By LIBBY MIDDLEBROOK
In its new TV3 slot of 11 pm on Wednesdays, the fourth series of Buffy The Vampire Slayer had a fairly feeble start.
Once a prime-time weeknight show, the fabulous Buffy now broadcasts alongside B-grade American movies and tacky infomercials because of poor ratings.
This is one unhappy Buffy boffin.
Despite the crummy time slot, Sunnydale's resident vampire slayer still manages to entertain, treating viewers to a fest of ghoul bashing as she fights to rid the world of nasty monsters.
After three years at Sunnydale High School, season four kicked off last week in a mock graveyard, where Buffy was cruising for a vampire, before shifting to a 90210-style university campus.
The episode featured all the angst-ridden issues you would expect to see in a show targeted at a young female audience. From sexuality to relationships to individuality, it had it all.
On Buffy's arrival at the UCS campus, protesters ranted and raved for no apparent reason while a religious girl hunted recruits.
Witch-sidekick Willow and her werewolf boyfriend, Oz, easily settled in at UCS, soaking up the "forces of collective knowledge," as Buffy battled with course selection, finding her way around campus and running into the odd resident vampire.
Her insecure behaviour seemed a little bizarre at first following last year's stomping season, but her stroppy attitude was back in full swing by the end of the episode after a successful run of vampire slayings.
Unfortunately, episode one was contaminated by several groan-inspiring jokes, some of which were almost funny because they were so bad, but not quite.
"What about the Introduction to the Modern Novel?" says Willow, as Buffy moans about the course's requirement to actually read a book.
"Is there an Introduction to the Modern Blurb instead?" Buffy asks.
What a pity. Buffy seems to have developed a dizzy disposition over the summer.
The show is also distinctly lacking in the male babe department after the departure of the mysterious Angel, Buffy's long-time love interest, who now has his own show. The producers will have to introduce some spunky new talent, other than the new blond, big-jawed teacher aide, if they want to hold the interest of budding teenage girls.
One other character joining the show this season is Buffy's new ditsy room-mate, Cathy, who is more irritating than entertaining with her high-pitched voice, snoring and Celine Dion posters.
Fortunately, other members of the core cast, Xander and Rupert Giles, were there, along with Willow and Oz, to support Buffy in her destiny to fight evil.
This is still one of the coolest shows on telly for mature teens and 20-somethings. While Dawson's Creek's Joey and Jack and Jill's big-toothed star Jack whimper about the latest tragedies in their love lives, Buffy's beating the street for blood-sucking nasties.
Bring it on.
TV: Buffy fights it out in graveyard time slot
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