Buffyverse

I watched an entire episode of "Buffy" once. It was really quite good. Like "Xena," it doesn't take itself too seriously. But it seemed like one of those shows that you had to latch on to early in the game. Like "X-Files." I do know that "Buffy" has a complex mythology behind it, just like "X Files," I wouldn't even know how to start explaining that mess. I think that's part of what's appealing about reality shows like "Survivor--" no complex story line or cast of characters to keep track of, you can jump on (or off) at any time. If you go on to Wikipedia and look up "Buffy," you get a long article that explains (or at least tries to) the whole Buffy universe, or "Buffyverse." The concept of parallel universes that contain the underpinnings of reality that support a given fictional storyline is a concept long utilized in the comic book world, originally necessitated to reconcile contradictions in past stories of individual characters (e.g., the "Earth Prime," "Earth Two," etc. of DC Comics. This embarrassing trope eventually led to the concept of "cannon" in a fictional universe, where there is a rigid back story and ground rules to which all stories taking place in that universe must adhere. "Star Wars" is a good example, with a massive 30 year old cannon that has kept its spin-offs and merchandising narratively consistent throughout.