Question Have you changed your mind?

Mylie

Mylie

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Have you changed your mind on episodes or seasons/arcs after a rewatch?

For example I remember hating s4 of AtS and loving s3 but when I did my rewatch it turned out to be the opposite. I also used to love A hole in the world but the episode doesn't work for me anymore.
 
I used to think S1 was weak and although I never skipped it, I often wanted to. Now I love it. It's so nostalgic and everyone looks so young and Giles is so British lol. (There are only two really terrible episodes in the season, Teacher's Pet and I Robot You Jane) I loved S7, but thanks to discussions on this board I tried to look deeper at it, to understand the themes and what that meant for story and character and now I love it even more than I did.
 
Priceless said:
I used to think S1 was weak and although I never skipped it, I often wanted to. Now I love it. It's so nostalgic and everyone looks so young and Giles is so British lol. (There are only two really terrible episodes in the season, Teacher's Pet and I Robot You Jane) I loved S7, but thanks to discussions on this board I tried to look deeper at it, to understand the themes and what that meant for story and character and now I love it even more than I did.
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Agreed about s1! I used to think it was the weakest season and now I feel kind of protective of it. It makes me nostalgic and I love the camp and it doesn't take itself very seriously.
 
Well, as you can read in my rewatch reviews, I apparently now prefer The Harvest to WTTH, which seriously surprised me, lol. But I'll come back with a real answer once I finish my rewatch 😀
 
Offhand, I liked season 7 more the first time I watched it, but I had faith that some big reveal was going to explain why so much was wrong, especially the characters acting so stupid. I was sure it was going to be revealed that the First was playing more subtle mind games (creating its own Yoko Factor behind the scenes, for example, pretending to be Buffy and overheard by Potentials and Scoobies saying terrible things about them, lying to them, maybe even "I don't care if Spike kills them all," etc) which would help explain why Faith wasn't being so bad as she was late in the game and thus had less exposure to the Hellmouth and/or less manipulated by the First. And also that evil magic itself might be involved since surely the First could get a strong spellcaster, maybe even Amy who wanted her revenge. But now I just see it as bad writing and, by far, the worst season.


In contrast, I hated the Angel episode where Buffy shows up to confront Faith the first time I saw it. I thought it was a terrible disservice to Buffy's character, but upon rewatching it after reading some comments here I realize that it was actually very true to Buffy's character, and of course there were plenty of reasons for the worst of Buffy to manifest right then (I'll just overlook that she could've CALLED rather than showed up in person, the chances of her walking in exactly the moment Angel was hugging Faith, etc...would've been better if the demon assassin hired by Wolfram & Hart attacked while both Buffy and Faith were distracted with Angel entering the scene later, but I guess that would be less pseudo-romance drama). I also appreciated some of the Wolfram & Hart scenes more in this episode. So now I enjoy the episode where I used to find it painful and cringe-worthy.


I used to love season 5, but that season, while still enjoyable, looks a lot weaker than I thought it was...this is also in part of because how it's been deconstructed on BB, and I had to admit the points were good and it invalidated the good I saw in it as I see those flaws now. (It happens. I can also learn to appreciate things. Like I used to hate one scene in a movie I loved and found it jarring, but someone explained it to me in a way that made me realize it was not trolling for publicity and ticket sales, but actually brilliant, and that the author who adapted his own book to the screen actually intended it that way, and I'm glad he pointed it out so I can now enjoy the movie without that jarring moment. I just wish that happened more with Buffy and Angel than the other way around, more often than not.)


I thought Xander was a jerk about Angel upon first viewing, but on a second viewing I realized he actually had good reasons to feel as he did, and it wasn't just that he was jealous (though that was a factor that didn't help), and also noticed a lot more about Xander's heroism that is frequently overlooked. At the same time I saw Willow was not the angel I remembered her being even back in the first 3 seasons. This isn't to say I prefer Xander over Willow, but more like Xander was raised up enough and Willow brought down that they're about equal now (and I love them both).


That's just offhand early in the morning, I'll probably add more later.
 
MarieVampSlayer
MarieVampSlayer
Wow you just explained my thoughts exactly! We are so synced!
With regards to BtVS:

100% about Season 1. But when I tell people to watch Buffy I tell them To watch Season 2 get hooked then go back and watch Season 1. My love for Season 1 is pretty great now because I know these characters and I know where it's going. Plus everyone is so adorably young.

It's funny because I had the opposite effect on Season 7, it was never my favorite but I didn't strongly dislike it and after watching it a few more times I became very resentful of all of the plot holes and lazy writing it dropped to my very least Season in the buffyverse.

I think some years I like Season 2 better than Season 3 and it switches around.

With regards to AtS: I used to be on he fence about Season 5 and now it's one of my favorite Seasons behind Season 2. I think On first watch I didn't like the Nina stuff and then on rewatches it didn't bother me so much at all.

So basically I'm pretty fickle lol.
 
Oh I used to love s5 of AtS and now it makes me very bitter! I wish that didn't change because it's the last buffyverse season but I'll try rewatching it again to maybe change my mind a 2nd time lol. Not that I want to force myself to love it...

I also used to think s1 of AtS was bad and now it's one of my favorite seasons.

I think I might have been too young the first time I watched Angel and a lot of it passed over my head so now that I'm older and able to understand things better (and what I like), the result is vastly different to me.
 
thrasherpix said:
I used to love season 5, but that season, while still enjoyable, looks a lot weaker than I thought it was...this is also in part of because how it's been deconstructed on BB, and I had to admit the points were good and it invalidated the good I saw in it as I see those flaws now. (It happens. I can also learn to appreciate things.
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Ooh can you remember any specific interesting BB discussions on S5? I've just finished it on my rewatch and I'd like to read some good deconstructions of it. (I know I can just explore the S5 forum, but any thread recommendations would be appreciated).
 
My hatred for Giles has grown over the years. He is charming and expertly played by Tony, but he is also a controlling, hypocritical and judgemental horrible old man.

I slowly fessed up to the fact that I have always liked Riley.

Willow is probably the most complex character on the show and many of her motivations are more obvious in hindsight.

My appreciation for Buffy's depression arc has slowly grown. Buffy's character remains consistent throughout the entire show.
 
MarieVampSlayer
MarieVampSlayer
Is it weird that as I get older I find Giles hotter?
dcai0830 said:
Except for, I would argue in Season 7. She felt very unBuffy to me in S7.
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I completely disagree. S7 Buffy is a return to form. She is still harrowed by the experience of s6 and her resurrection trauma, but she is 120 % more bad ass. So many of her lines are just killer. "It will swallow me whole and it will choke on me." Her relationship to Dawn is stronger. After a very depressed Buffy in s5 and 6, we can now be confident Buffy will survive and perhaps one day find happiness.

My only issue is that I wanted her to properly forgive Willow.
 
WillowFromBuffy said:
My hatred for Giles has grown over the years. He is charming and expertly played by Tony, but he is also a controlling, hypocritical and judgemental horrible old man.
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So harsh 🙂 I love Giles, but I agree, he has a lot to answer for. Buffy and Joyce would have been much closer if it hadn't been for Giles constantly telling Buffy not to be honest wtih Joyce. But I cut him some slack because I do believe he loves Buffy and wants to do the best for her.
 
Priceless said:
So harsh 🙂 I love Giles, but I agree, he has a lot to answer for. Buffy and Joyce would have been much closer if it hadn't been for Giles constantly telling Buffy not to be honest wtih Joyce. But I cut him some slack because I do believe he loves Buffy and wants to do the best for her.
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He loves Buffy and absolutely nobody else 😛 My hatred for Giles is mostly on Willow's behalf. His relationship to Buffy has its moments, but mostly he makes me angry here too.

Also, he was way too invested in Buffy's life to abandon Dawn at the start of s6.
 
A few years ago, I'd watch re-runs on FX but if the opening credits showed Riley or Dawn I'd skip that episode. (Only because I didn't know who they were back then, and I don't like unfamiliar things) When I was given the Buffy dvd set for Christmas 2015, I eventually got used to them...though even today, the majority of my re-watches are S2-S4. Riley and Dawn just don't interest me much.

As for Angel, things that have changed are:

Doyle seems unnecessary.
Gunn bores me.
I like Connor a lot more.
Fred is REALLY annoying.
 
I've changed my mind on a lot of points since the show(s) aired.

  • Used to hate Dawn, now I love her character.
  • Same for Riley.
  • Didn't really rate Buffy season 1 back in the day during a rewatch, but now I really enjoy it.
  • Buffy used to really annoy me but now I'm older I feel like I understand her actions better.
  • I've chilled out a bit when it comes to my hatred of Xander (can't say the same for Willow).
  • As much as I love AtS season 5, now I see a lot of flaws, mostly in the difference of tone from the other seasons.
  • I used to think the idea of The First was really clever, especially as a throwback to Amends but now the whole idea just frustrates me.
  • I used to ship Spuffy a bit, back when the show aired, when I was young, and Bangel used to bore me to tears. Now, I don't really ship (or "hateship") at all (other than Weslah), but still enjoy some ships (eg. the tragedy of Bangel and some s4/s5 moments of Spuffy).
 
WillowFromBuffy said:
I completely disagree. S7 Buffy is a return to form. She is still harrowed by the experience of s6 and her resurrection trauma, but she is 120 % more bad ass. So many of her lines are just killer. "It will swallow me whole and it will choke on me." Her relationship to Dawn is stronger. After a very depressed Buffy in s5 and 6, we can now be confident Buffy will survive and perhaps one day find happiness.

My only issue is that I wanted her to properly forgive Willow.
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If you are talking about the resurrection, I thought she had forgiven Willow at the end of "Gone":

BUFFY (cont'd)
Y'know, when I got Xander's message
that I was... fading away...I was...
I mean, I actually got scared.

WILLOW
Well, sure. Who wouldn't?

BUFFY
Me. I wouldn't. Not too long ago.
I probably would've welcomed it.
But when he told me...I realized...
(stopping)
Not saying I'm doing backflips about
my life, but... But, I didn't... I
mean, I don't...want to die.
(looks at Willow)
That's something, right?

WILLOW
It's something.

CRANE UP as they numbly walk off into the cold, dark night.

WILLOW (cont'd)
Guess we both took good first steps...

BUFFY
I guess.

WILLOW
(flatly)
Yay for us.

BUFFY
(weakly)
Yay.

The good steps as far as Willow was concerned was doing all her detective work without magic. If you are talking about Dark Willow, I thought they forgave Willow at the end of "Same Time, Same Place".
 
Ethan Reigns said:
If you are talking about the resurrection, I thought she had forgiven Willow at the end of "Gone":

BUFFY (cont'd)
Y'know, when I got Xander's message
that I was... fading away...I was...
I mean, I actually got scared.

WILLOW
Well, sure. Who wouldn't?

BUFFY
Me. I wouldn't. Not too long ago.
I probably would've welcomed it.
But when he told me...I realized...
(stopping)
Not saying I'm doing backflips about
my life, but... But, I didn't... I
mean, I don't...want to die.
(looks at Willow)
That's something, right?

WILLOW
It's something.

CRANE UP as they numbly walk off into the cold, dark night.

WILLOW (cont'd)
Guess we both took good first steps...

BUFFY
I guess.

WILLOW
(flatly)
Yay for us.

BUFFY
(weakly)
Yay.

The good steps as far as Willow was concerned was doing all her detective work without magic. If you are talking about Dark Willow, I thought they forgave Willow at the end of "Same Time, Same Place".
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Like they both say, "It's something." Buffy says she is feeling better, which Willow is undoubtedly happy to hear. What she feels about the resurrection is still unclear, and I am sure Willow was dying to ask. Buffy may not have had an answer. In Normal Again and Dead Things it becomes clear that Buffy's depression and desire to escape is still very real. Dark Willow does not sound as if she feels forgiven.

Xander does not seem to hold any grudge for the Dark Willow debacle. Buffy seems conflicted. She does accept Willow back as a friend, but this is not the same as forgiving her.

I wish I could travel into the TV and give Willow a hug ... so many times 😛
 
- I used to think Harmony should just die, but now I think she's consistently hilarious and I even wish there was more of her.

- I used to think Anya was dragged on too long, now I think she is much funnier than Xander and is therefore needed for comic relief.

- Like many others, I hated Dawn, but grew to love her.

- I thought season 4 was all pretty disappointing, but rewatches reminded me of all the greatness from stuff that is not the major plot.

- I thought Cordelia was ruined in season 4 until I rewatched Angel season 3.
 
GwenRaiden said:
I've chilled out a bit when it comes to my hatred of Xander (can't say the same for Willow).
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Why do you hate Will?

Wasn't the show difficult to watch if you initially disliked Buffy and hated both her friends? What was the hook for you?
 
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