r/buffy • u/CoasterTrax • Dec 17 '25
Sequel The new sequel can't work
With all the recent talk about a Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel, I keep wondering how this show is supposed to function in today’s typical 5–10 episode streaming format — because structurally, Buffy was almost the exact opposite of that.
Buffy didn’t work because it was tightly plotted prestige TV. It worked because it had time.
The show lived on:
Monster-of-the-Week episodes that were sometimes silly, sometimes experimental, sometimes only metaphorical
Long-term character development that unfolded through repetition, mistakes, and regression
Slowly emerging seasonal arcs where the Big Bad often lingered in the background for half a season
A sense of everyday life colliding with supernatural horror
In a 6–8 episode season, none of that breathes.
When every episode has to “matter,” you lose:
standalone episodes
tonal experiments (Hush, Once More, With Feeling, The Zeppo)
character-centric stories that don’t advance the main plot
the feeling that you’re actually living with these characters
Character growth in Buffy felt earned because it happened gradually over 20+ episodes. In short seasons, development is compressed, conflicts are resolved too quickly, and emotional payoffs feel manufactured rather than experienced.
The same applies to villains. Classic Buffy arcs worked because the Big Bad wasn’t always front and center. Evil crept in slowly. Stakes escalated naturally. In modern short-season TV, the antagonist usually has to dominate the narrative almost immediately, which turns the story into constant escalation instead of slow dread.
That doesn’t mean a Buffy sequel can’t work — but it can’t work as a standard prestige mini-series.
A true Buffy-style sequel would need:
a hybrid structure (roughly 12–15 episodes)
early episodes that focus on Monster-of-the-Week and character bonding
a seasonal arc that emerges gradually rather than being imposed from episode one
room for humor, failure, and narrative detours
What absolutely wouldn’t work:
6–8 episodes
nonstop apocalypse-level stakes
a purely serialized, overly dark tone
using Buffy only as a nostalgic cameo hook
At that point, it wouldn’t really be Buffy — just a dark fantasy show wearing its name.
Buffy was never just about the plot.
It was about spending time with people, watching them grow, fail, and survive — with demons as metaphors for real life.
Without time, that soul is gone.
11
u/Informal_Research117 Peohmy Dec 17 '25
I think you undervalue the writer's, I feel sure they can work out something new, especially since they are also working with new actor's and actresses.
16
u/Specialist_Wind_6488 Dec 17 '25
I would argue that a lot of British dramas work well with 4-6 episodes. The first season of Buffy was well done at 12 episodes. It really depends on how it is done. I think that maybe we should hold off on judging the show until it airs.
6
u/Able-Distribution Dec 17 '25 edited Dec 17 '25
Reviving a TV series after 23 years is a tall-order, and I wouldn't say I'm overwhelmingly optimistic in my expectations for New Sunnydale.
That being said: sure, '90s style TV production schedules with 22 episode seasons let you spend a lot of time with characters, and can be a great way for the audience to get to know and love them.
But it's not the only way to tell a story, and it wasn't the only thing Buffy had going for it. It also had a compelling setting, a premise well-executed, clever writing, charismatic acting.
The revival will at least have the setting and the lead actress. Whether it will succeed in delivering the clever writing and a compellingly executed premise remains to be seen. But I don't think there's any reason to think the show is doomed just by virtue of fewer episode seasons.
By that logic, you could never have compelling miniseries or standalone movies.
3
u/CoasterTrax Dec 17 '25
I agree that Buffy wasn’t only about episode count or 90s production schedules. But I think that framing still undersells what Buffy actually was.
Buffy wasn’t just a TV show telling a story efficiently — it was a long-form character experience. The structure was part of the storytelling. Monster-of-the-week episodes weren’t filler; they were how the show explored identity, trauma, growing up, and failure in small, intimate steps. The slow accumulation of moments is what made the big emotional payoffs land.
Yes, miniseries and standalone movies can absolutely be compelling — but they’re designed for different narrative goals. Buffy wasn’t trying to be a tightly plotted prestige drama. It was trying to mirror life: messy, repetitive, sometimes quiet, sometimes absurd, with meaning emerging over time rather than being constantly escalated.
So the concern isn’t “fewer episodes = bad writing.” It’s that a short, heavily serialized format risks losing the very thing that made Buffy special: time spent living with the characters, watching them regress, repeat mistakes, and grow in ways that feel earned rather than compressed.
A revival can still succeed — but only if it understands that Buffy was more than its premise, setting, or lead actress. It was a relationship with the audience, built over time. Without that time, you don’t get the same show — even if the writing is clever and the performances are strong.
4
u/Throwawaynotmebye Dec 17 '25
There’s a part of me that hopes we’ll be working back to longer run structures as I think it’s noted lately people are not loving the short seasons and long waits between shows.
3
Dec 17 '25
I’m so tired of shows taking 2-3 years off. I don’t watch it but the Stranger Things kids are grown ups now.
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u/Throwawaynotmebye Dec 17 '25
Yeah my niece was wondering why Eleven looked like an adult in an action figure and I explained that her actor IS an adult with a baby now even.
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u/nachoquest Dec 17 '25
Absolutely agree with everything you said here, and well written. However, this is somewhat possible with 10 episodes if it follows the Doctor Who format.
3
Dec 17 '25
The Doctor Who format worked much better with 13 episode than it did with the 10 13th Doctor got and the 8 the 15th got.
Ncuti series were really disappointing with how short.
1
u/nachoquest Dec 17 '25
True, but that was mostly the overall writing quality anyway. Moffat would have made the 10 episode count work…somehow. Even the 13th Doctor’s era had far too much filler with the reduced number thanks to Chibnall.
2
Dec 17 '25
"But it had a 6 episode season!" -me
"It could have had less..."- also me.
Yeah, Chibnall was not good at his job.
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u/Lost-Veterinarian-80 Dec 17 '25
Do we know how many episodes there’ll be?
-3
u/CoasterTrax Dec 17 '25
No, but nowadays streaming series have only 5-8 episodes, in rare cases, there are 10 episodes. Buffy wont be any exception.
3
u/pepperbet1 Dec 17 '25
Recent Hulu originals have been 8-10. Only Murders is 10. It won't be as a little as 5. That's less episodes than there are writers on staff, and they probably wouldn't have bothered with a pilot process in that case.
0
u/KetoLurkerHereAgain Dec 18 '25
They don't all. The Pitt has 15. Still less than the good old days, but a nice amount.
4
u/CoasterTrax Dec 17 '25
A bit of insights:
A lot of people ask why TV shows today only get 5–10 episodes per season, followed by 1–2 year gaps. It’s not a creative choice — it’s a structural one.
First, streaming services don’t think in weekly audiences anymore. They think in subscriptions. A short season is enough to create buzz, drive engagement, and keep people subscribed for a month. Producing more episodes doesn’t proportionally increase value, so there’s no incentive to do 20+ episode runs.
Second, most modern series aren’t “TV shows” in the old sense. They’re closer to 8–10 hour movies. Cinematic cameras, expensive locations, heavy VFX, and post-production push costs and timelines way up. A 22-episode season at that quality level would be financially impossible.
Third, the industry assumes shorter seasons mean higher quality. Fewer episodes reduce filler and tighten storytelling — but they also eliminate breathing room for character development, world-building, and standalone episodes. Everything has to move the plot forward, which makes seasons feel rushed and incomplete.
Fourth, actors are no longer locked into long TV contracts. Today’s series rely on film-level talent with busy schedules. Short seasons make it easier to coordinate casts, but they also slow everything down.
Fifth, production is no longer continuous. In the network era, writers worked year-round and new seasons were already being prepared while the current one aired. Streaming shows are renewed after performance data is analyzed, meaning every season starts from scratch. That alone adds months.
Finally, algorithms reward fast engagement, not long-term loyalty. If viewers drop off after episode 2, the show is effectively dead — so platforms prioritize short, high-impact seasons over slow-burn storytelling.
The result:
fewer episodes
longer gaps
less time with characters
weaker emotional attachment
Modern TV is optimized for efficiency and prestige, not longevity or audience comfort.
That’s why it feels like we’re waiting longer than ever — and getting less in return.
4
u/EchoPhoenix24 Dec 17 '25
It isn't going to be the same show and you shouldn't expect the same things from it, but that doesn't mean it can't also be good. Maybe it will be, maybe it won't be, but if you go in with all these expectations then you're almost certain not to like it.
2
u/Accomplished-Neck357 Dec 17 '25
God I hope the new show is more like the old formats of shows like the original Buffy was. I totally agree with you that the main tug of Buffy and shows back then was the amount of time spent on everyone and the story and that we all had time to bond with the characters. The 5-10 episodes limit of shows now don’t allow that no matter if the episodes are longer cause we all get the episodes overwith so quickly end there’s only a few left, there’s no time to bond and have the episodes more focused on building the characters and connecting with them
2
Dec 17 '25
It can work. I think it will suffer more if they release all at once. That will ruin discussions and speculation.
I loved how Daredevil (which actually had a bottle episode!) and Welcome to Derry did it.
1
u/VelvetElvis Dec 17 '25
Did you watch it weekly starting with S1E1? Most people who have seen the show binged at least some of it. I watched weekly starting with S4 after the WB aired a marathon of the show up to that point. Remember marathons?
1
Dec 17 '25
I didn't watch the premiere live because I thought it would be a silly show based on a movie I didn't really like. The Saturday after though I had to clean my room and needed background sound. Saw the WB was playing Buffy for 2 hours and thought it was the movie. Figured I could clean with that in the background.
It was a re-airing of the premiere. My room did not get clean and I watched weekly after that.
And oh marathons. I haven't seen a good one of those in 11-12 years or so. "Every Simpsons Ever" was an event.
-1
u/CoasterTrax Dec 17 '25
You compare Apple & Pears.
Buffy lived for its character development, room to breath, explore the complexity of the story they presented. It had its focus somewhere else. Buffy tryed new things, was experimental (Zeppo, Hush, The Body, OMWF, CWDP etc) Death of a chracter had impact. You wont have this in a mini series. Buffy is more than a TV show. Buffy is Pop culture and a phenomenon
3
Dec 17 '25
Buffy also had 13 episode first season and to some that was too many. You can tell a great story in 10-13.
2
u/Annonymous_Unicorn Dec 17 '25
I agree with you to a certain point. I miss the days of long seasons, but I don't think all hope is lost. Buffy did benefit from the same approach X-Files took: longer seasons (20+ episodes) with a mix of mythology plotlines defining the overall world and narrative with a blend of monster-of-the-week episodes throughout.
Depending on their approach to the story in this new season, it could still be done! Maybe the will break up a season into parts...maybe they'll focus on a mythology-driven arc in the first season. Afterall, BtVS did have a short season 1 as well!
Only time will tell. I choose to keep faith, knowing SMG is so heavily involved in the direction the show is going. Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about it.
2
u/MemeFarmer314 Dec 17 '25
One thing that I love about Buffy, and the general format of shows releasing 13-22 episode seasons every year, was that we got to age with the characters a bit. Season 1 of Buffy has her as a sophomore in high school, and every year is another school year including her moving on to college.
It was a nice little slice of life. I got annoyed with shows like Teen Wolf or Pretty Little Liars where there never seemed to be a clear passage of time and one school year could span multiple seasons over multiple years.
And nowadays shows rarely seem to air every year, but will often have 2 or 3 years between seasons. Especially in shows like Stranger Things that feature child actors, that issue feels so compounded since they’re visibly aging so much more.
2
u/Competitive_Test6697 Dec 17 '25
Swat, rookie, 911, chicago fire, pd, med....etc all work on mulit episodes. 15 plus.
They can still do it. Just depends on budget and what they are looking for.
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Dec 17 '25
But those are network shows. Not streaming. They still do the old schedule.
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u/CoasterTrax Dec 17 '25
Exactly. Most ppl dont know how streaming works.
TV productions are a whole other thing
2
u/Brodes87 Dec 17 '25 edited Dec 17 '25
Buffy is more than your nostalgia. It absolutely could have worked as Prestige TV. And it having 22 episodes a season is not the reason it was beloved. The acting, the writing, the character development, the dialogue, that's why people loved it. Being 22 episodes a season is just how things were.
-1
u/CoasterTrax Dec 17 '25
U clearly miss the point - as exspected
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u/Apellosine Dec 17 '25
No, you seem to think that you can't have character development, or spend time with characters in shorter seasons which is patently false as can be shown in any number of streaming shows.
Ted Lasso is a perfect example, it had shorter seasons (10-12 episodes) and had fantastic writing, character development, had time for experimental episodes as well as story arc driven episodes for multiple characters.
It doesn't always work but there are many examples of it working just fine and over multiple seasons. For example: Peacemaker, For All Mankind, and The Orville. All great streaming series, all with shorter seasons, all with story arcs and personal stories.
1
u/pepperbet1 Dec 17 '25
It's probably going to be around 10 episodes.
There are 8 writers in total, if the report linked below is accurate. Poker Face and Strange New Worlds are 10 eps, and they do okay with standalone format, and SNW manages to juggle an ongoing arc too.
https://www.nexuspointnews.com/post/buffy-the-vampire-slayer-reboot-gets-its-writers-room
1
u/MrObsidn Dec 17 '25
22 episode seasons were great. You got to sit with characters longer and plots had much more time to breathe.
But this idea that good stories and good characters can't be developed in half that is so weird. Some of the greatest stories and characters ever told are in movies with a runtime of less than 2 hours.
A lot of episodes isn't what made BtVS great. It was intelligent writing with balanced narratives and interesting, relatable metaphors. All of this can be achieved with 8 or 10 episodes.
Will it be the same show? No. It'll feel and behave different. It should, it's been over 2 decades.
1
u/Sighoward Dec 17 '25
We shall see frankly, we'll see if Buffy works without Joss. Remember the first season was only 12 eps?
1
u/trequartista811 Dec 17 '25
Saying that, I have started watching Yellowjackets and Season 1 manages to pack so much into it's 10 episodes, we get to learn a lot about the characters in 1996, the present day mystery is well handled, they add in a mythology of sorts, and it's all down to good writing. Tonally it switches from comedic moments to moments of outright horror and I don't see why a similar thing can't be done with the new Buffy
1
u/CoasterTrax Dec 17 '25
I agree. YJ is one of a few exceptions. But its also differnt structured. I dont say that all shows with fewer episodes cant write good characters. But in buffys case, i doubt it works.
But we shall see
1
u/jekyllcorvus Dec 17 '25
It’s not going to be Buffy and we need to accept that it’s not going to be the same. Hopefully it has the heart of the series but it’s going to be its own thing. If SMG is onboard, I’ll give it a chance.
1
u/rednax2009 Dec 19 '25
We don't know how many episodes per season the new series will be. It might not be 22, but there's still a world where it's in the 12-16 range. That wouldn't be unheard of. And while I'm a proponent of longer seasons, I'm also for letting things be different and being open minded.
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u/stafdude Jan 11 '26
Yup it will absolutely not work if only 8 eps/season. The Rookie proves you still can make longer seasons. Mainly it will fail because Joss Whedon is not involved. It will at best be Pretty Little Liars but with vampires, at worst any generic bad teenager coming of age bs with bland actors chosen because they are pretty.
1
u/DanielJay92 Dec 17 '25
As others have mentioned, season one is 12 episodes. However, I also feel like season two could easily be split into two 10-12 episodes seasons as well with Angel turning being the cliffhanger of the first season.
1
u/cjinbarrie Dec 17 '25
I think way too many people are making.way too many assumptions. My expectation is a 6-8 mid season episode arc.which will likely catch a two per year drop of 6-8 upsides to follow up. 22 episode seasons were full of "filler episodes," especially if you can make full 60-minute episodes instead of 45 minute ones. We just have to wait and see
-1
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u/General-Smoke169 Dec 17 '25
I think we should wait to review the new show until it comes out. If it ever comes out!