‘Buffy’ Breathes Life Into UPN

Fans of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” tuning in to tonight’s sixth season opener to see if the title character really died at the end of last season can be assured of one thing.

There will not be a “Dallas”-like moment with a very much alive Buffy (Sarah Michelle Geller) taking a morning shower, or the events of last season culminating in her heroic death last season being just a dream.

Buffy is really “dead.” However, as executive producer Marti Nixon points out, “we’re dealing with a mystical world. A lot more is possible.”

Despite Buffy’s “demise,” cast members, writers, producers and others associated with the supernatural drama are looking at tonight’s launch on a new network home--UPN--as proof that there is life for “Buffy” after the WB, where the show spent its first five seasons.

“This really will be a new direction for us,” said Nixon. “All of us on the show feel a new commitment and energy. There will still be monster mayhem, of course, but the themes will become more internal. The show will be very character-driven.”

Added Joss Whedon, the creator of “Buffy”: “Everyone is working harder than ever. We feel like we’ve got a fire under us. But it’s not like we’re feeling pressure. It’s more like we’re better appreciated now by our new network. I feel like we have really good support.”

Talk of the highly publicized battle between the WB and 20th Century Fox TV earlier this year, which resulted in “Buffy” jumping networks, has largely dwindled away. UPN shelled out roughly $2.3 million an episode to attract “Buffy” from the rival WB. The deal included a 44-episode commitment. The WB had been paying about $1 million an episode and refused to pay double that price. Former WB chief Jamie Kellner said at the time that “Buffy” was not worth the price since it was not the network’s top-rated series and had limited appeal.

But UPN President Dean Valentine said the “Buffy” acquisition started paying off way before tonight’s debut. “It’s already had a tremendous effect just in terms of advertiser perception of the network,” he said. “They know it’s a quality show. More importantly, it’s had even more impact in the creative community. Joss and the show are so respected in the writer and agent circles, a lot more quality writers are coming to the network. Frankly, we haven’t always been in a situation where people are begging to work with us. Now we are. And it helps the perception of our network with our target audience of younger viewers.”

And executives are confident that fans of the show will not have trouble finding it on another network. Billboards across the country have declared “Buffy Lives!” Commercials have run relentlessly about the network jump.

Said 20th Century Fox TV President Gary Numan: “There’s always a bit of anxiety when a show switches time periods or networks. But we never would have moved the show if we hadn’t known that it was absolutely the right thing to do.”

In this critical sixth season, “Buffy” must hang on to its fan base while drawing in viewers who may have never seen the show.

For newcomers, Nixon said there will be a roughly two-minute segment at the beginning of the episode summarizing the previous seasons.

“It’s ‘Buffy for Dummies,”’ quipped Nixon. “Everything that is important to know about the show will be included in that two-minute recap. Then a person can start fresh. They really will be able to catch up in one episode.”

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For longtime fans, “there won’t be any radical or sweeping changes,” said Nixon, adding with a chuckle, “and no, there won’t be any guest appearances by the Rock,” alluding to UPN’s hit wrestling franchise. But there will be thematic alterations to reflect a more adult “Buffy,” Nixon said. “There are no more authority figures in Buffy’s life, and she must take on a motherly role for her sister Dawn [Michelle Trachtenberg]. Their mother has died, and the two sisters only have each other. And we can also deal with some high school issues with Dawn that we didn’t address with Buffy the first time around.”

James Marsters, who plays the surly vampire Spike, added, “It’s particularly exciting because the show is going to be about how one becomes their best self in the face of having the toughest job. In a way, the show is the same, but it’s being allowed to grow organically. We’re not making the mistake of keeping Buffy in high school.”

Marsters and the rest of the cast and crew of Buffy will not be watching tonight to see the official switch. They are on a frenzied schedule filming a musical episode that will air in March. All the cast will dance and sing original music, all written by Whedon.

“Doing this episode is more fun than I ever would have imagined,” said Whedon. “It’s indicative of what we’re trying to do here. We really want to do well.”

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“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” can be seen tonight at 8 on UPN. The network has rated it TV-14 (may be unsuitable for young children).