The Cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Movies - TV
The Two Rules Joss Whedon Made Every Vampire In Buffy Follow
By DEVIN MEENAN
In a 1998 interview, “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” creator Joss Whedon stated that the show’s vampires had to follow two contradictory rules: they had to look normal and demonic.
The vampires had to look both demonic, so the audience would understand they were monsters and take Buffy's side when she slayed them, and normal, so scenes could have tension.
Whedon explained this, stating, “When they feed or [...] get very emotional, their demon faces sort of come out [...] so that we didn't feel this was a girl just killing people.”
In their evil state, vampires looked like bat demons, and their bodies crumbled into dust when they died. Under those conditions, no one would confuse Buffy for a serial killer.