.

1. It's "Joss," not "Josh." You got it right in the opening, and typoed in the first para about the TV show. Also, he only wrote the *script* for the movie. The mangling and camping up of the story and trivialization of the concept were all producer Fran Kuzui's doing.

2. The Hellmouth doesn't move. It has always been in the same place. But Joss says there are multiple Hellmouths.

3. Buffy has been the Slayer since she was 15. She spent a year Slaying in Los Angeles before getting kicked out of her first High School for burning down the gym (which the school authorities objected to, possibly because they didn't know it was full of vampires at the time, but it's likely they would have expelled her anyway). She is 16 in the first season/series.

4. Drusilla has never been dusted. Angel's sire, Darla, was dusted by Angel when she threatened Buffy.

5. The Master lasted through the first 11 episodes (which was the entirety of season/series 1) actually killed Buffy (for a minute), and began the tradition of one overarching major villain in each season/series. The major villains in season/series 2 were Spike, then a de-souled Angel ably assisted by Drusilla.

6. Watchers do more than look up dates. They guide the Slayer in her training and actions and instruct her in the nature of her adversaries. In the tradition, they are the Brains to the Slayer's Brawn. Giles and Buffy develop a slightly different dynamic, at least partly because Buffy is a very unusual sort of Slayer, but also, I believe, because Giles wasn't always the duty-bound, tweedy scholar he grew up to be. As a youthful rebel against his destined Watcherhood his nickname was Ripper, and he knows a lot more about the Dark Arts than mere booklearning could ever teach him. Also, although there is only one Slayer per generation (well, two now, because Buffy died at the end of season/series 1 and a new Slayer was Called), there is an entire organization of Watchers, headed by the Watchers Council based in England, and they are not necessarily very pleasant people.

7. You make it sound as though Oz and Riley Finn were always there and that Joyce, Buffy's mother, has always known she is the Slayer, which she didn't actually learn until near the end of season/series 3. Maybe you need to break the outlines down by years/seasons/series. That would make it easier to update the entry, too.

8. Xander Harris isn't just another of Buffy's friends who helps Willow research -- he has been Willow's best friend since they were small children, and became Buffy's friend *through* Willow. He isn't even really Research Boy -- but he does help out with fetching and carrying and comic relief, and gets better with the serious physical stuff later. He was also in love with Buffy before getting together with Cordelia, then, bleatedly, fell for Willow, had a one-night fling with Second Slayer and Bad Girl Faith and is now with Anyanka, an ex-vengeance demon turned human. Also worth mentioning is that Cordy and Willow are the only two "normal" women Xander has ever been attracted to. Most of his crushes have been on one variety of monster or another (a Mantis-woman, an Inca mummy brought back to life by sucking the life essence out of living people, two Slayers and the aforesaid ex-vengeance demon).

9. Willow Rosenberg was a computer geek and research nerd long before she discovered (late in season 2) an interest in magic. She doesn't begin to seriously get into witchcraft until season/series 3, and doesn't start showing any extraordinary power until season/series 4, when she meets another budding witch, Tara, who seems to bring out her latent powers (among other traits).

It's just a suggestion, but I'm thinking that reorganizing this Entry chronlogically might be the less confusing way to go. There is a lot still to come, and characters come and go with the seasons. You have most of season 4 and all of season 5 yet to add (come to think of it, the Faith arc in season 3 could use a mention), and there are now guaranteed two more seasons at least, with the show's move to a new network in the States. I hope you'll continue to update the Entry as the show goes on, so as to maximize its usefulness in the Guide.

Mal

Slight correction on popint 7. Joyce found put about Buffy being the slayer in the last ep of S2. She found out what that actually means in the early part of S3.

Stephen

Pedantic note to point 8:

We discover in the "Cheerleading" episode in series one that Xander is attracted to just about every girl in the school...

..except originally Cordelia and Willow

This entry has a lot of good, and correct stuff in it, but I think it would work better if organised chronologically - a section on each series incorporating the stars of that series, the main plot arc, and mention of any outstanding episodes - 'Passion' in Season 2, 'Gingerbread' in Season 3, and 'Hush' in Season 4 spring to mind..

...and don't forget "Dopplegangland"!

we could have huge long list....