Ok, and brace yourselves for the fan-backlash!

No, i actually mostly agreed with him apart from a couple of things: "Some Assembly Required", "Killed by Death", "Reptile Boy" and "Inca Mummy Girl" were some of my favourite episodes of the season, as I really enjoy stand-alone's. "Killed by Death" is certainly not the worst episode of the series (that title is awarded to "The Pack") and yes i also agree that "Passion" is, as well as being one of my favourite episodes of all time, also one of the hardest to watch

Season Two? The golden age of Buffy? I'm a little doubtful about that. Don't get me wrong, I love it to bits, but I think Season's Three, Five and Four are better. It draws about even with Season Six, and is (a little bit) superior over Season One, and (a hell of a lot) over Season Seven

Apocalypse | May 31, 19:16 CET

No way is season six a contender for beating season two, season six was maybe interesting, but for entertainment and fun and dramatics, season two had everything, season three had faith, the highscool years rule, and season one had the fun campyness of these characters getting to know each other, highschool years are the golden age of Buffy. But thats my opinon. Buffy should of ended after season five has Joss once commented, season six and 7 were bonuses, and never really had any consistency of enjoyment, the number of episodes in season two and three provide more bang for your buck per episode season six could dream for, and season 7 was running out of your breath, Joss felt complete before it, there's bonuses, Buffy didn't like it herself she was brought back to life in season six, thus maybe that was the signal to left Buffy R.I.P she was in heaven. Season six was depressing, it went too far off cource. But saying that a average Buffy season is better then lots of other programmes.

[ edited by SeanValen on 2004-05-31 18:39 ]

[ edited by SeanValen on 2004-05-31 18:40 ]

SeanValen | May 31, 20:35 CET

I'm with him on "Killed By Death." The season 2 monster-of-the-week episodes really aren't much better than the season 1 ones; the only thing that's better is that we've had the main characters around for longer at this point, so the interaction and chemistry that comes from that gives them a boost (witness the Angel/Xander hospital scene in "Killed By Death," rightly cited as the one really good moment in that ep). Thankfully season two's main arc is, of course, great.

As for the "golden age" comment, I definitely think that's how it's perceived outside of the core fan community. Mention the show casually to someone who doesn't follow the show in minutiae or post on a site like this, and the memories/impressions they'll offer will almost uniformly be about Angel and Buffy, Faith, and monsters in high schools. Season 2 was when the show crossed over, and Season 3 was when the most people were watching. I'm a 3 or 5 guy, myself.

friarfunk | May 31, 20:41 CET

When She Was Bad, the opener to season two

Anyone here love the music and scene in The Bronze with Angel, Xander, Willow, Cordy and Buffy, that was awsome stuff, that music was so cool, and Buffy was being a bitch with things on her mind, Angel pondering on, Xander having a dance with Buffy, and that music, it was a awsome opener, never tire of that stuff.

SeanValen | May 31, 20:43 CET

I'm a season two guy. The show really gelled for me then and I ended up liking every little thing, even "Bad Eggs." And, hell, "Killed by Death" might not be much, but it always seemed to me like the last time Buffy, Willow, and Xander hung out as just friends, without massive traumas of coming seasons hanging over them.

Ocular | May 31, 20:49 CET

Pretty much agree with the column.

However, I think it's a big misrepresentatin to state that Joss said the show should end at season 5. Joss has never stated that he is in any way regretful or sorry for the last two years of the show no matter how much some fans might want him to be.

Unitas | May 31, 21:17 CET

I'm a season two guy. The show really gelled for me then and I ended up liking every little thing, even "Bad Eggs." And, hell, "Killed by Death" might not be much, but it always seemed to me like the last time Buffy, Willow, and Xander hung out as just friends, without massive traumas of coming seasons hanging over them.
Ocular



Thats what I loved alot about those episodes, yes sure traumas and stuff are interesting and such, but it's a tv show, it's wonderful to have fun with the characters and laugh now and again, I'm not one for too many tramas, although at times yes the fight is serious and stakes are high, people get hurt, but generally it can be done in more entertaining ways that entertain you, then depress you like season six, where the characters are not having much fun at all, and there's no breather, it sucks you into their depression, and I prefer to have fun now and again after some dramatics, Angelus for example is dramatic and funny in equal measure, Spike as well, it what made season two/three hard to top.

SeanValen | May 31, 21:23 CET

Season 2 and 3 are my faves. Can't say which I loved the most, but any praise for either of these two seasons and I'm jumping aboard. IMO, the worst were season 6 and 7.

Eps the I remember disliking when first viewed in season 2 and or 3, I go back and watch them now and actually like them. Compared to what we got in the last two seasons of Buffy, that's probably why.

[ edited by nychick on 2004-05-31 20:04 ]

nychick | May 31, 22:03 CET

Season 2 would probably have to compete with seasons 3, 5 and 7 for my third favorite season of the series. The last half of the year is amazing, and the Angelus arc is one of the most emotionally powerful in the series. But there are a lot of so-so standalones taking up space. Though I agree that Bad Eggs is highly underrated. That episode ranks as one of the only Buffy eps to give me recurring nightmares (Bezoars - gah!) and I also love the Body Snatchers homage of it all.

As far as the best season goes, I'm for season 6 all the way. Bring on the trauma!

MindPieces | May 31, 22:55 CET

I really liked "Some Assembly Required", "Killed by Death", and "Reptile Boy." I actually didn't like "Reptile Boy" the first time I saw it, but upon a second viewing, I liked it a lot more.

Also: "Inca Mummy Girl" was the worst ep of season two. If it didn't have those great Willow moments and the interesting thematic relationahip between Buffy and the mummy girl, it wouldn't be worth watching.

Invisible Green | May 31, 22:58 CET

I agree with almost everything the column said...although for some reason I really liked Reptile Boy and thought Go Fish had some pretty funny parts, like when Buffy beat up that guy in the parking lot. As for the worst seasons of Buffy, I will have to say seasons 4 and 6. For the simple reasons that I like a few episodes, and from the small handfull of episodes I picked from these two seasons, really isn't enough to say I loved them. Maybe it was because they both explored new territory, I don't know. I do however, think that season 7 really brought back our Buffy, it was like we got from the previous seasons and everyone wasn't so damn gloomy. Also, the First was a great villian, and many of the events that took place during season 7 were just great. Some of you may not agree, but after season 6, season 7 was a great letter of apology to the fans from Joss and Marti. And to SeanValen- I don't think season 7 was out of breath, I think thats when the show was finally given a little mouth to mouth so it could give us the Buffy we were used to, although she did take a more authorative role that season.

Gio | June 01, 00:32 CET

I love season 2. It was the season that made me fall in love with Buffy and then broke my heart. I do consider it the Golden Age, when the show finally found it's footing and realized it's epic-ness in storytelling.

It was emotional resonance and rocket launchers! For me, season 2 was where the trauma first began. And it's all about the trauma.

electricspacegirl | June 01, 02:47 CET

For me it's hard to say what season I thought was the best because they were each unique and added a new dimension to the Buffyverse but I do think that season 2 was the one that really put Buffy on the map and really developed exactly who each character would be. The development of Angel/Angelus alone was so exciting to watch and wonder what the Hell was going to happen next and the ending of that season was one of the best (two, five and seven had the best endings in my opinion). The introduction of Spike & Druscilla, the death of Jenny, the first glimpse of Ripper, Willow's magic and Buffy having to kill Angel just when she got him back.

I guess for me it would go like this, best to worst(even though I don't think there is any bad season of Buffy).

Seasons 2 & 5 are tied as the best. Dawn being introduced was so seamless and they were able to pull it off and it to make sense, Joyce's illness and Buffy's growing love for her family. Finding out that Dawn was a key and needing to protect her. Willow's growing magic and her growing relationship with Tara, the growth of Spike (without the benefit of a soul) and his realization that he was in love with Buffy was one of the best Buffy moments ever for me! Spike stealing Buffy's underwear! Buffybot! The final battle with Glory. Giles killing Ben. And Buffy sacrificing herself to save her sister.

Seasons 3 next. Season three just because of Faith being introduced and her being like the dark half of Buffy. Both actresses seeming to bring out the best in each other when they had to play off each other. Faith's descent from being a slightly troubled slayer to a psychotically disturbed murderer. The return of Angel and the way he returned. Faith and Angel turning on Buffy only to reveal it was a setup for Faith the whole time was another one of the best Buffy moments ever. The Mayor! I loved the mayor. Bufy being psychically connected to Faith when they were in side by side hospital rooms and the first cryptic Dawn message. Angel drinking Buffy's blood when she offers herself to him! And just every Buffy and Faith fight scene were some of the best fight scenes of any season.

Season six was great because Buffy was ripped out of Heaven by her friends who thought they were saving her. The scene where Buffy is reanimated is one of the most chilling ever and then her having to dig herself out of her grave. Spike seeing her and immediately realizing that she was not the Buffybot and him immediately noticing the blood on her hands and realizing that she had to dig herself out. Dawn finding her on the tower and Buffy turning to her and asking "Is this Hell?" Normal Again was such a mind bending rush and could've been a great way (but most likely piss off a ton of fans) to have ended the series. Tabular Rasa is one of my all time favorite fun Buffy episodes and of course this is the season that had the musical. That one episode showcased everything that was great about BtVS.

And then 1 (because it was the beginning but only 12 episodes) 7 (good season, just too many lulls in the middle because of the SIT episodes but a great start and a great finish) and my least favorite was season 4, because of the initiative. I didn't mind Riley in the beginning, loved the developing Tara & Willow relationship but the whole initiative storyline is definitely my least favorite season long arc storyline. But I loved the re-emergence of Faith from her coma and the whole body switch arc and then Faith going to LA to look up her buddy Wesley. The torture of Wesley, in my opinion, were the most brutal and graphic Buffyverse scenes ever. Season four had Hush though and that is the one episode that scared the sh*t out of me the first time I saw it. Also had one of the funniest BtVS scenes ever with them in the auditorium with Giles and the projector and Buffy pantomiming slaying with a stake and everyone else thinking she was demonstrating, um, something else.

Again, truly hard to pick some seasons over others as being better because they were all great with the best writing out there and they were unique too. You never knew what you'd get as a new season started, there were always stand out episodes and a lot of surprises.

Firefly Flanatic | June 01, 07:28 CET

I'm a Season 3 fella, myself, with mad love for the wholly underrated Season 4.

Season 2 and Season 5 are about on par for me, and Season 6 and 7 are... interesting enough to merit viewing, but really feel like postscripts more than anything.

TheJoyofZeppo | June 01, 11:13 CET

I'm a Season 3 fella, myself, with mad love for the wholly underrated Season 4.

Beautifully said, TJoZ. Totally with you on that one.

TactGuy | June 01, 11:50 CET