The first time I saw Anne I enjoyed it, but thought the metaphor was a little too flat -- oh, here's their episode about teenage runaways. But it's grown on me over time. I think there's more going on than it first appears.

The moment when the camera pans up at Buffy with the hammer & sickle becomes what Joss calls the "hero shot" for the next several seasons of opening credits, although they pick a moment where you can't see the hammer & sickle.