Recommended: Whedon On iTunes

 
By Sherri June 08, 2006




I've said this in the past, and I don't mind saying it again: Television without Joss Whedon is like popcorn without butter. There's just no point.

I'm one of those loyal Whedon junkies that follows him from show to show. I first got hooked on his work about half way through the debut season of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Admittedly, it took a little while for friends to get me to tune in (thanks to the debacle of a movie that Whedon ultimately wasn't responsible for). But, after a single episode, that was that; I was hooked. So badly, in fact, I now own every episode of "Buffy," "Angel," "Firefly," the "Serenity" movie, a ton of graphic novels and comic books and a whole host of memorabilia to boot.

Yes, I'm a junkie. And, frankly, I'm proud of it.

So, what's so great about Joss? He's the Shrek of storytelling. His shows have layers – and lots of them.

Take "Buffy" for example. Peel away the first layer and the show seems like nothing more than a good teen horror. Pull back another layer and you find fresh, funny and almost always witty writing. Another layer removed reveals characters that are so three-dimensional they "feel" real. Skin that Shrek onion one last time and what you find hidden in that "teen horror" is a fantastic epic battle between good and evil that happens to also focus on very real, everyday problems, as well. Toss in a creepy monster or two, the charming English accent of Anthony Stewart Head and you've got a show that appeals to people of all ages.

The same mastery can be found in "Firefly" and "Angel," too. All three of Whedon's little screen productions stood on their own, even though "Angel" is technically a spin off.

It is for the above reasons I was thrilled to hear that iTunes was adding some of FOX's old programming. Right now "Buffy" season one is available along with "Firefly's" short but incredibly good single-season showing.

The iTune's placement gives me hope that into each generation a Joss Whedon fan will be born, or more accurately, lots of them. Selfish on my part, I admit, but the more fans the merrier, because perhaps if the legion of loyal grows, Whedon's work will continue many, many movies and shows beyond the upcoming release of "Wonder Woman."

A world with a Whedon release always on the horizon would be shiny indeed.

Links to the shows on iTunes:
Buffy Season One
Firefly

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