Explore the enduring cultural impact of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this engaging five-week course. Designed for fans of the series, this course examines how Buffy both reflects and shapes popular culture. Through a series of expert-led lectures and interactive discussions, you’ll explore the show’s relationship with themes including popular culture, vampires, religion, family and television, considering why it continues to resonate with audiences more than 25 years after its debut.
This course is a follow on from ‘Studying the Slayer: Buffy and the power of Fantasy TV’. It can be taken without completing the first course, however, it assumes familiarity with some of the terminology and foundational concepts introduced there. If you have any questions, please email: [email protected].
Course outline
Each two-hour session combines an introductory lecture with opportunities to engage in discussion using interactive platforms including Vevox, Padlet and breakout rooms. You’ll be encouraged to share ideas, debate interpretations and explore the cultural significance of one of television’s most influential series.
The course assumes a good knowledge of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but no prior academic study of the themes explored. Recommended reading will be provided for Weeks 2–5 to support your learning.
Throughout the course, you’ll deepen your appreciation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer while developing new perspectives on television, culture and storytelling through discussion with fellow enthusiasts. Whether you’ve loved the series since it first aired or new to the series, this course offers an opportunity to explore why Buffy remains one of television’s most significant cultural phenomena.
Tutor profile
Prof. Matthew Pateman has taught and researched literature, film, and television for over 30 years. A world expert on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he has presented at numerous global conferences, given keynote addresses, published copious articles, chapters, and an award-winning monograph, as well as other monographs and articles on a wide variety of subjects from other cult TV shows, modern fiction, poetry, and drama. A passionate teacher and advocate of both life-long and inclusive learning, he is thrilled to be able to bring this course to a wider public.
Session outline
The course will introduce you to:
- Buffy and popular culture – Explore how Buffy reflects, critiques and contributes to popular culture, considering what the series reveals about the cultural landscape in which it was created.
- Vampires in film and television – Examine how Buffy draws on and reinvents vampire mythology, analysing the show’s memorable characters alongside the wider history of vampires on screen.
- Religion and culture – Consider the role of religion, mythology and the supernatural throughout the series, exploring how Buffy examines belief, ethics and morality.
- Family and identity – Explore the show’s portrayal of family, from traditional family structures to the concept of found family, and consider what this reveals about changing ideas of identity and belonging.
- Buffy and television culture – Discover how Buffy emerged during a transformative period in American television, influencing the medium while continuing to find new audiences in the streaming era.
Course details
Please note that all of our community CPD courses are aimed at adults and you must be over 18 to join. This course can only be purchased directly from the store if you are accessing it from the United Kingdom. If you are accessing it from outside the United Kingdom, please email [email protected] to enquire further.