20 Years Ago, ‘Buffy’ Welcomed Us All To The Hellmouth (aka High School)

Over seven seasons, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) conquered several Big Bads and even death itself.

Twenty years ago, on March 10, 1997, TV audiences were introduced to Buffy Summers, a pint-sized blonde who could hold her own against the undead. Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003. It had witty dialogue and used monsters as a metaphor for everyday high school problems like bullies, catfishing and feeling invisible.

If that wasn’t enough to make high school seem hellish, the characters went to school on top of a literal Hellmouth. “So many people at the time sent us letters saying, ‘I’m only getting through high school because of Buffy,‘ ” says Buffy writer and producer Jane Espenson.

The show earned a cult following — and made a lasting impact. “You see a lot more female protagonists on TV,” Espenson says. “I think you see a lot more genre stuff now, even on network.”

Much…