5 Joss Whedon Alternatives to the New 'Buffy' Remake

Recently, word came out that there would be yet another movie remake hitting theaters. Yes, it's about vampires. Yes, thankfully it's too soon to have a Twilight remake. The remake in question was none other than that of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a mildly forgettable 90s movie that spawned the popular television series by Joss Whedon that spanned seven seasons, a spin-off and a comic book series.

Fran and Kaz Kuzui, the owners of the Buffy franchise (Fran was also the director of the Buffy movie), made the announcement that they are "relaunching" the franchise back in November 2010 and from the get-go, fans of the original series were hell-bent against it, especially since Joss Whedon, the mastermind behind the iconic character, would be having nothing to do with it.

Though talks of actresses like Heather Morris--Glee's ditzy cheerleader Brittany--being considered for the title role undoubtedly has Whedonites banging their heads against a wall, one good thing has come from this relaunch: people are reminiscing about Buffy and Joss Whedon.

If you're a stranger to Buffy or Joss Whedon, or you just want to sample more of Whedon's work, the following list is a great place to start.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer series: The series that started the craze. Buffy Summers is a typical 15-year-old girl. She loves clothes, boys and would rather skip school. But there is one thing she does that other girls don't: she fights against the forces of darkness. Buffy is the Slayer, a chosen one who must hunt vampires, demons and protect humans from other assorted evils. Surrounded by her friends and her Watcher Giles, Buffy fought evil for seven seasons until the last episode aired in 2003.

Angel: This Buffy spin-off featured the Slayer's ex-boyfriend vampire with a soul, Angel, as he moves to Los Angeles to help the people with their supernatural problems and search for his own redemption. The series lasted five seasons and intersected with Buffy's storyline until the latter ended in 2003 (Angel and Buffy both made appearances on each other's shows).

Firefly: An excellent show that only lasted one season, Firefly followed the lives of a renegade space crew struggling to make a living as they travel the galaxy and evade the Interplanetary government known as "The Alliance" five hundred years in the future.

Serenity (movie): Joss Whedon's film follow-up to the Firefly series brings us back to the crew of Serenity who struggle to avoid an assassin trying to kidnap a fugitive they've taken under their wing. Pitted between The Alliance and the great unknown of space, the Serenity crew does what they do best: try to survive.

Dollhouse: Whedon's most recent series starred Buffy alum Eliza Dushku and lasted a mere two seasons before it was cancelled. Set in the not so distant future, an organization has figured out how to brainwash humans and has turned it into a business. Humans who have had their minds wiped are imprinted with false memories and skills for various missions and tasks paid for by the highest bidder. When the "Dolls" aren't working, they are a blank slate, a mere shadow of a person who doesn't remember anything about themselves. But one young woman named Echo is starting to remember despite best efforts to keep her from doing so.