This year is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the premiere of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Did you know that I host a Buffy rewatch podcast, Prophecy Girls? So when this book came up on NetGalley, I jumped at getting an eARC—and I was also fortunate enough that Hachette sent review copies to myself and my podcast co-host for us to promote on our show. And what an easy book to promote: Evan Ross Katz’s writing is at turns informative, funny, and poignant. He combines his obvious love for Buffy with the interview access he has as a celebrity columnist to cover the show’s cultural impact and legacy—kind of like what Stephanie and I try to do on our podcast, but in book form!

The book loosely follows a chronological structure, discussing first the movie and the genesis of the TV series, before moving swiftly through each season. There is also a chapter dedicated specifically to Joss Whedon and the allegations of abuse against him from Buffy cast members and others he has worked with since, along with a chapter about the musical episode, one that focuses on Sarah Michelle Gellar and her approach to playing Buffy, etc. The chapters are all fairly long and very comprehensive. The book as a whole never really coheres into a single message (beyond, perhaps, “I love Buffy”). Yet that doesn’t matter—I just took the book as a series of loosely connected essays, and it works well that way.

Katz’s writing is on the extreme end of conversational. There’s a plethora of parentheticals, lots of personal connections to his own gay love of Buffy, and puns and jokes galore. This is probably my least favourite aspect of the book, but that might be a result of my personal bias towards more academic analysis anyway. Which is all to say that, unlike a lot of the “Buffy studies” books out there, this one is not one of those. It does have some serious thought behind it; it isn’t all light and fluffy. But the style and tone throughout are that of a gossip columnist, to good effect.

Skeptical fans might question whether this book is necessary, whether it’s really just a money grab—and I would say no. Yes, there’s so much Buffy lore out there on the Internet from two and a half decades of interviews, message board posts, convention chats, etc. Many of the stories you hear Katz repeat here will be familiar to you, from the famous origin of Buffy as the subverted cheerleader trope to the show’s network move from WB to UPN for its final two seasons. But there was plenty that was new to me—and I will admit I’m not particularly plugged into the behind-the-scenes lore, but there are also plenty of new interviews that Katz did with the cast and crew. For example, there’s an uncomfortable and hilarious moment where Katz presses Nicholas Brendon to say one nice thing about David Boreanaz.

Similarly, I know many are struggling to re-evaluate Buffy in light of the allegations around Joss Whedon. Steph and I plan to add our thoughts to this conversation in a bonus episode in the coming months. I really like how Katz handles it here. First, of course, he foregrounds what people like Charisma Carpenter and Ray Fisher actually said about Whedon’s behaviour—he prints Carpenter’s statement in full. Second, he covers multiple perspectives, quoting both fans who are more willing to separate Whedon from the show as well as others who feel like that isn’t possible. Indeed, perhaps one of the strongest arguments for the necessity of this book is that it clearly lays out what has been happening with Whedon and these allegations over the past five years—unless you’ve been paying close attention, especially on Instagram, you have probably missed some of it. Buffy fans who want to get caught up on these troubling allegations will benefit from how Katz explains it all here.

At the end of the day, it shouldn’t come as a surprise though that this book wishes to firmly enshrine Buffy as one of the all-time great television series—and why shouldn’t it? I doubt that people who have never watched the series will enjoy Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born. New viewers, if they don’t mind some spoilers, might find that this book helps them love the series even more as they start their journey. Nevertheless, the audience here is obviously the legion of Buffy fans hungry for new content twenty-five years later. That includes me.

Informative? Yes. Makes you cry at certain points? Yes—bring tissues. Thoughtful? Also yes. It’s tempting to call this a “love letter to Buffy,” but that description of a book so clichéd these days, and it doesn’t really capture what Katz is doing here. Yes, he loves Buffy, but he’s really trying to understand why we love Buffy, and why we still love it twenty-five years and an entire wave of feminism later. If you’re wondering that … well, you’ll have to read the book to find out.

I requested this book as Buffy was and still remains to this day one of my favourite TV shows. When I discovered the series in high school, it changed me in so many ways. It made me feel powerful and comfortable to come out. However, it is harder to revisit the series since allegations of Joss' behaviour has come to light, knowing what the actresses and actors were going through behind the scenes.

Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born does a great job exploring this dichotomy: how at the time the series at the time was so revolutionary and feminist but looking back in retrospect 25 years later we can see how Joss' influenced storylines and the show. Katz does a wonderful job in this book in exploring the wonderful legacy of the show and why this show remains a cultural talking point 25 years later, while also exploring its flaws, especially in regards to race and treatment of female characters.

The book is a perfect gift to any Buffy fan. Katz does a deep dive into every season, giving readers a glimpse of things going-on behind the scenes with interviews with cast and production members throughout the book. There are also interviews with people the show has influenced, such as the wonderful and talented Stacey Abrams. It was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend people who love the show read it to celebrate the show.

Makes me want to binge Buffy again!

I requested this book for a few reasons:
1. I love Buffy, she is tough and snarky and very cool!
2. I love Angel, he is handsome, brooding and a good vampire (Mostly).
3. I love Spike, he is hilarious and crazy!
4. It was listed in the category of “Arts and Photography”. So I thought there would be a lot of reminiscing about the show and photos to boot.

Alas there wasn’t any photos, but there are a ton online so it wasn’t hard to find a bunch for my review. Though there was certainly a lot of reminiscing but also much more. The book has interviews of cast, crew and fans and delves into things like how Buffy the Vampire Slayer, (which will have premiered 25 years ago by the time the book is released) was not only a cultural phenomenon but ahead of its time for focusing on female empowerment.

Evan Katz doesn’t shy away from the disparity between highlighting the show as a feminist touchpoint and the fact that many years later allegations were made against its’ creator Joss Whedon for creating a toxic work environment. I hadn’t known about those allegations prior to reading this since I have had my head in books since 2017 and haven’t watched much entertainment news. However, it certainly needed to be addressed and Katz did that early on in the book.

Katz readily admits just how much he loves both the show and Sarah Michelle Gellar herself and is not afraid of putting his feelings out there in a witty and self depreciating manner. I not only enjoyed this, but totally understood his feelings since I loved the show nearly as much as Katz.

“When Tom Cruise tells Renée Zellweger “You complete me” in Jerry Maguire? It’s very that steez for Buffy and me, but objectively less reciprocal.”

“It became my “thing,” intrinsic to my being years before my homosexuality or Judaism came to dominate my cultural identity. Before I was an American, I was a Buffy fan, I would joke. But I wasn’t joking. I loved this show. I loved to love this show. And I loved how much people seemed to love my love for this show (“seemed to” being the operative words).”


Katz also mentions the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” movie starring Kristy Swanson, Luke Perry and host of others. As all of us Buffy fans know, the movie that the TV show was based on was very different than the show in a multitude of ways. Though I like the quote in the book which tells how the film-makers took Joss Whedon’s admittedly dark humor and turned it into schlocky horror.

“Schlocky Horror” is exactly what comes to mind when I think of the Buffy movie. Not that the show didn’t have some of that at times, but the show had so much more as well. It had wit, fun, romance, awesome characters, camaraderie and the dark humor to top it all off. Like Zander, I think many of the fans had some “what wold Buffy do” moments, especially us girls when confronted with monsters in our lives.

The book was overall an enlightening and enjoyable nostalgic look at the iconic TV show.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is turning twenty-five this year, and I had to read this book as a die-hard fan. Like everything, the show does not age perfectly, and a former television show is not able to grow with society like a current program would. The book carefully addresses the show’s diversity problems, LGBTQ+ missteps, and feminism shortcomings. It also manages to be a celebration of the talent of everyone involved, and the hope/safe space/love this show continues to give its unending fandom.

I think this book is perfect for Buffy fans, and for non-fans, this might offer a way in, an opportunity to learn more about why fans are still talking about this television show as the twenty-fifth anniversary approaches. I appreciated the author’s care and handling of the allegations against Buffy creator Joss Whedon and the charges against actor Nicholas Brendan. I understand why some of the actors chose not to supply interviews, but I think they only did themselves a disservice, as it really leaves them open to rumors. In any event, I think I came out more a fan of the people behind the scenes who were interviewed, and I am grateful for all the stories shared.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette for the ARC!

This book reads like the kind of discussion you'd have with a group of your best stan-friends over Twizzlers and Pringles at the end of a full day at a con. And I mean that in the best possible way.

A love letter to devoted fans, this is an in-depth reckoning with the show, the associated personalities, and its legacy. The tone is unabashedly gushing and fannish and the text is conversational, snarky, and lots of fun. The level of detail and analysis is impressive--this is unapologetically for true devotees. It was strange to have 300+ pages of text with no pictures, but this is still an enjoyable read with a lot of insight. Buffy enthusiasts will be well-served!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

What a nostalgic trip this was! I enjoyed Buffy in the early 2000's when I was in high school (at the tail end of the series being over). I, like many others, feel I grew up with the characters and related to them. I liked how this book took us through the high and low points of each season. I enjoyed up-to-date interviews with cast members reflecting upon all aspects from the writing, fashion, relationships with castmates, to the scandal of Joss Whedon. I appreciated that Evan Ross Katz disclosed that he reached out to Joss (and others) and allowed them their opportunity to have their quotes included in the book. I did find the entire book a little long for what it was, and some points seemed redundant as far as letting us know that the show didn't include a multicultural cast and that they did Tara and Willow wrong (punishing LGBTQ characters). There were several chapters and points devoted to those things that seemed to say the same sentiment over and over. However, with this being said, I do think this book is great overview and analyzes some nuances maybe not noticed during a first watch of the entire show. Definitely a must-read for any Buffy fan!

Into Every Generation a Slayer is Born by Evan Ross Katz is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the popular television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The book is full of interviews of cast members, crew, and fans of the show. If you’re a fan of the show, this book is for you.

The author, Evan Ross Katz, is a superfan of the show, and his enthusiasm for the show is evident throughout the book. He fills it up with quotes, snippets of interviews, and his own thoughts on the show. He interviewed as many of the cast members and crew as he could, although not everyone was willing to be interviewed.

When the author started writing the book, he expected to write a different book than he eventually finished. The reason for this is because just after he started writing, serious allegations were made against the show’s creator and writer, Joss Whedon. After that, not only was he writing a book about the show, but he was also trying to uncover more information about Joss Whedon and the toxicity of working on the show.

I found the writing chaotic and difficult to follow at times, but also full of fascinating information and tidbits about the show, the cast, and the crew. The author is also a fan of the star of the show, Sarah Michelle Geller, and his praise for her work ethic and her graciousness was nice to hear, as I’ve always liked her.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born is the perfect book for any Buffy and Evan Ross Katz fan. It's got all of the authors humor with the writing of a journalist.

I am one of many who have been touched & shaped by Buffy in some way. I am glad this book exists and it's about time things got written for posterity's sake. It's hard for me to fully love books of this style (oral history, interviews, history, statistics etc.) but I do find them really interesting to read through.

It was fun to have Evan Katz take my hand and walk me through memory lane. He outlines each season and then discusses and breaks down some of the themes and pop culture discussions on Buffy.

I am also thrilled that Katz stated that the musical episode was on the best of the series because I wholeheartedly agree.

This book has a very specific (but still large!) audience which is fans of Buffy - those who have watched, lived and breathed this series. I had a fun time reading through it and it really warmed my heart. (fabulous cover choice as well!)

* I received an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Pub Date: 15 Mar 2022 Hachette Books

Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born is the perfect book for any Buffy fan. This is a book that celebrates all things Buffy. There is the history of the show, interviews with cast, crew & creator, and nostalgic memories from the show. If you loved Buffy, this is one you cannot miss! And if you know any Buffy fans, this will be THE PERFECT GIFT. Highly recommended!

I was so excited for this book as I am a Buffy fan, and I can't believe it's the 25th anniversary of the show. In this book Katz set out a very ambitious outline of all things Buffy. Because of that, I think that the pacing was a bit off. The first half of the book was a season by season recap, which felt redundant. While it was fun looking back on the series, I think if you were coming to a book like this you've probably already seen the series a couple times. I think it could have been more interesting if he highlighted either the top rated episodes or universal fan favorites, instead of doing a deep dive into each season. The second half of the book was looking at Buffy's legacy: the good and the bad. I think this is where the book really shines. Katz seems like a fantastic interviewer and the actors seem to open up to him. That said towards the end of the book there were a couple chapters that just felt oddly short compared to all the rest. They started to talk about some pretty important topics but seemed to finish before they really got going. With all that's come out about Joss's legacy it's nice to see that Buffy can be viewed critically and with love at the same time.

This is an interesting behind-the-scenes look that combined a season-by-season analysis and plot summary with interviews from myriad "experts" ranging from cast members to staff to influencers and pop culture experts... I really enjoyed both elements of the book. I think I found the first half, focusing on the show itself, more engaging. The second half - which took a sociological-impact look at the show and the actions of its creator - was also interesting, but at times felt a little repetitive and more dishy in a tabloid-tell-all sense then I usually tend to read. Still, if you're a fan of the show as I definitely am, it was a cool peek behind the curtain and a great reminder of why the show has had the staying power it hashad with fans new and old alike...

I'm a Buffy "stan" (to use Katz's own language from this book), and that's why I couldn't take this book. It is SO MUCH about Joss Whedon's fall from grace that it muddies the entire thing. Like... I get it. The man was awful to quite a few people, and what we once found to be a funny, acerbic sense of humor is more sinister in light of the past couple years' worth of accusations of verbal and emotional abuse.

But I wanted a book celebrating Buffy, its storytelling, its achievements, its fandom, its legacy... not a bunch of interviews talking about how bad the work environment was (with frustratingly little detail, because everyone wants to say their peace without really going too deep about what made them dislike or even regret their experience on the show) or opining what the show coulda or shoulda been in retrospect.

Into Every Generation

“You can thank Dolly Parton for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

One of the best and most in-depth books I’ve read. This is a cant miss for all fans and anyone looking to get an insight into what really went into creating a beloved show in the 90’s/00’s and how it’s progressed and stood strong all these years later. It’s also not just a love letter to the fans and the show but an at times extremely needed but difficult examination into the flaws and issues within the show.

Evan does a great job at showing what this show means to its fans. How kindly the cast cared for its fans and knew how important it was to so many people (Stacey Abrams and Jayden Smith are two inspiring fans, and my personal favorite chef Claire Saffitz.)

As a fan of the show myself, I’ve read a lot of BTVS books and this one really takes the cake! The first half is more synopsis and a rundown of how the show got made while the second half is all about why this show has had such a cultural impact and there’s no part that Evan skips out on. From everything from LGTBQ+, to issues of race and a lack of diversity, to the controversy that to this day still surrounds the shows creator, Joss Whedon, Evan tackles all of this with a passion and grace that never dulls.

Will definitely be purchasing a copy for my collection when it comes out!

Thank you to Netgalley & Hatchettebooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Look for Into Every Generation A Slayer is Born: How Buddy Staked Our Hearts out March 15, 2022

This book is perfect for every Buffy fan out there. I loved this book, and even as adult now I still consider myself part of the Buffy fandom. I just glad my vampire obsession's as a teen came from Buffy and not Twilight.

One of my biggest regrets in life was not watching BTVS in high school when it was airing on the WB. Luckily I watched it for the first time a few years ago and fell I love. It put me onto the path of obsession, so a good chunk of the book I already knew about from The Net. Most of what I didn't know came from the interviews from cast and crew about Joss Whedon's behavior on set. Whedon is so woven into that show it was hard to talk about anything else that wasn't related to him. For the most part I enjoyed the book.
However, the author tended to skip around a bunch when dealing with certain topics, going from the past to present only to circle back again.
I will recommend to other fans of Buffy.

Tell me you are a Buffy fan without telling me you are a Buffy fan…

When I first discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer, all 7 seasons were out on DVD. I binged, fell in love and proceeded to read anything I could find about the making of the show. Now, decades later, I heard that a new book was being published. With Buffy still being my favorite show, I knew I had to have this book. Thank you @ for coming through for me. Into Every Generation a slayer is Born by Evan Ross Katz is a comprehensive guidebook to the time of Buffy. Katz is truly a historian and digs deep into many of the themes and issues that took place. This book feels different than any other book in the way that Katz isn’t just a Stan with blinders on. He has his opinions and his thoughts and then backs it up with interviews from actors and writers on the show. It can be hard to read unfavorable things about the people behind the show who have previously only been lauded. I appreciate the honesty and and all the research that was put into this book. It made me want to go back and watch with new eyes. I am impressed with the level of insight that I received from reading this. A casual viewer as well as the hardcore fans should love this.

I love love love Buffy, so I was super excited when I received an ARC of Katz' book. I went into it expecting it to be more of an analysis of the show, so I was kind of disappointed by the heavy summarizing in the first few chapters. I also had trouble with the author's writing style (and his constant repetition of the phrase "more on that later"). I think touching on less topics, but delving deeper into them, would have helped make those chapters feel less superficial.

That said, I think the book really picked up in the second half. The writing felt stronger and more focused, and the author did a good job of holding space for both the legacy of the show and Whedon's abusive behaviour. The interviews with the cast and crew felt necessary and important, as opposed to the ones that opened the book, which I honestly did not fully understand the purpose of. All in all though, this is a thoroughly researched book, with Katz' deep love for the show shining throughout — and I'm right there with him.

*This ARC was provided to me via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion*

Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered 25 years ago and Evan Ross Katz takes time to celebrate and evaluate this culturally iconic show. Full disclosure, I'm a huge fan of the show and gladly jumped at the change to read this ARC. The first half of the book covers each of the seasons. It isn't an episode guide but talks about pivotal shows or the seasons Big Bad. He talks about the writing, clothing, Buffy speak, long hours, network pushback, feminism and the impact of showing a queer couple in a relationship.

I really appreciate that he interviews several of the stars including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Amber Benson, Charisma Carpenter, Seth Green, Nicholas Brendan, James Marsters and Anthony Stewart Head. (I recently read a book about a different series and it was only a compilation of DVD commentary and published interviews.) Katz was able to get their comments on so many aspects of the show and I love that he allows them to clarify and give their final thoughts. Clearly Katz is a huge fan and not wanting to push his own narrative. Katz talks about the Buffy fandom and the stars share their obvious pride in being part of something so huge even though they've gone on to other work.

Probably the biggest surprise is that the book is in the works when the news breaks about the abusiveness of Joss Whedon. He allows those he interviewed to add their thoughts or took their quotes they put out either in statements or on instagram. He does try and show both sides but obviously Whedon didn't participate in the book process.

I recommend this for fans of the show and I'm glad to have read it. It makes me want to break out my DVD's to binge watch BTVS and fangirl for SMG and the Scooby gang. Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh man did I LOVE this show. Truth be told, I still love this show. This was a great quick read and really gives background for someone who never got into the show. A perfect guilty pleasure read.