Don’t let Joss Whedon spoil the legacy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Is it possible to still appreciate a work of art, in spite of the creator’s transgressions? That is what the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom is grappling with, as the latest round of allegations of abuse and mistreatment on the set of the show at the hands of creator Joss Whedon are revealed.

What started out with a tweet by actress Charisma Carpenter in support of Ray Fisher’s allegations of working with Whedon on the set of Justice League, has turned into a chain reaction, resulting in the majority of the actresses who worked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and it’s spin-off Angel to speak out.

Carpenter played the fan-favorite role of Cordelia Chase for seven years, first as a series regular on Buffy the Vampire Slayer for three seasons and then as the female lead for four seasons on Angel. Back in 2003, when it was announced that Carpenter wouldn’t be returning for the show’s fifth and final season, with the reason given that the show-runners felt like they had hit a creative brick wall with the character and simply ran out of storylines. At the time, there were rumors swirling around the internet about Carpenter being released from the show because she was pregnant, which as it turns out, appears to be only part of the truth.

Earlier this month, Carpenter issued a letter via her social media, stating what really happened all those years ago between herself and Whedon. She states that she was prompted to come forward with her own experience of onset abuse by the news of Warner Bros. dropping Fisher from his role as Cyborg in the upcoming The Flash film. While there was an outpouring of support from the Buffy fandom, there was also the “Why did she wait so long to say something?” camp and, quite honestly, that’s only a question that someone who’s never experienced abuse of any kind would ask.

Following her social post, fellow Buffy actress Amber Benson chimed in via her own Twitter account, supporting Carpenter, stating that the set was “toxic.” Benson played Tara Maclay for three seasons until her character was tragically killed off at the end of season 6. Fans were outraged over Tara’s death and, it was later revealed that Whedon had wanted to resurrect Tara the following season, though Benson was reportedly unavailable to reprise the role. Now we’re left to wonder if the accusations of abuse had played a factor in her decision to not return.

Soon, Buffy actresses including Michelle Trachtenberg, Eliza Dushku, Julie Benz, Emma Caulfield, and even Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, came forward to either support Carpenter or offer their own insight into the allegations. Trachtenberg, who was cast in the role of Dawn Summers, starting in the fifth season, was only 15 years old at the time. In her social media post, she stated that there was even a rule that she not be left alone in a room with Whedon following a purported incident. Marti Noxon, a writer, and executive producer on Buffy has come forward as well, validating the allegations the female cast members have spoken out about. Eventually, male members of the shows, like David Boreanaz and James Marsters, posted their support of Carpenter and their female co-stars.

As a lifelong fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I mean I was super obsessed at the time of its original airing, I was heartbroken to learn that a show I had revered as one of the best feminist shows in television history, my very favorite show of all-time in fact, was secretly hiding such a tragic behind-the-scenes story.

These were female characters that I had idolized and loved dearly, and learned life lessons from. Buffy and Willow taught me how to be brave, Cordelia that it’s never too late to evolve, Tara how to be kind and empathetic, Anya how to be truthful and free, and Faith how to be a survivor. These performances would lead me to follow the actresses throughout their careers for decades to come.

You may recall when Whedon’s misdeeds were first brought to light in 2016, during his divorce from his wife of over twenty years, Kai Cole. She had penned an open letter to the public, disclosing Whedon’s adultery and penchant for young girls. As with most of these types of situations, it felt like much of Hollywood was willing to overlook these transgressions, in lieu of Whedon’s “brilliance.” This obviously highlights a wider problem in the entertainment industry, one which, despite the #MeToo movement, doesn’t seem to be getting better.

Whedon went on to other successful projects, such as Marvel’s The Avengers films, Agents of SHIELD, and Justice League, though they were not without incident. In addition to Fisher’s allegations, Gal Gadot stated that her experience in working with Whedon on the set of Justice League “wasn’t the best one,” indicating that she had gone to the higher-ups at Warner Bros. Media who “took care of it.”

Much like when J.K. Rowling’s transphobic comments surfaced on social media last year, fans were left wondering if it was possible to separate a masterpiece work of art from its creator. Despite Rowling’s bigoted remarks, it didn’t make me like the Harry Potter films any less. After all, it took hundreds of actors, writers, and crew members to create those films, not just her books. The same can be said for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Dedicated actors, writers, and crew members worked on these shows for years, for the fans, in spite of what the working environment was and what they were going through. Should these incidences have happened? Of course not. Is it fair to give Joss Whedon the benefit of the doubt because of his television and film successes? No. Is it fair to let Whedon’s abhorrent behavior tarnish the legacy of a show that continues to inspire people to this day? Absolutely not.

How do you feel about Buffy the Vampire Slayer following the Joss Whedon abuse allegations? Let us know in the comments section below.