Buffy fans - would my 11 dd like?

[Raymondo]

My dd2 is often sick in winter with asthma and immune related things. She's resolutely ungirly - so we struggle sometimes to find things for her to watch that are age appropriate. She's enjoyed all the Murakami films. I want to get her a really good dvd boxset that can while away the dark and lonely winter days when she's off school and I'm trying to work from home. She likes fantasy books in Philip Pullman and Lemony Snicket and David Almond, but she's not a sci-fi bird at all - Dr Who leaves her cold. Do you think she'd like Buffy? I thought maybe she would, as strong female characters, great storylines etc, but I've never watched it, only really heard about it. Who has a strong view either way?

[Raymondo]

Oh, and if not suitable, then any ideas?

[HaveALittleFaith]

Personally I love Buffy, alt

[HaveALittleFaith]

Argh pressed post! Although I didn't start watching it til I was 15/16. Some of its a bit more adult and there's certainly sex discussed! Later series do feature a lot about witchcraft and Willow gets a bit crazy with it all - thag might not be good viewing?!

Why not get something like LoveFilm and show her a bit from Season 1 and see if she likes it? Rather than buying a box set? It's definitely about

[AnAirOfHalloween]

Pretty little liers is good but rated 12 i think on the tv series but there are books as well.

On the book front i think Kelley Armstrong ya series is good.

[wintera]

I'm a huge Buffy fan, and my niece got into it when she was about ten I think. Some eps are very creepy and scary though just to warn you. There is an ep in the fourth season that is really scary called Hush, that even chills adults to the bone lol! If I were you I would watch it yourself first and see if you think she would be ok with it. My niece loves Buffy but it depends on the kid really. My daughter is seven and I think she's too young at the mo but really want her to watch it when she's older as its great, my all time favourite tv show.

[Bluestocking]

Buffy is BRILLIANT! I'm sure your daughter would love them, but there are some pretty adult goings-on.
What are the Murakami films?

[wintera]

Agree with the other poster, try season one first and see what you think. There is some sexy goings on though especially in the later seasons . . .

[TheHeirOfSlytherin]

I would make yourself familiar with every episode first tbh, and steer clear if season 4 and above as they are for a much "older" audience.

[HaveALittleFaith]

Oooh even thinking about Hush gives me the heebie geebies!

[wintera]

Will never forget the first time I saw Hush. Wow, it absolutely blew me away but it's well creepy. The gentlemen have got to be the scariest villains ever in any tv show. Personally I think they would make great inspiration for a Halloween costume!

[HaveALittleFaith]

I just got shivers down my spine thinking of them!

[notcitrus]

First season (11 episodes) is a fairly straightforward drama, but with decent role models etc. Perfectly suitable.
Second season (22eps) gets into more complex stories - bad guy is in fact good but then turns evil, etc. I'd say seasons 2 and 3 would be fine but watch it with her, partly because they're excellent but lots of stuff to discuss.

Season 4 Buffy goes to university, there's military guys, sex, doing-evil-by-doing-good complex storylines, and the terrifying episode Hush. I'd watch the first 3 series over time and save this for when she's 13-14.
Seasons 5-7 get more into adult themes, eg hurt people ending up being abusive, drug taking, sacrifice and redemption. Season 6 is not quite as good except for the fantastic musical episode, and 7 is also not quite as good as the previous ones. But still very good. Also the series Angel runs in parallel with season 4 onwards, and there's a fair bit of crossover so watching an ep of each really adds to it, but Angel is a more grown-up serious-issues programme - I think she'll get more out of all these once aged 13-14 or more.
I think they're rated 15 whereas the first 3 seasons are 12, should you care about that.

[Raymondo]

This is super helpful thank you so much. I meant Miyazaki films, apols, was multi tasking. I think from the sounds of it she may be a leetle young for Buffy, she's only just 11. .. Would be frustrating for her to have to stop in mid flow for sex and violence reasons.
Those of you who are fans, is there anything comparable - kickass heroines, good storylines, for slightly younger viewers?

[TheHeirOfSlytherin]

The early seasons of Charmed are very good. Nothing nearly as explicit as Buffy can get in terms of violence or sex in that either as far as I remember. I started watching it when I was about 9 and it was my favourite show until I found Buffy.

[wintera]

Yeah Charmed is alright. To be honest though I went off it once the new long lost sister arrived but seasons one to three are ok. The Halliwell sisters are no match for Buffy though, she would totally kick their arse in stand off ha ha lol. And yes I am taking this too far

[wintera]

Am trying to think of something similar for younger viewers . . . The cbbc channel has a new show called wolfblood that's very good, my daughter loves it and she is 7. There's also Young Dracula, and my daughter is an avid Horrible histories fan too.

[notcitrus]

Sarah Jane Adventures might pull her in in a way Dr Who didn't - it's much more rooted in the real world. Charmed is a bit wet but OK.

Blackadder II ?

[liability]

My daughter's 7 and loves Buffy. She's watched every episode. The female characters are great and the friendships so well developed. Lots of great stories and it wasn't scary IMO (apart from hush).

[HaveALittleFaith]

Please stop mentioning Hush! I always think of the one who turns his head and smiles as they glide along

liability I imagine the relationship stuff just goes over her head?

[EmpressOfTheSevenScreams]

DD is 12 and Wolfblood's her favourite programme.
OP, you might want to look at the censorship thread in AIBU - there's a lot there on Buffy. The early evening TV version was heavily edited, the DVDs are much darker and more adult.

[talkingnonsense]

Yes, I was going to say try and tape it off the telly- then it's all cut for you! But I like it and my dss used to come in and out from about aged 5 on- there's nothing much worse than dr who.

[eslteacher]

I love Buffy, but she might be a little bit young depending on a) how creeped out she gets with scary stuff and b) how comfortable you are with the fact that it does directly address sexual themes from season 2 onwards (losing of virginities, coming out as gay, and even in season 6 some rape/sexual deviancy stuff).

How about Gilmore Girls? It's a great series from the Buffy era, about a mum and daughter who are both really spunky and intelligent, and have a really close friendship. Great sense of humour and mix of drama/comedy. My only fear would be that it seems quite girly on the surface (eg on the DVD cover) but really its not girly underneath, it's primarily about celebrating women as strong, intelligent and not needing men. And I think it's definitely age appropriate for an 11 year old.

Other series that spring to mind with more of a sci-fi/fantasy element but lots of plot-driven drama are Smallville and Roswell High, but its been so long since I've seen either that I can't remember if there's much sex/scary stuff in them. They're both about high school kids, so I doubt it would be that bad.

Veronica Mars is another very clever and enjoyable high school series, with a fantastically strong un-girly female lead. Again it does address some sexual stuff, like the fact that one of the running plots of the first season involves the 16 year old lead thinking she may have been roofied and raped, but it's not visually explicit and its dealt with with quite a light and intelligent hand IYSWIM.

Other series bouncing around in my head: Roseanne, Big Bang Theory and Futurama

Wow, I really want to snuggle up under a blanket and spend a few days watching back to back boxsets now!

[wintera]

Ooh good call - forgot about SmallVille and Roswell high. Good suggestions there. My seven year old daughter likes Malcolm in the middle when she has seen it too. And The Middle, and she also likes what she's seen of The big bang theory especially when Sheldon says 'Bazinga' lol

There was a new show on not long back called Once upon a time that was about real life fairy tale characters living in the real world that she might like. I only saw a couple of eps but it seemed ok from what I saw and I would like to see more of it at some point.

[BegoniaBampot]

Husband and I loved Buffy even thought we were probably late 20's/ early 30's. It's well written, funny, scary and has some great characters, especially strong female characters.

[Raymondo]

These are fantastic suggestions thank you. I may go and spend the grocery money my spare cash on several box sets for her.