A Longtime Buffy Fan's Honest Thoughts on the Hulu Reboot

On February 4th, 2025, Hulu announced a pilot order for a Buffy sequel series. As a longtime Buffy fan, you can imagine my simultaneous surprise, skepticism, and optimism upon hearing this announcement. There had been talks of a reboot series back in 2018 that would focus on brand new characters, but when that chatter ceased, I assumed it was dead. I was intrigued by the concept, but ultimately dismissed it as something that would never happen. However, after hearing this news and subsequently eating crow, I am cautiously excited about Buffy coming back. This show will always have a special place in my heart, and a revival would never be able to taint that. At the same time, if it is unable to justify its existence, it would feel like an unnecessary nubbin of this iconic franchise. Thankfully, the Hulu-ordered pilot is that chance to prove the reboot’s merit artistically. If there are issues that need to be ironed out, they can be spotted in the pilot and tweaked before the rest of the season is filmed. 

The cast has not been set in stone yet, with the only confirmed actors being Sarah Michelle Gellar returning as Buffy and Ryan Kiera Armstrong starring as the reboot’s protagonist. Gellar’s return is the main reason I am highly anticipating this reboot, as her departure was the primary factor in Buffy ending at season 7. The fact that she came back to reprise her role and involved herself heavily with the reboot’s production is a major vote of confidence. Meanwhile, I am unfamiliar with Armstrong’s previous performances but have heard nothing but great things about her. I also find it fascinating that they cast an actual high school student for the role of the lead—a stellar choice in a world of 30-year-olds playing teenagers on high-profile shows like Euphoria. 

There has been no word on which other actors will be returning, but I think it is safe to assume that many will reprise their roles if asked. Actors James Marsters and Charisma Carpenter have already made statements on the show, with the latter explicitly expressing a desire to come back. It would not surprise me if nearly every major actor from the original show is asked if they wish to return in some fashion. It is truly unfortunate that the Xander’s actor Nicholas Brendon is unlikely to make an appearance given his issues in his personal life, and absolutely tragic that Dawn’s actress Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. I hope that if this show gets a full season, both characters are honoured respectfully and lovingly given both actors’ immense impact on the original franchise. My desire for this show is that it pays homage to the original and has its iconic characters turn up every now and again but largely focuses on the new characters and lets them shape what this reboot becomes. 

That being said, the behind-the-scenes crew are just as important to the success of this reboot, if not more so. I have not seen much work from Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, but the buzz around Poker Face, the cult classic discourse from Fringe, and the massive popularity of Suits instills faith in me that they will be worthy showrunners for this reboot. Though I’m personally not the biggest fan of Oscar winner Chloe Zhao’s direction, she is undeniably talented and I’m not against this decision. Buffy was a show that worked largely because of its writing, which leads me to finally address the elephant in the room: the absence of Joss Whedon. 

I am fully aware why Joss Whedon is not involved and trust  me, I don’t want someone like him to continue working and be absolved of his misconduct. Alas, a lot of what made Buffy great was thanks to him. Not only was he the show’s creator and showrunner, but he also wrote many of the best episodes and was heavily involved in nearly every episode. Whedon rewrote and script doctored most of the episodes, ensuring even the weakest episodes have clear bright spots. His influence on Buffy cannot be overstated, but I hope the reboot’s new writers do not attempt to emulate his style, which has been unsuccessfully replicated many times. 

Rather, I hope these new writers and showrunners can take the blueprint of Whedon’s original show and make it their own. Regardless of the ultimate fate of this reboot, the remaining cast members to be announced, and the other creatives that get brought onboard, I will be there as soon as possible to see the continuation of this show that means so much to me.