Kerri with a K
*******-in-Training
I think the show has more than one turning point, IMO. There are so many poignant moments that really define the characters and the series.
The first for me was Prophecy Girl, when the Scoobies come to the realization that they're not just normal teenagers, but people who are destined to save the world, with Buffy's teary talk with Giles (I'm 16... I don't want to die...) and again with Willow's exchange with Buffy (It's not our world anymore...).
And then again with Surprise/Innocence, when Buffy "grows up" and Angel turns into evil Angelus...
I think a "turning point" occurs any time something monumental happens to make the characters reexamine what they are doing and why they are doing it, which also makes the audience do the same. I think each season brought the show to a whole other level, and the characters and audience alike grew with each challenge. And the constant uncertainty really helped that as well. ie Jenny, Joyce and Tara dying.
The first for me was Prophecy Girl, when the Scoobies come to the realization that they're not just normal teenagers, but people who are destined to save the world, with Buffy's teary talk with Giles (I'm 16... I don't want to die...) and again with Willow's exchange with Buffy (It's not our world anymore...).
And then again with Surprise/Innocence, when Buffy "grows up" and Angel turns into evil Angelus...
I think a "turning point" occurs any time something monumental happens to make the characters reexamine what they are doing and why they are doing it, which also makes the audience do the same. I think each season brought the show to a whole other level, and the characters and audience alike grew with each challenge. And the constant uncertainty really helped that as well. ie Jenny, Joyce and Tara dying.