What BTVS season started the strongest?

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itssmiletime

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Pretty much the first 4 episodes in each season. Whenever we compare seasons, we talk about big bads, finales, characters... yes they are really important, but for people who haven't seen the season before, they may decide to stop watching it due to a few weak starting episodes. I included 4 as I think all of them at least set up a feel for the season, introduce key characters and have at least 1 ''MOTW'' episode.

1: WTTH, The Harvest, The Witch, Teachers Pet
2: When She Was Bad, Some Assembly Required, School Hard, Reptile Boy
3: Anne, Dead Man's Party, Faith Hope & Trick, Beauty and The Beasts
4: The Freshman, Living Conditions, Fear Itself, Harsh Light Of Day
5: Buffy vs Dracula, Real Me, Replacement, Out of my mind
6: Bargaining, Afterlife, Flooded
7: Lessons, From Beneath, Same Time Same Place, Help

To me, season 6 started out the strongest. It set up the feel of the season well. I loved how it went right into the themes it was going to explore.

MQ: What Buffy The Vampire Slayer season started the strongest for you?
Optional Question 1: Alternatively, what season started the weakest?
OP2: What episode shocked you more: Dirty Girls (7x18) or The Wish (3x09) ?
 
I'd say probably S6 or S7...

S6 because Buffy came back and it Bargaining was a crazy episode.
S7 because the Big Bad, the one that had been lurking in the shadows since at least S3 (Amends) was already there. It wasn't clear at the time, but even when I watch it now, I still get a little chilly when it's talking to Spike in the school's basement.

As for the weakest, it's a tie between S3 and S4...

S3 because I'm not a fan of the first 2 episodes and, althoughI understand the need for those episodes, I find them weak and not as enjoyable(sp?) as the rest of the season.
S4 well..... it's S4...
 
Season 6. It had those heartbreaking scenes of Buffy walking around dazed and thinking she was in Hell. If there was any way to have a season start out being so emotional, it was those episodes
 
MQ: What Buffy The Vampire Slayer season started the strongest for you?
Season 7, I loved all of those episodes and I think it progressed well enough, The First's introduction is beyond awesome, my favourite character introduction in BTVS

Optional Question 1: Alternatively, what season started the weakest?
Season 2, this was really hard for me, I ultimately chose 2 because I think Inca Mummy Girl and Some Assembly Required are by far the weakest episodes on the list imo, though I do love School Hard and When She Was Bad.

OP2: What episode shocked you more: Dirty Girls (7x18) or The Wish (3x09)?
Dirty Girls for me.
Caleb's intro, the fight at the vineyard, Xander's eye, this episode had me at the edge of my seat.

The Wish didn't shock me as much, but still had those moments, seeing Angel being treated like a dog, Cordelia dying, I was so sure she'd be the heroine of that episode (was kinda sad she wasn't lol ={), I was devastated when she died, I actually think I screamed when it happened lol.

I actually expected Willow and Xander to be Vampires though lol.
 
I think Season 6 started the strongest. From the very first few eps, we knew what the story arc for the season would be, and where the season was headed. I can't really say that about the other seasons except for Season 7.
 
S6 Strongest
S4 Weakest Living condisions hurts the starting line up
 
MQ: What Buffy The Vampire Slayer season started the strongest for you?
Well, I'm going with S2. "When she was bad" isn't my favorite episode ever, but I like the ensuing three. Actually, from that list I think that "The Freshman" is probably the best overall opener (even if "Welcome to the Hellmouth" is my favorite), but the following S4 episodes aren't very good, especially "Living Conditions".

Optional Question 1: Alternatively, what season started the weakest?

Probably S4. The beginning stretch wasn't good beyond the season opener.

OP2: What episode shocked you more: Dirty Girls (7x18) or The Wish (3x09)?

"Dirty Girls", no doubt. With "The Wish", it was surprising yeah, but I never had the sense throughout the episode that "oh man, this is permanent". With "Dirty Girls", I can't think of a villain in any medium ever, movie, book, T.V., comic, anything, who got over as a monster as fast as Caleb. Right from when he's in that truck "rescuing" the girl to the end of the episode where he carves out Xander's eye, that episode was shocking.

There are better villains than Caleb (not many, but a few), but I can't think of any who had the impact right off the bat like he did. Not even Angelus.
 
If you counted the first five episodes instead of the first four, then I would say Season 5 without a doubt. With the first four... I really have no idea.

And Dirty Girls is definitely more shocking. The Wish is a really interesting "What if?" story, but it's nothing more than that, which isn't quite as shocking.
 
SnoopDoug
SnoopDoug
Yeah, with S5, you pretty much have to include the fifth episode in order to understand the setup of the season.
MQ: What Buffy The Vampire Slayer season started the strongest for you?

Looking for the episodes listed for each season opener, I would have to say, for any newcomer, that season 3 opens the strongest. They are all good episodes that would draw you in immediately and it's constant action and you get to see a mix of both arc stuff and more stand-alone features as well. BUT for the seasoned watcher probably season 6 because it's very dark and Buffy's revival is really emotional and if you've been watching the previous seasons, the immediate delve into the cliffhanger is brilliant.

Optional Question 1: Alternatively, what season started the weakest?

I have to say Season 2. Even though I love that season, those particular episodes aren't it's brightest.

OP2: What episode shocked you more: Dirty Girls (7x18) or The Wish (3x09) ?

Dirty Girls. For Xander's eye mainly. Though the slow-motion fight scene in The Wish where we see everyone we love killed off as though they don't matter (and Oz dusting Willow!) always gave me chills.
 
Season 6, in my opinion. It begins, and we're right where we left off at the end of season 5. It's dark and gritty and it doesn't really need to build up anything new. We all know Buffy's dead and we all know what the episodes are gonna be about.
 
Wesley Pryce
Wesley Pryce
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I'm gonna say season 4 and here's why.....

I think Buffy sinks to her lowest in this ep and therefore her rise back up is that much more epic! And it really goes back to basics.... She needs her friends (Xander) and if you push her too hard (break her school protector award) she will freaking kick your butt!!!!!!


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kittenpoker said:
) and if you push her too hard (break her school protector award) she will freaking kick your butt!!!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I loved that bit where the breaking of her sparkley umbrella award sends her into the real Slayer zone haha. It reminded me of season 1 when she thinks the vampire has killed Owen and she starts kicking the heck out of the vamp yelling "you killed my date!"
 
K
kittenpoker
nice!! :-)
I'd have to say s6 as well. It had so much drama & there was so much going on. And even after Bargaining, we just kept waiting to see what Buffy was going to do or find out what really happened to her.
 
Wesley Pryce
Wesley Pryce
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I wish Dracula wasn't the opening to Season Five. This season starts off with so many questions about Dawn. Unlike S1-3 which are just introduction episodes. Season 4 introduces college, in which, the location is like a new character. Season 5 is the first episode to start with questions. Pretty mature show-writing. Season Six is fun, but long. I love the digging from the graves.. but within one episode we almost have everything up-to-date form where the previous season left off. Season Seven has an awesome opening, but not strong. I love the "going back to school" theme of it. Very creepy! Plus, with all the Big Bads from earlier mentioned.. too awesome. Maybe I am somewhere on between 5 & 7 AS FAR AS SEASON OPENINGS
 
I'm going with season one, the opener two parter of welcome to the hellmouth and the harvest really set up Buffy and the season, we met everyone, and the bad guy for the season too. It showed what being a slayer was about, including the other episodes, it also showed what high school was like and how hard it is to fit in and be liked
 
EVIL UU
EVIL UU
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What Buffy The Vampire Slayer season started the strongest?
For me it was season 6. Those first episodes were intense and it really set the tone for the whole season.

What season started the weakest?
Season 2. I thought When She Was Bad was really just bad. Of course it was all up from there 🙂

What episode shocked you more? Dirty Girls or The Wish?
Dirty Girls. I didn't really buy anything that happened in The Wish, the differences were just a bit too extreme to make it a believable alternative reality. Dirty Girls saw a lot of unexpected death which was pretty brutal (even if I have no love for the potentials)
 
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I feel that Season 3 started the strongest. We get the first episode that has Buffy dealing with her dilemma from the end of the last Season, and we get to see what her friends have been up to in the time since Buffy left. We get the next episode to get Buffy's reunion with her friends and family to get everything back to normal. Then we get an episode to introduce Faith to further advance the story and to start the theme of 'the path not taken', which was one of the major themes of the season. And we get an episode which both advances the story briefly (with Angel's reintroduction), but is mainly a monster of the week episode.
 
It's between Season 5 & 7.

5/7. Both Season 5 and 7 have all great episodes in their first 4. Season 5 gets a funny episodes though, so maybe that should mean it wins.
8. I'll include issues Long Way Home, The Chain, and No Future For You. All really good stories, but don't reach the heights of S5 or S7.
6. No bad episodes, just meh. This season doesn't kick up until OMWF.
1. Shaky, simply because it was a new show. All episodes were fun and fresh at the time in my opinion. Pilot wasn't that great, but showed the series' potential.
2-4. Ok opener. A few bad episodes, usually one good one.
9. So Freefall and Slayer, Interrupted. Honestly, can't remember these too well. I'll get back to you. 😛

If this was the first 6 episodes I would've said Season 7 without a doubt.
 
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