Back in the late 90s, television was still largely episodic. Some shows, like The X-Files, dabbled in long-form storytelling, but Buffy took it to another level. The series popularized season-long arcs, weaving monster-of-the-week plots with deeply serialized narratives.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was an influential series when it was airing, and even now, it serves as the basis for a recent sci-fi hit.