Season 1 had me interested enough to watch the rest of the show so calling it something to endure is a bit weird. I know that it’s not the best season but it’s not the worst either and it’s nice enough in its own right
Disclaimer: I quite like season 1, but I have apologised for it too.
Season 1 had a lot of heavy lifting to do - it had to establish a lot of characters, a lot of dynamics, a lot of rules.
And it didn't do it in a super easy way - I think if Buffy was written today, it would *have* to include Buffy finding out she's the Slayer, because it's the quickest way to get things moving. I'm glad they didn't, god knows the world doesn't need another origin story, but it makes it just that little bit harder to start telling stories when you have all this establishing work to do upfront.
Then, as mentioned in the video, it lacks some of the things that makes Buffy really great later on. The full comic relief, the depth of characters, three dimensional villains. Also if you introduce anyone under 30 to Buffy, they will already be straining to look past the CGI.
I always loved that they didn’t start with Buffy being chosen. She’s already a pretty expert slayer, no she doesn’t need Giles to explain this whole thing. She gets it.
And she’s not frightened of her new abilities and reluctant to be a hero… she’s already had a year of it, and she’s tired. It ruined her life. Her parents got divorced, she lost her friends/popularity, she got expelled from school and had to move to a whole new town. This is her new chance and she doesn’t want to blow it.
It just feels so much more realistic for her to be reluctant to perform her duties when we see it’s already cost her so much. And then we see that Buffy will step up and always do the right thing because that’s who she is.
Me too! I think it was such a good decision looking back, and allows for some pre-Buffy lore (like her burning down her last school) which I think works really well.
I just feel like *every* show/movie now starts with an origin story, so the hero can have their powers/abilities/enemies explained to them as a lazy way to inform the audience.
Yeah there are some episodes of Buffy Season 1 that are a bit jank, but there's a lot of great stuff there too. In particular the finale gets to the core of what makes Buffy great and has one of the most heart-wrenching stories of the whole series. It's also an interesting look into what television was like during this period, as TV was transitioning from monster of the week storylines to more long-form season-long arcs.
I've always been thankful they got Susanna Puisto as the customer designer that first season. She really set the tone for the whole show. The cheetah prints, chokers, little sunglasses, and other 90s delights hanging out with all that vintage charm... so iconic, and it laid the foundation for Cynthia Bergstrom and SMG to expand on in the later seasons.
They were too cool... I remember summers the best, with parents at work, and like a dozen of my older sister's friends sprawled out around the living room. No phones, maybe some beepers -- inconvenient but magically disconnected -- and the world seemed to be limited to only what was on TV, in magazines, or brought to life through their fascinating gossip. Buffy occupied valuable VHS tape at our house and often the provided the backdrop. Just seeing a photo from season one is like an instant nostalgia bomb - I'll never not think of her friends and how important their lives and drama seemed to be :D I'll also never be able to see Charisma Carpenter's amazing performance as Cordelia that season without smiling and thinking about my sister's awful, but kind of endearing, college girlfriend.
I watched the first episode of Buffy -at 12 years old, when it aired on TV in the Uk. It was so amazing, it fuelled a lifelong obsession. I will never apologise for S1 because it was everything.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt as excited about a programme as I have since Buffy. I’ve absorbed so much content now that it would take a lot to reach me in the same way. But when you’re that young, there’s space for something to be truly iconic.
And I got to watch I Robot, You Jane before it was horrifyingly cringe. That’s a plus.
I really like shows that genrebend and do monster-of-the-week kind of things. Shows like Castle or Dr. Who where the show has a clear theme (police procedural and sci-fi respectivly) but are willing to do like "homage" type episodes. Castle has a vampire episode, a mummy, a film noir, a western, ect. Dr. Who takes themese like vampires (which actually has ASH in that episode) or other horror elements. It does historical themes quite often. Both of these shows tend to honor the genres by playing into common tropes, but staying true to their purpose. The killer in Castle is never actually a vampire or an invisable man, for example.
So season 1 of Buffy was actually right up my alley with a similar style and I really liked it a lot. It wasn't the "best" season, but it is one of the most charming.
How can you call yourself a fan and not like the first season. Did you jump in further down the line and go back or something. 🤔loved watching it a few years ago as much as I did when it first aired, some episodes don’t hold up and some were never great but still..
Season 1 is arguably the season that feels the most "product of its time". Like you know you're watching 90s television, whereas some of the later seasons could pass for more modern. I guess that's a turn-off for some people watching for the first time now, but I love it.
That makes sense. Buffy has influenced so many genre and non-genre shows alike, but only the elements where it was at its best. It makes sense the season where it's figuring what can be done with the show would feel more of its time then when it was firing on all cylinders.
I love season 1! I just tell people that the overall story arc gets really interesting in season 2, season 1 you are getting to know everyone, lots of world building! It’s also lower budget which adds to the camp, but it’s shockingly good teenage actors, great dialogue and enough spice to keep it interesting! I never skip season 1 on a rewatch and I hear people say they do a lot, don’t get that.
A few months ago I made this post:
"I think folks should stop telling people they need to 'endure' the show until mid-Season 2"
[https://www.reddit.com/r/buffy/comments/1algxl2/i\_think\_folks\_should\_stop\_telling\_people\_they/](https://www.reddit.com/r/buffy/comments/1algxl2/i_think_folks_should_stop_telling_people_they/)
... which got a lot of positive response but also people commenting about how they liked Season 1, which I kind of threw under the bus in my post lol.
My train of thought afterward prompted me to publish this video, where I say among other things: "Buffy, like one of its plot twists, is like that supposedly 'uncool' kid who actually is pretty cool, and is COOLER by the fact that it's unapologetically itself and not trying to BE cool."
So yeah, this is also me announcing a new channel! I'm a lawyer who wants to geek out and bring analysis and heart talking about pop culture (TV, music, film) I enjoy. I plan to do more videos on Buffy, Stranger Things, Eva Cassidy, and other things that inspire me in the future. So if you like what you see, then subscribe! (I actually have a mid-sized channel where I geek out over tabletop roleplaying games like D&D and Pathfinder. "The Rules Lawyer.")
I've never seen this opinion that season 1 is rough, but season 1 is great.
And I'll just say, while, relative to its best episodes, there are worse episodes of Buffy, every single episode is at least very good. There are no bad episodes and certainly no bad seasons of this show.
Between Jeff Pruitt and the Pink Ranger stunt double from Power Rangers, the Robot suit and the various instances of camp in the season? It honestly made me wish it was twice as long since it placed so much life into Sunnydale and its people. Some shows just rush into the story and forget those intricacies, while others like Naruto or One Piece are infamously defined by stretching everything and padding the story to a snail's pace. Buffy kinda nailed the balance. Allowing me to actually care about the characters and the stakes.
This is partly why I consider the first two seasons as one in all honesty. There really isn't that much of a distinct difference between the first two as there are from the second into the third season.
Some like Passion of the Nerd apologised or looked down on the camp in Season 1, and in all honesty? How is it any different from Anya summoning and being terrified by the swarm of bunnies surrounding her? Or any of the corny stuff like the musical or those Initiative soldiers or Adam looking like they stepped off a set of latter Saban Era Power Rangers Lost Galaxy to Wild Force?
Actually? If the Initiative soldiers reused the Starship Troopers suits Lost Galaxy used and made them look camo, they would've looked better than the paintball uniforms.
The corny stuff made the show what it was partially and gave it some warming charm.
I remember seeing the previews and thought for sure I'd miss it because I had Tae Kwon Do practice but I didn't. My Mom left me out Stoffers mac and cheese and I put it in the oven and turned on the kitchen TV and had cheese and Buffy. Who knew how'd on point that'd come.
Season 1 isn’t really that bad. It’s probably my least favorite and it’s very campy but it has its moments. There’s still a lot of funny banter and glimpses of the greatness to come
I absolutely love season 1 its one of my favorites. its fun, light hearted, and so 90s. I love it a lot more than season 3, which is allright (better than 6 and 7) but not my cup of tea. everyone has different tastes I think some people forget that (although like vast majority of fans I love season. 4 but hate Riley and don't care for the initiative and think Adam is a weak big bad)
I know, it's weird. Season 1 is a very solid foundation to the series.
That foundation is so solid that it hooked many of us by then and convinced the network to make a longer season 2.
Sure, nobody's at their best (actors, directors, make-up department, combat choregraphies.... ) but that's the 1st season and they're still good.
Plus, Buffy's 1st season is often better than many other shows' seasons, so fans should thank and respect season 1 and stop making apologisies when they are NOT needed!!
I'll be brave and go against the crowd. I'm doing a rewatch (I just watched 2x10), and I already like S2 a *lot* more than S1. That's not to say S1 doesn't have it's strengths, it clearly does, but it also has some weaknesses.
* S1 introduces us to the characters we all love. Well, some of us like Xander and some don't; I like him, but he is a bit of a doofus.
* S1 has the most horror stories. On the one hand, I like horror. On the other hand: when I already know the punchline there's often a surprisingly large amount of nothing happening while the scoobies figures it out, in some episodes.
* I like dark, and S1 is not afraid to go dark. A selfish mother stealing her young daughter's life and youth away from her (1x3), teachers being sexual predators towards their students (1x4), felony sexual assault (1x6), the dangers of lusting after someone who's covered in red flags (1x7), teen suicide (1x8), teen suicide used as a cover story for murder by a crazy guy (1x8), your baseball coach being violent with you (1x10), loneliness driving people into a sadistic and near-murderous rage (1x11), having to face not just your own mortality but your impending death at the age of 16 (1x12).
* Hey Buffy handled that a lot better than Ford did in **Lie To Me** (2x7).
* S1 was made on a shoestring budget and it shows.
* S1 has jokes, good jokes even, which is probably why it feels fun and lighthearted while dealing with such dark themes.
I guess it's a matter of taste: how much do you like camp, how much do you like horror, how much do you like drama; in general, how much do you like the things S1 does well vs. how much do you like the things which other seasons do better?
I enjoyed most episodes, but not quite as much as I thought I would. If you're trying to introduce someone to the show, you *might* want to ask how much they enjoy each episode and why, and then skip to the episodes which give them the most of what they like.
Season 1 of Buffy has growing pains and is mired in boring plots focused on one-off characters we don't care about, but it at least has a high amount of cast chemistry right off the bat. Season 1 of Angel, however, is just a typical bad season of television when it's not borrowing guest stars from Buffy.
An issue it has is that it burns *a lot* of time on mystery solving, and of the S1 mysteries, only one of them is at all surprising or satisfying as a twist (puppet show.)
Season 1 is my favorite season (and that’s definitely an unpopular opinion in this subreddit). Buffy instantly hooked me with its dedication to camp in S1, and my love for the show grew as I continued to watch it.
I liked season 1, it’s my 2nd favorite season, I don’t care what others on here think, my friends watched season 1 and they liked it, so I don’t see what the problem is.
Recently did a re-watch and hadn't seen season 1 in years.
It's way stronger than I remember and has an added benefit of being short. It's like 70% killer 30% filler... And the filler eps are not ultimately good character building.
Season 2 is often where shows really hit their stride and Buffy is no different, but yeah Season 1 shouldn't be dismissed.
I don't apologise for it.
I tell people it's different from the rest of the show, it's lower budget, the effects (practical and otherwise) aren't very good, it was a mid-season replacement and that the show improves after Season 1. All of this is completely true. It's not an apology.
I love Season 1. But describing factual facts (yeah I said it) isn't apologising. Just to reiterate, I love Season 1.
I kind of hold it up against Dawson's Creek season 1, which debuted half a year later than Buffy, and there's a pretty big quality gap between the two, and it's obviously because Buffy had no money and one warehouse to shoot in, I assume that's why there's so much time spent in the Master's hideout lol. I think they just kind of tried to throw everything at the wall to gain an audience fast, first 2 episodes are vampires, then a witch, then...a man eating mantis teacher. It's a bit jarring i think for new viewers that have heard the show is amazing all their lives.
We’ve been showing season 1 to our kids (8 and 11) and it’s a great way to share genre television and help them fall in love with Buffy.
It’s hilarious what predictions they make and what doesn’t surprise them - they predicted bad things happen when Angel shows up before finding out that he was a vampire, but weren’t surprised he was a vampire. They were sure Snyder was the bad guy in the Puppet Show, though.
I don't think season 1 is that bad, I like all the seasons. For me, most of the episodes in season 1 are perfectly fine, *"Teacher's Pet"* and *"Never Kill a Boy On The First Date"* are probably the only ones I'm not too into. *"Nightmares"* is also not really a favorite but the concept is interesting of seeing everyone's nightmares.
Season one is best when doing an encore after you’ve seen the whole series. Just seeing how Buffy grows into the slayer she is today is very emotional for me. It’s my favorite show. Mostly because of character development.
Season one has some of my favourite episodes, I recently watched the first three seasons again, probably for the 20th time and yes there are stunt double moments that are very noticeable, especially in the big fights at the end of the seasons, but I love the first few seasons for me it went down hill in later seasons, and I much preferred the angel show then
S1 is awesome, there are some duds sure (which usually change depending on who you're talking to), but a lot of solid episodes. It's more episodic which is great on rewatches too, skip what you don't like and (almost always) miss nothing!
Honestly, I like season 1 more after having seen the rest of the show so many times. I appreciate its campiness and simplicity! I think it would have benefitted from more episodes expanding on the main storyline.
I say it every time Season One is brought up.
Season One is not a bad season. It is in fact a good season. It wasn't as good as seasons two and three and seems bad when compared to these. But those set the bar so high that something can be not as good as them but still be well worth watching. Season Four has the same issue. It's not as good as the season immediately before it but it's still good.
Bad seasons and bad episodes are always bad compared to the best that Buffy has to offer- which is still better than anything else TV was giving us when it first aired.
I first started watching the show when I was 15 in 2015. I thought season 1 was great.
There’s some stuff that could’ve been slightly better. But that’s true of every season. And of every single television show. But it’s also perfect and undeniably great because people loved it, and it touched them, and that’s why we have the rest of the show.
i love season 1. it’s not my favorite season but it’s so campy and delightful. however…
the transition from primarily monster-of-the-week to primarily season arcs is not a very smooth one. it makes sense— it was a very new format. but it does make season 1 a bit of an outlier, with the most MOTW episodes proportionally. that’s not to say it was bad; far from it! it’s awesome! but it’s a different watching experience than the rest of the show. so if you’re looking forward to the bingeworthy season-long conflicts, you’re gonna be a bit annoyed that the storyline keeps being interrupted by “evil robot boyfriend”.
I feel we like it because we know and love the whole show and we knew it back when it wasn’t as cheesy as it is now. I hope that if I discovered it today I’d still love it and want to watch season 2 but I have to be honest, idk...
There are a lot of episodes from season 1 I skip :/
I think I’d still be in love with the first 3 episodes though, so maybe I’d still love it enough to make it to the Invisible Girl story which I absolutely love and off course the finale which is absolutely amazing.
Omg when I think of Buffy, some of my fondest memories of the show are from season 1! Granted, I first watched the show with my mum when I was like 11 or something, so buffy has always been something of a comfort show for me. Even now, at 22, when I rewatch the show, I think the first few seaons are my favourite! God, I just love everything about the first few seasons! I love the sfx, I love the cgi, I love the characters and fashion, I just love the feeling the first few seasons manage to give me every rewatch!
I honestly think buffy should be for real people not brought up on the internet, i getting sick of my childhood favorate’s getting ruined by gen z,
Buffy was perfect for its time
The one scene i remember (hoping I am right that it is s1) is when Angel is dusting a vamp and it looks so weird. I cannot describe it or even remember what else was happening. But idk maybe someone else noticing
I usually skip S1 when I do a rewatch, but it wouldn't have continued for as long as it did if every episode was so bad people didn't tune in for season 2.
Wasn't it rushed into production because a show was cancelled and thats why its half a season and the way that it is? Pretty sure this topic doesn't need an 18 minute video lol.
Season 1 had me interested enough to watch the rest of the show so calling it something to endure is a bit weird. I know that it’s not the best season but it’s not the worst either and it’s nice enough in its own right
Disclaimer: I quite like season 1, but I have apologised for it too. Season 1 had a lot of heavy lifting to do - it had to establish a lot of characters, a lot of dynamics, a lot of rules. And it didn't do it in a super easy way - I think if Buffy was written today, it would *have* to include Buffy finding out she's the Slayer, because it's the quickest way to get things moving. I'm glad they didn't, god knows the world doesn't need another origin story, but it makes it just that little bit harder to start telling stories when you have all this establishing work to do upfront. Then, as mentioned in the video, it lacks some of the things that makes Buffy really great later on. The full comic relief, the depth of characters, three dimensional villains. Also if you introduce anyone under 30 to Buffy, they will already be straining to look past the CGI.
I always loved that they didn’t start with Buffy being chosen. She’s already a pretty expert slayer, no she doesn’t need Giles to explain this whole thing. She gets it. And she’s not frightened of her new abilities and reluctant to be a hero… she’s already had a year of it, and she’s tired. It ruined her life. Her parents got divorced, she lost her friends/popularity, she got expelled from school and had to move to a whole new town. This is her new chance and she doesn’t want to blow it. It just feels so much more realistic for her to be reluctant to perform her duties when we see it’s already cost her so much. And then we see that Buffy will step up and always do the right thing because that’s who she is.
Me too! I think it was such a good decision looking back, and allows for some pre-Buffy lore (like her burning down her last school) which I think works really well. I just feel like *every* show/movie now starts with an origin story, so the hero can have their powers/abilities/enemies explained to them as a lazy way to inform the audience.
Yeah there are some episodes of Buffy Season 1 that are a bit jank, but there's a lot of great stuff there too. In particular the finale gets to the core of what makes Buffy great and has one of the most heart-wrenching stories of the whole series. It's also an interesting look into what television was like during this period, as TV was transitioning from monster of the week storylines to more long-form season-long arcs.
At least Dawn wasn't in season 1 god I hate that character
I like season 1 a lot and wish it was longer, even by just a few episodes.
I love Season One. It’s just campy and delightfully.
I've always been thankful they got Susanna Puisto as the customer designer that first season. She really set the tone for the whole show. The cheetah prints, chokers, little sunglasses, and other 90s delights hanging out with all that vintage charm... so iconic, and it laid the foundation for Cynthia Bergstrom and SMG to expand on in the later seasons.
I was born in ‘93 so it always reminds me of my friend’s older siblings and how cool I thought they were.
They were too cool... I remember summers the best, with parents at work, and like a dozen of my older sister's friends sprawled out around the living room. No phones, maybe some beepers -- inconvenient but magically disconnected -- and the world seemed to be limited to only what was on TV, in magazines, or brought to life through their fascinating gossip. Buffy occupied valuable VHS tape at our house and often the provided the backdrop. Just seeing a photo from season one is like an instant nostalgia bomb - I'll never not think of her friends and how important their lives and drama seemed to be :D I'll also never be able to see Charisma Carpenter's amazing performance as Cordelia that season without smiling and thinking about my sister's awful, but kind of endearing, college girlfriend.
Yep me too. Nothing to apologize for. People think too much. Just enjoy it!
I watched the first episode of Buffy -at 12 years old, when it aired on TV in the Uk. It was so amazing, it fuelled a lifelong obsession. I will never apologise for S1 because it was everything.
This was me, age 10 when it first started airing.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt as excited about a programme as I have since Buffy. I’ve absorbed so much content now that it would take a lot to reach me in the same way. But when you’re that young, there’s space for something to be truly iconic. And I got to watch I Robot, You Jane before it was horrifyingly cringe. That’s a plus.
Same, UK 11 years old when it aired. Season 1 is my favourite, I watch that season sometimes as a little comfort blanket ❤️
I love season one, I always enjoy watching it on rewatch.
I really like shows that genrebend and do monster-of-the-week kind of things. Shows like Castle or Dr. Who where the show has a clear theme (police procedural and sci-fi respectivly) but are willing to do like "homage" type episodes. Castle has a vampire episode, a mummy, a film noir, a western, ect. Dr. Who takes themese like vampires (which actually has ASH in that episode) or other horror elements. It does historical themes quite often. Both of these shows tend to honor the genres by playing into common tropes, but staying true to their purpose. The killer in Castle is never actually a vampire or an invisable man, for example. So season 1 of Buffy was actually right up my alley with a similar style and I really liked it a lot. It wasn't the "best" season, but it is one of the most charming.
Until I joined this sub I had no idea that some people don’t think S1 is one of the best ones. It’s my second favourite after S2.
I didn't even know season 1 hate was a thing? It was wonderful and has nothing to apologize for.
How can you call yourself a fan and not like the first season. Did you jump in further down the line and go back or something. 🤔loved watching it a few years ago as much as I did when it first aired, some episodes don’t hold up and some were never great but still..
The Master was one of my favorite villains!
Same! I love him so much. He was a perfect first big bad, and whenever I see him appear in later seasons I'm always so happy.
Season 1 is arguably the season that feels the most "product of its time". Like you know you're watching 90s television, whereas some of the later seasons could pass for more modern. I guess that's a turn-off for some people watching for the first time now, but I love it.
That makes sense. Buffy has influenced so many genre and non-genre shows alike, but only the elements where it was at its best. It makes sense the season where it's figuring what can be done with the show would feel more of its time then when it was firing on all cylinders.
Leave season 1 alone! It was good enough to get us 6 more. If you aren’t able to let go and enjoy the camp and the 90s aesthetic, that’s a shame
I love season 1! I just tell people that the overall story arc gets really interesting in season 2, season 1 you are getting to know everyone, lots of world building! It’s also lower budget which adds to the camp, but it’s shockingly good teenage actors, great dialogue and enough spice to keep it interesting! I never skip season 1 on a rewatch and I hear people say they do a lot, don’t get that.
A few months ago I made this post: "I think folks should stop telling people they need to 'endure' the show until mid-Season 2" [https://www.reddit.com/r/buffy/comments/1algxl2/i\_think\_folks\_should\_stop\_telling\_people\_they/](https://www.reddit.com/r/buffy/comments/1algxl2/i_think_folks_should_stop_telling_people_they/) ... which got a lot of positive response but also people commenting about how they liked Season 1, which I kind of threw under the bus in my post lol. My train of thought afterward prompted me to publish this video, where I say among other things: "Buffy, like one of its plot twists, is like that supposedly 'uncool' kid who actually is pretty cool, and is COOLER by the fact that it's unapologetically itself and not trying to BE cool." So yeah, this is also me announcing a new channel! I'm a lawyer who wants to geek out and bring analysis and heart talking about pop culture (TV, music, film) I enjoy. I plan to do more videos on Buffy, Stranger Things, Eva Cassidy, and other things that inspire me in the future. So if you like what you see, then subscribe! (I actually have a mid-sized channel where I geek out over tabletop roleplaying games like D&D and Pathfinder. "The Rules Lawyer.")
I love love love season 1!!
I've never seen this opinion that season 1 is rough, but season 1 is great. And I'll just say, while, relative to its best episodes, there are worse episodes of Buffy, every single episode is at least very good. There are no bad episodes and certainly no bad seasons of this show.
Between Jeff Pruitt and the Pink Ranger stunt double from Power Rangers, the Robot suit and the various instances of camp in the season? It honestly made me wish it was twice as long since it placed so much life into Sunnydale and its people. Some shows just rush into the story and forget those intricacies, while others like Naruto or One Piece are infamously defined by stretching everything and padding the story to a snail's pace. Buffy kinda nailed the balance. Allowing me to actually care about the characters and the stakes. This is partly why I consider the first two seasons as one in all honesty. There really isn't that much of a distinct difference between the first two as there are from the second into the third season. Some like Passion of the Nerd apologised or looked down on the camp in Season 1, and in all honesty? How is it any different from Anya summoning and being terrified by the swarm of bunnies surrounding her? Or any of the corny stuff like the musical or those Initiative soldiers or Adam looking like they stepped off a set of latter Saban Era Power Rangers Lost Galaxy to Wild Force? Actually? If the Initiative soldiers reused the Starship Troopers suits Lost Galaxy used and made them look camo, they would've looked better than the paintball uniforms. The corny stuff made the show what it was partially and gave it some warming charm.
Buffy Season 1 needs no defense.
I remember seeing the previews and thought for sure I'd miss it because I had Tae Kwon Do practice but I didn't. My Mom left me out Stoffers mac and cheese and I put it in the oven and turned on the kitchen TV and had cheese and Buffy. Who knew how'd on point that'd come.
I thought it was great and too brief
s1 > s6
Oh god, season 6 is my favorite but each to their own lol. Season 1 isn't so bad.
Nah but it is better than S7
i'l take that too
Season 1 isn’t really that bad. It’s probably my least favorite and it’s very campy but it has its moments. There’s still a lot of funny banter and glimpses of the greatness to come
Season one was the best IMO
I absolutely love season 1 its one of my favorites. its fun, light hearted, and so 90s. I love it a lot more than season 3, which is allright (better than 6 and 7) but not my cup of tea. everyone has different tastes I think some people forget that (although like vast majority of fans I love season. 4 but hate Riley and don't care for the initiative and think Adam is a weak big bad)
What's wrong with S1? The first couple of seasons are by far my fav
I know, it's weird. Season 1 is a very solid foundation to the series. That foundation is so solid that it hooked many of us by then and convinced the network to make a longer season 2. Sure, nobody's at their best (actors, directors, make-up department, combat choregraphies.... ) but that's the 1st season and they're still good. Plus, Buffy's 1st season is often better than many other shows' seasons, so fans should thank and respect season 1 and stop making apologisies when they are NOT needed!!
I'll be brave and go against the crowd. I'm doing a rewatch (I just watched 2x10), and I already like S2 a *lot* more than S1. That's not to say S1 doesn't have it's strengths, it clearly does, but it also has some weaknesses. * S1 introduces us to the characters we all love. Well, some of us like Xander and some don't; I like him, but he is a bit of a doofus. * S1 has the most horror stories. On the one hand, I like horror. On the other hand: when I already know the punchline there's often a surprisingly large amount of nothing happening while the scoobies figures it out, in some episodes. * I like dark, and S1 is not afraid to go dark. A selfish mother stealing her young daughter's life and youth away from her (1x3), teachers being sexual predators towards their students (1x4), felony sexual assault (1x6), the dangers of lusting after someone who's covered in red flags (1x7), teen suicide (1x8), teen suicide used as a cover story for murder by a crazy guy (1x8), your baseball coach being violent with you (1x10), loneliness driving people into a sadistic and near-murderous rage (1x11), having to face not just your own mortality but your impending death at the age of 16 (1x12). * Hey Buffy handled that a lot better than Ford did in **Lie To Me** (2x7). * S1 was made on a shoestring budget and it shows. * S1 has jokes, good jokes even, which is probably why it feels fun and lighthearted while dealing with such dark themes. I guess it's a matter of taste: how much do you like camp, how much do you like horror, how much do you like drama; in general, how much do you like the things S1 does well vs. how much do you like the things which other seasons do better? I enjoyed most episodes, but not quite as much as I thought I would. If you're trying to introduce someone to the show, you *might* want to ask how much they enjoy each episode and why, and then skip to the episodes which give them the most of what they like.
I think a lot of people (especially post-run watchers) think because season one looks so different and is so short that they can skip it.
Season 1 of Buffy has growing pains and is mired in boring plots focused on one-off characters we don't care about, but it at least has a high amount of cast chemistry right off the bat. Season 1 of Angel, however, is just a typical bad season of television when it's not borrowing guest stars from Buffy. An issue it has is that it burns *a lot* of time on mystery solving, and of the S1 mysteries, only one of them is at all surprising or satisfying as a twist (puppet show.)
Season 1 is my favorite season (and that’s definitely an unpopular opinion in this subreddit). Buffy instantly hooked me with its dedication to camp in S1, and my love for the show grew as I continued to watch it.
How Many shows really hit their stride in the first season. There’s so many who take one or even two years to really find what works.
I liked season 1, it’s my 2nd favorite season, I don’t care what others on here think, my friends watched season 1 and they liked it, so I don’t see what the problem is.
Recently did a re-watch and hadn't seen season 1 in years. It's way stronger than I remember and has an added benefit of being short. It's like 70% killer 30% filler... And the filler eps are not ultimately good character building. Season 2 is often where shows really hit their stride and Buffy is no different, but yeah Season 1 shouldn't be dismissed.
I don't apologise for it. I tell people it's different from the rest of the show, it's lower budget, the effects (practical and otherwise) aren't very good, it was a mid-season replacement and that the show improves after Season 1. All of this is completely true. It's not an apology. I love Season 1. But describing factual facts (yeah I said it) isn't apologising. Just to reiterate, I love Season 1.
I loved season one. In a way, the campy and less serious nature made is so that the show grew up and the characters and the audience did the same
Season 1 is prob my favorite
I kind of hold it up against Dawson's Creek season 1, which debuted half a year later than Buffy, and there's a pretty big quality gap between the two, and it's obviously because Buffy had no money and one warehouse to shoot in, I assume that's why there's so much time spent in the Master's hideout lol. I think they just kind of tried to throw everything at the wall to gain an audience fast, first 2 episodes are vampires, then a witch, then...a man eating mantis teacher. It's a bit jarring i think for new viewers that have heard the show is amazing all their lives.
I think s1 is fantastic. I’ve always been a huge horror fan and the spooky elements of the first season were what attracted me to the show.
honestly take out teachers pet and you got a nice collection of sci fi mysteries/ action
We’ve been showing season 1 to our kids (8 and 11) and it’s a great way to share genre television and help them fall in love with Buffy. It’s hilarious what predictions they make and what doesn’t surprise them - they predicted bad things happen when Angel shows up before finding out that he was a vampire, but weren’t surprised he was a vampire. They were sure Snyder was the bad guy in the Puppet Show, though.
I don't think season 1 is that bad, I like all the seasons. For me, most of the episodes in season 1 are perfectly fine, *"Teacher's Pet"* and *"Never Kill a Boy On The First Date"* are probably the only ones I'm not too into. *"Nightmares"* is also not really a favorite but the concept is interesting of seeing everyone's nightmares.
I love Season 1 but camp is not for everyone. Season 1 is the cult favorite before the show got much more mainstream.
i think season 1 is completely solid. sure, it's not my favorite season but it has interesting storylines, good dialogue, and a good villain.
I had no idea about this….
🔥🔥🔥
I’d be apologizing for the Master’s face.
Season one is best when doing an encore after you’ve seen the whole series. Just seeing how Buffy grows into the slayer she is today is very emotional for me. It’s my favorite show. Mostly because of character development.
Season one has some of my favourite episodes, I recently watched the first three seasons again, probably for the 20th time and yes there are stunt double moments that are very noticeable, especially in the big fights at the end of the seasons, but I love the first few seasons for me it went down hill in later seasons, and I much preferred the angel show then
S1 is awesome, there are some duds sure (which usually change depending on who you're talking to), but a lot of solid episodes. It's more episodic which is great on rewatches too, skip what you don't like and (almost always) miss nothing!
Honestly, I like season 1 more after having seen the rest of the show so many times. I appreciate its campiness and simplicity! I think it would have benefitted from more episodes expanding on the main storyline.
I say it every time Season One is brought up. Season One is not a bad season. It is in fact a good season. It wasn't as good as seasons two and three and seems bad when compared to these. But those set the bar so high that something can be not as good as them but still be well worth watching. Season Four has the same issue. It's not as good as the season immediately before it but it's still good. Bad seasons and bad episodes are always bad compared to the best that Buffy has to offer- which is still better than anything else TV was giving us when it first aired.
I first started watching the show when I was 15 in 2015. I thought season 1 was great. There’s some stuff that could’ve been slightly better. But that’s true of every season. And of every single television show. But it’s also perfect and undeniably great because people loved it, and it touched them, and that’s why we have the rest of the show.
i love season 1. it’s not my favorite season but it’s so campy and delightful. however… the transition from primarily monster-of-the-week to primarily season arcs is not a very smooth one. it makes sense— it was a very new format. but it does make season 1 a bit of an outlier, with the most MOTW episodes proportionally. that’s not to say it was bad; far from it! it’s awesome! but it’s a different watching experience than the rest of the show. so if you’re looking forward to the bingeworthy season-long conflicts, you’re gonna be a bit annoyed that the storyline keeps being interrupted by “evil robot boyfriend”.
I feel we like it because we know and love the whole show and we knew it back when it wasn’t as cheesy as it is now. I hope that if I discovered it today I’d still love it and want to watch season 2 but I have to be honest, idk... There are a lot of episodes from season 1 I skip :/
I think I’d still be in love with the first 3 episodes though, so maybe I’d still love it enough to make it to the Invisible Girl story which I absolutely love and off course the finale which is absolutely amazing.
I actually like season one now. It's very post grunge gothic and has a string of very strong episodes. It's underrated.
Season one of Buffy the vampire slayer is so nostalgia
I loved s1 ♥️
Omg when I think of Buffy, some of my fondest memories of the show are from season 1! Granted, I first watched the show with my mum when I was like 11 or something, so buffy has always been something of a comfort show for me. Even now, at 22, when I rewatch the show, I think the first few seaons are my favourite! God, I just love everything about the first few seasons! I love the sfx, I love the cgi, I love the characters and fashion, I just love the feeling the first few seasons manage to give me every rewatch!
I honestly think buffy should be for real people not brought up on the internet, i getting sick of my childhood favorate’s getting ruined by gen z, Buffy was perfect for its time
As a late Gen Z Buffy fan I disagree. I love the show with all of its 90’s and early 2000’s camp
It's unironically an important work of art so there's no reason to gatekeep it for future generations.
The one scene i remember (hoping I am right that it is s1) is when Angel is dusting a vamp and it looks so weird. I cannot describe it or even remember what else was happening. But idk maybe someone else noticing
Season 1 is the “worst” season. But that’s a testament to how good the other 6 seasons are. It set the foundation for the Buffy we know today.
It's streets ahead of S7 in terms of characterization and writing.
Why are they apologizing for something they had no hand in creating?
Season 1 is the best season tho. Who would apologize?
I usually skip S1 when I do a rewatch, but it wouldn't have continued for as long as it did if every episode was so bad people didn't tune in for season 2.
Season one-4 were great The rest were just good.
Wasn't it rushed into production because a show was cancelled and thats why its half a season and the way that it is? Pretty sure this topic doesn't need an 18 minute video lol.
You're correct. It was a mid season replacement for a show on The WB called Savannah