cartman

I had never watched the show (only the movie), then I bought the Buffy X-Box game, and it got me interested to give the show a try. I bought the first 2 seasons on DVD from a friend who had never gotten around to watching them (let alone opening them), and I wathed both seasons in 6 days. Needless to say, I'm enjoying them, and am clamoring for more!

Please please please don't post any spoilers of any kind here as I'm a Buffy "virgin" (other than knowing that Buffy dies and is resurrected at some point), and am trying to keep it that way so as to not know what to expect (character killings\leavings\switches\love interests\etc). Anyway, here are a few questions:

1) I know FX is running a Buffy marathon for season 1 tomorrow. Will they be doing this for the other seasons (I tried their website, but the schedule isn't working)? I plan on getting S3 on Tuesday, but don't really want to wait another 2 years to watch 4-6 (and since I'm not watching the new episodes until I'm caught up...). If not, what channels are playing the Buffy seasons in order?

2) Is "Once Again With Feeling" actually part of the story lines, or can it be watched on its own without spoiling anything?

3) Some people I've talked to have said that seasons 2 and 3 are the best. Is this the general feeling? Has it "jumped the shark"?

Many thanks!

Rypro 525

fx will run the episodes in order after the marrathon starting with season 2
with once again with feeling, there might be a few spoilers, (whos with who ect), but its alright.
i dont know #3, since i just started also. many fans dont like the newer episodes but i do.

RandyM

"Once Again With Feeling" is total spoiler, not so much with plot points, but with character development. I STRONGLY suggest you wait on that one until you get to that point in the series.

das Monkey

• Quoth cartman •<HR SIZE=1>2) Is "Once More With Feeling" actually part of the story lines, or can it be watched on its own without spoiling anything?

3) Some people I've talked to have said that seasons 2 and 3 are the best. Is this the general feeling? Has it "jumped the shark"?
<HR SIZE=1>

Welcome to our world ...

2) Don't watch it out of line. It's one of the most brilliantly executed pieces of television in the last decade and benefits greatly from a solid foundation of who these characters are and what really motivates them. While you could certainly enjoy it now, I think you'd really be missing out on the opportunity to see it when it was meant to be seen. As painful as it will be, I highly recommend you wait.

3) While opinions will differ, I think the largest contingent believes seasons 2 and 3 are Buffy's highest point. After that, opinions are more varied. Some like everything after it, some just like bits and pieces. I myself have been very critical of chunks of season 4, chunks of season 5 and nearly all of season 6, but keep in mind the standard that we've set for the show. In my opinion, during Seasons 2 and 3, Buffy was the best show on television. And that's not an isolated fanboy viewpoint (i.e. watching one or two shows and proclaiming them the best) ... I watched everything else that was on at the time ... and I just thought Buffy was that damn good.

While I believe seasons 4 and 5 stumbled a bit from growth, there are some absolutely phenomenal episodes in that season. And while I think they lost their focus during season 6, it gave us one of the best episodes of the show's entire run and finished VERY strong ... and season 7 has picked up that strength and run with it. And that's just my viewpoint ... others (I'd wager a minority) loved the later seasons more than the earlier.

So, yeah, there have been peaks and valleys, but great television requires taking chances. And if you don't fail sometimes, you're not trying hard enough. While I'd say seasons 2 and 3 are possibly the show's highest point, there are many many highpoints after that, and there's no reason for you to do anything other than watch the show from start to finish as you're doing now. I know the wait will be painful at times, but I'm sure you can time it right with the FX airings to see it all fairly quickly.

das

Josh-da-man

If you don't know anything about the future of the characters, then don't watch it out of order.

If you don't know that ****** is a *******, or that ***** and ***** become a couple, and don't want to know, then avoid.

I haven't seen the much-maligned season six yet (I'm only on the first two myself and awaiting the third next week), but I just want to say that it sounds freaking awesome from what I've read about the events. Sort of everything coming to a head and spinning out of control.

MrX

I agree with what everyone else is saying about "Once More With Feeling." You'll enjoy it more if you know what's going on.

As far as the show after season 3, it's still very good. Season 4 was hit and miss but season 5 is my favorite season.

JTH182

Listen to Das... 2 & 3 IMO were the best... season 4 kind of went downhill and I stopped watching after it... I've caught some of 5 & 6 sparingly, and catching up on FX... I'd say that season 7 is just incredible, everything has been building up to it, so you really do have to watch the show in order (Sorry )

cartman

Thanks for the responses thus far. I went ahead and ordered R4 seasons 4 and 5. Now if they'd just hurry up and release 6 .

Is this (7) the last season?

MrX

Right now it looks like it is, at least in it's present form. It's not likely SMG will come back so their is talk of continuing with a new slayer.

cooper2000

The show is still very good but I tend to think its best days were up until Season 6 which in my opinion was not very good except the musical.
Its made a comeback this season although it is starting to slip.
Watch it in order. If you have a non region DVD player or can play VCDs on your DVD player (or computer) you can get up until Season 5 on DVD. I bought them from Amazon UK.

Have fun watching them.

Chopper

I arrived late at the party & didn't start watching until season 6. It worked out pretty well, as I was able to watch the older episodes on FX & the newer ones on UPN, so I was able to catch up pretty quickly.

From what I've seen so far, seasons 2 & 3 were probably the highest point thus far for a complete season. But some of the best individual episodes (Hush, Once More With Feeling, The Body) were from weaker seasons.

Having said that, the current season really seems to be building to be one of the best yet.

And to answer your question, OMWF is definitely part of the story. It requires knowledge of the characters & advances many storylines.

Nathan Gervais

Hi,
welcome to the world of Buffy. I know how you feel as I just discovered the joys of Farscape through the efforts of a true friend and a ton of DVDs. I remember Buffy when it premiered and I watched it as a lark and was promptly hooked by the incredible writing. It really is the kind of show you need to watch in order. For my money and in order, the best seasons are: 3, 2, 5, 4, 6 & 1. As of right now I would also probably put the current season right behind season 2. Enjoy the show!
Best