Question Season 4: Worst Season Ever?

[Enemies]

Just a discussion really....

Personally, I think that this is one of the most disappointing in the entire series. Although I'm loathe to criticise anything Buffy, I was really deflated after watching season 4. There were good parts of it such as Faith's return,the introduction of new characters and the finale where they all take part in the spell. However I am not a big fan of Riley and think the season in all went off on a tangent.

Opinions/Ideas anyone?

 

[FetalPig]

I'm watching this series atm and loving it. Not a big fan of the Riley/Adam thing but hey there's lots of great episodes and quite a few good plot twists.

No complaints here. And as for worst season? I reserve that accolade for other shows!

 

[Hale Caesar]

BtVS season 7 for one reason...The Potentials

 

[BuffyElevated]

Even though I'm not a fan of the whole "evil government operation" thing going on with the Initiative, I like Season 4 a lot. I like Riley, and I thought having a Frankenstein type villain was sort of interesting. I really liked the college storyline and the growth of the characters and showing how people and relationships can change when people leave the safety net of high school.

 

[zobothehobo]

It was a transition season as the first year after high school is. I actually wish it had less of a plot and was more of a mess. But I think it was a tangent... But that felt liks the point to me.

 

[Enemies]

I did love the ending to season four and the hints at Dawn arriving. Off the top of my head I can't think of an episode I enjoyed other than Faith's return.

 

[Username]

No I do not think it was the worst season, but it is when the show started getting not as good as before.. 😀.... season 6 was by far the worst IMO.

 

[Enemies]

I think perhaps 'worst' is harsh and not as good as the others is more appropriate definitely

 

[sk]

I agree that season 4 arguable has the worst season arc with the Initiative and Adam isn't my favorite villain.

But it still has some of the best episodes of the entire series so no, I would never call it the worst.

/SK

 

[brinkster130]

No way! Season 4 had some great episodes and I think they handled the scoobies transition into college very well. Sure the Initiative/Adam arc could have been improved, but as a whole I don't think it was the worst season.

 

[VisionGirl]

Season 4 has tons of funny moments! I did not mind the Initiative but I strongly disliked Adam. I think it would've been much more interesting to have Maggie as the Big Bad, creating a master-race of human/demon/machine hybrids. But we hadn't yet had a human Big Bad. Maybe Joss didn't feel we could deal with that at that point.

I love Primeval & Restless.

 

[Marisa]

Before I would have said yes but I don't think it is horrible. I think a couple seasons had its downfalls. I like season four for the numerous good episodes. Faith's arc, Superstar, Wild at heart are just a few but the only problem I had was Maggie and Adam on a serious level. The story-line could have been better imo, instead it got boring.

 

[Goby]

I absolutely LOVE the first two episodes. I think it is brilliant how lost and lonely Buffy was in college... just like real life.

Adam could have been done a little better, but all in all, another great Buffy season. 🙂

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Not sure about title of the thread: Worst Season Ever. Now, if it was: Least Favourite Season.
Season 4 has so much going for it, take Maggie and Adam as a modern Dr. Frankenstein and the monster. The writers had already tried the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde one, I wasn't to keen on the Hansel and Gretel one though, that was a bit to iffy. (Now a good Pied Piper one?).
Season 4 tried to bring something new into the mix, allowing audiences to think about what happened.

 

[Tome]

No way! That season has a bunch of hilarious eps and it's just very light-hearted overall. I love it! And it also has some of the best episodes in the series like 'Hush', 'Restless', 'Primeval' ect... 🙂 If season 2-3-5 weren't so awesome, it'd be my favorite easy!

 

[charmedones193]

I loved season 4, I'd say the worst season was season 7 (not the beginning, but the whole potential thing)

 

[BuffyThoughts]

I'm rewatching S4 right now, just finished Pangs, a truly forgettable ep. If I were watching the season for the first time, I would be very pleased so far, and looking forward to more.

By the end of the season, I was disappointed. Adam was not a very good "big bad," and the "anti-government" thing seemed a bit cliche and obvious to me. But that doesn't wipe out all the good stuff.

Overall, it was still a good season. Not as good as S6, which is my favorite, but a good season.

 

[Taake]

I'm rewatching S4 right now, just finished Pangs, a truly forgettable ep.

Lol, I have to disagree, that was actually one of my favorites from start. "You made a bear! Undo it! Undo it!" 😀


As for season 4 I think it's far from worst. Sure there are things I wouldn't mind tweaking and maybe improving a bit but all in all I love the shift and changes from high school to college, the new characters (Riley, Tara, Anya...) and the atmosphere kept up throughout the episodes and I think it has a lot of good episodes that I love to re-visit.

 

[caritas08]

Because Joss is so amazing at creating "found family" relationships, my favorite seasons are the ones that display those relationships at their strongest.

The first 3 seasons work their way from the core four to including Oz, Angel, Cordelia, and, for a while, Faith.

Then in season 4 we lose not only those four characters, but the core 4 since season 1 start to drift apart. Although this is very realistic, it hurts my enjoyment of season 4. This is rectified in Season 5 as the cast again begins to feel like a family. Season 6 and 7 suffer again, however , with the frequent absence of Tara and Giles. Xander and Anya break up, Buffy separates herself with Spike, and Willow goes off the deep end with the magic. This hurts my enjoyment of the show because Buffy has often been a form of escapism from my own family drama.

Angel also is strongest to me in Seasons 2 and 3 because you have a solid core "family" Angel, Wes, Cordelia, Gunn, Fred and Lorne.

 

[Chosen Enemy]

In the past year, it actually became my favorite, or one of at least. Not that it's that good, but because it's the funnest. When I rewatch, I usually find myself watching season 4.