S2 Buffy because it's the best compromise between painful angst and charming pep. I ache for her loss and love her as she really starts accepting her Slayerness automatically and she treasures Giles/Willow/Xander/Angel with even deeper connections than S1.
Very close between S2 Xander and S4 Xander. I love S2 Xander's passion, his relationship with Cordelia and his moments of bravery. However, I find S4 Xander just so appealing as he tries to figure out how to fix his life and I sympathize with him so much as his friends grow away from him.
Not even close. S2 Giles for sure. See
Icarium's comment:
Giles - Season 2 (I think a pattern is emerging here). This season has like two-thirds of all development Giles got. And it has some of his most heartbreaking moments (Passion, I Only Have Eyes For You) along with the heroic ones (Becoming) and badass ones (Ted, Becoming, Halloween).
I can't decide between S2 Willow and S3 Willow. There's too much good in both seasons and more, the two seasons feel like such a logical continuation in the development of her magic skills, relationship with Oz, partnership/friendship with Buffy and Giles, confidence level and life goals. The only slip up is the declined Xander/Willow friendship from S2 to S3 but there's enough scenes where Willow indicates her deep feelings for Xander for me to think that the decline in the relationship is better written on her end. Plus, Vamp Willow,
Doppelgangland and
Choices are three reasons why S3 deserves some top ranking even if it has to share with S2.
S2 Spike. Vibrant, scary, funny. The best villain after Angelus and Faith and Spike/Drusilla is my favorite Fanged Four relationship.
AtS S1 Cordelia. I love her in BtVS S2 and those two seasons are the only seasons where I LOVED Cordelia (although I also have affection for her in AtS S2, the end of BtVS S1 and BtvS S3).
However, her S2 BtVS growth is a little too closely tied to her romance with Xander and it doesn't give Cordelia an adult life experience AND the ability to make her own living (and indirectly provide for Wesley and Doyle) AND the ability to truly shape lives (Wesley, Angel, Doyle).
S3 Oz. The more Oz, the better. Unless he's sleeping with Veruca, you know that he's going to be witty, charming, romantic and all-around adorable so let's just pick the season with the most of him!
S5 Tara. I'm not a fan of hers but not giving up Dawn to Glory was quality heroism and the thumb wresting/Dawn bonding moments were cute.
S5 Anya. Not a fan of hers either but trying to sacrifice herself to Olaf and shielding Xander from the falling bricks were instances of quality heroism and organizing a brainstorming session in the group was quality leadership/intelligence.
S4 Riley. One season has Riley paying vampires for sex...oooh I mean suck jobs, pouting about stuff like Buffy rolling over in her sleep and risking death because he doesn't think Buffy wants someone without superpowers. The other season has Riley as important to main Big Bad plot, as a TA, with very cute scenes with Willow and courting Buffy with sweetness and formality. Which one do you I think I'll pick?
S5 Dawn. Not a Dawnster fan but in this season, she's critically important to the arc and to Buffy. Can't say that about her in the later seasons. Some of that's Buffy's fault but as a character, Dawn needs a purpose other than being a mouth for Buffy to feed and mouth to yell "Get out. Get out! GET OUT!"
