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Summary
With the officialBuffy the Vampire Slayerrevival under production, it’s time to figure out what this new Hulu show might involve. There’s been all sorts of talk about what storylines theBuffy the Vampire Slayershow might revisit and there’s obviously been whispers about just how big a role Sarah Michelle Gellar will play considering she’s not expected to be the lead, butwhere everything takes place might be the most important of all.
In the officialBuffySeason 8 comic book run, the Scooby gang and the recently called into action slayers move their base of operations from sunny California to Europe. The reason for this was two-fold. First of all, the US government had become aware of the slayers and was actively trying to hunt them down and at the very least, experiment on them. The second reason the Scooby gang moved from its usual setting isbecause Sunnydale was officially gone, absolutely and utterly destroyed in the series finale.However, in theBuffy the Vampire Slayeruniverse, things that are dead don’t always stay gone. If recent rumblings are true, then Sunndale isn’t staying gone and might in fact, be revived for the revival.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s Return To Sunnydale Is Exciting
Social media reportsindicate that theBuffy the Vampire Slayerrevivalis busy shooting in and around Los Angeles. While some might think that’s a no-brainer, considering that Hollywood is, of course, in L.A., television shows tend to shoot anywhere but Los Angeles, unless they are using already constructed sound stages.The originalBuffyshowused Los Angeles as the backdrop and the shooting locations because several iconic sites in the fictional town of Sunnydale were real places in California.
Since the wildfires that claimed so much of the Palisades and the surrounding area, there has also been a push for people to come back and shoot shows and movies to revitalize the region. It’s possible that the revival simply wants to help out the community. However,where the new show is set is almost as important aswho makes a return to the castofBuffy the Vampire Slayer.
Sunnydale is more than just a place inBuffy the Vampire Slayer.It’s really its own character thanks to season after season being set in the fictional town. There were places like the graveyard, the Slayer always patrolled. Places like The Bronze, where the Scoobies went to relax (and that saw more than a few vampire attacks), and there was, of course, the college, where the later seasons were set. For fans of the show, mentions of these locations spark strong nostalgia. It would make a ton of sense forwhoever returns for the Hulu revivalto be hanging out at some of these places.
It’s not as if bringing Sunnydale back to life would be difficult. It’s been decades since theSeason 7 finale showed the cityfalling into a massive sinkhole. People in and around Sunnydale certainly knew there was something very odd going on. But the general population might have simply heard rumors of a town that was wiped off the map and decided it needed to be revived.
Sunnydale Can Relive Its Glory Days In Buffy the Vampire Slayer
A Return Makes Too Much Sense
The most obvious reason for bringing back Sunnydale is that it would also explain a return of Buffy. Even ifSarah Michelle Gellar’s characterwent into a kind of retirement, the idea of a city that sits on top of a Hellmouth being resurrected and restarted could be something that draws the slayer and her new army to town to try and stop whatever is going on.
The idea that there could be some big new evils that are coming to Sunnydale with the express purpose of starting the town over, a place where monsters can dine on unsuspecting civilians, would certainly bring the slayers down on said evil. There’s all sorts of reasons why the team could return to town that are all about bringing back the fun of frivolity of the show. There is also at least one reason why the group might come back to the iconic setting that is quite sad.
Saying Goodbye To Dawn
It seems likely that with the recent tragic death of Michelle Trachtenberg, theBuffy the Vampire Slayerrevival will need to do something to say goodbye to her character, Buffy’s little sister, Dawn. A return toSunnydale would both kick off the show and could be an emotional background if they choose to have Dawn die in the show as well.Perhaps something like a funeral could lead to a real goodbye to both the actor and the character she played.
Some will want theBuffy the Vampire Slayerrevival tohave a brand new setting, but bringing it back to Sunnydale simply makes too much sense.