Should the show have ended after "The Gift"?

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Percy

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Now that we know the outcome of Seasons 6 and 7, do you think "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" should've ended after Season 5? Do you think "The Gift" would've been a better series finale then the actual one, "Chosen"? A lot of people thought it wasn't worth bringing Buffy back in Season 6 and it would've been a more fitting ending for the show with Buffy plummeting to her death.

Here's what i think: three years ago, for sure i would've said "Hell no, i want more Buffy, 5 seasons is NOT enough", but now that i know the outcomes of Seasons 6 and 7, i thought "Do Season 6 and 7 make the show better or worse overall?" and my answer is worse. Even though i like Season 6, it's not on the level of Seasons 2,3 and 5. And Season 7 in my opinion is just one big mess. I know wishing it would've ended after "The Gift" would mean there would be no musical episode, and no evil willow, but that's something that i would sacrafice in order to make the show better as a whole. So to answer the original question, i would have to say, yes, "The Gift" would've been a better ending to the series. Even though it was a tragic ending, it was fitting somewhat.

Now the only problem i have with my answer is that 5 seasons isn't really enough for me. The ultimate thing i wish they would've done was hold off on the whole dawn/key thing UNTIL Season 7. Meaning Season 5's plotlines should've been Spike and Buffy's sex, Willows going evil, Xander and Anya getting married, etc (basically Season 6's plotline with no Dawn) Then Season 6 should've had all the things they did in Season 7 (minus dawn, heck minus it all, i don't like S7), and then Season 7 should've been Season 5, inroducing dawn, Joyce dies, Glory, the key, Buffy's death, etc. and have the entire Season play out exactly the same. To me it seems like the writers wanted to go all out for Season 5, to make up for Season 4. But while making Season 5, they knew it wasn't going to be BTVS's last season so i don't know why they didn't think "If we go all out, how the hell would we be able to top ourselfs in the later seasons? Let's save this season for the last". Dawn should've been introduced in Season 7, and "The Gift" should've been in the series final episode, in Season 7.
 
Maybe The Gift would have made a better series finale, but I'm not sure, I don't think so.. I love season 6, there are so many great episodes (OMWF, Normal Again, Family.. The episodes with dark Willow..). Season 7 wasn't good, but I don't think the show should have ended with The Gift. And I'm not sure Glory would've made a great last evil, I sort of like The First..
 
I don't think so. I loved s6, and s7 isn't that bad.
Maybe the way you said it, about 5 being s6 and all that would have been better, but I'm not sure. And there's also the thing that maybe the writers didn't have all the ideas for s6 when they were making s5? Maybe when they wrote s5 it was as the last season?
And besides, I didn't think s5 was that great. The Gift was a great episode, but the whole season overall i wouldn't be happy with that being the ending...Not at all!
 
I am glad The Gift was not the end, I just felt S6 was all ace and for me it stands out as the best season for me, so I am glad they went further into the lifes of the ones we love. What you had to say Percy concerning the orders of seasons maybe having S6 pan out as S5 and S7 could of been in S6's place but totally different plot and then having S5 as S7 for the final season. Oh I dunno because then the musical would of been the exact same because Buffy would of not came from heaven, AHH I am just gonna say I like the way Buffy went, even though S7 was a porr way to go out!!!
 
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Lethe
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polexia
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I tend to favor S6 and 7 the most, especially because of the maturing of the characters and even though there was tons of plot holes in S7, it was a really interesting concept. Season 6, no matter how dark and gloomy people think it was, was one of the best overall seasons with amazing episodes. It showed more of the "real life" situations the scoobies had to face and the monsters they fought within themselves. So I don't agree that S5 should have been the last with the Gift being the final episode. I think its so much better that finally, after all these years, Buffy has the chance to gain what she strived for the entire series, a bit of normalcy.
 
Season 7 could've been made into another season 3 (best season). they could have done some monster of the week like the earlier Buffy Seaon3 eps. but i think they got too involved with the story and it sort of overshadowed everything. Although it was still a good season. but there probably should've been a 2 hour finale so that the story could've been expanded and given more depth. And that fight could've been great (Angel shoul've stayed)
But should the show have ended after Season 5. Well when i watch some episodes i think my god what have they done they've ruined it (Lessons, Flooded) but when i watch the other eps i thin wow it's still great (Help, Grave, Him, Chosen). the writing stayed great over the years. but i think they made a mistake bringing Spike back for S7 there really was no need for him. Andrew should've been given a bigger role and Kennedy killed (god, i hate her).
I do think they should've made Dawn part of the scoobies much earlier and Joyce lived (as we all loved buffy when she was being taken care of, but when buffy had to grow up it got darker like in real life)
So, no i don't think they sould've stopped after Season 5. Yes i do think that Season 5 would've been a better series finale than Chosen. But well it just wasn't and to be honest i like my Buffy alive and Kickin'
 
While I'm happy that the show went on after season 5, I do think that season 5 would have made a better ending. They decided to tackle a god in that season, while the following season (with the exception of Willow) the Big Bad was a group of 3 geeks. IMO the last 2 seasons they were trying to find a way to top a god as the Big Bad and I don't think that they suceeded. I think that Glory was the ultimate enemy that they could face and therefore should have been saved until the end. Don't get me wrong, I loved season 6 and liked season 7, but I definitely see Percy's point.
 
Well originally s5 was supposed to be the last season of Buffy. I can't remember for sure where I saw that, I think it was inthe special features on the DVD's, and I read that online somewhere....anyway....but then they decided to come back with another season, and then they had another season after that.
Anyway though...
I'm glad they came back with 2 more seasons. I really liked the Gift, it's one of my favorite eps, but I liked Chosen better as a series finale.
 
Beer_Nut said:
While I'm happy that the show went on after season 5, I do think that season 5 would have made a better ending. They decided to tackle a god in that season, while the following season (with the exception of Willow) the Big Bad was a group of 3 geeks. IMO the last 2 seasons they were trying to find a way to top a god as the Big Bad and I don't think that they suceeded. I think that Glory was the ultimate enemy that they could face and therefore should have been saved until the end. Don't get me wrong, I loved season 6 and liked season 7, but I definitely see Percy's point.
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I see your point, sort of. But I like the Big Bads of season 6 and 7. In season 6 it was Willow (I think), and that was great, cause we didn't expect that.. (And she is a great "evil" cause it's not about killing her.) In season 7.. Well, I like The First.. Maybe it could have been done in a better way, I don't know, but I actually think that the Big Bads get better in the later seasons (well, not worse anyway).
 
Beer_Nut said:
While I'm happy that the show went on after season 5, I do think that season 5 would have made a better ending. They decided to tackle a god in that season, while the following season (with the exception of Willow) the Big Bad was a group of 3 geeks. IMO the last 2 seasons they were trying to find a way to top a god as the Big Bad and I don't think that they suceeded. I think that Glory was the ultimate enemy that they could face and therefore should have been saved until the end. Don't get me wrong, I loved season 6 and liked season 7, but I definitely see Percy's point.
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I too am happy that it went on after Season 5, i mean it's not a big deal to me. Season 6 is a nice Season and Season 7...well i'll try to rewatch that when it comes out on DVD because i really do want to like it. I guess my ultimate wish is that i wish they would've saved all the events that happened in Season 5 for the final season. Because you are right, there is no way they could be able to top Glory and i don't know why they never thought about that. Glory was the biggest of the bads and she was Buffy's biggest threat. It was actually the only time ever Buffy wasn't confident in coming out of the battle alive. In every season they are confident about beating the big bad, even in S7, except in Season 5, Buffy is really scared to death about everything. And i really don't think the ending of "The Gift" was that tragic. I mean sure Buffy died and all, but she realized that it was part of her destiny. She was chosen to fight evil and she accepted that by sacraficing herself. That would've been just as great of an ending as the ending in "Chosen" where Buffy changes her destiny and decides that she doesn't need to die. I still give the entire show an A, it's just that i am so upset that the best show in television, had one of the worst and sloppy series finales ever. Even Dawson's Creek had a more fitting final season than Buffy did, and that's not saying much because, hello, Dawson's Creek SUCKS!
 
Kazby said:
Well originally s5 was supposed to be the last season of Buffy. I can't remember for sure where I saw that, I think it was inthe special features on the DVD's, and I read that online somewhere....anyway....but then they decided to come back with another season, and then they had another season after that.
Anyway though...
I'm glad they came back with 2 more seasons. I really liked the Gift, it's one of my favorite eps, but I liked Chosen better as a series finale.
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i read that somewhere too... i think it might have been in the special edtion of SFX that is all about BtVS... well i'm not sure though.

i think that the gift would have been a good ending of the show, but think of all the moments we would have missed! 2years of buffy... we wouldn't ahve seen; once more with feeling, or tabula rasa, and LOTS AND LOTS of more classical buffy, xander, willow, tara, giles, dawn, spike and ANYA moments...

well i'm glad we got to see s6 and s7!!! so i don't think it would have been good if the show ended there! though it would have been a good ending ep... (exept it might have bugged me for a LONG TIME if it had ended there... cause how would the others react,? is she really gone? 🙂)

fun thread!
 
It would've been a good ending, but I really like season 6 & 7 so I can't exactly say. So, one part of me says- there was spuffy and spike with a soul! and all that good stuff, so yea, for not ending it at 5 but another part of me thinks if would've been a more fitting ending. If it would've ended at season 5, it would've gave alot of more buffy fans closure...you know what i mean? In 'Chosen' Joss kinda left us hanging, pondering what was gonna happen next...but nothing was next. So if it ended in 'The Gift' buffy fans would've been like-Buffy did i good job, but her time was done..blah blah blah. We would've had closure. (Which i still need---i still dont believe buffy and angel are gone.)
Same with 'Not fade away', we were left hanging, guessing if the gang made it out, but not knowing.

-EDIT-
Okay, i love all the season six and seven episodes. I'm not saying i dont. My favorite season is the 7th, I'm just saying that it probably would've made more people have "closure".
 
I'm glad it went on to seasons 6 and 7. Even though The Gift would have been a good end to the show, it didn't really wrap up all of the charecters storylines, but Chosen pretty much did. When I first saw The Gift I didn't know that the show was being carried on for another two seasons, and I was saying things like, "the show can't end there, what happens to Willow, Xander and everyone else?", so if the show hadn't carried on we would have never have found out that Tara had died, Willow had gone evil and all sorts of other things. Chosen didn't leave me wondering stuff like that, so thats why I'm glad it ended with Chosen.
 
When "The Gift" first aired I thought it was possibly the last ep of Buffy but it wasn't so i was happy. No, it shouldn't of ended with "The Gift". Season 6 was just so so awesome (Hell's Bells, Grave, Two to Go, Life Serial, Tabula Rasa, Doublemeat Palace, Once More With Feeling....the list of great eps is huge!)of a season and season 7 may have not been the best but it was GOOD.
 
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\/Fred\/
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i just watched "end of days" and "choosen" and i have to say that it is the best ending!! s i'm REALLY glad it didn't end with the gift! choosen sorta raps it up for us, yu know 😉
 
I'm one of the many fans who hate Season 6 and sorta dislike Season 7.

The Gift was the epitome of all that was good in the Buffyverse. Possibly the best acting out of all the episodes and such a heroic death.

I always said to myself, "I think the last episode should end with Buffy's death." and this is because, as a fan, I can't comprehend Buffy post-show, because it just isn't it. I don't like this whole many Slayers, new Council and Buffy living in Italy.

Plus Season 6 was Buffy at her worst. And horribly, sleeping with Spike! The whole, "I want to feel thing." If Seasons 1-4 Buffy ever meet Season 6 Buffy, oh they would so kick her ass for being to Prozac needy.

Although I know she did die and all, but come on, its Buffy! Shes got the greatest heart out of any character I've seen, and her not fighting this depression like mood is just un-Buffy!
 
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Cookie Dough
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Slayer said:
I've seen, and her not fighting this depression like mood is just un-Buffy!
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As much as I love to agree with you hun, I'm going to have to diasgree here. Season 6 explored Buffy's character deeper than we've ever seen before. It humanized her, because after all she is a human. Most of the other seasons put her up on this pedastal where she didn't have to face the common troubles alot of us deal with (work, school, depression, bad relationships, friendship issues,etc), but in S6, she got down to the nitty gritty and I think all that she went through in S6, made her all the better slayer for the final season.
 
Cordelia said:
As much as I love to agree with you hun, I'm going to have to diasgree here. Season 6 explored Buffy's character deeper than we've ever seen before. It humanized her, because after all she is a human. Most of the other seasons put her up on this pedastal where she didn't have to face the common troubles alot of us deal with (work, school, depression, bad relationships, friendship issues,etc), but in S6, she got down to the nitty gritty and I think all that she went through in S6, made her all the better slayer for the final season.
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True, but I just hated seeing her like that.

Its someone that you've held in such high regard failing face down. I guess its good for her character that she had to go through an inner struggle, but I just hate watching it. The things she does to herself and the 2 apparent suicide attempts (Is it Bargaining or the ep after? and OMWF)
 
I enjoyed "The Gift" and found it to be wonderful episode, and it would have made a nice ending. It provided a lot of closure.

But there are many moments in s6 and s7 that were very meaningful to the show. Just the fact that Buffy got to have the pleasure of not being the only slayer to carry the burden and get to do whatever she wanted was major. That was what she was searching for all along. And she got that: without being dead.

I do agree with Beer_Nut that it was hard to top Glory as the big bad of the season. Even the supposed all powerful First Evil couldn't really compare to her, so yeah, it was hard.

But I cherish season six and season seven.
 
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