Solely the really iconic sequence stand as paragons to which others of its type, inevitably, are in contrast — the likes of Buddies, Breaking Unhealthyand The Workplacefor instance. One present that sees greater than its share of comparisons is Buffy the Vampire Slayerwhich reworked the premise of the campy 1992 film right into a supernatural horror drama and made Sarah Michelle Gellar a bona fide star. Some skew nearer than others – Hemlock Grove and Wynonna Earp are two that Collider has beforehand made the case for – however one brilliantly bonkers horror-comedy from the UK, now streaming on Netflix, simply is perhaps the closest.
What Is ‘Crazyhead’ About?
In Buffy the Vampire SlayerBuffy is the most recent Chosen One in a line of younger girls chosen through the years to slay vampires, demons, and some other darkish forces within the fictional California city of Sunnydale. In Crazyheadtwo younger girls, Raquel (Susan Wokoma) and Amy (Cara Theobold), are “seers,” in a position to see demons disguised as people and slay them — not due to a predestined destiny to take action, thoughts you, however intense dislike.
Loner Raquel is a seer heading into the primary episode, whereas Amy is satisfied she’s loopy, a way of thinking that her psychiatrist, Callum (Tony Curran), would like for her to maintain her in, given he is a demon. He is in a position to disguise his identification from seers, you see, and he is acquired a grand, evil plan that entails a really Buffy-like Hellmouth. In the meantime, the present’s important duo crosses paths after Raquel saves Amy from a demon who assaults her on the bowling alley the place she works. Raquel sees demons too, and serves as a “Watcher” of kinds for Amy, much like Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s Giles (Anthony Stewart Head).
The comparisons between the 2 reveals do not finish there. Jake (Lewis Reeves), Amy’s finest good friend from college who harbors an unrequited love for Amy, is the comedian reduction, very similar to Nicholas Brendon‘s Xander (his plea to “shoot me, not her (Amy)” to the demons that captured them, despite the fact that they make it clear they solely need to shoot Amy, turns right into a hilarious, borderline Monty Python-esque argument). Amy’s good friend Suzanne (Riann Steele) has a tragic arc akin to Willow’s (Alyson Hannigan), turning into a darkish determine after a tragic incident. Buffy the Vampire Slayer followers will admire the robust, feminine characters and profitable mixture of horror, comedy, and the supernatural that the 2 sequence share.
‘Crazyhead’ Efficiently Distinguishes Itself from ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’
In Crazyhead‘s first episode, after Suzanne is possessed by a demon, Amy implores Raquel to carry out an exorcism, however is stunned when Raquel insists that step one is for Amy to tinkle on her good friend. It is absurd, in contrast to some other exorcism within the historical past of tv, and factors to one key distinction between the 2 sequence. Buffy the Vampire Slayer has its humorous moments, however Crazyhead‘s humor is uncooked, crude, darkish, and definitively British. The banter between Raquel and Amy, who share uncanny chemistry, will be downright hysterical (Raquel’s rant about her dislike of the time period “seer” as a substitute of one thing higher like “demon hunter or kick-ass hell bitch” is gold).
The previous has a broader deal with Buffy and the Scooby Gang, whereas the latter retains its deal with the extraordinary friendship and reliance between the 2 women. Crazyhead‘s protagonists aren’t realized, turning to Google to search out spells to struggle demons, nor are they supernaturally gifted: they’ll see demons, however aren’t imbued with powers that make it straightforward to slay them. They reside in an grownup world, working at dead-end jobs to pay hire and preserve roommates, not residing as highschool and school college students. The previous tackles themes like rising up and accountability, whereas the latter leans on its premise to make commentary on psychological well being and the necessity for companionship, with Callum’s grand plan to unleash 1000’s of demons into Bristol stymied by a real, touching second of emotional connection.
That emotional connection is constructed credibly throughout solely six episodes, a exceptional feat for any sequence, with each women experiencing super progress. Raquel is pulled from her solitary life right into a practical friendship, which rescues her from unfathomable betrayal. Amy, particularly, grows in a surprisingly pure method, evolving from a meek bowling alley employee who has simply realized about her reward to a really kickass heroine. It’s really disappointing that Crazyhead did not transcend these six episodes, particularly the place its ending leaves off, however there’s sufficient Buffy the Vampire Slayer in Crazyhead to make the binge price it.