Why the "Best"?

[Willow-Tree]

To begin, I clearly love Buffy, or else I wouldn't be here.

I just finished a re-watch of Season Two with my mom (although it was her first "watch"), and I'm sad to say that it left neither of us too impressed. Perhaps I should state that I am not really a fan of Buffy and Angel together. I'm not sure if my mom is, and I'm afraid to ask her in fear I'll let slip some sort of spoiler - despite thinking it is "overrated" so far, she is still enjoying it and we'll move on to Season 3 (my favorite) soon.

All of this is to ask - why is Season 2 rated so highly - even sometimes heralded as "the best" season of Buffy? In my opinion, there are far too many filler episodes (most of the first half of the season is purely "Monster-of-the-Week" in plot), and once the overarching plot is revealed, we're back to some more fillers. While I'm not a huge fan of Angel, I find Angelus very entertaining - aside from Passion and Becoming, I really do not see him as a threat. In all honesty, he is randomly thrown into scenes of other episodes just to remind viewers that he is still there (Go Fish, Killed By Death, etc.) Spike and Drusilla are sort of the same, though they are so much more entertaining so I guess I'm blinded a bit by that to notice much.

Basically, I want to know if anyone here rates this as their favorite season - and why?

 

[TotallySpiked]

Season 2 for me is where the show began to hit it's stride in the way it started to develop the characters and their relationships. Whilst I don't ship Bangel, I appreciate their relationship for what it is; first love, first heartbreak etc and I find it to be a romanticized version of love - but I'm still a sucker (no pun intended) for seeing it. Which then brings us to the turning point, Angelus. I love him as a character and I feel David really steps up when he plays him. You can truly see how sadistic he is and I think that if I was trapped alone with him or being stalked by him, I would be genuinely terrified. He's crazy - you'd never know what to expect. I love the metaphor for their relationship - boys turns evil after you sleep with him and I think they captured it quite well.
I love, love, love the introduction of Spike and Dru into the series and find them to be a breath of fresh air and cheer when Spike kills the 'annoying' one.
I do agree that their are a lot of fillers in the season (season 2 is one of my favourites to watch stand-alones) I find 99% of them enjoyable to watch. There is so much lore and mythology that they could explore in the second season. Since the verse was still so new there were so many stories they could tell and it would be considered fresh.
I love Becoming part I and II. I find those episodes (especially the latter) to be great. I've said before that B2 is my favourite episode because of the sheer heartbreak of it. That Buffy has to kill Angel - even though she loves him - to save the world. I think that speaks volumes of her journey as a person (in theory) of who she used to be pre-Sunnydale; ie, selfish and shallow, etc. I felt that heartbreak with her and it never fails to tear me up when I watch it.
I think as a season it had the right momentum and it flows together really well, much better than some of the other seasons. I found myself not getting bored and always wanted to know what would happen next.
All in all, season 2 is my favourite season (with season 3 and 7 closely following it). Plus I'm a huge fan of the nostalgia of High School.

 

[Robb Stark]

Well, if you aren't an Angel or Buffy/Angel fan, then you're not going to be blown away by S2. I've re-watched it several times now and I've always found the big seasonal arc really interesting and entertaining. If you find the Buffy/Angel relationship overrated though, then yeah, you aren't going to get as much out of it.

I can't see the view of Angelus not being threatening though. For sure, he shines the most in "Innocence" and "Passion", but I thought he was, by far, the most threatening big bad in the entire series.

There are more stand-alone episodes in S2, sure, but I liked it. I think S3 is better on the whole, but the main arc of S2 is the best of the series.

 

[Vamp Jenny]

S2 is my favorite season (with S7 really close behind). Buffy/Angel, angelus, Spike/Dru... What's not to love?

There is one episode I don't like much and it's Ted. But else than that I pretty much love them all.

Angel is a very evil character, but when you count only on the "scary" definition of a season's big bad, you won't be blown away by him. It's been said again and again during the season that Angelus works from the inside. he's not frightening(sp?) because he's bad, but because he can torture you for a long time. Let's take Dru for example. He never touched her because she became a nun. But he killed her entire family and make her go crazy. That's what really makes Angelus one of the best big bads (imo), if not THE best. He was the only one (except for Glory), to get inside Buffy's mind and make her lose it. Until Becoming, it was never sure that she would be able to kill him. Even when he got his soul back in B2, there were uncertainties until the last moment.

And throughout the episodes where Angelus isn't important much, he's there just enough to remind us (and the Scoobies) that the monster-of-the-week isn't the only one to be afraid of. Plus, in some episodes (like Go Fish), he gives some indication as for what to expect (like when he bites Wentworth Miller's character and can't stand the taste).

There might be more filler episodes than some other seasons, but I think it's a good thing. Because otherwise the story would have been developped too fast and wouldn't have been as poignant.

 

[itssmiletime]

Whilst I don't think it's the strongest season overall, (I think 5 is the best), it has the strongest arc.

I do not consider myself to be a massive Bangel shipper, but it is absolutely brilliant how Angelus interacts with the Scoobies. The psychological torture is distinctive and unique- how many shows can make killing goldfish so evil and warped?

Season 2 has some great MOTW (Hallowe'en, Killed By Death) and some poor episodes (Go Fish, Ted). So overall- lots of filler, but a great arc, and the reason why many people see it as the best season is because of that arc, imo. Plus, it also showed a great increase of mature themes and complexity.

 

[Icarium]

Well, if you aren't an Angel or Buffy/Angel fan, then you're not going to be blown away by S2.

I beg to differ. I find S2 to also be the best season for the Scoobies, especially Xander and Giles. I don't like Angel or Buffy/Angel but it's my favourite season.

I object to calling the non-arc episodes "filler". I love most of them. Filler implies nothing significant happens. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered for instance doesn't have much Buffy but is crucial for Cordelia's development, "The Dark Age" gives us an insight into Giles's past, "Halloween" is very important for Willow's character growth, etc.

While I'm not a huge fan of Angel, I find Angelus very entertaining - aside from Passion and Becoming, I really do not see him as a threat. In all honesty, he is randomly thrown into scenes of other episodes just to remind viewers that he is still there (Go Fish, Killed By Death, etc.)

Not all that different than any other Big Bad, though. Like that S7 gem "The first is in remission". 🙂 Or Glory having the capability to squash Buffy like a bug throughout most of S5 but choosing not to do so for some reason.

 

[Kean]

Season two changes everything. It sets in motion a series of events that dictates everything the verse and these characters will be. No one is the same again. Buffy, Angel, Giles, Xander, Willow, Cordelia, even Spike! Who they are going to become (wink wink) and what their relationships to each other are going to be like is determined by this season. The seed of doubt and distrust felt among the Scoobies is sewn in this season, with its culmination in Empty Places. The Angelus arc hurt and changed the Scoobies more than any other, the effects can arguably still be seen in canon now. Nothing cost them as much as this season. It is the true beginning of the show's mythology (IMO): Buffy and Giles truly realising the reality of what being a slayer/Watcher will mean in their lives, Willow discovering magic, Spike discovering Buffy, the curse clause and how that will shape Angel's future, Cordelia's fragile beginnings in feeling part of something important and wanting to contribute, Xander... okay Xander not so much until S4, but still. This season matters in a very huge way that I don't know I could say about any other season.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I totally agree with [MENTION=7585]Kean[/MENTION]; Season 2 is the season that truly sets up the path for each character, going forward in the series. While it's not my favorite season, I love the storyline and the character development in Season 2.

 

[tkts]

Season 2 is probably my least favorite, and it's probably in part because I've just never been a fan of the Buffy/Angel relationship. (In fact, I'm one of those weird people who thinks Riley was the best of all her boyfriends.)

When I hear that A-C#-D progression, it just makes me think "aw, crap, Buffy's going to start moping again."

 

[dexeded]

I'm not a fan of Buffy/Angel, but S2 is still my second favourite season, right after S5. S3 is more consistent, but the emotional heft of the Angelus arc just blew me away.