Buffering the Vampire Slayer is a podcast about the TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Hosted by fans Jenny Owen Youngs and Kristin Russo. Each podcast episode analyzes one episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and concludes with an original song created by Youngs and Russo recapping their analysis.[1] There are also notable interviews featuring actors and collaborators from the series.
Kristin Russo (born December 17, 1980) is an American speaker, personality, and LGBT activist. She is the CEO and editor-in-chief of Everyone Is Gay[2] and My Kid Is Gay.[3] She also supports organizations that provide advice, guidance, and education to LGBTQIA youth and their families; and is the co-author of This Is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids[4] (Chronicle Books, 2014).
Youngs and Russo were married when the podcast began, though they separated in May 2018.[9] They have been described as contributing to a "golden age of queer women in podcasting".[10]
Format
The podcast recaps every Buffy episode, talking through each scene in the episode with commentary on the wider themes. The episodes are spoiler free, and do not discuss any plot points beyond the current point of the series.
On 7 November 2024, Russo and Youngs relaunched the podcast from Season 1 of Buffy, titled Once More, With Spoilers. They will recap every episode of Buffy again but will talk about later episodes and the extended universe of Buffy.[11]
Music
Each episode of Buffering includes an original song by Youngs and Russo, reflecting the episode discussed. All songs from completed seasons of the podcast are compiled into albums that are available on Spotify and Apple Music as well as on CD. The lyrics are also published on the Buffering the Vampire Slayer website.[12]
For the season 6 musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once More, With Feeling, the podcast featured a full-length musical titled Once More With Once More, With Feeling. A vinyl album was released with the 17 songs from the episode.
Youngs and Russo have also created jingles honouring specific characters from the Buffyverse, including Spike, Giles, and Vampire Willow.[13]
Guests
Special interviews and appearances on Buffering the Vampire Slayer have included:
Kate Leth, who provided sporadic "Buffy Fashion Watch" segments to the show
Jeff Pruitt, who was the stunt coordinator on Seasons 1–4 of Buffy[14]
Lindsay Crouse, who played Professor Maggie Walsh in Season 4 of Buffy[14]
David Wells, who played the Cheese Man in the Season 4 episode "Restless"[14]
Seth Green, who played Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Seasons 2–4 of Buffy and Season 1 of Angel[14]
Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on Seasons 1–3 of Buffy and every season of Angel[14]
Mercedes McNab, who played Harmony in Seasons 1-5 of Buffy and Seasons 2 and 5 of Angel
Motivation
Russo and Young's motivation to create the podcast was based on their interests in fandom, science fiction and queer politics. According to the duo, they "wanted to make a Buffy podcast forever" to navigate these topics in relation to the series.[15] The podcasts often focuses on the politics and social movements within Buffy, including "analyzing the lack of racial diversity in the early seasons of the show, misogynistic and patriarchal themes as they pop up, and the queer subtext".[14]
Reception
The podcast has received praise for its narrative and presentation. It was included on Esquire magazine's "21 Best Podcasts of 2018,"[16]Time magazine's "The 50 Best Podcasts to Listen to Right Now",[17]BuzzFeed's "27 Podcasts You Need to Listening to in 2018",[18] and Autostraddle's "14 Best Podcasts For Escaping News & Politics (2017)",[19] and top 9 queer-run podcasts.[20]
Community
Buffering the Vampire Slayer is financially supported by over 3,800 patrons on Patreon.[21]
It has also hosted a number of events, including live episode recordings and "Buffy Prom" held at Torrance High School, the filming location of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Sunnydale High. [22][23]
Spin-offs
Upon Buffering's commencement of Buffy Season 4 coverage, a spin-off podcast, Angel on Top, was created. Angel on Top was hosted by Brittany Ashley and Laura Zak in seasons 1-2, and is currently hosted by LaToya Ferguson and Morgan Luditch. The show derives its name from a line in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Amends". This particular spin-off podcast discusses the TV show Angel.[14]Buffering the Vampire Slayer and Angel on Top are released on alternating weeks.[14]
Following the conclusion of the seven seasons of Buffy, the hosts launched a new podcast under the banner Buffering: A Rewatch Adventure. The hosts follow a similar format to discuss The X-Files.
Book
Russo and Youngs published a joint memoir through St. Martin's Press on April 8, 2025 titled Slayers, Every One of Us: How One Girl in All the World Showed Us How to Hold On.[24] It is narrated by both authors in alternating sections and tells the story of the creation of the podcast, the eventual end of their marriage, and the continuation of the podcast beyond the end of their romantic relationship. [25] The title is a reference to Buffy's speech in the series finale, Chosen. The New York Times called it "[A] joyful ode to the awesome ability of pop-culture arcana to create a solid community."[26]
↑La Gorce, Tammy (May 24, 2006). "Sure, I Rock, but I Need Health Care". The New York Times. Retrieved October 24, 2007. "To get it, Ms. Owen Youngs, 24, who shares an apartment in Montclair with a roommate, drives an hour northwest every weekday to Shanachie Records in Newton."
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