Well, I can't say season 4 was my favorite, but I did like it a lot. The main problem I had with it was the bland Initiative/Adam plotline, but there were other factors, too, including the occasional weak episode (Beer Bad, Superstar, Where the Wild Things Are, etc.) But, on the flip side, it had a lot of redeeming qualities, including:
- Spike getting a chip and becoming the Scoobies' hilarious houseguest.
- A lot of outstanding standalones, including Pangs, Something Blue, Hush, and Restless.
- The Buffy-Faith body swap. This Year's Girl and Who Are You? are both great episodes.
- The introduction of Tara, the beginning of her relationship with Willow, and the start of my all-time favorite ship!
- Xander and Anya's relationship officially starts, and they quickly became another one of my favorite ships.
I think season 4 is so unpopular for three reasons; one, a lot of people (including myself) often overlook the good qualities of season 4 and go right to the bad; two, it's the first season without the ever-popular Buffy/Angel relationship; and three, it's the end of Buffy's high school experience. But overall, its good qualities outnumber the bad. Plus, it's a lot better than seasons 1 and 7.