The
Philosophy of Joss Whedon: In His Own Words
In
the realm of television production, Joss Whedon is one of a very small
handful who can be considered a “rock star.” Other shows
may get larger ratings and longer lives, but Whedon’s creations
have resonated with viewers in ways that most mainstream entertainment
fails. In the process, Joss Whedon himself has established a bond with
his fanbase that transcends the usual relationship between a television
writer and the connoisseurs of his endeavors. A popular T-shirt amongst
that fanbase is emblazed with the words, “Joss Whedon is My Master
Now,” and it difficult to name another producer who would receive
such accolades.
But what
makes Joss Whedon someone who can elicit such a rabid response from
fans? Part of it has to do with the quality of his work, beginning with
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, its spin-off Angel, the
short-lived Firefly and big-screen offshoot Serenity,
the webseries musical Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
and the often misunderstood Dollhouse. Not only do they entertain,
but they embody such ideals as family, feminism, identity, meaning,
redemption and numerous other idioms that we all face during the course
of a lifetime. There is a basic philosophy that runs through the creations
of Joss Whedon that make them meaningful and personal to viewers, and
thus elevates the man to a level of adulation in the process.
That philosophy
can also be found, however, within the many interviews he has given
through the years and some of the best have been collected into the
book Joss Whedon: Conversations (University Press of Mississippi,
2011). The dialogues span the entire scope of his career, from Buffy
through Dollhouse, and while often entertaining in their own
right, are also filled with small tidbits that shine a light on the
Joss Whedon worldview. More than anything else, it is Whedon’s
own words that sum up his creative endeavors and why they are so passionately
revered.
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Whedonistas
Offers Female Reflection on Joss Whedon
Joss
Whedon was a relatively unknown commodity when Buffy the Vampire
Slayer premiered on The WB on March 10, 1997. Many expected the
series about a female high school student who hunted the supernatural
to be short lived, and the same even held true for the upstart network
on which it aired. Not only did Buffy last for seven seasons,
however, but it raised the profile of The WB in the process. Whedon,
meanwhile, evolved into a respected wordsmith and creator of relatable
dramas that made their audiences laugh and cry in much same way as every
day life.
Joss Whedon
went on to craft other television shows, including Buffy spin-off
Angel, the short lived sci-fi western Firefly and
the identity dissertation known as Dollhouse, as well as the
musical webseries Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Each
entry only added to the reputation of the master craftsman, earning
more fans and accolades along the way. In this Age of the Internet,
meanwhile, Whedon’s fanbase has been able to not only interact
but form a genuine community that has likewise sustained and inspired
its members. While there have been many books written on his creations,
the collection of essays released under the title Whedonistas! A
Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them
(Mad Norwegian Press, 2011) features the stories of a small handful
of Whedon’s female fans and how his narratives have touched their
lives in uplifting and even magical ways.
“Quite
simply, it’s personal,” editors Lynn M. Thomas and Deborah
Stanish write in the introduction. “Each of us had our lives personally
affected by our enthusiasm for these shows. And we aren’t alone.
That deep personal connection with the shows, their fandoms and each
other is what makes us Whedonistas.” The list of contributors
includes an air traffic controller, comic book writer, graphic artist
and an ordained minister—all of whom have been affected in some
manner by the works of Joss Whedon.
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The
Spike of Brian Lynch and IDW Comics
The
character of Spike has proven to be one of the most popular members
within the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its offshoot
Angel. When Spike first arrived on the scene during season
two of Buffy, he was a snarky British vampire with platinum
blonde hair, a full-length leather duster coat and punk-inspired persona.
Proclaiming himself to be the “Big Bad,” Spike was not one
to follow orders, acted more on impulse than thought-through planning
and had personally killed two slayers during his one hundred-plus years
as a vampire.
Spike,
however, was more than a worthy adversary of Buffy Summers—he
also proved to be an occasionally reluctant ally. Spike’s contempt
for authority figures included Angel, the vampire who spawned the vampire
who spawned Spike, and the two demons were as much adversaries against
each other as they were against the Slayer. Spike’s impulsive
nature, meanwhile, allowed him to be captured by a secret military organization
and implanted with a chip that made it impossible for him to attack
human beings. And despite the fact that his resume included the death
of two slayers, he found himself falling in love with Buffy Summers
during season five of the show and reclaiming his soul at the end of
the following year in an attempt to have those feeling reciprocated.
That is
obviously the simplified version of Spike’s biography, as his
backstory and subsequent journey makes him one of the most complex and
fully-painted characters of the Buffyverse. Yet through all
the years that he appeared on Buffy and Angel, Spike
was always a supporting character, a mere member of the Scooby Gang
and Team Angel, no matter how hard the vampire himself may have denied
such a fact to be true. In 2005, however, IDW Publishing secured the
rights to issue Angel-related comic books and soon released
a five-issue miniseries centered on Spike that was created by writer
Brain Lynch. Entitled Spike: Asylum, the narrative features
Spike playing the reluctant hero with his unique character traits—rebelling
against authority, acting on impulse despite negative consequences and
proclaiming himself “badder” than any other supernatural
being—remaining in tact.
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The
Buffy 'Verse