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?

A word of warning- I got into Buffy back when I was 11 and it was still airing and DID NOT shut up about it until I was about 15. I got the magazines, asked for the box sets every birthday/xmas, had posters all over my bedroom walls, it's embarrassing remembering. I was fine with it though, never found it too scarey. If you don't want her exposed to too much sexual stuff though, keep her away from season 6, if I remember correctly.

My own teenaged oddness aside I think it's something I would show my daughter, because Buffy is a strong female role model - girls finally get a super hero who isn't wearing skin tight lycra with massive boobs. She combines being feminine and still having some girliness with strength and self respect.

Similarly, I've often thought I'd encourage films like Disney's Mulan over, say, Sleeping Beauty where the female protagonist is a swooning damsel in distress.

My kids watched Buffy at age ten. The episodes that scared me silly like Hush didn't have anywhere near the same effect on them. I forwarded the horrid bits in Killed by Death as I didn't want to see them again, let alone my kids see them. I don't normally let them watch things outside the age guidance, but asked around and majority view was that it would be ok. And it was.

And watch Buffy with her, it's ace :) (and you can talk about any stuff that seems age inappropriate)

You do need to know though - the later season Buffy DVDs include stuff like rape, pretty nasty violence and Buffy's decomposing corpse. I'd be very careful.

Star Trek also has good female characters (if you ignore the original series). Start with Enterprise.

And Xena. It's a bit hit and miss in places but has two terrific female characters.