Favourite Buffy season Opener?

[Mr Trick]

So which is your favourite Buffy season opener? I will go out on a limb and say that When She Was Bad is one of the most perfect openers to any show ever. It bridges the gap between the seasons perfectly, has a very logical storyline, and adds to each character involved, plus there are a host of stand out scenes and witty lines. I also like it because there is actually very little supernatural elements at play, yet it still has that air of mystery to it. WTTH and Anne are both very solid openers, in face Anne gets better the more I see it. Would say that Lessons is the best of later season openers.

When She Was Bad
Anne
Welcome to the Hellmouth
Lessons
Buffy VS. Dracula
The Freshman
Bargaining Part 1

 

[Samuel Reyes]

For me (from best to worst):

Bargaining Pt. 1 and 2
The Freshman
Anne
When She Was Bad
Welcome to the Hellmouth
Buffy vs. Dracula
Lessons

 

[Fuffy Baith]

I agree with you about When She Was Bad, I really like it, I think Anne is my favorite though. I think they all solid episodes, maybe not so much The Freshman. I like Bargaining pt 1 but I don't like part 2, so I'd rate 1 higher, but both together lower. Welcome to the Hellmouth is a good opener to the show.

 

[Mr Trick]

I agree with you about When She Was Bad, I really like it, I think Anne is my favorite though. I think they all solid episodes, maybe not so much The Freshman. I like Bargaining pt 1 but I don't like part 2, so I'd rate 1 higher, but both together lower. Welcome to the Hellmouth is a good opener to the show.

To me Bargaining just feels like one which shouldn't have been a two-parter or maybe its just that they didn't handle the second part as well as they could have.

 

[Aqua]

Welcome to the Hellmouth
Anne
Lessons

 

[Mr Trick]

It seems like people on here really do like that most talked about sixth season based on the results so far anyway. The rest are more split than I expected.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

I didn't read the vote until I had voted and it seems that Season 6 is not just my favourite, it is a lot of people's favourite.

 

[Mr Trick]

I didn't read the vote until I had voted and it seems that Season 6 is not just my favourite, it is a lot of people's favourite.

I know on here, but you do hear that a lot of fans just don't like the darker tone of it. Whatever the case I don't really think that Bargining is the season at its best.

 

[VisionBoy]

I like Bargaining. I personally think it's one of the strongest season openings Buffy had...even if the season as a whole is far from my favourite, it started really well.

2nd to last would probably go-

Welcome to the Hellmouth
The Freshman
When She Was Bad
Anne
Lessons
Buffy VS Dracula

 

[Ragnar]

When She Was Bad

So much I love, from Buffy Joan Collins-ing it up at the Bronze to the final battle/catharsis. From Cordelia's insanely great "bitch of the year" speech to little moments like Giles "abhorrence of children" line.

This is the one that got me most excited about the 21 episodes to follow.

 

[Fuffy Baith]

I rewatched Buffy vs Dracula last night, and it's a bit better than I thought, I still don't like the actor playing Dracula, but I liked the small comedy bits and the darker tone. I did feel Riley was a bit out of place in some scenes but did like him and Giles showing up at the castle in the end. I still prefer the first 3 season openers though.

 

[Mr Trick]

I rewatched Buffy vs Dracula last night, and it's a bit better than I thought, I still don't like the actor playing Dracula, but I liked the small comedy bits and the darker tone. I did feel Riley was a bit out of place in some scenes but did like him and Giles showing up at the castle in the end. I still prefer the first 3 season openers though.

Pretty much this. I mean I think its a solid concept and it sets up the main theme of Buffy starting to question her powers, its just a little too cheesy and self-referencing, and maybe could have been pulled off better.

 

[thetopher]

'Welcome To The Hellmouth'

For the simple reason that Joss is much better at introducing us to new characters than he is at re-introducing us to the same characters in different situations.
In 'WthH' we meet all these people for the first time and they all make a great impression.
In subsequent seasons Buffy herself is always a little 'off' for some reason of other- having a 'tude about her first death, hiding in LA, intimidated by college, dead, etc.

The only one that bucks the trend there is 'Lessons' which is also a favorite of mine. 🙂

 

[Mr Trick]

'Welcome To The Hellmouth'

For the simple reason that Joss is much better at introducing us to new characters than he is at re-introducing us to the same characters in different situations.
In 'WthH' we meet all these people for the first time and they all make a great impression.
In subsequent seasons Buffy herself is always a little 'off' for some reason of other- having a 'tude about her first death, hiding in LA, intimidated by college, dead, etc.

The only one that bucks the trend there is 'Lessons' which is also a favorite of mine. 🙂

Because it feels like a new begaining? I can see that. Lessons is my favourite of the later seasons openers. Would like to know why you are not so keen on Where She Was Bad though?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

The Freshman I thought was underrated gem. It was one of the few episodes where Buffy wasn't in control or in power, because her real life took over her slayer life. You see how oblivious Buffy is to the newly risen vampire as he just runs off without her noticing- wonder how many people died as a result of Buffy not paying attention in the past?

I think the episode really is a highlight for Oz, as he seems to shine in this, being the focal point of attention at college, moreso than he ever was in high school. There are some funny stoner jokes, some funny fat jokes, some funny bondage jokes and it starts the first of many Buffy/Giles rifts over slayer/watcher roles. It ends with a little homage back to the old familiar high school days.

Plus you see that Ripper has a sex life, with someone other than Buffy's mum. And Kathy was great... too bad she turned out to be a literal monster.

 

[thetopher]

Because it feels like a new beginning? I can see that.

That's a very good way of putting it. Basically after the hell of Season 6 we have Buffy acting like Buffy, being the slayer, and being responsible big sister to Dawn. The whole thing has a nice fresh vibe to it.

Would like to know why you are not so keen on Where She Was Bad though?

I've seen it recently and, although it's got quite a few good points, overall I think it feels too rushed and the ending is too pat. It's a bit like 'DMP'. All this interesting conflict comes up, Buffy is a cow to everyone for no reason, and then...everyone gets over it.
I'm not saying they should've held grudges or anything but they could've gotten a bit more drama out of the situation. Ditch 'Inca Mummy Girl' and make this a two parter.
After all it took S3 a couple of episodes for Buffy to return to the status quo with her friends- and she didn't even die that time.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I'm not saying they should've held grudges

I say they should. Would have been much better. I think there were just too afraid to shake up the status quo of the 'gang'. If reverberations of that episode played out during the following episodes it would have been much better.

 

[Mr Trick]

That's a very good way of putting it. Basically after the hell of Season 6 we have Buffy acting like Buffy, being the slayer, and being responsible big sister to Dawn. The whole thing has a nice fresh vibe to it.



I've seen it recently and, although it's got quite a few good points, overall I think it feels too rushed and the ending is too pat. It's a bit like 'DMP'. All this interesting conflict comes up, Buffy is a cow to everyone for no reason, and then...everyone gets over it.
I'm not saying they should've held grudges or anything but they could've gotten a bit more drama out of the situation. Ditch 'Inca Mummy Girl' and make this a two parter.
After all it took S3 a couple of episodes for Buffy to return to the status quo with her friends- and she didn't even die that time.

See this is where we view the episode differently because I like that it is a rare episode where the answer is not supernatural related. And it comes back to Buffy being a teenager who is still learning how to deal with the whole Slayer thing and is having to deal with her the previous season ended which lets face it would be heavy for anyone let alone a teenager, to me it works perfectly. And no I don't think her friends should have given her a hard time about for the reasons just stated. I get your point about it seeming rushed, but to me it has just about everything a good season opener should.

 

[bespangeled]

I like Beginnings 1&2 because they are so powerful. I don't think there are any other openings quite as powerful. But I can see why some people would hate it for that reason, since season 6 is my favorite. It's probably the closest thing to the Ats level of dysfunction that Buffy has.

 

[Mr Trick]

I like Beginnings 1&2 because they are so powerful. I don't think there are any other openings quite as powerful. But I can see why some people would hate it for that reason, since season 6 is my favorite. It's probably the closest thing to the Ats level of dysfunction that Buffy has.

I think the thing is for some people that other seasons of Buffy have done the darkness in a much more interesting and believable way such as season 2. I don't dislike 6 as much as some, but it would be pretty low on my list of favourite seasons.