Felicia Day began her notable career among her fans as a potential slayer in the final season of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and from there went on to create one of the very early web series that was not only successful but is still very much adored by her fans. A true geek girl herself, Ms. Day portrayed human, realistic, and flawed fanatics of online gaming, and from there has dipped her feet in every aspect of fandom.
She’s voiced animated characters, video games, starred in movies, worked with folks like Joss Whedon, executive produces many series for fellow geek guru Wil Wheaton’s channel “Geek & Sundry,” and has guest starred on a ton of hit shows. Like just about every other fan boy out there I’m a huge fan and admirer of Felicia Day, and without further ado, here are five reasons why I’m going to be following her career for many years.
She created The Guild
I like to think of “The Guild” as the original “The Big Bang Theory,” except Day’s web series was much less a sitcom and much more a dramedy. Not to mention Day didn’t have much money to work with so she often had to get creative with every episode. Sets were re-used over and over, but with tricky directing and editing you could barely tell the difference. “The Guild” is a hilarious and often times surreal series about a group of online role players that unite when group member Codex is greeted by a fellow member who professes his love for her. From there, the series takes us in to great directions, including a convention, a hilarious house party, and a confrontation with a rival group of online role players led by an evil and smarmy Wil Wheaton. You can’t help but be sucked in by this series time and time again.
She’s Charlie on “Supernatural”
One of the few really good aspects of season seven of “Supernatural,” Charlie is a geek girl who loves Star Wars. She happens to work for one of the biggest corporate executives in the world who sadly happens to be a flesh eating monster intent on consuming humanity. When called upon by Sam and Dean for help, she reveals herself to be a master hacker, and proudly gay. Over the course of the episode, and her next appearance when she’s asked for help by a mystical princess who she seduces, we learn that she’s not only proudly gay but possibly loves women more than Dean Winchester ever has and ever will. Now that’s a shocker.
She out adorabled everyone on “Eureka”
“Eureka” was one of the final really good TV series from the Syfy Channel here in America, and before it was taken down in its prime, it merged with other hit Syfy shows and even brought on Felicia Day. Playing the socially awkward Holly Martem, she becomes the love interest for geeky character Fargo and also inadvertently falls in to the center of the massive plot in the series involving Eureka and America’s government. Given one of the more bittersweet storylines, Day really managed to give a great show a rather charming send off with a depiction of a truly entertaining character.
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
During the 2008 writer’s strike, creator Joss Whedon staged his own web series and musical that starred Neil Patrick Harris as an aspiring super villain building a freezing ray. Dr. Horrible is also a lovelorn everyday Joe who happens to have a huge crush on a neighbor of his who does laundry at the public laundromat every weekend. Played by Day, the character Penny is a sweet and kind volunteer worker for the homeless shelter who becomes the object of affection for Dr. Horrible and the pompous superhero Captain Hammer. With a beautiful singing voice and quirky performance, Day is the perfect love interest. It’s also the second time working with Joss Whedon.
She hasn’t let her Anxiety control her life
It’s well known among Ms. Day’s fan base that she suffers from anxiety, an illness that often sometimes cripple those afflicted by it. Take it from someone who knows. Through acting, and self expression, Day has managed to learn how to seemingly cope with and often overcome anxiety and has become a admired and respected public figure among fantasy, science fiction, and pop culture fans alike. Anxiety can’t be cured, but it can be conquered with enough practice and experience, and Day has shown what had work can accomplish. It’d be a shame if her anxiety deprived us of the outgoing and hilarious personality we know today.
