Angel Season 5 vs. Buffy Season 5

Now this is an interesting comparison. You have an epic Buffy season and an epic Angel season. In one case - a main character dies in a very big way, a great story comes to a close, and it's just epic. On the other hand, you have a season that changes the whole way the show flowed - in an incredibly cool way. The character development / interactions are awesome in both cases.

In the end, though, I vote Angel Season 5.
 
Buffy. It blows Angel season 5 out of the water.

Let's do an episode vs episode analysis shall we!
1. Buffy VS. Dracula vs. Conviction - Conviction is a good opener to the new season and sets the season off well, but it just doesn't have the same punch as BvD does, BvD is funny and has an awesome story and guest star. Winner: BTVS

2. Real Me vs. Just Rewards - I dislike both of these episodes. Just Rewards is a very Spike-centric episode who is one of my least favorites in season 5 of Angel, and Real Me is a Dawn episode, and she was VERY annoying in this episode. Harmony did well but I dunno which I think is better. Hm. I'll give this one to BTVS for all of the Tara moments. Winner: BTVS.

3. The Replacement vs. Unleashed - I don't really like Nina and I love Xander and The Replacement is epic. The Replacement wins easy. Winner: BTVS

4. Out Of My Mind vs. Hellbound - This one is also an easy win for Hellbound. I like the fact that Out Of My Mind is a Joyce episode, but it also being a Riley episode just makes it...annoying. Winner: ATS

5. No Place Like Home vs. Life of the Party - Both of these episodes I really like, Life of the Party is really fun and light hearted while No Place Like Home has a darker tone to it. Buffy's trance is wonderful and just shows us who Dawn is. Also gives us the quote "We found the key, made it human and sent it to you." just gives us a good powerful starter to an amazing arc. Also, Glory! Winner: BTVS.

6. Family vs. The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco - Um, lol. It's funny that one of the best episodes of BTVS is put up against one of the worst of ATS. Not even gunna explain the epicness of Family against the crappiness of The Cautionary Tale. Winner: BTVS.

7. Fool For Love vs. Lineage - Wesley episode against a Spike episode. I loved Spike's explanations of the slayer fights and this is one of my favorite Spike-centric episodes. Wesley is also good in his episode so it definitely makes it difficult to choose. I have to go with Fool For Love though. Winner: BTVS

8. Shadow vs. Destiny - Ugh, Destiny is SO bad. The flashbacks were okay and the ending is really good, but I just hate whenever Spike gets a push in ATS because his character is SO bad in ATS. Shadow is amazing however. Joyce does well and as does Glory! Winner: BTVS. At this point, BTVS has 7 points and ATS has 1.

9. Listening to Fear vs. Harm's Way - I love Harm's Way! Very cute, lovely, nice, fun episode! Harmony is very fun and I just love following her around in this episode! The whole space creature thing ruined Listening To Fear, but the ending with Joyce, Buffy and Giles and the Tara parts make up for it. Very close between the two but Harmony wins this one for team ATS! Winner: ATS.

10. Into The Woods vs. Soul Purpose - I hate any Riley centered episode, but this one is most certainly the worst. I hate how he acts so high and mighty when Buffy is hurting. Good riddance to Riley though! The moment with Xander and Anya is heartwarming though. Soul Purpose is great!! I love the dream sequences, everyone of them is amazing and as is the Spike storyline. (I know, I said something about Spike is good. Shoot me already >.<) Winner: ATS! (On a roll)

11. Triangle vs. Damage - I love the Anya/Willow interaction in this episode and Buffy's hilarious breakdown. Tara is great in this episode aswell as she is in most episodes. Olaf is hilarious aswell! Now for Damage. This episode is good basically for Andrew and the fact that Spike got dismembered. I wish the slayer just dusted him and we'd be over with that character forever! I can dream though >.< Winner: BTVS.

12. Checkpoint vs. You're Welcome - While I love Checkpoint, it is NOTHING compared to You're Welcome. You're Welcome is the best episode of Season 5 and one of the best of the series, so to put it anything with it is just rude to the other episode. Charisma did an amazing job and it was just perfection. Winner: ATS.

13. Blood Ties vs. Why We Fight - Why We Fight is terrible and Blood Ties is amazing. This is the very first episode where I thought Dawn had potential. Michelle did amazing in the trademark scene of the episode where as Why We Fight was just beyond boring. (was the guy a vampire? I forget.) talking about Blood Ties aswell, it was probably one of the best episodes to set up the major arc. "It's Summer's Blood." Winner: BTVS.

14. Crush vs. Smile Time - Crush has Drusilla in it which is great, the episode is set up so well to bring Drusilla in! (am I the only one who wanted Dru to kill Spike? Probably.) where as Smile Time is my favorite Spike episode ever! "He's a wee little puppet boy!" James does this episode so very brilliantly and as does David. I won't say anything more about Crush though in hear of being murdered. (I don't like the Spike in it is all) Winner: ATS.

15. I Was Made To Love You vs. A Hole In The World - No comparison that ATS wins this one. Winifred Burkle's last appearance and it's just a wonderful episode that even Warren, April and Christina can't top. Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof were awesome in A Hole In The World. Winner: ATS. At this point ATS has 6 and BTVS has 9.

16. The Body vs. Shells - This one is so sad for me to answer because I LOVE Shells. It's one of the best episodes of Season 5 and it's disappointing that it's up against The Body, which is the best episode in the Jossverse. I just wish it was another episode instead of The Body that Shells was up against. 🙁 Winner: BTVS 10-6

17. Forever vs. Underneath - Forever is brilliant, from the Bangel appearance to the scene with Buffy and Dawn at the end. Even the scenes with Spike and Dawn are brilliant. Underneath is good, I've always liked it as an episode. It has Lindsey and it has some Angel and Wesley in it which is always a good thing. Forever tops Underneath though. Winner: BTVS. 11-6

18. Intervention vs. Origin - Connor's back, and I don't hate him in this episode! He's become quite interesting and Vincent plays him well. I love Cyvus and I love Wesley and Illyria in this episode. There is a lack of Spike which is GREAT. Intervention however has a lot of Spike and also has a lot of crappy. I like the Buffy quest in the desert. "Death is your gift" is awesome and a foreshadowing of the finale and of the rest of the series. The First Slayer is amazing as well but what bothers me is that Buffy was wearing a coat in the desert. Hm. Winner: ATS. 11-7

19. Tough Love vs. Time Bomb - Both of these episodes are great. Tara plays an amazing role in Tough Love and just tickles your heart strings, and it's SO sad seeing what Glory does to Tara and how Tara sort of just becomes a lifeless shell of who she is. Time Bomb is a great Illyria-centered episode. Seeing Spike get dusted is very fulfilling! Lorne dying is very sad though. 🙁. Illyria's reaction to her being stripped of her powers is very devastating as well. This one is the hardest so far. I'll give it to ATS. Winner: ATS. 11-8

20. Spiral vs. The Girl In Question - Lol! This is even a question? Bah. Spiral wins EASILY. It has the best things that make a Buffy episode! I love it so much, where as the only good thing about The Girl In Question is Julie Benz and Juliet Landau. Too much Spike 😡 Winner: BTVS. 12-8

21. Weight Of The World vs. Power Play - Both of these episodes are great, and even though I hate the Circle Of The Black Thorn arc, I love Power Play because it didn't let that over-take it. The final scene that leads into the next episode is awesome. Drogyn is finally dead, yay! Spike could've died here again, waa! Die already pleeease! Weight Of The World shows the height of SMG's acting, she plays the whole episode really well and as does Alyson. I also love the Dawn/Glory interaction. This one is again difficult but I will choose Weight Of The World. Winner: BTVS. 13-8

22. The Gift vs. Not Fade Away - This one is easy but hard at the same time. Both episodes are so great and have great endings. I wish Spike died. Illyria is amazing and as is the scene with Wesley and Fred/Illyria. The moment where she changes and smashed through Vail's head is just epic. The Gift however is just everything an episode should be. It's got the first scene which just sets the episode off and then the final scene which ends everything. Buffy is dead and it's sad, but it's neccessary and it's amazing. Best episode of the season, Next to The Body. This one goes to The Gift, but it's difficult to push NFA to the side. Winner: BTVS. 14-8

As you see here, I like BTVS 5 a lot better than Angel 5. This is a super long post so I won't continue any longer, and I'm nearly sure if Spuffy's read all of it they'll want to kill me anyways lol!
 
Z
Zeppo
Wow, great post. Loved reading these, agree with mostly everything here.
T
TeamSunnydale
great review!
Tome
Tome
I don't agree about some stuffs you said, but really great post!
Nice post, it was a good read (though I don't agree with all of it). 🙂

I'd give the nudge to BtVS also. S5 of AtS was decent, but it just lacked a certain something, and it definitely had a far inferior finale. S5, however, was just epic. It had some of the most powerful moments and episodes of the entire show, some great character arcs and it was just a perfect finale season. While AtS had some outstanding episodes (You're Welcome, A Hole in the World, Smile Time), BtVS's best (The Body, Fool For Love, The Gift) outstripped them by far.
 
I vote Buffy Season 5, it's one of my favorite seasons for many reasons. I love the Gift and Glory is my favorite villain.

I really dislike Angel Season 5. Cordelia was my favorite character on Angel and it wasn't the same when she wasn't there after season 4. There are good episodes in this season like A Hole In The World and You're Welcome, but other than that this season was sort of boring, in my opinion.
 
Anya2012
Anya2012
[No message]
Buffy's season 5 is way better. I enjoy it more. Angel's season five is so uneven with no real direction and I just really dislike the season. It just wasn't the same without Cordy. Spike did make it a bit better though, I think he replaced Cordy.
 
M
Misty
[No message]
My first blush is Angel S5 as I love everything about the show and that season in particular. However I do remember loving Buffy S5 too. I'd have to rewatch to be certain.


Man my encyclopedic knowledge of Buffy has been waning recently.
 
Buffy season 5. I love Angel season 5 because it has Spike and Illiyra... but mainly Spike. I love Buffy season 5 because it has Spike, and he falls in love with Buffy, and it's got Tillow, and Xanya, and heart, and nearly every episode is an emotional one...
 
I think I let my love of the gift blind me and a few other episodes. Overall as of now I am going with Angel season five because I think they had stronger episodes plus the Spike/Angel dynamic was great.
 
H
Hale Caesar
Angel s5 Karma!!
After re-watching both shows, I would say the fifth season of Angel is actually better than Buffy s5.
 
Season 5 of Angel is the worst Buffyverse season for me. They took the heart out of the show and expected it to thrive, replacing her by milking a popular character. Season 5 has great Anya and Tara moments, great fights, Buffy is in the biggest fight of her life and awesome stand-alones let alone a compelling arc. Angel season 5 had some great moments, too but the show was starting to loose me here.
 
BTVS season 5 is my second favorite season of the entire buffy-verse, and ATS season 5 is tied with BTVS season 4 for my least favorite. I just LOVE Buffy S5 so much; it has everything that a season could possibly need to be great--emotion, friendship, love, action, intensity, passion, and finally, death. And ATS just falls waaaayyy short of all this; IMO it's just a blah season despite Spike. So hands down BTVS season 5.
 
Ok, this might sounds majorly stupid, but for me, season 5 is kinda the "perfect season" because all of my fave characters and the ones i consider the most main are together and alive, whereas in later seasons, some of them leave or die. and i also felt like that after season 6, the characters where never as close in season 7. is that just me?
these main characters are:
Buffy
Willow
Xander
Giles
Dawn
Tara
Spike
Anya

also, buffy season 5 had some of the best episodes (fool for love, the body, the gift)

angel season 5 was my favourite angel season, but i have never loved angel quite as much as buffy. i was upset that there was no cordy in angel season 5, and that they killed fred and killed lilah just before her. but angel season 5 also had some great episodes (i LOVE LOVE LOVE smile time!)
 
Buffy season 5 is my favourite out of the two. It's all about family and with Buffy having to now protect Dawn it makes things more complicated. Of course the ending to season 5 is another reason to have a good cry.

Angel season 5 is ok but with no Cordy and Spike's death being cheapened from Buffy season 7 and being ressurected in to season 5 really annoyed me. The show became Law & Order... but with fangs. It was a promising storyline that ended far too quickly thanks to network.
 
Taake
Taake
lol at "Law & Order... but with fangs"
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