Wednesday, August 13, 2008

BtVS: The Animated Series - What Could Have Been

While I was away last week, someone posted the teaser that Joss and Co. had put together a few years ago when Whedon was pitching Buffy: The Animated Series to the network heads. Unfortunately, the show was never picked up, and with the gang split up, the chances of pulling them together for the voice work is near impossible now. (If I remember correctly, that's someone who sounds a lot like SMG, but it isn't actually her, am I right?) At first, I thought the animation was a little too Scooby-Doo for me, but after a minute or so, I really started to like it. Now it's sad to see what could have been, and will never be.

And "The harder they what?" is now officially my favourite Xander line ever.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

This summer I watched the whole Buffy series for the first time, and I loved it! I was too young when it was on (the show scared me) to enjoy it, but I'm glad I spent this summer watching it.

Personally I don't know if I would like an animated series, but then again I think the opinions of the hardcore fans who watched the show week after week matter more.

BTW I'm assuming this pitch was set near the beginning of the show, since Willow dresses like that and Xander is patchless

Nikki Stafford said...

rob: I'm so glad you like the show! Better late than never. :) Yes, the show was going to cover Buffy, the high school years, so unlike on the real show (where your actors inconveniently age) they could keep them all in high school forever. Hence Willow pining after Xander, and Xander having the hots for Buffy. ;) (Though... I think he always maintained a bit of the hots for Buffy, even if it matured over time.)

Chuck Power said...

That's a shame. It looks like it would have been really good. The animation style reminds me of Batman the animated series or Gargoyles. (They were both very good toons.) Anyway, it was cool to check out the teaser.

Anonymous said...

(I got tired od putting "not that" in front of my name every time I posted.)

I think an animated series geared toward kids would be a great extension of the franchise. "Get 'em while they're young," as they say.

FYI, the November issue of the Buffy comic will be a series of flashbacks to the gang's days at Sunnydale High. Jeph Loeb, who co-wrote the animated series pilot with Joss, will be writing it, and the art in the flashbacks will be done in the style of the cartoon. Plus, we'll definitely see Angel, Cordy, and Young!Dawn. It sounds like a relly fun one-off issue, even if you don't want to follow the Season Eight storyline.

Anonymous said...

Her name escapes me, but the girl doing the voice is the same girl who voiced the video games

Anonymous said...

The voice actress who did Buffy is Giselle Loren, and you're right Jeff, she did also do the voice for the video games.

I still have a hope that a BtVS animated series (perhaps not precisely like the one once pitched) can be made. And I wouldn't rule out getting most of the original cast back for it; most of them don't seem to have much trouble dropping into a recording studio to work on Robot Chicken, Farce of the Penguins and American Dragon: Jake Long, have they now? ;)

Anonymous said...

I would love an animated series, but i would prefer it to pick up with season 8. i miss buffy so much. i tried the comics but it just doesn't work for me in that meduium. i read it in less than 5 minutes and was left feeling...empty.