The show is still widely regarded as iconic, a cult classic that championed women and delivered a message of courage and resilience—and it still does just that.
In 2021, Buffy and Angel actress Charisma Carpenter spoke out against the director, claiming he had “abused his power on numerous occasions,” and accused him of being “casually cruel” and creating “hostile and toxic work environments.”
Whedon was also embroiled in a controversy surrounding allegations of misconduct on the set of Justice League with stars Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher.
Whedon has admitted he was not “civilized” early in his career as the showrunner on Buffy.
He told New York Magazine: “I yelled, and sometimes you had to yell. This was a very young cast [on Buffy], and it was easy for everything to turn into a cocktail party.”
Although this alleged conduct from Whedon may have tarnished the show and its legacy for some fans, a look at social media suggests that the love for Buffy is still strong with fans celebrating its 25th anniversary and continuing to rewatch it.
“Anyway I’m halfway through season 1 on my Buffy rewatch and Joss won’t ruin that for me,” reads one tweet from January.
While another person today tweeted: “A reminder that, despite the sad revelations about Joss Whedon’s toxic behavior, ‘Buffy’ remains the most entertaining TV series ever.”
Another fan tweeted last year following the revelations by Carpenter: “Buffy is not Joss. Cordelia is not Joss. Tara is not Joss. Dawn is not Joss. These characters and their impact belong to Sarah, Charisma, Amber, and Michelle. Women who have inspired me for the last 25 years through their work, and will always inspire me moving forward.”
Buffy’s legacy may have been somewhat tarnished, but the fandom is still there and appears to be stronger than ever.
The subreddit dedicated to the show boasts a community of 86,900 members, while on Facebook, one fan page called Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fan Club has 52,539 followers.
Both platforms show Buffy lovers consistently posting about the series, taking part in discussions, sharing theories, artworks, hot takes and just basking in their shared love of the show.
The most popular post sums up the love that is still out there, despite the Whedon controversy. It reads: “25 years ago today the greatest TV show in history premiered thus introducing the greatest TV character. Can’t express how much this show and Sarah Michelle Gellar mean to me.”
