Over on my personal blog I am conducting a long project where I look hard at one of the most interesting serial narratives of the last few decades: cult hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I’m looking episode-by-episode to see how the narrative builds over time, how the show identifies and solves storytelling problems, and how the craft and the mysteries resonate throughout every piece of story.

These aren’t episode reviews – these are dives into the mechanics of storytelling. It’s probably hard to follow if you haven’t seen any of Buffy, but if you have, I promise you there will be insights here you’ve never before encountered.

I’ll update this episode index periodically, but you can always find every post by clicking on the Buffy tag on my personal blog.

UPDATE: Finished Buffy’s high school years, i.e. the first three seasons, which seems as good a time as any to take a much-needed rest!

SEASON ONE
Welcome to the Hellmouth / The Harvest
The Witch
Teacher’s Pet
Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
The Pack
Angel
I, Robot… You, Jane
The Puppet Show
Nightmares
Out of Mind, Out of Sight
Prophecy Girl

INTERLUDE
Original film screenplay

SEASON TWO
When She Was Bad
Some Assembly Required
School Hard
Inca Mummy Girl
Reptile Boy
Halloween
Lie to Me
The Dark Age
What’s My Line, Part One
What’s My Line, Part Two
Ted
Bad Eggs
Surprise
Innocence
Phases
Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
Passion
Killed by Death
I Only Have Eyes For You
Go Fish
Becoming, Part One
Becoming, Part Two

INTERLUDE
Dawson’s Creek

SEASON THREE
Anne
Dead Man’s Party
Faith, Hope & Trick
Beauty and the Beasts
Homecoming
Band Candy
Revelations
Lovers Walk
The Wish
Amends
Gingerbread
Helpless
The Zeppo
Bad Girls
Consequences
Doppelgängland
Enemies
Earshot
Choices
The Prom
Graduation Day, Part 1
Graduation Day, Part 2