Some jewels in here, but very very uneven in overall quality. ( )

An academic collection of essays and articles which applies philosophical theory to the popular television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
This book is not for the casual fan. The concepts and themes are on a high intellectual level. Discussions are in-depth and not terribly enjoyable to read, but those looking for a deeper understanding of the show will be rewarded. Some essays will cause you to question your enjoyment of the show and some will challenge you to re-think your conception of your favorite characters. One in particular that got me thinking was Karl Schudt's "Also Spach Faith" which looks at the Nietzschean conception of happiness as it could be applied to Faith's behavior on both Buffy and Angel.
The oft taken for granted concept that Buffy is a feminist hero is also called into question by several authors, holding up a lens to ways in which Buffy reinforces patriarchal society even while kicking all that ass. Plus, far from being as subversive as most believe it to be, the show actually panders to typical Christian morality, even casting Buffy as a Christ-like savior in Season 5's "The Gift".
The editors should be applauded for including treatments which are critical of the show as well as those which praise it. However, die-hard "Joss can do no wrong" fans might become nonplussed after a comprehensive study of the text. Also, it is recommended that the reader does not attempt to devour the text in a protracted amount of time. A careful reading of each essay followed by some exploration into the concepts presented would be ideal. An entire collegiate class could be taught just using this as a textbook. Quite impressive. ( )

This was my second time reading through this collection - the first was when I bought it years ago. The first section is my favorite ("It's Kind of a Slayer thing: Buffy, Faith, and Feminism") and those essays are the ones I could read again and again. The ethics in science part is a little heavy for me, though. ( )

If your a fan of the show, and I am, this book is great. ( )

This is part of the "Popular Culture and Philosophy" series. Each book takes a topic of popular culture (here the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and philosophers write an essay on some aspect of it. Excellent way for a reader to become acquainted with philosophy through something they already enjoy. Not every essay is worth reading, or enjoyable, but on the whole this was a very good book! ( )