Quote Originally Posted by Doc Sark
I think a worldwide fan base, critical acclaimation, and an Emmy for The Gentlemen epsiode is recognition enough.
The Emmys never gave Buffy the level of consideration it deserved for the quality of show that it was. And Buffy had very much a cult following, not a mainstream one. The fans recognized the greatness of Buffy, but outside the fandom, Buffy just wasn't taken very seriously.

It's only now that people can look at the whole body of work and see that Buffy was the most engaging and thoughtful mythology ever presented on television. It's only now that there are classes in Universities devoted to studying and analyzing the show.

So yeah, I don't believe that while it aired, it ever got the recognition it deserved for a show that was so alive with wit, intelligence and soul.