What makes Buffy the Vampire Slayer so successful

A.� When Buffy the Vampire Slayer was first screened in the UK in 1997, it was much less popular than Star Trek: The Next Generation, in fact, it just made it into BBC2's top 20. By the third series, it was never outside the top three; its only rivals being The Naked Chef and Gardeners' World. Its star, Sarah Michelle Gellar, is frequently voted Sexiest Women in the World in mens' magazine polls, and it has won a string of Emmys, the US television's equivalent of the Baftas.

The unparalleled success of Buffy is that unlike comedies such as Friends or dramas such as ER or Casualty, the traumas facing Buffy are major - they could result in the end of the world - and yet they function as metaphors for everyday crises affecting people everywhere. Its appeal to teens is its straightforward, non-patronising approach.

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Q.� How many people watch Buffy

A.� Figures from the BBC suggest it attracts 3.6 million viewers - not much compared with soaps - but still a significant number. The success of Buffy has meant scheduling difficulties for the BBC since it started. Programmers wrestled with a tea-time or post-pub slot - a problem that�was ultimately resolved by showing it twice, the late showing without the pre-watershed edits. There are still constant complaints about these edits, about its cancellation for sports, about disruption of the narrative, and a host of other things.

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Q.� Who created the character

A.� Buffy fans claim she is the only heroine to come out of mainstream telly in the past decade who is both sexy and competent. She is not a dominatrix - she is a regular girl with superhuman powers. Buffy's creator, Joss Whedon, once said the idea came to him as a result of seeing too many horror films that open with a blonde girl walking down an alleyway and�being struck by a force of evil: he wanted to see a tiny blonde who was able to stick up for herself for a change.

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Q.� What's the basic Buffy story

A.� It started when Buffy Summers arrived in Sunnydale, California, after being kicked out of a number of schools for unruly behaviour. At the last school she burned down the gymnasium -�naturally, no one believed it was full of vampires, and she was expelled. Around the same time her parents, Hank and Joyce, divorced and Buffy believed she was responsible.

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Buffy is not your average teenager: she is a Slayer, destined to fight the forces of evil.

She arrived in Sunnydale unaware that the town's school is just above a porthole of psychic energy - a gateway to another dimension, populated by demons and The Hellmouth. She soon discovers that it attracts demons and other foes from miles around. This forms the basis for the beginning of the series.

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Q.� Who are the key Buffy characters

A.� In the world of Buffy, there is only one Slayer - into each generation one is born. She is very strong. She never kills humans; she is mortal.

She is surrounded by Joyce, her mum, who has no powers, and Dawn, Buffy's sister�- not a real�sister, but a protective shell in human form, fashioned by monks.

Kendra is a good vampire slayer, who was raised by accident.

Faith is a bad vampire slayer.

Willow is Buffy's best friend, a geeky computer whizz.

Tara is WIllow's girlfriend - also a witch.

Xander is Buffy's other best friend - with no powers.

Riley - Buffy's ex - couldn't cope with her superhuman strength.

Angel is Buffy's ex-ex. He's a vampire with his own spin-off series, called Angel.

Giles is Buffy's watcher - he makes sure she is all right and refers her to ancient tomes. He's the guy who appeared inthe Nescaf� adverts for all those years, and plays�the only sensible adult in the series.

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Q.� What's the significance of vampires

A.� Buffy is hailed an intellectual show because of its gothic references and the constant metaphoric use of vampirism. Vampires in Buffy adhere to the basic practical models - they can only be killed by decapitation or by a wooden stake through the heart; they cannot survive in daylight; they have to be invited into your house before they can come in; they are scalded by crucifixes, or hot water; and they don't like garlic.

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by Katharine MacColl