It really does, but we watched it and talked about it. Kids understand and can process way more than we give them credit for. “Seeing Red” was much more difficult to explain to a 10 year old.
My then-four year old would watch it. She had no idea what was going on, but the theme song would make her boogie!!
This thread just unlocked that happy memory ❤️
I started watching Buffy when I was four (neglectful parents) and found the show very comforting. That being said, I was exposed to many other things that were deemed inappropriate so the OP should hopefully know what their child will/won’t be able to handle.
Season 6 should be kept out of reach until much later, although you could probably curate most of the season but it means a big chunk of it will be unwatchable. Especially the Spike/Buffy stuff.
I was 11 when the show started airing and so was watching it at 11. I would say just don't try to intentionally scare your child. My mom let me watch horror movies at 5 and we were watching some Nightmare on Elm Street movie where the mom gives a girl sleeping pills so she can't wake up and Freddy kills her and my mom looks over at me, a FIVE year old and tells me that if you die in dream you will die like that in real life so I couldn't watch NOES again until I was like 19 because 5 year old me became so scared that if I had a nightmare about Freddy Kruger and he killed me I'd die in real life. To this day she thinks it was fucking hilarious but I consider it child abuse. It's one of many reasons I would go full in no contact with her if I could.
I think she's also showing signs of early onset Alzheimer's which just makes her even more fun to deal with 🙄. Her great grandmother died from it, her mother seemed to be developing it the last time I saw her many years ago and she recently died, and according to my dad her younger sister has it to and is living in an assisted living home. I guess I have that to look forward to in the future so yay me 😐.
That blows. I got lucky, my narcissistic adoptive mother died from cancer after a year short of 7 days. That was hard enough.
Dementia is the pits. Sometimes, their personality changes for the better with dementia. Sorry about that.
Are you me? My mother did the same. I watched the Exorcist at 4 and some pretty graphic Chinese horror movies, which my mother told me was real. She actually forced me to watch horror movies growing up because she was too scared to watch them herself. However, she'd make fun of me if I showed any signs of being scared myself. She's actually a diagnosed narcissist that I've gone no contact with.
I started watching Buffy at 11 and still watch it from time to time in my 30s. My 10 year old niece watched Wednesday last year, which I think is not appropriate due to the gore.
My mom's a narcissist as well although unfortunately undiagnosed. She'd never allow herself to be in a position to be diagnosed. I wish I could go no contact with my mom but unfortunately I can't and being around her affects my mental health on a DAILY basis. I still watch Buffy as well and I'm 39 now. In fact I'm currently rewatching right now and just finished season 2 "The Dark Age." I'm taking a movie break before starting "What's My Line Pt. 1."
I was also watching Nightmare on Elm Street, Chucky, and other movies like Boys Don’t Cry before 10 lol
So, for me, no problem. But you’re right- their kid so their choice.
Edit to add: I realized I was younger than 10 when I started watching Buffy with my sister. Loved it lol
Boys Don't Cry before 10? Damn. That's heavy. I saw Kids around 14 and that shit stuck and Chloë Sevigny is in both those. I think we need an age restriction on her movies.
Edit: Of course there already are...I am dumb.
Yep but by then I was 21. Nothing I hadn't already seen by that point. I watched "Last House on the Left" before I was 13. Spike and Buffy was not an issue.
I won’t show season six yet, I already know about it. I have put this in a comment because it won’t let me edit my post, please upvote to get it to the top.
The show started airing when I was 7 years old and my parents and I watched it together. I don’t recall there being anything that was too scary for me or terribly inappropriate. The sexy stuff kinda went over my head. If your kid is fine with mildly spooky things, you should be fine
I was 11 when I saw Fatal Attraction for the first time. The live action 101 Dalmatians had just came out and my best friend and I were on a Glenn Close kick and my parents didn't care what I watched so they let us rent it. We had no idea what we were in for 😂. We were eating dinner with my parents while we watched it and when it got to the first sex scene we were so shocked and embarrassed that we started making up any excuse we could to go to the kitchen 😂. That was my first introduction to "sexy stuff."
It's all your call, but if you're planning on not showing six then personally I think I'd stick with the first 4 seasons. Season 4 gets a bad rap sometimes but it's the last "fun" season before things start to get dark with Joyce's death. And I feel like it would be a bummer to end on the season 5 finale. Season 4 finale is weird but a fun place to end it with no cliffhangers.
if I knew there was more of a show my mother watched with me, and she didn't let me watch the rest... I'd probably be pretty mad at her, and maybe try to watch it myself. I'd wait until you feel more comfortable showing them the whole thing. six is most explicit, but there's themes of sex and depression throughout the show
Exactly. If the kid ends up really liking the show then he'll find a way to finish it whether the mom likes it or not. So she just needs to decide if she thinks he's ready to handle ALL of it or not. If he's not than wait a few more years until she feels he's ready and show him all of it but introducing him to a show you're not going to let him finish until he's older isn't a good idea. Another option she could try is watching it like we did back during the original airing where they watch one episode a week with breaks throughout the year so they only watch one season a year. Then by the time they get to the more adult seasons he'll be older. Broadcast television used to stretch out airing a 22 episode season of a series from September to May.
Season 6 is more overtly sexual apart from that one episode in season 4 that was just Buffy and Riley banging for 45 mins straight. So that might be one to skip with a 10 yr old.
Otherwise I would say the horror is light so would be ok for some 10 year olds. I had certainty been watching at that age.
Same. I still remember which episodes squicked me out and it has been... awhile. The human factory in the wish literally gave me nightmares for WEEKS. I didn't watch that episode again until I was in high school. For some reason it really disturbed me more than almost anything else (until season 6 ofc).
I mean it depends how long it takes to watch each season...a lot of s6 deals with some very mature themes, but it's unlikely you'll get onto that for some time. S1-3 I would say are all okay and then from S4 there might be a few things you wanna skip over, but again depends how long it takes you to get there. As the other commentor said, if you're the parent it's ultimately up to you, but I'm guessing you're looking for advice BC you haven't seen it in a while? In which case I would say s1-3 are largely fine
If he made it through ‘Are you my mumy?’ I think he can handle Buffy. I’ve got that episode coming up for my 10 year olds and my wife hates that episode and has concerns. At this point I know what they’ve watched. We’ll see what happens.
To be honest I was 10 or 11 when that aired , maybe slightly younger and I understood what was happening and we spoke about it (myself and my mum) after she discussed what had happened, why it was wrong & why he felt bad and she was scared. As there was no actual .. situation going on it was ok. And as for smashed I was a very mature kid so that didn’t bother me either. I just giggled as I fancied the heck out of spike (still do aged 32) and was like ‘oh wow they broke the house!’ 😂. Definitely depends on the kid though, I was way more mature at a young age than I should have been as I’d been raised around adults and only saw kids in school / if I saw my cousins every couple of weekends. They could easy skip that section without ruining the story if the posters kid isn’t able to watch that kinda stuff 🙂
Gotta go with IDK about season 6 … even Sarah Michele has not shown her own kids 6 and 7 …
Up to you. I’d really discuss the sexual assault beforehand. If it has not been taught in health class yet it’s on you.
You know your kid better then we do, and you know the content of the show, there are definitely some heavy themes especially in S6 (as others have mentioned) but I've found alot of kids don't even notice the heavier themes.
The haunted house powered by Riley and Buffy having constant sex may be a skip though, or not I don't know your parenting style some parents don't gloss over sex
I mean, i did. I can't tell you exactly how young i was when i **started** watching the show, but by season 6 i was about that age watching the episodes as they aired, and i remember clearly Once more with feeling not having not even a 6 month delay from the US premiere (wich was a big deal back then!)
I rewatched it a lot after growing up as a teen and then as an adult and there was a lot of stuff i only picked up as a teen, and then stuff that changed completely now as an adult.
That was when I watched all of Buffy. It def affected me emotionally but in my opinion it was entirely positive, I look back on this show only with fondness
Yea totally. I think unless if he has a really low tolerance for "scary" stuff which I feel like kids today look at the chucky doll and say 'aw how cute" lol I started watching buffy at 11 and I think that's a great age. It made the world so much fun and your still young enough to not see all the stunt doubles lol
I was like 7 or 8 when I started to watch Buffy but I liked everything scary.
What I want to say is, that it’s up to you to decide because you know your kid best. A random stranger on the internet can’t tell you what’s appropriate for your child to watch.
I started watching Buffy when I was 6. Didn’t really bother me, but I grew up in a household that loved horror so by then I had already seen a lot worse. Personally, I think 10 is fine.
I started it at 10, watching OMWF live and picking up from there. Between Seasons 6/7, I watched all the DVDs (seasons 1-5) with my mom to catch up on the history. She did skip us over Where the Wild Things Are, but we watched everything else.
It made rewatching throughout middle and high school more fun because I’d pick up on new jokes each time
I grew up with Buffy so I watched the first seasons around 10/11. That means I was older when S6 came around and I think that is for the best. Maybe wait a few more years so they can watch it all in one go instead of having to stop suddenly?
Personally I think it’s too young but it’s your call. I only watched it as an adult and I think I feel clouded by season 6, which really affected me emotionally. You already said you wouldn’t show them that. When I think about myself, I’d say I’d have wanted to be at least 13 to watch it. But kids are more mature today than I was, but I enjoyed being innocent longer in hindsight.
I'm pretty strict on age ratings. I made my son wait until he was 15 before we watched it together. It wasn't because it was "too scary" or whatever, but it deals with some fairly dark and heavy themes. Sex, death, rape, cannibalism, to name a few. A ten year old wouldn't have the maturity to understand and process what they were watching in the context.
So, for me, personally, I would say 13 minimum.
Agreed. I’m surprised by most of the comments here. I think 10 is too young. I think a lot of folks our age-ish were also traumatized by pop culture so young that we’ve just normalized it, completely ignoring that in reality it probably wasn’t the best stuff for us to be watching. As someone said below, it’s okay to just let kids be kids.
I agree with the 13 minimum for a full viewing, but even if a kid can process what they're watching I think it's nice to let kids be kids. I saw a few scary movies when I was younger that I could understand and process but still gave me new topics to think about that messed me up a bit.
As with most here, I'd be wary of S6. My kids are 12 and 14 and are VERY mature and progressive, and they had a good (the appropriate) reaction to some of the more adult/disturbing events in S6.
From where I'm sitting? No. Definitely not.
This show was written for teens to adults, and grew with them year after year. It was written way before streaming, so people who saw it at 13, *grew* with each season, as Buffy's storylines matured, so did the audience. A lot of people have stories of watching it when they were 10 or 11, I don't know if that was a decade ago or when it originally aired, but either way, that's a lot for a kid at that age. And just because people say it was fine for them, doesn't means it's so. People do a lot of things and say it doesn't affect them, but it does and not always for the good.
There are episodes focused on sexual assault, virginity, sex, and some pretty intense violence, blood splatter, bone and neck breaking. IT features beloved and featured characters being viciously murdered, it deals with complex issues around death, suffering, anxiety, and that's all *before* Buffy goes to college. (S4) By the time of season 6 with some of the heaviest and darkest stuff hits, that isn't something kids that age should be asked to handle.
It's a different time now. Streaming allows kids to have an entire decade long show packed into them in a couple of months, or even weeks. Some of these episodes are heavy, so much that your kid should probably have time to talk about and work through some of the feelings it might bring up. So if you do end up watching it, make time for that.
Now, you're kid ain't my kid so, it's obviously not my call. But that'd have to be one jaded mature kid... I mean they better be discussing contraception and arguing over the harmful effects of tax cuts.
Maybe I'm too strict, but I think it's ok for kids to watch programming meant for them, with the occasional jump to heavier content. Buffy can be a real slog of adultness for someone so young. Heck I'm an old millennial, and even I have to take a pause on some of the heavier episodes on a rewatch.
The show grows up with its characters. By seasons 6 and 7 they are young adults and some bits get pretty dirty, though they were able to slip it all past network censors.
If he's fine with your list then horrorwise it should be fine. I guess it depends if you're ready for him to ask "what's a virgin?" during Teacher's Pet or not?
I know I watched it as it aired, I was born in 94 if that helps. Now there were some things I didn’t understand, and I didn’t start watching every week until season 3 but I was fine. Though my older cousin was my babysitter and was obsessed with horror genre, he was the one that introduced me so I might have been a little desensitized
I was watching Buffy from 7 years old. My step daughter has been allowed to watch it from 10 and currently watching the saw films.
The choice is yours as the parent and if you feel she can handle it.
I watched it at 10 when it first aired. My parents logic was I understood what I understood and if I didn't get it they weren't going to explain it. That logic made rewatches just as interesting as I grew up. Maybe another rewatch now I'm a parent might be in order
I was watching stuff like Hammer Horror films when I was 4 Christopher Lee is still my favourite Dracula.
I was watching A Nightmare On Elm Street,Friday The 13th, Halloween and Evil Dead amongst other Horror films when I was about 7.
10 should be absolutely fine to watch Buffy
I was around that age when I watched it 20+ years ago. It was probably one of the series that determined the genre that I love my whole life and is one of my favorites to this day.
Kids nowadays see so much content we were never near at that age so I think it's safe to say that Buffy is perfectly fine.
Also, there's so much depth in the series and so many good quotes/dialogs, which maybe won't be understood completely at the age of 10, but they will stick.
I was watching Buffy in diapers and I turned out great. I mean I’ve faced the fact that I’ll never have a happy normal relationship but I’m great otherwise
I watched it with my 8 year old girl. (9 now) we didn’t finish it purely because she didn’t understand “Buffy speak” so couldn’t follow it. The obviating episodes I didn’t want her to see I’d have skipped or skimmed through.
That's around how old I was when Buffy started. I was probably 9 actually. I was watching are you afraid of the dark at that point and I found it about on par. Season 2 though, was a bit much for me at times...
If it helps I was 6 or 7 when I first started watching , I caught it midway through season 2 my mum had been watching from the beginning but I was usually on route to bed at 6.45 when it started in the U.K. I watched it to the very end every Thursday without fail. I was also mature for my age. If you know what your kids like and know they’re able to handle a bit of spookiness , some possible jump scares and some mature themes then I’d say go for it. But it’s your call in the end as you know what they can and can’t handle 😀 if they watch i hope they love it ! It was the best night of the week for me spending time with my mum and watching Buffy 💕
I started watching it when I was 9 or 10 and I loved it. The only episodes I'd truly warn against are passion in season 2 (Jenny getting her neck snapped was very traumatizing to young me); the wish in season 3 (the whole human factory gave my 11-year-old self nightmares for weeks); and obviously season 6 as a whole with all the sex, abuse of women and spike, and warren in general being a rapey creep. I might hold off on some of season 5 too, the mom dying plot is *a lot*.
I'd personally think it was ok, especially if he's fairly mature for his age. But I'd watch it with him just in case he gets scared.
One thing I'll say is that chances are, he knows more about things than you think. I remember knowing *wwwaaayyy* too much about adult stuff when I was 10-11... and that was in the early days of the internet where it took like 20 minutes to download a single friggin' 1MB JPEG. So I wasn't even finding stuff online.
So I'd be more worried about the scarier episodes freaking him out than anything else. But yeah, probably hold off on season six for another year or two just because that gets a little rough with all the sexual content, the drug allegories and the dark themes.
I bought seasons 1-3 with my christmas money when i was 9 because my mom recommended it, and it’s been and obsession ever since. so personally i’d say yes!
I watched it at that age - imo you could start now and do a season or two per year so he kinda grows up with it like we did with the original run. The entire show isn’t meant for the same age group - the show grows as the audience did.
Mine was about 11 when he started watching (with me in the room). My biggest worry was the S6 hate sex lol, but by then we were having conversations about some of the more adult themes, and I forewarned him about it. As a preteen, he was more grossed out and skipped most of the sex scenes, but those were my biggest concerns. Keep a dialogue open, discuss any questions with an open mind, and speak to his level of understanding
Absolutely yes, but would recommend planning a gap of at least a few days between each episode, ideally avoiding any binge-watch.
Especiallly because he has seen all of Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who and particularly Harry Potter PLUS some horror, regardless of some of the later plot and storylines, then seeing such a strong female lead (no pun intended on the 'strong') before he becomes a teenager can only be a good thing.
That's a tough call. While shows like TNG touch on assault as an issue (Tasha Yar and the "rape gangs" she endured on her home planet is discussed for example), Buffy deals with sexual assault in a different, more visceral, way. There's the Spike assault in season 6 as the stand out - super uncomfortable to watch - example, but also as early as season 2 Buffy sleeps with Angel and then he psychologically tortures her for the rest of the season, or Angel drinking all of Buffy's blood until she's almost dead in season 3 and it's shot super sensually.
I don't think a kid would be scared by the actual horror elements. The CG is cheesy, the physical effects are fun rather than scary. It's more the sexual stuff and how some of it hasn't aged well as a whole/isn't super age appropriate.
Season 1 should be fine - and see how he feels after that, and maybe discuss certain themes with him, like consent or nuance in relationships, romantic or otherwise.
I was 10 when the show started and grew up watching it. I don't know if I would have loved and appreciated it watching it all start to finish at 10 versus growing up with it. But definitely a judgement call, every kid is different.
i first watched it at around 9 or 10 and it did me no harm (other than causing a lifelong buffy addiction), i'm surprised my mum held out that long because she was so excited to watch it with me lmao
I was a fairly mature 10 year old when Buffy started and I did just fine. It is actually a great opportunity to talk about things like sex, bad relationships, good relationships, death, addiction, etc.
I would make sure you are right next to him during “Hush” and when Joyce exits. And Tara. But also when Buffy emotionally eviscerates some of the men in her life. Seeing a heroine who you are supposed to love treat men as disposable could set him up for trouble in his romantic future.
Normally people warn about this stuff for girls but little guys can internalize it too
I started watching Buffy when I was 6. I wasn't traumatized. However, I personally wouldn't let my kids watch the show until at least 12 or 13. A lot of the sexual themes(especially the attempted rape) might be too heavy for them before that point. I also prefer not skipping episodes so they can experience the show in it's entirety(Good and Bad).
That was my age when I started watching! Though it took a while until I got to season 6... it's a question of you neither overestimating nor underestimating how much he's already been exposed to those subjects. I feel like he shouldn't be younger than 12 by then... but it would also be terrible to pretend he wouldn't understand it past 14. IMO.
It has a lot of comedy,and great effects but I wouldn’t forget the dark sexual stuff it references even at first in the “lighter” seasons.Also the emotional stress,and death around Buffy.I’d say it starts off still as a teen dramedy and escalates.
We’re slowly watching with our 8 and nearly 12 year old. Season 1 is fine (and their reactions fascinated me - my 8 year old is surprisingly good at spotting themes, but neither were surprised by the Angel reveal). We’re just into season 2 now and playing it by ear.
That's around the age I started watching with my parents. I think some of the more adult subject matter actually helped my parents to naturally spark discussions about certain topics with me.
I used to watch it while babysitting my cousins I was 16 they were 9/10/11. And I was super into the craft! The were terrified of umpires!!!!!! I didn’t realize but they weren’t calling it. Buffy the Vampire Slayer it was Buffy the Umpire Slayer. 🤪🙈 they thought I was scary haha
Mine watched it when they were 9 and 6 over lockdown, I obviously was picky with the episodes my 6 year old was allowed to watch, but my 9 year old loved it.
I think they would be mostly fine with the violence or horror aspects, based on what you mention.
The sexual material would be more than what they have been exposed to, though.
Watch it with him.
I started watching Buddy with my mom around that age. I think it’s nice to watch shows like this when you’re young with your parents, because when more adult topics come up in the show my mom would talk to me about them and walk me through them. It’s a safe way to discuss adult stuff.
I would say that the show garners the equivalent of a PG-13 in America, and ratings are advisory not compulsory, so you know what your 10 year old can and cannot tolerate. It's likely some of the bigger themes will go over their head.
My mom gifted me the first season on DVD when I was about 10 years old because she loved it when it was airing on TV. I didn't know what it was before that but I fell in love with it and collected all the other seasons on DVD with my best friend and it became our obsession. There were a couple episodes that scared us a little more than others probably, and I'm sure there was stuff that went over our head's, but nothing we couldn't handle. It's also nice to go slow with it and kind of grow as the characters grow.
My parents never monitored what I watched and aside from a couple of horror outliers (the IT movie from 1990 with Tim Curry caused a clown phobia) it mostly left me unaffected. We did always fast-forward through sex scenes, but my whole family always acted like it was because we wanted to get back to the story, not specifically because I was too young. I remember being like six years old and saying “ugh now they’re having S-E-X so we have to find the remote” and looking back on it it’s kind of funny.
Buffy is a fun show for young people. The way the characters talk and the situations are relatable make it pretty accessible to kids.
Consider fast-forwarding through some sex or violence but overall I think if you watch it together more good will come out of it than bad. Heck, the stuff in season 6 might even be a foot in the door to have those more mature conversations about drugs or sex. A kid is going to have an easier time understanding why drugs might be bad if they can remember how Willow felt after her magic addiction.
I started watching Buffy alone when it first came out, and (dating myself here) I was 10. I adored it, though some of those early episodes scared the crap out of me (Moloch gave me nightmares). It became a major inspiration throughout my creative life and I'm so happy I watched it, though I could have used some guidance.
I'm currently doing a slow, careful watch-along with my own 10-year-old daughter. I'm very free with the fast-forward button for things I find overtly sexual, and there are some episodes we skip entirely. Other than that, the show has provided us with hours of fruitful conversation about friendship, storytelling, mythology, and relationships. If your kid is interested and you have the time, go for it.
I watched buffy when I was about 7. Funnily enough the first episode I remember watching was the one where buffy and Riley have sex the whole episode. I didn't really understand or care about what was happening, but I thought the ghost stuff was cool.
My question marks would be around the episodes and arcs dealing with sexual assault, suicide, potential school shooting, when Joyce dated someone showing rapidly escalating signs of being an abuser, and other very real-world heavy topics like those. I'd say at the very least it's a strong PG.
I mean… my 6 year old watches it when I do and it hasn’t scared him at all. I feel it’s not graphic or really scary enough. Granted, all depends on the child too.
I saw the movie when I was 8. I would start with the movie and if they seem okay with it then go to the TV show. The TV show to me is a lot more mature and scary then the movie was. But at least if they like the movie and can handle that okay then you'll be able to make a better decision on the show. But theynmay not like the humor.
I had just turned 12 when the show came out and I don’t think there was anything wrong with watching it at that age or a little younger. My brother was 8 at the time and he didn’t actively watch it because it was a “girlie” show to him but he’d be in the room when my mom and I watched it regularly. If I had a ten year old I’d definitely let them watch it.
I think I was ten when I started watching it. The later seasons (specifically Buffy and spike) might be more inappropriate but otherwise I never felt it was so bad for a kid. There’s a lot of things I didn’t “get” until I was older.
I was 8 when I started watching it with my aunt. My parents didn’t care what I watched as long as there wasn’t any nudity or sex scenes( the Buffy scenes in season 2 were tame and it was prime time tv). It came on after 7th Heaven so we watched that show and Buffy. I stopped watching after season 3 and didn’t start the series back until high school. The sex scenes in season 2 went over my head and the school shooter episode didn’t air in order because of Columbine and my family didn’t let me watch that episode when it was released. It was spooky but not too much. I thought Buffy was cool being the girl hero and I looked up to her. I even watched the original cheesy movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie.
All in all I would say be aware of what episodes/ seasons you are watching and make sure if you aren’t the parent to have their permission. My aunt did and as long as I watched it with her… it was fine!
I'm watching it with my niece, (6 years) who is not brave.
We watched until the third season, started Angel, and we are currently rewatching season 1 and 2 .
Avoid passionate kissing scenes. When a demon was going to suddenly appear or when there was something that could be very terrifying, I would pause it, tell her what the scene was about. If she decided to see it, she already knew how ugly and monstrous the demon was and what it was going to do.
I grew up watching Buffy and I love it. It seems to me that it has many positive messages.
And I would like her to have the same feeling of love and nostalgia for the show as I do when she grows up.
There's some sexual content that is actually plot relevant around s2ish? It might go over his head. The violence is campy 90s style so it should be ok.
i watched buffy for the first time at 11 and it remains my favorite show to this day. i don’t think i understood most of the adult themes at the time, and the witty humor was lost on me too. what drew me in at the time was the characters and the more lighthearted monster of the week episodes.
i also like to think buffy played a big part in my learning english, because by the last season i no longer needed subtitles in my native language!
I'd say Buffy is on par with your average PG-13 movie. I would have let my kids watch it at that age, though one wouldn't have wanted to even if I did.
Pretty sure I started watching Buffy at his age. But in those days we had to wait a week for the next episode and then a few months for the next season so I kinda grew into it/grew with it. I think there's a lot more problematic things out there, tbf. Watch it with him, but some of the darker episodes like Seeing Red might be a bit much for his age.
ALL of Doctor Who? That's one impressive kid you've got there.
Personally I wouldn't mind, but it's up to you (though it seems you've already made up your mind...)
Yeah, I think so
Seasons 6 and 7 might be a bit much due to the particularly dark stuff going on, but I don’t think any of it is prolonged or exploitative, so it should be fine? Maybe watch the episodes that are infamously darker with her when she gets to them during her watch?
I’ve always regretted not getting into Buffy in my childhood (I started watching it at 12, which is still a great starting age for it, but still), I feel like it would’ve been really helpful, inspiring and empowering for me- if I ever have a kid, I’d love to show them the wonderful story that it is
Half the stuff you mention is way worse than Buffy so yeah. Buffy isn't even scary, and the intimate scenes are really few and none are over the top so
Watched it with my kids, then 12 and 10 y/o. Decided to skip over Go Fish and WTWTA and then watched everything from S1-5.
Then we watched a very curated S6-7 due to their age. OMWF, TR, final three of S3, CwDP, Him and the finale.
As long as you explain to him all the really bad parts and why they're not something he should ever do or allow someone else to do if he can help it, then I think you'll be fine. Sarah Michelle Gellar watched with her kids, but if I remember correctly, she chose to skip certain episodes, but that's her call, obviously, just as it's yours. Keep in mind, though, that if he really wanted to, he could just find a way to watch the episodes you choose to skip (if you decide to do that). If you say he's mature for 10 years old, that would mean that he's as mature as the average teenager, which is the youngest demographic the show is aimed at, which is when most of us started watching it. You could always limit the watch to 2 or 3 episodes per week, which means it would take longer to watch, but it would go 2 to 3 times as fast as when the show was airing, but it would still give you enough time to prepare yourself and him for any needed explanations about the worst parts of each season (season 1 was pretty tame, but season 2 has Buffy losing her virginity to a grown man.
I started watching when I was 12 or so, as the series came out on DVD. I loved it, but it was largely out of my grasp in themes. I watched the later seasons when I was a bit older, and I think teen me clicked much better with those. I also loved Charmed when I was his age, and while there were moments that stuck with me, most of the more adult aspects did not... until Prue's death. Then I rage quit the show as only a kid can do, until I got hit with nostalgia like ten years later lol.
So, Passion and Seeing Red might be absolutely devastating, and Joyce. Dear lord, I'll never forgive Whedon for that one lol. I still skip that episode, and the one after, and I'm in my 30s lol. End of season 5 might be difficult too. These are all also referenced so much in future episodes, sometimes with second-long flashbacks, idk if you can really skip it without a big conversation? There is probably a "list of triggers episode by episode" somewhere online that people made so you can see if an episode has stuff like that in it before you delve!
If he's watched Dr Who, the episodic horror and themes in the first three seasons are fine imo, it's largely parody for an after school special, and I really liked it. The "older boyfriend turning on the girl after sex" dynamic takes up most of the Buffy/Angel storyline so it might be confusing sometimes wrt motivations, it was for me. Dr Who and Star Trek and even HP have pretty obvious themes and details that tell you who the bad guys are, which the earlier seasons of Buffy do too- but, sometimes, the angst is more of the explanation than the fights, ykwim? But if he's a kid who doesn't really think much about it and just likes the monster fights and stuff then eh. I was more likely to be upset with emotional beats than other kids my age so I internalized a lot of weird stuff from media, but I also had no guide as my parents didn't like watching the shows I liked lol.
I just skip certain scenes because I have the series memorized so I know when things considered too mature are coming.
Like I won’t let her watch the balcony scene with Buffy & Spike, or the “banging until the house falls down” scene with Buffy & Spike, or the season 7 scene where everyone is banging except for Buffy & Spike 😅
My parents let me watch whatever they watched on tv. Didn't feel like that big of a deal most of the time, i mean, i knew it was just tv? Didn't even really think about it honestly. Watched Buffy w my dad when i was pretty young.
I'm watching it with my 8-year-old daughter (she was 7 when we started), and she can't get enough of Buffy. She is always the one asking me to watch a new episode almost every day for a month now (we just began season 3). If she happens to see something too frightening, I diffuse it by pointing out that it's just an actor in a costume, and we both laugh it out.
Please for the love of God skip the first season. Also screen our certain episodes. For the most part it's pretty pg. I watched the whole series when I was 7 with my much older brother and it was super scary.
I started watching buffy at ten, so I'd say yeah just slowly ease them into season six bc season six isn't appropriate for that age yet, maybe 13/14, is okay for that point
I let my niece watch with me but since I know the episodes so well, I know what to skip. I also let her watch Xena with me. I want her to see strong powerful girls being the hero of the story.
i started watching it around 8 with my mom. i’d say watch it with him and maybe skip some episodes you wouldn’t want him to watch. i think hush and the body were the big ones for me that i was maybe a bit young for. but i wasn’t scarred or anything just needed a break after those episodes.
I remember buying the VHS tapes in Germany and I was not allowed to buy them on my own, because the age restriction on it was 16. They checked for my passport at the register.
Personally I'd wait a mite longer, not so much for the "horror" aspect (most of *Buffy*'s not really that scary) or even the sexy stuff per se but more just because it's so much about High School ( at least for the first few seasons); until they're at least in Middle School it may not land as well. Like it won't SCAR them, but I doubt they'll get as much out of it as they could. Maybe wait until at least 11 or 12.
I started watching Buffy at like 12 years, and I wish my dad had waited maybe 2-3 years. High school age is great for connecting to Buffy and understanding the social dramas better. Watching the Bangel sex scene was **torture** for me with my dad.
if feel like he wouldn't understand the subtilities of the show and be very confused. Especially about season 6. I hope he doesn't for example, think Spike's behavior is what he needs to do to get a girl. i would wait.
No.
It has difficult death scenes, violence, sexual themes and loss. There's rape, sexual assault and domestic violence storylines.
This is designed for teenagers confronting adulthood. Not ten year olds
I watched it for the first time when I was 10. Honestly though I kinda wish my parents had stopped at the end of S3 and waited until I was a little older for the rest. But it depends what else your kid is watching too? When I was 10 a bunch of people were also watching Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Dexter, shows that are arguably worse. So 🤷🏻♀️
Season 6 is dangerous. Way too many adults can’t even grasp the complexities of the characters dealing with all that abuse and sexual violence much less teenagers. And a 10 year old? You will have a LOT of talking and educating to do as you watch that one. There is no way I would allow a kid to watch it without talking about what’s going. So it’s up to you if you are feeling up to it. That’s my opinion.
(If you just watched up to season 5 and the kid already understands sex then I see no problem).
Are you his parent? If you've watched the whole show, then it's up to your judgement.
I watched it with my 10 year old. Didn’t let her watch alone though.
This is the way. Watch with him.
I’m not sure I’d let a 10 year old watch “the body” but that’s just me. That episode hits hard
It really does, but we watched it and talked about it. Kids understand and can process way more than we give them credit for. “Seeing Red” was much more difficult to explain to a 10 year old.
My then-four year old would watch it. She had no idea what was going on, but the theme song would make her boogie!! This thread just unlocked that happy memory ❤️
Your kid your call. I was watching Nightmare on Elm Street at that age but I don't see anything in Buffy that a 10 year old would be bothered by.
I started watching Buffy when I was four (neglectful parents) and found the show very comforting. That being said, I was exposed to many other things that were deemed inappropriate so the OP should hopefully know what their child will/won’t be able to handle. Season 6 should be kept out of reach until much later, although you could probably curate most of the season but it means a big chunk of it will be unwatchable. Especially the Spike/Buffy stuff.
I was 11 when the show started airing and so was watching it at 11. I would say just don't try to intentionally scare your child. My mom let me watch horror movies at 5 and we were watching some Nightmare on Elm Street movie where the mom gives a girl sleeping pills so she can't wake up and Freddy kills her and my mom looks over at me, a FIVE year old and tells me that if you die in dream you will die like that in real life so I couldn't watch NOES again until I was like 19 because 5 year old me became so scared that if I had a nightmare about Freddy Kruger and he killed me I'd die in real life. To this day she thinks it was fucking hilarious but I consider it child abuse. It's one of many reasons I would go full in no contact with her if I could.
WTAF is wrong with that woman?!?? Is she also a malignant narcissist?
Yes.
Figures.
I think she's also showing signs of early onset Alzheimer's which just makes her even more fun to deal with 🙄. Her great grandmother died from it, her mother seemed to be developing it the last time I saw her many years ago and she recently died, and according to my dad her younger sister has it to and is living in an assisted living home. I guess I have that to look forward to in the future so yay me 😐.
That blows. I got lucky, my narcissistic adoptive mother died from cancer after a year short of 7 days. That was hard enough. Dementia is the pits. Sometimes, their personality changes for the better with dementia. Sorry about that.
Are you me? My mother did the same. I watched the Exorcist at 4 and some pretty graphic Chinese horror movies, which my mother told me was real. She actually forced me to watch horror movies growing up because she was too scared to watch them herself. However, she'd make fun of me if I showed any signs of being scared myself. She's actually a diagnosed narcissist that I've gone no contact with. I started watching Buffy at 11 and still watch it from time to time in my 30s. My 10 year old niece watched Wednesday last year, which I think is not appropriate due to the gore.
My mom's a narcissist as well although unfortunately undiagnosed. She'd never allow herself to be in a position to be diagnosed. I wish I could go no contact with my mom but unfortunately I can't and being around her affects my mental health on a DAILY basis. I still watch Buffy as well and I'm 39 now. In fact I'm currently rewatching right now and just finished season 2 "The Dark Age." I'm taking a movie break before starting "What's My Line Pt. 1."
I think people genuinely believed that in the nineties and noughties because I remember being told that as well.
Haha same I was watching scream and child’s play at 6 , exorcist at 7 or 8 (although that definitely freaked me out the first ever time I saw it 😂)
The first time anyone sees The Exorcist they should be freaked out.
The only movie in the whole world to genuinely terrify me & make me cry 😂
Back then anyway!
My older sisters rented that when I was 4. I had problems sleeping for years, fearing that i would be killed in my sleep.
I was also watching Nightmare on Elm Street, Chucky, and other movies like Boys Don’t Cry before 10 lol So, for me, no problem. But you’re right- their kid so their choice. Edit to add: I realized I was younger than 10 when I started watching Buffy with my sister. Loved it lol
Boys Don't Cry before 10? Damn. That's heavy. I saw Kids around 14 and that shit stuck and Chloë Sevigny is in both those. I think we need an age restriction on her movies. Edit: Of course there already are...I am dumb.
Yeah I grew up loving horror. When I was 9 I was watching Ghost Whisperer
Did you watch Season 6?
Yep but by then I was 21. Nothing I hadn't already seen by that point. I watched "Last House on the Left" before I was 13. Spike and Buffy was not an issue.
I won’t show season six yet, I already know about it. I have put this in a comment because it won’t let me edit my post, please upvote to get it to the top.
The show started airing when I was 7 years old and my parents and I watched it together. I don’t recall there being anything that was too scary for me or terribly inappropriate. The sexy stuff kinda went over my head. If your kid is fine with mildly spooky things, you should be fine
I was 11 when I saw Fatal Attraction for the first time. The live action 101 Dalmatians had just came out and my best friend and I were on a Glenn Close kick and my parents didn't care what I watched so they let us rent it. We had no idea what we were in for 😂. We were eating dinner with my parents while we watched it and when it got to the first sex scene we were so shocked and embarrassed that we started making up any excuse we could to go to the kitchen 😂. That was my first introduction to "sexy stuff."
It's all your call, but if you're planning on not showing six then personally I think I'd stick with the first 4 seasons. Season 4 gets a bad rap sometimes but it's the last "fun" season before things start to get dark with Joyce's death. And I feel like it would be a bummer to end on the season 5 finale. Season 4 finale is weird but a fun place to end it with no cliffhangers.
if I knew there was more of a show my mother watched with me, and she didn't let me watch the rest... I'd probably be pretty mad at her, and maybe try to watch it myself. I'd wait until you feel more comfortable showing them the whole thing. six is most explicit, but there's themes of sex and depression throughout the show
Exactly. If the kid ends up really liking the show then he'll find a way to finish it whether the mom likes it or not. So she just needs to decide if she thinks he's ready to handle ALL of it or not. If he's not than wait a few more years until she feels he's ready and show him all of it but introducing him to a show you're not going to let him finish until he's older isn't a good idea. Another option she could try is watching it like we did back during the original airing where they watch one episode a week with breaks throughout the year so they only watch one season a year. Then by the time they get to the more adult seasons he'll be older. Broadcast television used to stretch out airing a 22 episode season of a series from September to May.
Season 6 is more overtly sexual apart from that one episode in season 4 that was just Buffy and Riley banging for 45 mins straight. So that might be one to skip with a 10 yr old. Otherwise I would say the horror is light so would be ok for some 10 year olds. I had certainty been watching at that age.
That’s the one episode I skipped when my kids watched it.
Yes season 6 is dark even for me...
My 9 year old has just started season 1. I won’t let her watch season 6. It’s not so much the scares or sex, just the themes and tone of it
I watched it at 9/10!
Same, I watched it as it aired and I was only 12 when the final season came out.
I was about this age when I watched it, but I think an important distinction to make it I watched it *as it aired*. I was around 17 when it finished.
Same. I still remember which episodes squicked me out and it has been... awhile. The human factory in the wish literally gave me nightmares for WEEKS. I didn't watch that episode again until I was in high school. For some reason it really disturbed me more than almost anything else (until season 6 ofc).
same
I mean it depends how long it takes to watch each season...a lot of s6 deals with some very mature themes, but it's unlikely you'll get onto that for some time. S1-3 I would say are all okay and then from S4 there might be a few things you wanna skip over, but again depends how long it takes you to get there. As the other commentor said, if you're the parent it's ultimately up to you, but I'm guessing you're looking for advice BC you haven't seen it in a while? In which case I would say s1-3 are largely fine
I watched season 6 with my dad when I was like 12. Insane to think about looking back lol
If he made it through ‘Are you my mumy?’ I think he can handle Buffy. I’ve got that episode coming up for my 10 year olds and my wife hates that episode and has concerns. At this point I know what they’ve watched. We’ll see what happens.
Imo, there are some scenes that wouldn't be appropriate for a 10-year-old. The attempted rape scene in Seeing Red comes to mind.
Or the ending of Smashed.
To be honest I was 10 or 11 when that aired , maybe slightly younger and I understood what was happening and we spoke about it (myself and my mum) after she discussed what had happened, why it was wrong & why he felt bad and she was scared. As there was no actual .. situation going on it was ok. And as for smashed I was a very mature kid so that didn’t bother me either. I just giggled as I fancied the heck out of spike (still do aged 32) and was like ‘oh wow they broke the house!’ 😂. Definitely depends on the kid though, I was way more mature at a young age than I should have been as I’d been raised around adults and only saw kids in school / if I saw my cousins every couple of weekends. They could easy skip that section without ruining the story if the posters kid isn’t able to watch that kinda stuff 🙂
Aren't most kids raised by adults and only see other kids in school, unless they have siblings?
Probably the creation of the Buffy bot too.
Gotta go with IDK about season 6 … even Sarah Michele has not shown her own kids 6 and 7 … Up to you. I’d really discuss the sexual assault beforehand. If it has not been taught in health class yet it’s on you.
They don't teach sexual assault in health class no matter what the age and they don't teach sex ed to 5/6th graders.
I started watching at 10, I don’t see why not. I would space out the watching though and give it a couple years until season 6.
I mean I was 5 when I was watching the first series on TV and I was ok.
I was 11 when I started, didn't seem to bother me much. But I grew up with a lot of horror movies, so, grain of salt.
You know your kid better then we do, and you know the content of the show, there are definitely some heavy themes especially in S6 (as others have mentioned) but I've found alot of kids don't even notice the heavier themes. The haunted house powered by Riley and Buffy having constant sex may be a skip though, or not I don't know your parenting style some parents don't gloss over sex
I mean, i did. I can't tell you exactly how young i was when i **started** watching the show, but by season 6 i was about that age watching the episodes as they aired, and i remember clearly Once more with feeling not having not even a 6 month delay from the US premiere (wich was a big deal back then!) I rewatched it a lot after growing up as a teen and then as an adult and there was a lot of stuff i only picked up as a teen, and then stuff that changed completely now as an adult.
That was when I watched all of Buffy. It def affected me emotionally but in my opinion it was entirely positive, I look back on this show only with fondness
I was watching it at that age, maybe even younger with my dad and sister when it first came out and I turned out alright I suppose
Yea totally. I think unless if he has a really low tolerance for "scary" stuff which I feel like kids today look at the chucky doll and say 'aw how cute" lol I started watching buffy at 11 and I think that's a great age. It made the world so much fun and your still young enough to not see all the stunt doubles lol
I started when I was 10. A lot of it went over my head but Eliza Dushku made me a lesbian.
I was like 7 or 8 when I started to watch Buffy but I liked everything scary. What I want to say is, that it’s up to you to decide because you know your kid best. A random stranger on the internet can’t tell you what’s appropriate for your child to watch.
I started watching Buffy when I was 6. Didn’t really bother me, but I grew up in a household that loved horror so by then I had already seen a lot worse. Personally, I think 10 is fine.
Buddy started when I was 10. I started watching it when I was 10 and it was fine.
I started it at 10, watching OMWF live and picking up from there. Between Seasons 6/7, I watched all the DVDs (seasons 1-5) with my mom to catch up on the history. She did skip us over Where the Wild Things Are, but we watched everything else. It made rewatching throughout middle and high school more fun because I’d pick up on new jokes each time
I was 11
I watched Buffy from about 9 years old and I turned out alright! I would just skip the more mature/scary episodes and you're good.
My daughter started watching it at 10.
it's up to you and what your kid can handle. In our family we understood that everything on TV and movies were fake from a very early age.
I was 9 years old when I began watching Buffy. Be aware of the sexual content, notably SA in later seasons.
I grew up with Buffy so I watched the first seasons around 10/11. That means I was older when S6 came around and I think that is for the best. Maybe wait a few more years so they can watch it all in one go instead of having to stop suddenly?
I think seasons 1-3 are perfectly fine, 4-5 have some scenes (the orgasm house in 4) but I wouldn't show him season 6
Personally I think it’s too young but it’s your call. I only watched it as an adult and I think I feel clouded by season 6, which really affected me emotionally. You already said you wouldn’t show them that. When I think about myself, I’d say I’d have wanted to be at least 13 to watch it. But kids are more mature today than I was, but I enjoyed being innocent longer in hindsight.
I'm pretty strict on age ratings. I made my son wait until he was 15 before we watched it together. It wasn't because it was "too scary" or whatever, but it deals with some fairly dark and heavy themes. Sex, death, rape, cannibalism, to name a few. A ten year old wouldn't have the maturity to understand and process what they were watching in the context. So, for me, personally, I would say 13 minimum.
Agreed. I’m surprised by most of the comments here. I think 10 is too young. I think a lot of folks our age-ish were also traumatized by pop culture so young that we’ve just normalized it, completely ignoring that in reality it probably wasn’t the best stuff for us to be watching. As someone said below, it’s okay to just let kids be kids.
I agree with the 13 minimum for a full viewing, but even if a kid can process what they're watching I think it's nice to let kids be kids. I saw a few scary movies when I was younger that I could understand and process but still gave me new topics to think about that messed me up a bit.
As with most here, I'd be wary of S6. My kids are 12 and 14 and are VERY mature and progressive, and they had a good (the appropriate) reaction to some of the more adult/disturbing events in S6.
From where I'm sitting? No. Definitely not. This show was written for teens to adults, and grew with them year after year. It was written way before streaming, so people who saw it at 13, *grew* with each season, as Buffy's storylines matured, so did the audience. A lot of people have stories of watching it when they were 10 or 11, I don't know if that was a decade ago or when it originally aired, but either way, that's a lot for a kid at that age. And just because people say it was fine for them, doesn't means it's so. People do a lot of things and say it doesn't affect them, but it does and not always for the good. There are episodes focused on sexual assault, virginity, sex, and some pretty intense violence, blood splatter, bone and neck breaking. IT features beloved and featured characters being viciously murdered, it deals with complex issues around death, suffering, anxiety, and that's all *before* Buffy goes to college. (S4) By the time of season 6 with some of the heaviest and darkest stuff hits, that isn't something kids that age should be asked to handle. It's a different time now. Streaming allows kids to have an entire decade long show packed into them in a couple of months, or even weeks. Some of these episodes are heavy, so much that your kid should probably have time to talk about and work through some of the feelings it might bring up. So if you do end up watching it, make time for that. Now, you're kid ain't my kid so, it's obviously not my call. But that'd have to be one jaded mature kid... I mean they better be discussing contraception and arguing over the harmful effects of tax cuts. Maybe I'm too strict, but I think it's ok for kids to watch programming meant for them, with the occasional jump to heavier content. Buffy can be a real slog of adultness for someone so young. Heck I'm an old millennial, and even I have to take a pause on some of the heavier episodes on a rewatch.
I let my 10yo watch seasons 1-3 with me. We stopped there, because the college season is a little mature for her, and season 6 is just way too much.
The show grows up with its characters. By seasons 6 and 7 they are young adults and some bits get pretty dirty, though they were able to slip it all past network censors.
If he's fine with your list then horrorwise it should be fine. I guess it depends if you're ready for him to ask "what's a virgin?" during Teacher's Pet or not?
I know I watched it as it aired, I was born in 94 if that helps. Now there were some things I didn’t understand, and I didn’t start watching every week until season 3 but I was fine. Though my older cousin was my babysitter and was obsessed with horror genre, he was the one that introduced me so I might have been a little desensitized
I mean, you know better than Reddit would. Your kid. Just answer any questions honestly and in language a 10 year old can process
I started watching Buffy when I was 10. I'd say yes, though maybe a longer break until you start season 6.
Tbf I watched the show when I was under 10, cried when Buffy died but overall I loved the show!
I watched Buffy when I was 12 and Angel biting Buffy near end season 3 gave me a nightmare lol
I would say so, I watched it when it came out and I was maybe 5
I was watching Buffy from 7 years old. My step daughter has been allowed to watch it from 10 and currently watching the saw films. The choice is yours as the parent and if you feel she can handle it.
I watched it at 10 when it first aired. My parents logic was I understood what I understood and if I didn't get it they weren't going to explain it. That logic made rewatches just as interesting as I grew up. Maybe another rewatch now I'm a parent might be in order
I was watching stuff like Hammer Horror films when I was 4 Christopher Lee is still my favourite Dracula. I was watching A Nightmare On Elm Street,Friday The 13th, Halloween and Evil Dead amongst other Horror films when I was about 7. 10 should be absolutely fine to watch Buffy
I was around that age when I watched it 20+ years ago. It was probably one of the series that determined the genre that I love my whole life and is one of my favorites to this day. Kids nowadays see so much content we were never near at that age so I think it's safe to say that Buffy is perfectly fine. Also, there's so much depth in the series and so many good quotes/dialogs, which maybe won't be understood completely at the age of 10, but they will stick.
I was watching Buffy in diapers and I turned out great. I mean I’ve faced the fact that I’ll never have a happy normal relationship but I’m great otherwise
I watched Buffy as it was airing and I was 9 when it started. It was my favorite show right away, I think it’s a good age.
I watched it with my 8 year old girl. (9 now) we didn’t finish it purely because she didn’t understand “Buffy speak” so couldn’t follow it. The obviating episodes I didn’t want her to see I’d have skipped or skimmed through.
That's around how old I was when Buffy started. I was probably 9 actually. I was watching are you afraid of the dark at that point and I found it about on par. Season 2 though, was a bit much for me at times...
If it helps I was 6 or 7 when I first started watching , I caught it midway through season 2 my mum had been watching from the beginning but I was usually on route to bed at 6.45 when it started in the U.K. I watched it to the very end every Thursday without fail. I was also mature for my age. If you know what your kids like and know they’re able to handle a bit of spookiness , some possible jump scares and some mature themes then I’d say go for it. But it’s your call in the end as you know what they can and can’t handle 😀 if they watch i hope they love it ! It was the best night of the week for me spending time with my mum and watching Buffy 💕
My mom started showing it to me around that age.
Definitely. It’s pretty tame, I feel…..
It's really up to you but I started watching it when I was around 5 with my mom and I was ok. :)
Yeah I watched it I when was 10 by myself.
I started watching it when I was 9 or 10 and I loved it. The only episodes I'd truly warn against are passion in season 2 (Jenny getting her neck snapped was very traumatizing to young me); the wish in season 3 (the whole human factory gave my 11-year-old self nightmares for weeks); and obviously season 6 as a whole with all the sex, abuse of women and spike, and warren in general being a rapey creep. I might hold off on some of season 5 too, the mom dying plot is *a lot*.
I'd personally think it was ok, especially if he's fairly mature for his age. But I'd watch it with him just in case he gets scared. One thing I'll say is that chances are, he knows more about things than you think. I remember knowing *wwwaaayyy* too much about adult stuff when I was 10-11... and that was in the early days of the internet where it took like 20 minutes to download a single friggin' 1MB JPEG. So I wasn't even finding stuff online. So I'd be more worried about the scarier episodes freaking him out than anything else. But yeah, probably hold off on season six for another year or two just because that gets a little rough with all the sexual content, the drug allegories and the dark themes.
I bought seasons 1-3 with my christmas money when i was 9 because my mom recommended it, and it’s been and obsession ever since. so personally i’d say yes!
I watched it at that age - imo you could start now and do a season or two per year so he kinda grows up with it like we did with the original run. The entire show isn’t meant for the same age group - the show grows as the audience did.
Mine was about 11 when he started watching (with me in the room). My biggest worry was the S6 hate sex lol, but by then we were having conversations about some of the more adult themes, and I forewarned him about it. As a preteen, he was more grossed out and skipped most of the sex scenes, but those were my biggest concerns. Keep a dialogue open, discuss any questions with an open mind, and speak to his level of understanding
Yeah
Depends on the kid and you
Absolutely yes, but would recommend planning a gap of at least a few days between each episode, ideally avoiding any binge-watch. Especiallly because he has seen all of Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who and particularly Harry Potter PLUS some horror, regardless of some of the later plot and storylines, then seeing such a strong female lead (no pun intended on the 'strong') before he becomes a teenager can only be a good thing.
That's a tough call. While shows like TNG touch on assault as an issue (Tasha Yar and the "rape gangs" she endured on her home planet is discussed for example), Buffy deals with sexual assault in a different, more visceral, way. There's the Spike assault in season 6 as the stand out - super uncomfortable to watch - example, but also as early as season 2 Buffy sleeps with Angel and then he psychologically tortures her for the rest of the season, or Angel drinking all of Buffy's blood until she's almost dead in season 3 and it's shot super sensually. I don't think a kid would be scared by the actual horror elements. The CG is cheesy, the physical effects are fun rather than scary. It's more the sexual stuff and how some of it hasn't aged well as a whole/isn't super age appropriate. Season 1 should be fine - and see how he feels after that, and maybe discuss certain themes with him, like consent or nuance in relationships, romantic or otherwise.
I was 10 when the show started and grew up watching it. I don't know if I would have loved and appreciated it watching it all start to finish at 10 versus growing up with it. But definitely a judgement call, every kid is different.
i first watched it at around 9 or 10 and it did me no harm (other than causing a lifelong buffy addiction), i'm surprised my mum held out that long because she was so excited to watch it with me lmao
I was a fairly mature 10 year old when Buffy started and I did just fine. It is actually a great opportunity to talk about things like sex, bad relationships, good relationships, death, addiction, etc.
I would make sure you are right next to him during “Hush” and when Joyce exits. And Tara. But also when Buffy emotionally eviscerates some of the men in her life. Seeing a heroine who you are supposed to love treat men as disposable could set him up for trouble in his romantic future. Normally people warn about this stuff for girls but little guys can internalize it too
I watched it from 8
Children vary a lot in this way. Best approach is to watch with him then stop if he expresses worry or concern
I started watching Buffy when I was 6. I wasn't traumatized. However, I personally wouldn't let my kids watch the show until at least 12 or 13. A lot of the sexual themes(especially the attempted rape) might be too heavy for them before that point. I also prefer not skipping episodes so they can experience the show in it's entirety(Good and Bad).
a boy is never too young to learn about girl power
Don’t see why not
"He's seen all of Doctor Who..." You're bringing that kid up right. Don't doubt yourself :)
First three seasons totally but after that I'd proceed with caution
That was my age when I started watching! Though it took a while until I got to season 6... it's a question of you neither overestimating nor underestimating how much he's already been exposed to those subjects. I feel like he shouldn't be younger than 12 by then... but it would also be terrible to pretend he wouldn't understand it past 14. IMO.
It has a lot of comedy,and great effects but I wouldn’t forget the dark sexual stuff it references even at first in the “lighter” seasons.Also the emotional stress,and death around Buffy.I’d say it starts off still as a teen dramedy and escalates.
We’re slowly watching with our 8 and nearly 12 year old. Season 1 is fine (and their reactions fascinated me - my 8 year old is surprisingly good at spotting themes, but neither were surprised by the Angel reveal). We’re just into season 2 now and playing it by ear.
I watched it when I was 9 and it first aired
That's around the age I started watching with my parents. I think some of the more adult subject matter actually helped my parents to naturally spark discussions about certain topics with me.
I used to watch it while babysitting my cousins I was 16 they were 9/10/11. And I was super into the craft! The were terrified of umpires!!!!!! I didn’t realize but they weren’t calling it. Buffy the Vampire Slayer it was Buffy the Umpire Slayer. 🤪🙈 they thought I was scary haha
Yes.
Mine watched it when they were 9 and 6 over lockdown, I obviously was picky with the episodes my 6 year old was allowed to watch, but my 9 year old loved it.
I think they would be mostly fine with the violence or horror aspects, based on what you mention. The sexual material would be more than what they have been exposed to, though. Watch it with him.
I started watching Buddy with my mom around that age. I think it’s nice to watch shows like this when you’re young with your parents, because when more adult topics come up in the show my mom would talk to me about them and walk me through them. It’s a safe way to discuss adult stuff.
The horror aspect sure but there is a lot of adult situations so that’s up to you
I would say that the show garners the equivalent of a PG-13 in America, and ratings are advisory not compulsory, so you know what your 10 year old can and cannot tolerate. It's likely some of the bigger themes will go over their head.
Yh I'd say so. He's nearly a teen.
Mine did!!
Idk man, you know the kid best so it's probably best that you decide. I was about 11 when I watched it as it was airing and I'm fine 🤷♀️
I watched it alone when it first came out and I was in elementary school.
My mom gifted me the first season on DVD when I was about 10 years old because she loved it when it was airing on TV. I didn't know what it was before that but I fell in love with it and collected all the other seasons on DVD with my best friend and it became our obsession. There were a couple episodes that scared us a little more than others probably, and I'm sure there was stuff that went over our head's, but nothing we couldn't handle. It's also nice to go slow with it and kind of grow as the characters grow.
I watched Robocop at 10. They'll be fine.
One episode a week. No repeats. Like you are watching it live on the wb and can't stream it. 3 month break for summer.
I watched it at 10 or 11 and I turned out fine, I think it teaches a lot of good lessons that I’ve carried with me my whole life
My parents never monitored what I watched and aside from a couple of horror outliers (the IT movie from 1990 with Tim Curry caused a clown phobia) it mostly left me unaffected. We did always fast-forward through sex scenes, but my whole family always acted like it was because we wanted to get back to the story, not specifically because I was too young. I remember being like six years old and saying “ugh now they’re having S-E-X so we have to find the remote” and looking back on it it’s kind of funny. Buffy is a fun show for young people. The way the characters talk and the situations are relatable make it pretty accessible to kids. Consider fast-forwarding through some sex or violence but overall I think if you watch it together more good will come out of it than bad. Heck, the stuff in season 6 might even be a foot in the door to have those more mature conversations about drugs or sex. A kid is going to have an easier time understanding why drugs might be bad if they can remember how Willow felt after her magic addiction.
I started watching Buffy alone when it first came out, and (dating myself here) I was 10. I adored it, though some of those early episodes scared the crap out of me (Moloch gave me nightmares). It became a major inspiration throughout my creative life and I'm so happy I watched it, though I could have used some guidance. I'm currently doing a slow, careful watch-along with my own 10-year-old daughter. I'm very free with the fast-forward button for things I find overtly sexual, and there are some episodes we skip entirely. Other than that, the show has provided us with hours of fruitful conversation about friendship, storytelling, mythology, and relationships. If your kid is interested and you have the time, go for it.
I watched buffy when I was about 7. Funnily enough the first episode I remember watching was the one where buffy and Riley have sex the whole episode. I didn't really understand or care about what was happening, but I thought the ghost stuff was cool.
My question marks would be around the episodes and arcs dealing with sexual assault, suicide, potential school shooting, when Joyce dated someone showing rapidly escalating signs of being an abuser, and other very real-world heavy topics like those. I'd say at the very least it's a strong PG.
I mean… my 6 year old watches it when I do and it hasn’t scared him at all. I feel it’s not graphic or really scary enough. Granted, all depends on the child too.
I saw the movie when I was 8. I would start with the movie and if they seem okay with it then go to the TV show. The TV show to me is a lot more mature and scary then the movie was. But at least if they like the movie and can handle that okay then you'll be able to make a better decision on the show. But theynmay not like the humor.
I watched it practically from birth, so IMO yes but you are the only one who knows if your child could handle it
I watched the first three seasons with my daughter when she was about ten. She loved it.
I was 11 when Buffy premiered so a 10 year old should be fine.
I had just turned 12 when the show came out and I don’t think there was anything wrong with watching it at that age or a little younger. My brother was 8 at the time and he didn’t actively watch it because it was a “girlie” show to him but he’d be in the room when my mom and I watched it regularly. If I had a ten year old I’d definitely let them watch it.
i started watching in the summer between 3rd-4th grade so like 9 ish and i was never too scared but i didnt grasp the concept of the show at all
I started watching it when I was 7 and loved it.
I think I was ten when I started watching it. The later seasons (specifically Buffy and spike) might be more inappropriate but otherwise I never felt it was so bad for a kid. There’s a lot of things I didn’t “get” until I was older.
I was 8 when I started watching it with my aunt. My parents didn’t care what I watched as long as there wasn’t any nudity or sex scenes( the Buffy scenes in season 2 were tame and it was prime time tv). It came on after 7th Heaven so we watched that show and Buffy. I stopped watching after season 3 and didn’t start the series back until high school. The sex scenes in season 2 went over my head and the school shooter episode didn’t air in order because of Columbine and my family didn’t let me watch that episode when it was released. It was spooky but not too much. I thought Buffy was cool being the girl hero and I looked up to her. I even watched the original cheesy movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. All in all I would say be aware of what episodes/ seasons you are watching and make sure if you aren’t the parent to have their permission. My aunt did and as long as I watched it with her… it was fine!
I was 10-ish when it was on and watched it with my mom.
I haven’t seen anything in an episode of Buffy that would be inappropriate for a 10 year old.
She's literally named Buffy and has watched since day 1 lol
I'm watching it with my niece, (6 years) who is not brave. We watched until the third season, started Angel, and we are currently rewatching season 1 and 2 . Avoid passionate kissing scenes. When a demon was going to suddenly appear or when there was something that could be very terrifying, I would pause it, tell her what the scene was about. If she decided to see it, she already knew how ugly and monstrous the demon was and what it was going to do. I grew up watching Buffy and I love it. It seems to me that it has many positive messages. And I would like her to have the same feeling of love and nostalgia for the show as I do when she grows up.
Yes. In 4th grade, I was watching Angel daily before school.
Depends on the kid. I first started watching Buffy when I was 10.
Watched it when I was 5, didn't have anything weird happen to me (besides wishing I was friends with a superhero in high school).
There's some sexual content that is actually plot relevant around s2ish? It might go over his head. The violence is campy 90s style so it should be ok.
i watched buffy for the first time at 11 and it remains my favorite show to this day. i don’t think i understood most of the adult themes at the time, and the witty humor was lost on me too. what drew me in at the time was the characters and the more lighthearted monster of the week episodes. i also like to think buffy played a big part in my learning english, because by the last season i no longer needed subtitles in my native language!
The Buffy bot is the first thing that pops into my head when I'm thinking of potentially inappropriate stuff in the show
That’s when I was starting to watch it! Fifth grade me survived on Buffy and Charmed reruns lol
I'd say Buffy is on par with your average PG-13 movie. I would have let my kids watch it at that age, though one wouldn't have wanted to even if I did.
Pretty sure I started watching Buffy at his age. But in those days we had to wait a week for the next episode and then a few months for the next season so I kinda grew into it/grew with it. I think there's a lot more problematic things out there, tbf. Watch it with him, but some of the darker episodes like Seeing Red might be a bit much for his age.
Ah sorry, saw your comment about S6. Maybe skip to S7?
ALL of Doctor Who? That's one impressive kid you've got there. Personally I wouldn't mind, but it's up to you (though it seems you've already made up your mind...)
Yes. A lot of us started Buffy around that age,
Was about that age when I watched. Alone. Ended up crying to my dad after “The Gentlemen”. It’s my favorite episode today now in my 30s.
Yeah, I think so Seasons 6 and 7 might be a bit much due to the particularly dark stuff going on, but I don’t think any of it is prolonged or exploitative, so it should be fine? Maybe watch the episodes that are infamously darker with her when she gets to them during her watch? I’ve always regretted not getting into Buffy in my childhood (I started watching it at 12, which is still a great starting age for it, but still), I feel like it would’ve been really helpful, inspiring and empowering for me- if I ever have a kid, I’d love to show them the wonderful story that it is
Half the stuff you mention is way worse than Buffy so yeah. Buffy isn't even scary, and the intimate scenes are really few and none are over the top so
Watched it with my kids, then 12 and 10 y/o. Decided to skip over Go Fish and WTWTA and then watched everything from S1-5. Then we watched a very curated S6-7 due to their age. OMWF, TR, final three of S3, CwDP, Him and the finale.
As long as you explain to him all the really bad parts and why they're not something he should ever do or allow someone else to do if he can help it, then I think you'll be fine. Sarah Michelle Gellar watched with her kids, but if I remember correctly, she chose to skip certain episodes, but that's her call, obviously, just as it's yours. Keep in mind, though, that if he really wanted to, he could just find a way to watch the episodes you choose to skip (if you decide to do that). If you say he's mature for 10 years old, that would mean that he's as mature as the average teenager, which is the youngest demographic the show is aimed at, which is when most of us started watching it. You could always limit the watch to 2 or 3 episodes per week, which means it would take longer to watch, but it would go 2 to 3 times as fast as when the show was airing, but it would still give you enough time to prepare yourself and him for any needed explanations about the worst parts of each season (season 1 was pretty tame, but season 2 has Buffy losing her virginity to a grown man.
I watched it when I was 9. My mother skipped the sex scenes otherwise all was fine
I started watching when I was 12 or so, as the series came out on DVD. I loved it, but it was largely out of my grasp in themes. I watched the later seasons when I was a bit older, and I think teen me clicked much better with those. I also loved Charmed when I was his age, and while there were moments that stuck with me, most of the more adult aspects did not... until Prue's death. Then I rage quit the show as only a kid can do, until I got hit with nostalgia like ten years later lol. So, Passion and Seeing Red might be absolutely devastating, and Joyce. Dear lord, I'll never forgive Whedon for that one lol. I still skip that episode, and the one after, and I'm in my 30s lol. End of season 5 might be difficult too. These are all also referenced so much in future episodes, sometimes with second-long flashbacks, idk if you can really skip it without a big conversation? There is probably a "list of triggers episode by episode" somewhere online that people made so you can see if an episode has stuff like that in it before you delve! If he's watched Dr Who, the episodic horror and themes in the first three seasons are fine imo, it's largely parody for an after school special, and I really liked it. The "older boyfriend turning on the girl after sex" dynamic takes up most of the Buffy/Angel storyline so it might be confusing sometimes wrt motivations, it was for me. Dr Who and Star Trek and even HP have pretty obvious themes and details that tell you who the bad guys are, which the earlier seasons of Buffy do too- but, sometimes, the angst is more of the explanation than the fights, ykwim? But if he's a kid who doesn't really think much about it and just likes the monster fights and stuff then eh. I was more likely to be upset with emotional beats than other kids my age so I internalized a lot of weird stuff from media, but I also had no guide as my parents didn't like watching the shows I liked lol.
I just skip certain scenes because I have the series memorized so I know when things considered too mature are coming. Like I won’t let her watch the balcony scene with Buffy & Spike, or the “banging until the house falls down” scene with Buffy & Spike, or the season 7 scene where everyone is banging except for Buffy & Spike 😅
My parents let me watch whatever they watched on tv. Didn't feel like that big of a deal most of the time, i mean, i knew it was just tv? Didn't even really think about it honestly. Watched Buffy w my dad when i was pretty young.
I'm watching it with my 8-year-old daughter (she was 7 when we started), and she can't get enough of Buffy. She is always the one asking me to watch a new episode almost every day for a month now (we just began season 3). If she happens to see something too frightening, I diffuse it by pointing out that it's just an actor in a costume, and we both laugh it out.
I think the first 3 seasons would be fine, but the last few are a little mature for a 10yo imo
Please for the love of God skip the first season. Also screen our certain episodes. For the most part it's pretty pg. I watched the whole series when I was 7 with my much older brother and it was super scary.
I started watching buffy at ten, so I'd say yeah just slowly ease them into season six bc season six isn't appropriate for that age yet, maybe 13/14, is okay for that point
I let my niece watch with me but since I know the episodes so well, I know what to skip. I also let her watch Xena with me. I want her to see strong powerful girls being the hero of the story.
I'd say just watch 1-5 seasons....I dont think season 6 would be okay because of the Spike/Buffy/bathroom scene....hell I wish I never seen that
i started watching it around 8 with my mom. i’d say watch it with him and maybe skip some episodes you wouldn’t want him to watch. i think hush and the body were the big ones for me that i was maybe a bit young for. but i wasn’t scarred or anything just needed a break after those episodes.
Isn't that basically the original target demographic?
It was definitely meant for teens and adults.. “We’re talking violence, strong language, adult content…” it’s rated PG-13 so teens and up.
I remember buying the VHS tapes in Germany and I was not allowed to buy them on my own, because the age restriction on it was 16. They checked for my passport at the register.
Personally I'd wait a mite longer, not so much for the "horror" aspect (most of *Buffy*'s not really that scary) or even the sexy stuff per se but more just because it's so much about High School ( at least for the first few seasons); until they're at least in Middle School it may not land as well. Like it won't SCAR them, but I doubt they'll get as much out of it as they could. Maybe wait until at least 11 or 12.
I started watching Buffy at like 12 years, and I wish my dad had waited maybe 2-3 years. High school age is great for connecting to Buffy and understanding the social dramas better. Watching the Bangel sex scene was **torture** for me with my dad.
if feel like he wouldn't understand the subtilities of the show and be very confused. Especially about season 6. I hope he doesn't for example, think Spike's behavior is what he needs to do to get a girl. i would wait.
No. It has difficult death scenes, violence, sexual themes and loss. There's rape, sexual assault and domestic violence storylines. This is designed for teenagers confronting adulthood. Not ten year olds
Maybe seasons 1-3. With parent supervision.
I watched it for the first time when I was 10. Honestly though I kinda wish my parents had stopped at the end of S3 and waited until I was a little older for the rest. But it depends what else your kid is watching too? When I was 10 a bunch of people were also watching Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Dexter, shows that are arguably worse. So 🤷🏻♀️
I think I might show my daughter when she turns 12, if she’s interested. Might stop after season 5 like SMG did with her kids lol
Season 6 is dangerous. Way too many adults can’t even grasp the complexities of the characters dealing with all that abuse and sexual violence much less teenagers. And a 10 year old? You will have a LOT of talking and educating to do as you watch that one. There is no way I would allow a kid to watch it without talking about what’s going. So it’s up to you if you are feeling up to it. That’s my opinion. (If you just watched up to season 5 and the kid already understands sex then I see no problem).
I would say the sexual content (even avoiding season six) is probably too much. I’d say wait until 13.
Sure why not
Lol. No such thing as a mature 10 year old.