The gloomiest of all seasons?

[Tueuse de Vampires]

Does anyone else get the feeling that season1 was a lot gloomier and darker than any of the following seasons?

It already starts with the promo from back then:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7QAJ6zRUnQ"]buffy first trailer intro - YouTube[/ame]

I mean, the tone of that promo has that creepy, scary quality. It looks more like a horror movie than the slighlty comedic female empowerment show it actually is.

It's not only the promo, the way season1 episodes are build up also seems darker. Like, the music they used in "scary" scenes. One thing that always freaked me out, for example, was when Marcy the invisible girl had her music playing on tape recorder, while she was attacking Cordelia in Out Of Mind Out Of Sight. But also the background music. Because of that, season1 is the only season I can't watch by myself at night.

Or the way Giles approaches Buffy for the first time, hitting her right up with all the demon stuff, kinda freaking her out. Kinda freaking me out as well in that scene...

Even the vampires seemed scarier. Firstly, they were (also due to the Master) displayed as actual creatues of the night, growling a lot more, talking a lot less...more animalistic, monstrous somehow. Also you had a lot more ancient vampires, not the morons Buffy is often shown staking in later seasons, the Harmony types and just more 'modern' vampires.

And last but not least, the whole "In every generation there is a chosen one [..]" they used to play before each episode.

Season1 somehow had a more dark, mysterious, scary flair to it.


Does anyone else feel that way about season 1?

And why do you think this changed for later seasons?

 

[SinisterPledge]

I agree with you on a lot of things. I think they had to change it because that vampire/human relationship/connection was needed to create a rich and intriguing story. If every vampire would just have been mindless bloodsuckers it would have become boring after 2 seasons. I think it's the way Buffy and all the other characters act with the supernatural that makes the show so great, not the way they kill it.

 

[WileyDairyGnome]

Season 1 definitely had that creepy, (although cheesy) horror flair. I think they used that element heavily in Season 1 because they wanted to show the audience what to expect from the rest of the series, how it wasn't just a comedy about this cute blonde girl staking vamps.

 

[ladydorotea]

Season 6 was way gloomier and creepier.

 

[TotallySpiked]

I love that promo it had a definate 90's feel to it haha.
Yeah I agree that season one had a different feel to it and while to me it wasn't gloomy it felt like a lot of 'coming to terms' with your life which is kind of hard thing in itself sometimes. So it was quite grown up in that sense.
Season six to me is the gloomiest. The depression story line, the isolation, helplessness, addiction, heartbreak. It all pulls on the heartstrings a lot. Such a traumatic year for most of the characters. I also think the end of season 5 is worth a mention too. The death of Joyce, the break down of Buffy and Riley's relationship and finally, Buffy's death. All quite harsh too. I think that's when Buffy started to feel disconnected and basically broken.

 

[Evil Angelus 95]

I think Season 1 was one of the seasons with a darker feeling to it, mainly because they were trying to establish themselves and set themselves apart from the 1992 movie.

Out of all the seasons, 6 was the darkest and gloomiest though

 

[Marisa]

I think it was darker like the lighting the early seasons like 1 and 2 were. I also think it did have some creepy factors like that clown. That clown in the nightmares episode creeps me out big time.

 

[MarlieTheSlayer]

Season 6 is way 'scarier' for me. I think season 1 is very funny but not scary.
Although the clown creeps me out xD

 

[JCoatsworth]

I just started watching season 1 again, after quite a few months and I have to say I agree. I always considered season 6 the darkest season and I still think it deals with darker topics, has darker and more serious story lines, but the setting in season 1 is definitely darker. The lighting is gloomy, lots of shadows and all that. I guess it has also a lot to do with the budget. At that time, the series was less sophisticated, on a technical level.

 

[TaylorSwift]

There are different kinds of gloomy for me.

Season 1 is the darkest season in visual terms: we have so many dark scenes, shadows, so many different creatures with really creepy scenes, that classical horror feeling you get in the 90's.

Season 6 is the gloomiest when it comes to darkness within oneself. This one hits in a psychological and emotional way. The characters' darkness can really bring you down.

 

[Wild At Heart]

Yes, the atmosphere was a little darker. I remember hearing something on one of the commentaries or featurettes that they did brighten the lighting after s1. Personally, I loved it though.

 

[Zauberei]

re: lighting. Yes. Murky would be a better word. *Dons thinking cap* Or better yet, crepuscular. I think the lighting crew and the DP were still trying to nail the look they wanted for the show. Plus, the darker it is the better concealed will be your dodgy, low-budget effects. 🙂

re: themes, storylines. Not S1. Most assuredly S6-7. Bringing the Buffster back from the grave is as dark as you can get...and her coping with being ripped violently from a place of perfect serenity...and Willow powertripping...and Buffy getting the snot kicked out of her by the Turok-Han nasty...and Potentials pushing up daisies all too early, and... Well, you get the idea.

 

[Sweet J]

Film Noir.

Season 1 is definitely more grotto 'X-files' and less teenage kicks.

It's low budget not withstanding, it is darker and does have the midnight grove, conventional horror themes moreso than other seasons.

It was basked in opulently rich shadows with sinisterly sublime undertones, Especially with - 'The Witch', 'The Pack', 'Nightmares', & ''Out of mind, out of sight''.

As for most depressing season. Season 5 people, The Body is the nadir of human emotion.
Season 6 was just a load of lame people standing round looking at each other trying desperately to make misery for themselves, and in some cases, get some kinky action.

To answer the question 'why do I think it changed in later seasons'. I'm not so sure it did change all that rapidly. Season 2 was also pretty rocking in its Horror tales.
Over time though it did become less focused on the classical horror element of the show, and unfortunately it did become less dominant, with the relationship status of all the characters appearing to be what the show began to focus on heavily instead around season 5 onwards. For reasons I have never been able to fully comprehend.😡

 

[BladeRunner2007]

It does have a scary, eerie feel to it yes. Even from a writing standpoint. Remember it was also shot in 16mm and the whole show is lit very dark. The music is also more of a traditional horror score. This is one of the many reasons why I love season 1. I also agree with that X-Files comparison. The MOTW episodes definitely had an X-Files vibe to it.

 

[marie21]

I tend to agree that season 1 is darker and gloomier than in other seasons but it was mainly due to the setting and the lighting or lack of it, to the creepy atmosphere in the graveyard and the mindless vampires! in a way, season 1 looks more like a horror movie, especially in the first episode.
Like JCoatsworth said, it has more to do with the budget. Besides, they weren't sure the series would attract a lot of audience. So they thought if the first trailer showed the series as a kind horror teen series, they might attract more audience! but it's just the setting which is darker...

I still think Season 6 has darker storylines and themes! 😱

re: themes, storylines. Not S1. Most assuredly S6-7. Bringing the Buffster back from the grave is as dark as you can get...and her coping with being ripped violently from a place of perfect serenity...and Willow powertripping...and Buffy getting the snot kicked out of her by the Turok-Han nasty...and Potentials pushing up daisies all too early, and... Well, you get the idea.

Yes, bringing Buffy back from being dead is what creeps me the most!!! I mean, it's not like she regained consciousness after being dead for two or three minutes! she really died and Willow managed to bring her back!!!
Some couples had problems in that season: Willow/ Tara, Xander/Anya and of course the relationship between Buffy and Spike was very weird and very unhealthy and violent even if I find it interesting.

I find season 7 pretty dark too actually!!! For me, it's probably the gloomiest season of all!
I haven't much watched it mainly because it's too dark and depressing. I don't remember any fun episode or even really funny scenes in that season. I only remember potentials being killed with real dark baddies like Caleb and the First Evil while there were many tensions within the scooby gang till they even turned their backs on Buffy, and Spike going insane at the beginning...I remember some good scenes between Buffy and Spike toward the end of the season but most of the season is rather gloomy with a strong impression of isolation and conflicted relationships within the scoobie gang!

In season 6, there are still some fun episodes which makes you feel good after you watch them...not really in Season 7!

 

[galactica1981]

I didn't find Season One to be scary or even all that gloomy. Season 7 was easily the gloomiest with the constant predictions of doom that were coming from the First Evil. I didn't find the show overall to be scary, which is fine with me since I don't like horror movies. For me, the scariest moment I can remember is when Buffy is stalking Dawn in 6.7 Normal Again.

 

[SMG14Fan]

I think that's why I love season one so much. It has a creepy vibe to it and is the most reminiscent of horror movies, in my opinion. I also like how the season was shot with darker lighting and a graininess to it.

 

[TheOracle]

I personally love season one. In my opinion - it was the best season. Although it's not dark and gloomy...I don't feel Buffy has to be all dark and gloomy. It had great humor - and great episodes with something different each time. Plus, The Master was awesome and totally creepy.

Definitely LOVE this season.

 

[Zeppelin92]

I think season 1 was a lot darker than even season 6. There was less comedy in season one so the tone of the whole first season compared to the others that followed was a lot different. Thats just me though. I'm currently rewatching the first season which I do sparingly compared to the other ones and tahts the vibe I'm getting from it.