THE episode for Buffy newbies

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mogwaid

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So say I wanted to get someone to watch Buffy, but i know if i show them the first episode, they wont really like it. But I dont want to show an episode like OMWF/The body/Restless because its not like the other episodes. Also I dont want to show them something where they aren't going to understand anything thats going on...

So what is your opinion of a good episode to start with, that will show the humour/scoobieness/drama/action of it all?
 
S
Spirit_Of_Fred
good thread! now if i find another newbie, ill have more opinions on what to show them :).
i went through this dilemma once before, and i wasnt sure. what i used (though some people might say 'no, that's stupid, they'll hate it cause of dawn! i hate her! she's annoying!', but i like dawn 🙁) was the episode 'real me'. i think it was a good choice because it was very close to the first episode of the season, so not much had started. because of dawn's journal introductions, she'll partially explain things to the newbie for you 🙂. it is, in my opinion, starting off in a good season (certainly better than season 1!), with other characters i love (tara, anya) that don't start off in btvs. it is definetely funny, with a lot of jokes, and, well, harmony's in it, so 'nuff said there. it has the usual buffy action, and there is some sister drama and relationship drama, i think...so, yeah, thats the what and why of it :silly:.
 
Cheers! "Real me" is a good episode to show now that I think about it. But then if they do love it, they're gonna wanna watch from the start and it will be Dawn-less but I wouldn't be able to tell them anything without it being spoily. 😛 but yeah that one is good!!

Anyone else got ideas?
 
I would go with Earshot. That episode has drama, comedy, scooby interaction, and it doesn't take place in a later season so you wont spoil much if they ask for some explanations.
 
The only problem I see with Earshot is that it's spoilery from another episode...and later on it's not going to be as funny 🙂 - i say go with "Halloween" it's got all the fun of everything, it's kooky and you get used to most of the characters pretty quickly
 
Real Me was the episode that got me hooked, it's pretty good. I would go with The Harsh Light of Day. It's got Spike, plenty of action and it's funny.
 
Actually, whenever I make someone watch BtVS, I start with Faith, Hope & Trick. The first two seasons aren't that great imo, so I wait with those until like after season 5 or 6, and have them watch season 3 (from Faith, Hope & Trick) and then season 4 and so on...

Faith, Hope & Trick has got sort of character introduction, and even sort of introduction of the 'verse, if you just explain the basic stuff before you watch it. Also, I think most of the characters are at their best/most themselves around this time in the show 🙂

(Plus, well, Faith, duh..)
 
I'd go with either Anne or Faith, Hope, and Trick. Definetely do NOT show them Inca Mummy Girl. 🙂
 
i'd stick with a stand alone ep. one that you know there's not gonna be anyplot arcs that they're gonna need to know, one that won't cause too many questions.
'Faith, Hope and Trick' is a a good one. or 'Halloween'
definitely do not show them something like 'Passion' it causes way too many questions.
you could also try 'School Hard' it's early in the season, so no real story lines developing yet, plus, they get to meet Spike straight away, and i mean, come on, how can you not love Spike? lol
 
Maybe you could try the one where Buffy is hallucinating and she thinks that she is in an institution. Is it Normal Again? Is that too spoilery? But it does have Dawn...it would be too confusing for some people. Or have them watch Normal Again, the first two eps, and then the episode before we meet Dawn, the episode where we are briefly introduced to Dawn, and then Real Me.

Whew.
 
Agree with Lyri - Scool Hard is a good choice because its when the show steps up a notch and gets great. Plus its a good introduction to the characters and purposes without relying too much on existing knowledge or being spoilery.
 
My First "Buffy"

The first time I saw Buffy (aside from the movie) was in the episode "Once More With Feeling," and I was hooked.
 
School Hard is a good choice, I think. It shows the most basic premise of the show....and has Spike, of course! Harsh Light of Day would be another one, for the same reason.
 
I agree about School Hard. Real Me is an okay episode, I'm not sure about showing it to newbies. It doesn't seem enough. I wouldn't show Anne, cause it's too depressing, and besides, it comes after Becoming, a very important episode, but it needs to be shown after you understand the relationships between the characters, and especially B/A. I like Earshot for that goal. Normal Again is a little bit too heavy. Maybe you need to think which character they might like or hate and pick the episode by that. I like Spike so I think Spike episodes would be great. Or think which kind of episode would be cool to start with: comedy, drama, horror, romance, etc. I know every episode has all of the above, but there are episodes that lean toward one or two particular genres.
 
white avenger said:
The first time I saw Buffy (aside from the movie) was in the episode "Once More With Feeling," and I was hooked.
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I tried it with OMWF once, but the person just got bored because they had no idea what was going on or what the songs were about.

But then again, i tried it with another person, and they loved the episode coz they loved musicals!

I guess it really depends on the person.
 
see..its hard cuz of the big dramatic thing of Buffy leaving in season two..and it carried over to season three..so I'd say actually "the Pack" its hilarious, and in the first season..plus its got eviley Xander 😉
 
Hey, what about 'The Wish'? it's like a completely new show. there is no backstory, or at least, very little, nothing that needs to be explained a lot.
everyone gets introduced to all of the characters, 'cause they're brand new.
plus, Vamp!Xander!! that boy is HOT!! lol
 
mogwaid said:
I tried it with OMWF once, but the person just got bored because they had no idea what was going on or what the songs were about.
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I showed OMWF to a friend of mine who had watched some Buffy, and was a musical fan... About two thirds into the episode I went "Ah I love the lyrics to this song".. and she goes "Errr, was I supposed to listen to the lyrics?"

🙁
 
Never having seen an episode before, I started watching reruns on FX to get caught up a little because I wanted to watch OMWF, which I had seen commercials for and thought would be interesting. What really got me hooked while watching those reruns were Becoming I & II, then OMWF solidified it. I loved the drama, the banter, the action, and the sexuality. It's all there. 🙂

I meant to say the "gut-wrenching, heart-ripping-out, tears-for-years drama." Or something like that. :frog: Buffy running down the hall in slo-mo is quite poignant and will stick with a person.
 
I think it's really hard to start in Season 3, there's a lot of questions that are connected to Angel, I really like the idea of School Hard or Halloween (still yes)
 
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