Holy crap, here we go again. If my S1 ranking took up a lot of space, well...damn.
22. Reptile Boy. The only redeeming scene in this episode, for me, is Willow's breakdown with Angel and Giles, a hint at what was to come for her character maturity and evolvement. The rest was a mess, from the lousy penis-looking monster, to Cordelia's over-the-top self-absorbed personality, to Buffy justifying her lies, to the cardboard human villains. I don't skip it in rewatches, but it's a close call each time.
21. Go Fish. Only takes this spot because it has more than 1 redeeming moment; Xander in speedo (who doesn't love that hah!), Cordelia showing some depth when she thinks her boyfriend has been transformed into a fish monster, and Snyder being his regular asshole self. The rest, as they say, is a ****ing mess.
20. Some Assembly Required. As someone else mentioned, the beginning of S2 felt like they were still trying to find their footing, so some episodes felt like they belonged in S1; this was one of them. Which doesn't mean it was bad, but considering how good most of the rest of the season was, well...there you go.
19. Inca Mummy Girl. While it is a bit of an anvil, I do sorta enjoy the similarities they point to between Buffy and Impata. But my favorite parts of this otherwise 'meh' episode are definitely the interactions of Oz and Willow though, of course, not with each other, not yet. Oz's exchange with Devon is adorable and Willow's costume fits her character so well. It was also nice to see Jonathan again
18. Bad Eggs. Not a fan of the Gorch brothers, seem pretty silly as far as villains go, and the episode isn't help by the equal silliness of the Mother Bezoar. The eggs are a little better, but not by much. What saves this episode, for me, is the character interactions. Buffy and Xander being the only unaffected ones was very interesting to me; the all-powerful Slayer and the weakest member of her Scooby Gang. Or so we thought...
17. When She Was Bad. I mentioned in my S1 ranking that I usually don't like pilots, and the same is usually true for the first episodes of a new season. It is no less true here.
The only reason this one isn't 22 is because of the weaker episodes that S2 had. I found Buffy's angsty storyline slightly exaggerated and dealt with far too quickly. Definitely shoulda been a 2-parter, imo.
16. Lie to Me. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad episode, we are now moving into the rest of the list which is far stronger than what came before. But it still gets the prize of 'worst of the best' from me. Despite growing up on Roswell, I'm not a big fan of Jason Behr as an actor, though his one redeeming scene as Ford was when he told Buffy why he wanted to be a vampire. Unlike most of you, I did not enjoy the Angel/Willow interactions, nor the way they went behind Buffy's back. If there is one other redeeming fact, one I tend to forget most times unfortunately, it is that this is the episode where Angel tells Buffy about what he did to Dru.
15. Killed by Death. The only reason this won out over 16 is because of how impressed I still am over Xander standing up to Angelus in the hospital. That scene may be the very reason why I've never truly been able to despise his character, though I've come close from time to time in later seasons.
14. I Only Have Eyes for You. I enjoy a good ghost story and for a show about the supernatural, BtVS has very little of that. I also really like the message Giles was trying to get across, about forgiveness. Something that would prove one of the biggest themes of the entire rest of the show. I also very much enjoy the actor (whose name I've forgotten) who plays the young student having the affair with his teacher. Angelus' disgust over being forced to feel love is also very telling about his character, for me.
13. Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered. This loses a bit in Xander, a character that has proven to grow and mature so much since The Pack, doing a love spell. But other than that, it's another stellar episode, from Dru's interaction with Xander, Giles chewing Xander out, Oz finding naked!Buffy, and, of course, the way everyone comes on to our favorite male Scooby. Fun in a time where fun technically had no place.
12. The Dark Age. I still remember learning that there was more to Giles than what he showed, with a glimpse of that in Halloween, and for that it deserves this spot. His past is dark and believable for his character, Ethan Rayne is a delicious sorta-villain, and Willow shows her smarts. Top notch episode.
11. Ted. I'm definitely one of the people who loves this episode. John Ritter was an amazing actor and seeing this usually fatherly-type playing someone as devious and cruel as Ted was just fantastic. And let's not forget the montage after Buffy thinks she's taken a human life, such an important moment for her and for the viewers and for the rest of the show and its themes.
10. Phases. Last episode before it gets
really hard for me. One of the only Oz-centric (sorta) episodes and it's wonderful. I've always been charmed by his character and this episode is definitely part of it, getting to see where he's coming from, what his choices make of him, and just how much he cares for Willow. I love that last line. "A werewolf in love."
9. What's My Line? Part I. I remember the utter shock of the cliffhanger; another Slayer? Wtf? That can't be right? It was completely unexpected and did what it was supposed to, left you reeling until the next week. I also really like the Order of Taraka, they open up so many possibilities, and yet I'm okay with never seeing them again past this two-parter. The red herring of Kendra was also very nice, and is amusing to watch in hindsight.
8. What's My Line? Part II. One of my favorite BtVS pairings is Xander/Cordelia, so this one gets this spot, partly, for being the real beginning of that relationship. The final fight in the church is another reason. "I'd rather be fighting you anyway." "Mutual." I always enjoyed Kendra, as a character, despite the atrocious accent, and the final reveal that Dru is fully healed and strong was great at the time of its release.
7. Surprise. Most of this episode was setting up the next one and, unfortunately, it's felt. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have its strong points. Discovering Jenny's secret was definitely surprising, our first glimpse at Buffy having a Slayer dream since the pilot was also nice. I'm a little put off by the cheesy, overly dramatic and emotional Bangel moments, but I can forgive them knowing what they were leading to. One of my favorite parts of this episode is Cordelia jumping out and yelling happy birthday, so funny.
6. Becoming, Part I. For similar reasons as 7, though this is slightly easier to see as a standalone than Surprise. I do enjoy the flashbacks, mostly because I've always preferred pre-show Angelus to S2 Angelus. Having Kendra back was very nice, despite how it ended for her, and getting to see Dru fight, the only time we do on BtVS, was awesome.
5. Halloween. Now we're getting to the crux, the top 5. This episode is definitely, for me, one of the most iconic in the whole series. From the 'careful what you wish for' theme, to the glimpse of what we would later come to see as Ripper, to Willow's character growth and Cordelia realizing that maybe there is more to Xander than she originally thought. All around wonderful episode with great quotes throughout.
4. Innocence. The unthinkable has happened; Angel is evil! The first time you watch this (if you are unspoiled by tumblr and the media) it has the exact shock value that it deserves. The writing is fantastic and the acting even more so, especially when keeping in mind that DB's performance as Angelus is why we got a spin-off in the first place. I may not be Angel's biggest fan (in BtVS) but I freaking love Angelus! Buffy's confrontation with Jenny is another highlight, but then most of the episode is for me.
3. School Hard. As has been mentioned in the past, this is almost like a second pilot for the show, and not just because I'm a Spike fan. This is the episode where S2 steps up its game, we are introduced to the first truly intriguing villains of the entire show, and all the characters (mostly) get to show themselves in a different light, including Angel, Buffy, Giles, Snyder, Xander, and even, to an extend, Joyce. It's one I tend to rewatch more than most of S2, it's quotable, funny, dark in places and very well-written. And yay for the title being derived from one of my favorite movies, Die Hard
2. Passion. This one never fails to make me quietly cry to myself. I happened to love Jenny, from IRYJ and on, and losing her was awful. At the same time, it was perfect, because it was Whedon's way of letting us know,
no one is safe. Angel isn't just going to parade around in leather pants for a while and then get his soul back, it's not that simple. And I loved that message. The entire monologue from Angelus about passion only adds to the awesomeness and iconic state of this stellar episode.
1. Becoming, Part II. How was it anything else? If I'm not a fan of first episodes of seasons, then the opposite is true for season enders; I usually love them more than the rest of the season. This one has everything and yet doesn't feel too packed. Backstory on both Angel and Buffy, the confrontation with Buffy and Whistler, Spike and Buffy's truce, Joyce discovering the truth about her daughter and dealing with it in a very raw but realistic manner. Xander's betrayal, which is also in character, growth on the part of Cordelia's character, torture scenes with Giles, and a final, epic, battle between two former lovers. As soon as the first notes of Sarah McLachlan's Full of Grace begin, I'm sobbing like a little baby and I don't stop until the final credits roll. The best episode of this season, and one of the best of the entire series, hands down!
Phew, sorry for the rant, guys. But, since S2 is not my favorite season, I've a feeling it'll only get worse from here, lol.
