One of the most common complaints about the show, particularly S1, is how dated it is. The examples given typically revolve around things only date the show in terms of the time in which it takes place. It's a 90s show, focused on 90s teens, set in the 90s in the 90s American High School. Which to say, if the fashion doesn't seem modern it's because it's accurate. How else are 90s kids supposed to dress? These things do not make a TV show dated.
What dates shows are overused camera techniques, sequencing, sometimes manner of speech and transitions. In this regard, Buffy was very advanced for the time it aired and holds up to anything currently being put out. There are indeed some dated shots in S1, particularly the power shot in Prophecy Girl with the theme music playing. That is indeed very mid-90s. But it is one shot in 12 episodes.
I often feel like people that level this complaint don't really get the meaning of it. You want to see dated storytelling and camera work, check out stuff like Seaquest or The Pretender. Establishing shots every other scene, sepia all over the place, static cameras. Watch stuff like that and then watch BtVS/AtS and you'll realize, distractingly dated it is not.
What dates shows are overused camera techniques, sequencing, sometimes manner of speech and transitions. In this regard, Buffy was very advanced for the time it aired and holds up to anything currently being put out. There are indeed some dated shots in S1, particularly the power shot in Prophecy Girl with the theme music playing. That is indeed very mid-90s. But it is one shot in 12 episodes.
I often feel like people that level this complaint don't really get the meaning of it. You want to see dated storytelling and camera work, check out stuff like Seaquest or The Pretender. Establishing shots every other scene, sepia all over the place, static cameras. Watch stuff like that and then watch BtVS/AtS and you'll realize, distractingly dated it is not.
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