Buffy the Vampire Slayer is officially coming back with a sequel series, and after Sarah Michelle Gellar’s explanation of how it came to be, I’m now convinced it will be great. The trend of reboots and sequels continues to be unstoppable, though it’s mostly seen in movies. On the TV side, some popular shows have seized these trends and most have benefited from them, but the only one I care about is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A reboot of the show has been rumored to be in development for years, but it’s now a fact that a sequel series is happening.

Back in 1997, the world met Buffy Summers (Gellar), the latest in a succession of “vampire slayers”, chosen by fate and whose mission is to battle vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. The success of Buffy the Vampire Slayer allowed it to stick around for a total of seven seasons, ending in 2003. Despite expanding with spinoffs and other media, and recently getting an audio series, Buffy hasn’t got a proper sequel until now. Although the initial announcement had me excited about the sequel, Gellar’s explanation has now convinced me that it will be great.

Sarah Michelle Gellar's Reasoning Behind Buffy The Vampire Slayer's Revival Proves It's Taking The Right Approach

Sarah Michelle Gellar Understands Buffy’s Legacy & Impact

Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel series was nearing a pilot order at Hulu, with Gellar returning as the title character and Chloé Zhao directing the pilot episode.

Dolly Parton was an uncredited producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer through her company, Sandollar Entertainment. Series creator Joss Whedon isn’t involved in the sequel series.

A couple of days after the announcement, Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel series and why she decided to return. Gellar said she met with Berman three years ago to talk about a potential Buffy revival, and she later met with Zhao. Gellar its to having been a bit adamant about a Buffy return, but with Zhao and later Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, they landed on an idea they are all excited about.

Gellar’s process and reasoning give me hope that Buffy’s return will be what the character deserves.

Gellar reassured fans that she has always heard their desire for more, but she wouldn’t do it unless she knew they were getting it right. The problem I see with most reboots and sequels is a lack of genuine interest in expanding their universe – in other words, they are cash grabs. Gellar’s process and reasoning give me hope that Buffy’s return will be what the character deserves, as she knows how important she is to so many and respects the legacy of the show, so if she chose to return, it’s because the project will do justice to the show.

A Buffy The Vampire Slayer Sequel Series Is Much Better Than A Full Reboot

It’s The Best Approach To Expand Buffy The Vampire Slayer

There are different ways to expand the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as seen with the many comic books there have been and the TVspinoff Angel, but a reboot wouldn’t be the best idea. Rebooting a TV show is trickier than rebooting a movie saga, and as such, few have successfully done it, as is the case of Doctor Who. Buffy the Vampire Slayer isn’t a show that would need a reboot because it succeeded in telling many stories and properly concluding those of its main characters.

A “reboot” in fiction refers to a new start to an established universe, usually ignoring continuity.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended with Buffy and the surviving characters escaping Sunnydale’s destruction, so there’s a lot to explore about her life post-main series. At the time of writing, it’s unknown if other Buffy cast will Gellar in the sequel series, but even if they don’t, the main focus is still Buffy and what she has been up to. Everything that happened in all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will remain, but we will now get to catch up with Buffy and what she’s doing nowadays, which is more interesting and exciting than starting over.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer's Revival Is A Big Risk, But Has The Potential To Be Great

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Has A Couple Of Challenges To Overcome

Even though Gellar’s reasoning and words give some peace to my soul about the Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel series, I it it’s still a risk. The impact of Buffy the Vampire Slayer can still be felt, with the fanbase still quite active and Buffy Summers regarded as one of the best female characters in TV history.

There’s also a very specific style and charm in Buffy the Vampire Slayer unique to shows from the 1990s and 2000s that will be very difficult to recreate or match, but then again, what makes the sequel series exciting is reuniting with Buffy in a modern era and style. Another challenge on the way of the Buffy sequel series is the rest of the Scooby gang, as it would feel weird not to have them back in some capacity, but then again, it’s unknown exactly what the focus of the show will be.

However, despite all these risks and challenges, just knowing that Sarah Michelle Gellar has never taken Buffy’s return lightly is enough to convince me that it will be great, as she wouldn’t have agreed to it if it wasn’t the best way to do it – and now it’s only a matter of waiting to see if the project gets a series order and who else will the Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel series.

Sources: IGN, Business Insider.