Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Kyle Olson & Pete Wright

This week, Mandy slays into Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a show she'd previously avoided. Joined by Pete Wright and Kyle Olson, she confronts her assumptions about vampires and the supernatural in stake and song.

Before the nostalgia kicks in, Kyle addresses the complicated legacy of Joss Whedon, emphasizing the importance of separating the art from the artist. This is a conversation about reclaiming the Buffy fandom as a source of joy, setting the stage for a more nuanced discussion.

Are Pete and Kyle, middle-aged straight white men, the right vessels for Buffy fandom? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. In fact, it's their experience that shines a spotlight on just how broad the fandom of this show reaches.

This is an exploration of that fandom, the power of nostalgia, and the complex relationship between art and its creators. Along the way, they patrol through S2E3: School Hard, S4E10: Hush, and S6E7: Once More With Feeling.

Links & Notes

• Evan Ross Katz's book, Into Every Generation a Slayer is Born
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Hulu/Disney+)
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (JustWatch)

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What is Make Me A Nerd with Mandy Kaplan?

Hey folks. Mandy Kaplan here. I’d like to share a bit about my intentions and mission for MMAN if you’ll indulge me. You will? Huzzah!

Look, I am a lot of things. I’m a writer, actress, mother, and lover of musicals and cats, but NOT Cats, The Musical. Give me a little bit of credit, would ya? So...throughout my life, I’ve been surrounded (and intrigued) by all things nerd. A sister who plays D&D, a Star Wars-obsessed husband, friends who love anime, comic books, video games, and...well, you get the picture. Somehow, I have always held it all at arm's length. Not to get too deep, but maybe I never thought I was smart enough to follow it. Or maybe I have control issues and have never been able to embrace fantastical things like dragons and time travel. Until now!

So, with an open mind and heart, I am ready to join this massive (and beautifully inclusive) club and GEEK THE #%$ OUT! It’s time for all my wonderfully strange friends to baptize me into NERD-DOM. Please join me on this journey. Who knows? Maybe you’ll discover or remember a side of yourself along the way. Or at least make fun of me as I try!