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Buffy the Vampire Slayer
(Rated TV-PG, Science fiction , Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seth Green, David Boreanaz, Alyson Hannigan, Where to watch: FX, DVD, Download)
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 13. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Cult vampire series has witty bite. Teens and up.
updated 07.04.08
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13–15
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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What Parents Need to Know
About Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Parents need to know that while even grade-schoolers may enjoy the horror-movie aspects of this hugely popular vampire series, its mature themes are not a good fit for kids that young. Even kids as young as 12 -- who will enjoy the action and have fun with the one-liners -- probably aren't quite ready for the dark, adult issues the show tackles. Buffy is in mortal danger in most episodes, she loses her virginity to her (much) older boyfriend, and monsters are everywhere. On the upside, the series encourages strength in girls, mentoring, and teamwork. The series is best for teens and adults, who will appreciate the multi-leveled story and the Romeo and Juliet subtext of some of the episodes.
Read our full review by Paul Trandahl
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about how Buffy deals with the pressure of her "calling." How do teens deal with the pressures they face every day? Can they draw any parallels between Buffy's life and "normal" high school experience? The show's characters place a great deal of importance on integrity, working as a team and learning to sacrifice for the greater good. Families can talk about how they apply those values in their own lives. What do they consider the greater good? Families may also want to discuss the series' sexual content, including their views about virginity and sex.
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Our Members Say
See all 22 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
I rate this title on for age 13 and give it- I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it
Please keep in mind the aging of the series
Although the consensus is that Buffy is a "13 and up" series it is important to note that there are some episodes -- especially in season 6 -- that are really intended for more mature audiences. Some of the Buffy and Angel scenes in earlier seasons were pretty racy as well. What began as an appropriate series for 13 and 14 year olds grew older, darker and more daring, and it is easy to forget in this DVD age -- when you can watch an entire season in a week -- that there was an anticipation that viewers would grow up with the series, so that by the time Season 6 came around the average viewer would be closer to 19 or 20, which is the age that some of those episodes are more appropriate for. Even so, Buffy is one of the best series in TV history, if not the best.
- Lives in North CarolinaI rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
Great, but not for young children
I first started watching Buffy when I was 10, and I finished the series for the first time when I was 11. Four years later, my taste in shows has almost completely changed, but one thing has not: Buffy is still my all-time favorite series. Everyone will enjoy the excellent plots and characters. Some of the show's more metaphorical and/or philosophical aspects may go over the head of children younger than 15 or so; there are things in that aspect of the series that I'm only catching now. As far as content goes, Season 1 is perfectly fine for children 10 and older; mild profanity, moderate violence, and minor innuendo. Seasons 2 and 3 are Iffy for 10+, with more violence (on par or less than what you'd see in one of those crappy action cartoons, such as Naruto) and sexual content (less shocking than a daytime soap opera). Seasons 4-7 continue this increase (particularly in Season 6, which includes some sex scenes that are a bit racy for network television, though still with no nudity) and also introduce some controversial themes, bumping them up to Iffy for 12+.
- Lives inI rate this title on for age 2 and give it
why is it rated so HIGH!!
this show is amazing!!! the fights are so thought out and the the story lines are just as good, but i think that it is being rated WAY too high!! yes there is some sexual parts but that shouldn't wreak the show for people under thirteen! I started to watch this show when i was 12 and my dad sagusted it when i was haveing a sleepover with my friend! We stayed up all night watching the first season and then the second !! WE loved it!!! it was the best thing we had seen in a long while and the relationship between buffy and angel was just so moving for the slayer to fall in love with a vampire. soon enough my mom found out that i was watching it and she go mad but i could never understand why untill i got to season 5 6 and 7 but it wasn't as big of a deal as i expected! after the 3d season i was completly hooked well i was hooked since the first season but i got worse in the 3ed!! i started to sneek the disks out of the box sets and go through sometimes a disk a night!! it took me only 1 MONTH to finish the whole series and it took them to make the series 7 YEARS!! i was way to attached to the series that when my sister wanted to watch them i got upset that she wanted to use the disks that I HAD PAID for!! but in general that is the best series i have seen in a while!! right up to Veronica Mars and Alias
- Lives in TennesseeI rate this title on for age 13 and give it
My Stories Are On!
Buffy has always been my very favorite show! The dialogue is witty, the characters are endearing, and Joss never pulls any punches. Buffy is cathartic, my soul always feels cleaner having watched it.
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