1. Becoming One and Two (Fantastic finale, from the Angel flashbacks to the moment he gets a sword rammed into his chest, this is one of my favourites. Sounds like I don't like the guy. I do!)
2. Innocence (I think this is where David Boreanaz finally shines as an actor. He's amazing as Angelus and I love the emotional heart of this episode)
3. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (One of the funniest episodes and I like the way Xander learns something here. Amy also makes a welcome return)
4. Ted (I'm honestly surprised so many people seem to hate this one. Ritter's casting is great and I love how real it feels. I don't even mind that he turns out to be a robot)
5. Lie To Me (I like the plot of this more than anything else and the ending scene between Buffy and Giles in the cemetery is really nicely done)
6. Halloween (Really nice idea behind it and Ethan Rayne is at his best)
7. School Hard (Introduces Spike and Drusilla. They're both excellent. Not much else to say)
8. Passion (Jenny's death is really nicely handled and this is the first time Angelus is proven to be as evil as they say. It's also the first episode to ever make me cry - the moment when Buffy rescues Giles from the factory)
9. Surprise (Rewatching this is particularly painful. I'm not a massive Bangel person but I love what Buffy and Angel's relationship represents: idealistic, young love. This episode teases you with it before Innocence takes it away)
10. I Only Have Eyes For You (Some cool horror moments in this episode and I really like the whole ghosts doomed to repeat the same event concept)
11. What's My Line One and Two (I'm not a big fan of Kendra but her inclusion here is really nice and any episode featuring Spike and Dru as the big villains are always going to find favour with me)
12. Phases (I miss Oz. Don't like the hunter character though)
13. Inca Mummy Girl (It's kind of dumb but I enjoy the episode's energy and Xander gets some nice development as well)
14. Killed by Death (The Kinderstod is a really menacing villain but the episode as a whole doesn't use him that well. The idea that there isn't a demon and it's all in Buffy's head is a good one but isn't really expanded on)
15. Some Assembly Required (Not bad, but nothing special. Giles and Jenny are sweet together and that's probably the best thing in it)
16. The Dark Age (I like the first half of this episode for how weird it is but once Jenny gets possessed it becomes a bit too gloomy)
17. When She Was Bad (Hate the way Buffy acts in this one but it's understandable given what she'd been through. It's basically a coda to Season 1 more than anything else)
18. Go Fish (This episode just got put at a bad time. We're on the edge of our seats for the final fight between Buffy and Angelus and we get a throwaway dedicated to a swim team turning into fish people)
19. Bad Eggs (The Bezoar isn't a bad idea, it's the cowboys that make this one annoying)
20. Reptile Boy (Bad plot and bad villain combined with unfunny and insulting treatment of Xander makes for a pretty awful story)
Time for a re-ranking as per my rewatch.
1. Becoming Parts One and Two: Absolutely phenomenal, probably the best finale the series ever had, and then some. The flashbacks of Angel's/Angelus' origins are an absolute treat and just a taster of what was to come in AtS, the stakes are raised to probably the highest we ever see them on the series. This truly feels like a 'how the hell are they gonna resolve this?' finale, and even though I'm glad the series continued after this, honestly, you could have ended it here, and it would have been shocking, but unforgettable.
2. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered: Xander isn't one of my favourite characters, but he does get treated to some of the best development and episodes of the series, and this is his finest hour. He's a jerk, but we at least understand where he's coming from, and I love how this balances screwball comedy with homicidal horror.
3. Ted: A genuinely horrifying and uncomfortable episode to watch. I get frustrated every time I watch it, but even more frustrated when I see people rate it so poorly!
4. School Hard: Lacks the strong ideas of some other Season 2 episodes, but it delivers on the excitement and tension. And James Marsters and Juliet Landau are wonderful, as they always are. They make this season.
5. Halloween: Not the best Ethan Rayne episode, but almost. Strong ideas and character work make this one of the best of the series.
6. Passion: Tense and shocking, with a genuinely heart-rending scene as the factory burns down. Although, Giles could easily have just thrown his firebombs at Angelus directly and killed him instantly instead of just setting fire to a table to announce his presence.
7. Phases: Really didn't give this episode enough credit in the past. Oz is such a loveable character, and the werewolf actually looks sort of decent for once.
8. Lie to Me: Strong emotional core to this episode, and its exploration of wannabe vampires is a theme I wish the series had looked at more often.
9. Innocence: Fantastic performances all round, and a great confrontation at the end.
10. Surprise: I don't really find this episode as sad as I used to. I mostly enjoy it now for the pacing and the cliffhanger.
11. I Only Have Eyes For You: Another really clever idea, and I love the twist of James latching onto Buffy instead of Angelus.
12. What's My Line Parts One and Two: Kind of dull, if I'm being honest, but I like the various assassins, and Spike and Dru are obviously brilliant. 'We'll dance my pet...on the Slayer's grave' is beautiful. Kendra was a mistake, however. If you want to feature a Jamaican character, maybe you should cast someone who's actually Jamaican instead of forcing Bianca Lawson to do that appalling accent.
13. When She Was Bad: Still more of a coda to Season One, but that's not so bad. I think I sympathise with Buffy a lot more this time around, and I respect that they tried to do something a bit out of left field for the opener, instead of a big, 'we're back!' episode.
14. Inca Mummy Girl: Another good one for Xander, but that's about it.
15. Killed by Death: Great monster, naff and rather plot that doesn't show it off enough. Cordelia is the best thing in it.
16. The Dark Age: Nice to touch on Giles' past, but it all feels a bit lifeless and drab.
17. Some Assembly Required: A bit too basic, but has some nice Giles and Jenny scenes.
18. Bad Eggs: The Bezoar plot is actually not too bad, if a little generic. This is the first episode of the series that feels like it has absolutely no point to it whatsoever, because there's not even any focus on a particular character. Hence the irritating scene of two cowboy vampires punching each other in a sewer.
19. Go Fish: Terrible placement in the season and a wafer-thin plot that wastes Charles Cyphers (a sin in itself).
20. Reptile Boy: Utterly awful. This has only got worse with age, and if Beer Bad, Where the Wild Things Are and Dead Things didn't exist, it would be my pick for the worst episode of the Buffyverse.
Season Two builds on what made Season One work and just adds a bit more of interest. Get rid of the Orlok-esque Master and replace him with the more modern Spike and Dru. Feature a bit more complex interplay between the characters. Pull a twist where Buffy's boyfriend turns out to be the villain. There are a fair few bland and generic episodes here, but it gets so much right, especially from Surprise onwards, that I can't really begrudge this season much. It just happens that the next one was even better.
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