TEEN SCENE

Re “Our Top Teen List” (by Sarah Vowell, Dec. 21):

I confess: I’m a twentysomething slacker-turned-medical student and I enjoyed Vowell’s article on the deglorification of grunge.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is my favorite show of the last two seasons, but even though Buffy Sommers may be the new teen queen, Angela Chase still reigns supreme, in my humble opinion.

As a devotee of the sorely missed “My So-Called Life,” it’s also my duty to point out that, angst being a mind-set more than a locale, the show took place in Pennsylvania, not the Northwest. (The average rainfall differs, but the flannel quotient’s the same.)

Interestingly, “Buffy” is set on the opposite coast, in the fittingly named Sunnydale, Calif. This highlights the contrast between the two shows. “Buffy” is as lighthearted as “MSCL” was heart-wrenching.

When Angela was distraught over untrue gossip about her, she sulked and proclaimed, only half-jokingly, “I hate everyone.” Buffy’s attitude toward dilemmas was best summed up by boy pal Xander: “I’m not worried. If there’s something bad out there, we’ll find, you’ll slay, we’ll party.”

VIRANY MARGARET KRENG

Monterey Park

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Stereotyping us teenagers (I myself am 15) by saying that we actually listen to and enjoy garbage such as Hanson and the Spice Girls is getting out of control with all of the media. Teen heartthrobs??? My 9-year-old cousin wanted both of those albums and my 10-year-old brother mocks them. People wanted the next Jackson 5, so yet another talentless group of young yutzes was chosen for the sacrificing of the American people.

Choosing Fiona Apple as the “sullen” example was the ultimate screw-up for 1997. Fiona has been bashed on and bashed on for telling the truth of how people think and exploiting the fact that life is not always an “MMMbop” away from utter happiness. Try putting a little more research into what people really think, and not what the record companies say they think.

JESSICA JONES

Yucca Valley

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“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is not, and never will be, comparable to the quality of “My So-Called Life.” Period.

POLLY WALTER

Beverly Hills