Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an American televisheni series that aired from March 10, 1997 until May 20, 2003. The series was created in 1997 kwa writer-director Joss Whedon under his production tag, Mutant Enemy Productions with later co-executive producers being Jane Espenson, David Fury, David Greenwalt, Doug Petrie, Marti Noxon and David Solomon. The series narrative follows Buffy Summers (played kwa Sarah Michelle Gellar), the latest in a line of young women known as Slayers. In the story, Slayers are chosen kwa fate to battle against vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. Like awali Slayers, Buffy is aided kwa a Watcher, who guides, teaches, and trains her. Unlike her predecessors, Buffy surrounds herself with a mduara, duara of loyal Marafiki who become known as the "Scooby Gang".
The series usually reached between four and six million viewers on original airings. Although such ratings are lower than successful shows on the "big four" networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox), they were a success for the relatively new and smaller WB televisheni Network. Reviews for the onyesha were positive, and it was ranked #41 on the orodha of TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time as well as #2 on Empire's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. Buffy was also voted #3 in TV Guide's juu 25 Cult TV Shows of All Time and listed in Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME." It was nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe awards, winning a total of 3 Emmys. The WB network ceased operation on September 17, 2006 after airing an "homage" to its "most memorable series", including the pilot episodes of Buffy and its spin-off Angel. Buffy's success has led to hundreds of tie-in products, including novels, comics, and video games. The series has received attention in fandom (including shabiki films), parody, and academia, and has influenced the direction of other televisheni series.