That BTVS Ranking Game
Jan. 10th, 2004 05:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatAfter a little nudging by aptolittlebit and dead soul, have decided to figure out and do what I call the Btvs ranking game. I did Ats too, but since this entry is so bloody long, I’m saving it for another one. Also it took me forever to do this…ugh. The most difficult part of this game is remembering all the episodes and writing them down in proper order. Once you've done that - it's a breeze.
The thing about these "ranking games" is they tend to tell you more about the person doing the ranking then they really tell you about how worthy the individual episodes are. Actually come to think of it most criticism tells you more about the critic than the work being criticized. Interesting. For instance, the mere fact I've decided to do this - tells everyone that I like to rank things and make lists, enjoy stating my opinion, and probably spend far too much time thinking about certain tv shows. That and I'm bored out of my mind.
The ranks people give or the episodes people pick as the best overall - probably depends on which character or story arc they identify with the most or prefer more than which episode is the best stylistically or structurally. We like what we like.
(You will notice this tendency in some of my picks, believe me.) For instance someone who loves Xander, will pick the Zeppo. A diehard fan of Faith? Will pick Bad Girls. A Willow fan? Dopplegangland andNew Moon Rising. A Spike fan?...hee hee.
While doing this game/meme thing - I discovered something interesting about comparing the episodes from each season in the order they appeared - and that's what it says about how ME structures their shows, how they build the characters emotional arcs each season and where they take them. I think, when I have the time and anyone shows a smidgen of interest - I might try to analyze that in more in depth. Some very interesting patterns there.
Here’s how the game works if you want to play: you rank each episode against episodes that fell at the same time in the seasonal order. Example: Instead of pitting Welcome to The Hellmouth against Fool For Love, you pit it against Ann, When She Was Bad, Lessons, Bargaining I, Freshman. Not as easy as it sounds. Trust me.
I’ll leave it up to whomever decides to read this on whether my choices say more about the show or my own interests and tastes.
Episode 1
1: Welcome to the Hellmouth, s2: When She Was Bad
s3: Anne, s4: The Freshman, s5: Buffy vs. Dracula
s6 Bargaining Part I, s7: Lessons
I chose Bargaining Part I, althought WttH came in a close second. Why? Structure and use of the cast. Bargaining examines each character's role, it shows where they've come from over the summer, it sets up future conflicts, and the interrelationships of the characters is explored in more depth than I believe the other seasons did - where the focal point was strongly Buffy. In Bargaining - the absence of Buffy or use of the Buffybot to show how Buffy was more than "just" a slayer to everyone present is fascinating and tells us a great deal about her relationship with her friends. How Xander has moved past her somewhat into his own life, so doesn't really notice, how Willow keeps fixing the Bot and feels responsible for it and feels more powerful, how Tara has taken over the mother role, how Dawn keeps trying to connect to Buffy yet feels distanced somehow, how Giles feels unnecessary b/c Bot doesn't require him - he can't teach it anything, and how Spike can't bear being around the Bot - due to how it reminds him of his failure and how like Dawn - he can't connect to it emotionally as he did in The Gift. All themes that will be explored in greater depth through the season. Buffy the robot - how each character desired her back b/c they desired the connection and how she denies it to them due to her own depression and pain. Brilliant. WttH in contrast - introduces how they need Buffy the hero more than Buffy the normal girl.
The worst? Buffy vs. Dracula. Of the seven episodes listed, B vs. D does the least to further the characters or establish relationships, it hints at things, but it is largely fun and stand alone. The Real Me is actually the true first episode of that season.
Episode 2
s1: The Harvest, s2: Some Assembly Required
s3: Dead Man's Party, s4: Living Conditions
s5: Real Me, s6: Bargaining 2, s7: Beneath You
My choice after a little debate between Real Me and Beneath You is Beneath You - why? Because Beneath You examines the fractured mind and how we handle guilt. How do you deal with a messed up relationship – or a love affair that has exploded? Particularly when you still care deeply for the person you inadvertently hurt? How do you atone? Is it possible? How do you deal with the feeling that you are beneath someone else or the rejection. The church scene at the end is probably the single best scene of any Whedon show – haunting and touching at the same time, with a soft blue light. It alone paints how complex these issues are. That the hero isn’t necessarily so evident or so clear. I don’t like Buffy in Beneath You and something tells me, I’m not supposed to. Yet at the same time, in retrospect? I feel for her. I understand her dilemma. You have to respect a television show that is willing to put its heroine in that type situation.
Worst? Some Assembly Required Nice title, poorly written episode. The weakest in comparison to the others - in that the characters seem to be going in circles through most of it. Dead Man's Party comes close - but it did a good job of showing what happens when you don't communicate or avoid handling a problem.
3. Episode 3
s1: The Witch, s2: School Hard, s3: Faith, Hope and Trick
s4: The Harsh Light of Day, s5: The Replacement
s6: AfterLife, s7: Same Time, Same Place
Another hard choice – but I chose Harsh Light of Day over School Hard, once again because it does a good job of exploring a series of relationships and delicately parallels them – it also does a wonderful job of expressing the college experience of the one night stand from three perspectives. The fight sequence at the end between Spike and Buffy blows the one in School Hard out of the park – both in dialogue and action. Spike in both episodes reflects Buffy’s darkest fears and thoughts. But in this one the comments are far more painful and reflect far more about Buffy’s state of mind than the first one did. It also establishes the Anya/Xander relationship arc very well.
Worst episode? The Witch – cliché episode about a mother wanting to relive her cheerleading days.
Episode 4
s1: Teacher's Pet, s2: Inca Mummy Girl
s3: Beauty and the Beasts, s4: Fear, Itself, s5: Out of my Mind
s6: Flooded, s7: Help
Out of My Mind - why? Because of the wonderful contrasts between Spike and Riley which built on the ones established the previous season. The boy whose heart just isn’t up to it – b/c the worries of his brain keeps him back, and the boy whose heart is working overtime because the brain has been compromised. The story of two chips. One in the heart and one in the head. And how both reflect the lead, Buffy’s own state of mind. S5 was a season about the duality inside ourselves and this episode was a subtle approach to that metaphor. Runner up is Fear, Itself.
Worst? Hard decision, since I disliked Teacher’s Pet, Help, and Beauty and The Beasts equally. Choosing Teacher’s Pet for the pray mantis special effect and the vampire with the claw.
Episode 5
s1: Never Kill a Boy on the First Date, s2: Reptile Boy, s3: Homecoming
s4: Beer Bad, s5: No Place Like Home, s6: Life Serial, s7: Selfless
Selfless of course. Of all the episodes here – this one is the most inventive and the best character study. Selfless finally explains who Anya is. But it doesn’t stop there, it explores the dynamic between Xander,Willow and Buffy and how these three friends just don’t get each other sometimes. I think Selfless is when Xander finally understands Buffy and Willow. Finally understands why Buffy did not kill Spike or Angel. Something Willow has always understood. It also shows how Willow gets the murky nature of evil actions. A complex episode. Probably one of the best in the series as a whole. And 0 competition in this group.
Worst? Much harder to decide, but picking Reptile Boy over Homecoming and Beer Bad, for the monster and the cliché set up.
Episode 6
s1: The Pack, s2: Halloween, s3: Band Candy, s4: Wild at Heart
s5: Family, s6: All the Way, s7: Him
The Pack - why? Because it went so dark and demonstrated what happens when kids play to the mob mentality. Doing whatever to fit in.
Worst? All The Way – somewhat cliché exploration of first date and old territory for ME. Also the plotting and structure was a tad disjointed as if the writers couldn’t find the focal point – which should have been Dawn.
Episode 7
s1: Angel, s2: Lie to Me, s3: Revelations s4: The Initiative
s5: Fool For Love, s6: Once More, With Feeling*
s7: Conversations With Dead People
Fool For Love - yes, I’m a Spike fan, but I honestly can’t find anything wrong with this episode. Once More With Feeling – as wonderful as it is – has some flaws – one being the reveal that it was Xander who summoned the demon? Also the dance sequences were choppy and off somewhat. CwDP? The best bit was Whedon’s Buffy and the Vamp psychologist. The worst? A contest between Andrew/Jonathan and Dawn. Too over the top in places. And confusing. I had to explain this episode to people online and offline after seeing it. Fool For Love? Is flawless. It explores the slayer/vampire relationship through the ages, explores the slayer’s role, and it also explores how Buffy’s role divides her from others – yet at the same time it’s her friends and family that hook her to the world. The contrasts in this episode are fascinating. One of the best episodes of the series and in a tough category – since I’d include OMWF and CwDP in that as well, but both have flaws I can’t overlook and become more and more apparent upon rewatchings.
Worst? Revelations. Another cheesy villain. Also some of the interactions seemed a tad on the contrived side – Xander was just a little over the top here.
Episode 8
s1: I Robot, You Jane , s2: The Dark Age, s3: Lovers' Walk
s4: Pangs, s5: Shadow, s6: Tabula Rasa, s7: Sleeper
Lover’s Walk because of the seven listed it’s the most flawless. It moves each character further on it’s arc, doesn’t play too loosely with characterization to be innovative or get laughs like Tabula Rasa does, and does a good job of jumping between comedy and tragedy. While I love Pangs and Tabula Rasa and Sleeper – all three had discordant notes, all three felt forced in places – as if the characters were being pressed to fulfill a plot-point as opposed to going there naturally. Lover’s Walk never felt that way.
Worst? I Robot You Jane - the cheesy monster and the over-done computer dating sub-plot.
Episode 9
s1: The Puppet Show, s2: What's My Line 1, s3: The Wish
s4: Something Blue*, s5: Listening to Fear, s6: Smashed*
s7: Never Leave Me
Struggled with this one – but The Wish wins. Why? Again it’s the most flawless and it does a wonderful job of showing an alternative universe, while at the same time telling us something new about each character – showing us the dark sides of their natures, sides that the show revisits in later episodes. Runner-ups are Something Blue, Smashed.
Worst? Listening to Fear - not too bad for its reveals, just a little cheesy in places. I liked Puppet Show and Never Leave Me and WM1 better.
Episode 10
s1: Nightmares ,s2: What's My Line 2*, s3: Amends, s4: Hush
s5: Into The Woods, s6: Wrecked, s7: Bring on the Night
Hush, while I love What’s My Line 2, Hush wins for being the most flawless. Another one of the best episodes of the series. Innovative. Pushes Character arcs forward. And has the scariest villains. Also lovely exploration of how we communicate and how talking and noise can get in the way - ie. how we don’t listen.
Worst? Wrecked - the Willow on magic crack metaphor was cringe-worthy. The two themes addressed – addiction and bad relationships? Cliché to the max. The show dealt with them better in earlier episodes. Also they leapt from the far more interesting arc – regarding abuses of power and desiring physical attraction sans emotional connection – what that does to people – an arc that is addressed far better in Dead Things.
Episode 11
s1: Out of Sight, Out of Mind, s2: Ted, s3: Gingerbread
s4: Doomed, s5: Triangle, s6: Gone, s7: Showtime
Triangle - not perfect but the least hokey of the choices and the best plotline. Tempted towards Ted, but I just find that episode impossible to watch more than twice.
Worst? Showtime - it made the least amount of sense and seemed the most forced of the choices – lots of deux ex machina at play here. Fury later said he’d been busy on ATS and not really up to speed on BTVS, well, you could tell.
Episode 12
s1: Prophecy Girl, s2: Bad Eggs, s3: Helpless, s4: A New Man
s5: Checkpoint, s6: Doublemeat Palace, s7: Potential
Checkpoint again the most flawless. Nice mix of comedy and drama. Advances every character and establishes the relationships between them. Also does a nice job of furthering the plot.
Worst? Bad Eggs - cheesy sci-fi monster and the silly cowboy vampires that Whedon stole from The Wild Bunch.
Episode 13
s2: Surprise, s3: The Zeppo, s4: The I in Team, s5: Blood Ties
s6: Dead Things, s7: The Killer in Me
Dead Things - one of the darkest episodes of television I’ve seen and an interesting commentary on S&M and abusive relationships. Not to mention self-hate and using people to pleasure yourself. It took the heroine to a dark place, something very few TV shows dare to do. Amazing episode. Flawless in what it wanted to accomplish. One of the best episodes in the series.
Worst? The Killer in Me - oh the pain! What this episode could have been if the writer had only focused and put the chip business in another episode. Or decided not to go for a cheap joke on Giles. This episode had so much potential.
Episode 14
s2: Innocence, s3: Bad Girls, s4: Goodbye, Iowa
s5: Crush, s6: Older and Farther Away, s7: First Date
Innocence - why? It’s flawless. Everything in it works beautifully. It’s a wonderful twist on the old fairy tale and it also has lovely echoes of the Stanly Kubrick film classic Lolita, something Whedon continues to echoes throughout the season. A true classic and possibly the best episode of the series. While Bad Girls and Crush are both good episodes, they both have flaws – Bad Girls – the stupid monster plotline, Crush? You have to do cart-wheels to fanwank Buffy’s reasons for wandering around a vampire’s crypt by herself when he’s just told her he has a thing for her and she knows there’s a nasty new vamp in town. How dumb is she? Equally forced are Joyce and Willow advising Buffy to go see him.
Worst? Older and Far Away, while I equally disliked Goodbye, Iowa and First Date, this episode is far worse – it sags in the middle, the production quality is completely off, the editing cuts were so bad that people on fanboards fanwanked that they were deliberate and meant to convey telepathy between Buffy and Spike. Yes it had a cool thematic structure and metaphor and it was an interesting attempt to play with a Luis Bunnel film the writer probably saw, but it did not work. Also having Spike look beaten up and not addressing it, was distracting to the viewer.
Episode 15
s2: Phases, s3: Consequences, s4: This Year's Girl, s5: I Was Made to Love You
s6: As You Were, s7: Get It Done
Consequences - this episode far better than any other explains the complexity and ambiguity of Faith and Angel as well as their relationship. Very noir in concept, addressing some dark themes that are seldom shown on TV – including a female attempting to rape and kill a male, the idea of guilt, the idea of remorse, what it means to have a conscience, and what it means to kill someone – what that does to us. One of the best episodes of the series and almost flawless. Far better in my opinion than any of the other Faith episodes in BTVS.
Worst? As You Were - this episode was poorly plotted and destroyed the character of Riley Finn. The only good parts were the Xander/Anya bits which were more or less repetitive of former episodes and the Spike/Buffy scene at the end. The sections with Riley and Sam were truly awful. Ruining the character of Riley for fans of the character. He came across as chauvinistic, smug, egotistical, morally superior, asswipe who hit people who couldn’t hit back. The egg plotline came out of nowhere with 0 buildup or explanation. Instead of explaining it, the writer attempted to swipe it under the rug – stating it’s unimportant, Buffy has other reasons to break up with him. Bad writing. Bad plotting. Bad characterization. A shame – because this episode could have been the twin to Into The Woods – a far superior one on all counts.
Episode 16
s2: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, s3: Dopplegangland*, s4: Who Are You?
s5: The Body, s6: Hell's Bells, s7: Storyteller
Hard choice. But The Body wins. Because it is flawless. Everything has a reason. Everything supports the writer/director’s theme and purpose. It also works as both a stand-alone and part of an arc. The episode is also the best examination of how we deal with death that I’ve seen done on film. It looks at death unflinchingly, without rose colored glasses or platitudes. And it examines our struggle to come to terms with it – from numerous perspectives – those of the people closest to the loved one and those of the people farthest away. By delving into the physicality of death through the use of certain film techniques – Whedon oddly enough does the opposite of what he believed he was doing, instead of discomforting the viewer, he comforts them. Amazing episode. Possibly the best.
Worst? Storyteller - manwitch on the atpobtvs discussion board sums it up best. A great idea but poorly executed, because instead of using a character the audience had followed and identified with – the “initiation character” – which was Jonathan in the series and how they used Jonathan in many episodes, they use a character that is under-developed. I can’t watch this episode more than twice. It makes me cringe. The same idea was done much better in Superstar and The Zeppo.
Episode 17
s2: Passion, s3: Enemies*, s4: Superstar, s5: Forever
s6: Normal Again*, s7: Lies My Parents Told Me
Passion - it feels the most flawless to me. While I love Enemies and Normal Again, Passion did more to push forward the arc and also changed certain characters relationships forever. Passion established why Buffy and Angel should never be together. (The episode creepily echoes some scenes in Lolita, regarding how the prof treats Lolita’s mother and a colleague who suspects him after sleeping with Lolita.) Also why Giles would never trust an ensouled vampire again. It delved into the inter-relationships between Giles, Buffy, Xander very well – it also explored Angel, Spike and Dru and the nature of obsessive love. Wonderfully layered episode. Normal Again and Enemies are a little less layered and have less effect on the characters.
The Worst? Lies My Parents Told Me - the worst thing about Lies was the lack of followup. The writers dropped several bombshells on the audience, yet never resolved them. Giles betrayal of Buffy and his use of a stranger to kill a very dangerous vampire.
While it was understandable that Giles would try to kill Spike, using Wood to do it, made no sense. The character of Wood –poorly developed. Want to see DB Woodside give a stellar performance – try 24. The trigger? Cliché and bit too Freudian. If you look at the episode from the pov that it’s about sons wanting to save their mothers from demons and resenting themselves and their mothers for being unable to do so without becoming demons themselves metaphorically and literally speaking – it’s an interesting episode. Unfortunately, it can also be examined from another perspective – which is that if mom doesn’t focus all her attention on her kid, she’s a bad parent – offensive to say the least. (I doubt that was the intent). Plus the feeling many people had that Spike showed no remorse for killing slayers. The only redeeming characteristic of LMPTM is how ATS is addressing some of these issues a year later.
Episode 18
s2: Killed By Death, s3: Earshot, s4: Where The Wild Things Are, s5: Intervention, s6: Entropy, s7: Dirty Girls
Intervention is the best episode in a weak filled. Funny – hilarious at times, it also does the same thing Passion did; it changes two characters relationship forever. In this episode Buffy and SG go from the extreme of wanting Spike staked and dead, to saving his hide. After this episode, Buffy no longer dismisses Spike with contempt and she’ll never let anyone stake him again. A complex, layered episode, discussing the ambiguous nature of love, sex and attraction while at the same time exploring how we connect to others and disconnect at the same time. One of the best episodes of the series.
Worste? Where The Wild Things Are - with the exception of a few spooky moments, and the scenes between Xander, Anya, and Spike – a waste of time. Cheesy somewhat cliché problem. The sex between Riley and Buffy – dull and not revealing much about either character.
Episode 19
s2: I Only Have Eyes For You, s3: Choices, s4: New Moon Rising*
s5: Tough Love, s6: Seeing Red, s7: Empty Spaces
Choices - an interesting episode that explores once again why Buffy and Angel are completely wrong for each other, the choices we make and paths we choose and why we choose them. Each character gets some exploration and is expanded upon. Not brilliant but the best in a weak field.
Worst? Empty Places The last few scenes? Did not work. They should have left the house, not the other way around. Clearly contrived due to set issues. Not much in this episode worth watching. While Seeing Red is not a favorite – I do like and appreciate the Clem/Spike sequence.
Episode 20
s2: Go Fish, s3: The Prom, s4: The Yoko Factor, s5: Spiral
s6: Villains, s7: Touched
The Yoko Factor - one of the best descriptions of how high school relationships slowly break apart over time. Also a wonderful examination of the characters foibles which are addressed again in greater detail in the marvelous Restless. Spike as the Iago character – is a fascinating examination of how we blame others for bringing to our attention our own flaws. He really isn’t doing anything. All he’s doing is pushing their buttons and they are letting him. The episode is so well written, that the writers apparently had to do cartwheels to find a way of getting out of the corner they’d written themselves into and get the SG to work together again. The Prom – while a decent episode, unlike Yoko Factor, is deeply flawed. The hellhounds? Laughable. The plot to take care of them, disjointed. And once again – we’re told why B/A is a horribly destructive relationship. This is getting repetitive. The best bits? Are small moments: the bit between Xander and Cordelia and the dress, Giles and Wes, and Buffy and the school who honors her – they aren’t enough though to save the episode. I have to fastforward through 80% of it to get to those moments which all happen at the end.
Worst? Go Fish The monsters just do not work. Also a bit cliché on the steroids bit. The good parts? Xander and Cordelia.
Episode 21
s2: Becoming 1, s3: Graduation 1, s4: Primeval, s5: Weight of the World
s6: Two to Go, s7: End of Days
Becoming Part I - I debated Graduation 1 for the great B/F fight sequences, but Becoming does a much better job of exploring character conflict – so much so, that what happens in it echoes through two series. Flawless episode. (How people do accents doesn’t bug me – since I’m tone death and can’t really distinguish the tonal inflections that well any way.)
Worst? Weight of The World drug in places that the others didn’t. Even though I loved the Spike bits, not enough to save the repetitive nature of the episode – which spent too much time exploring Buffy’s guilt loop, until the audience began to emphasize with Willow’s desire to slap Buffy.
Episode 22
s2: Becoming 2, s3: Graduation 2, s4: Restless, s5: The Gift
s6: Grave, s7: Chosen
Becoming 2 A largely flawless episode – each character utilized, the plot works, no gaps in logic, even if the whole being sucked into hell thing seems a tad silly – it is established well in the previous episode and isn’t just plopped in there. Buffy’s final dilemma makes perfect sense and follows from all the episodes. Every character makes sense in this finale. Nothing feels overly contrived. Or forced. The actions are also nicely ambiguous – from Xander’s lie to Spike’s odd bit of heroism. The episode also changes everyone’s relationships and how the series is viewed. As great as Restless and The Gift are – they don’t come close to the plot structure and emotional beauty of Becoming.
Worst? Hard choice - Grave, although Chosen comes in a close second. Both episodes are horribly plotted and the finale? Seems forced somehow. Xander’s speech to Willow seems unconvincing in the final analysis, its difficult to see Willow caving to him as she does. Also the magic as crack and power addiction metaphors get a tad confused, almost as if the writer is struggling to keep from losing both the theme and the character at the same time. Buffy is under-used in the episode. Spike’s search for a soul – is a series of misleads that ends up confusing both the viewer and the actor playing the role. An episode that had plenty of potential but somehow went astray. Chosen similarly is poorly plotted with tons of deux ex machina powering it. Buffy’s decision to share her power seems wonderful ideally, but not so great in reality – when it does happen, the viewer sees what amounts to 20 teenage girls fighting an unlimited number of uber-vamps. Considering it took just one ubervamp to beat Buffy to a pulp in Bring on The Night – it’s a bit hard to believe these 20 teens are going to win, super-powered or not. In the end? It’s not the characters that save the day or figure out how to defeat the enemy so much as the two tools that they just happened to find – the amulet brought by Angel and the Scythe that Caleb discovered. What makes Grave worse than Chosen is the pacing. Chosen for all it’s flaws – moves along at a nice clip, each character is well-utilized to some degree, and there’s a nice mixture of humor and tragedy – Grave on the other moves very slowly and sort of sags in the middle.
How it looks sans explanation:
Lists:
1. Bargaining 1 S6
2. Beneath You S7
3. Harsh Light of Day S4
4. Out of My Mind S5
5. Selfless S7
6. The Pack S1
7. Fool for Love S5
8. Lover’s Walk S3
9. The Wish S3
10. Hush S4
11. Triangle S5
12. Checkpoint S5
13. Dead Things S6
14. Innocence S2
15. Consequences S3
16. The Body S5
17. Passion S2
18. Intervention S5
19. Choices S3
20. The Yoko Factor S4
21. Becoming Part I S2
22. Becoming Part II S2
2 =S7
2=S6
6=S5
3=S4
4=S3
4=S2
1=S1
Best Season=5
Worst List
1. Buffy vs. Dracula S5
2. Some Assembly Required S2
3. Witch S1
4. Teacher’s Pet S1
5. Reptile boy S2
6. All the way S6
7. I Robot, You Jane S1
8. Revelations S3
9. Listening to Fear S5
10. Wrecked S6
11. Showtime S7
12. Bad Eggs S2
13. Killer in Me S7
14. Older and Far Away S6
15. As You Were S6
16. Storyteller S7
17. Lies My Parents Told Me S7
18. Where the Wild Things Are S4
19. Empty Places S7
20. Go Fish S2
21. The Weight of The World S5
22. Grave S6
S1=3
S2=4
S3=1
S4=1
S5=3
S6=5
S7=5
Hmmm…S7 and S6 in a dead heat for worst. I liked S6 better. So S7 gets the nod. Although both seemed to slide downhill after the 9th episode, interesting.
This took way too much time btw, an embarrassing amount of time, like uhm all day. sigh. Not that I had anything else to do, cold frigid day...and I'm broke. Hope someone liked it.
The thing about these "ranking games" is they tend to tell you more about the person doing the ranking then they really tell you about how worthy the individual episodes are. Actually come to think of it most criticism tells you more about the critic than the work being criticized. Interesting. For instance, the mere fact I've decided to do this - tells everyone that I like to rank things and make lists, enjoy stating my opinion, and probably spend far too much time thinking about certain tv shows. That and I'm bored out of my mind.
The ranks people give or the episodes people pick as the best overall - probably depends on which character or story arc they identify with the most or prefer more than which episode is the best stylistically or structurally. We like what we like.
(You will notice this tendency in some of my picks, believe me.) For instance someone who loves Xander, will pick the Zeppo. A diehard fan of Faith? Will pick Bad Girls. A Willow fan? Dopplegangland andNew Moon Rising. A Spike fan?...hee hee.
While doing this game/meme thing - I discovered something interesting about comparing the episodes from each season in the order they appeared - and that's what it says about how ME structures their shows, how they build the characters emotional arcs each season and where they take them. I think, when I have the time and anyone shows a smidgen of interest - I might try to analyze that in more in depth. Some very interesting patterns there.
Here’s how the game works if you want to play: you rank each episode against episodes that fell at the same time in the seasonal order. Example: Instead of pitting Welcome to The Hellmouth against Fool For Love, you pit it against Ann, When She Was Bad, Lessons, Bargaining I, Freshman. Not as easy as it sounds. Trust me.
I’ll leave it up to whomever decides to read this on whether my choices say more about the show or my own interests and tastes.
Episode 1
1: Welcome to the Hellmouth, s2: When She Was Bad
s3: Anne, s4: The Freshman, s5: Buffy vs. Dracula
s6 Bargaining Part I, s7: Lessons
I chose Bargaining Part I, althought WttH came in a close second. Why? Structure and use of the cast. Bargaining examines each character's role, it shows where they've come from over the summer, it sets up future conflicts, and the interrelationships of the characters is explored in more depth than I believe the other seasons did - where the focal point was strongly Buffy. In Bargaining - the absence of Buffy or use of the Buffybot to show how Buffy was more than "just" a slayer to everyone present is fascinating and tells us a great deal about her relationship with her friends. How Xander has moved past her somewhat into his own life, so doesn't really notice, how Willow keeps fixing the Bot and feels responsible for it and feels more powerful, how Tara has taken over the mother role, how Dawn keeps trying to connect to Buffy yet feels distanced somehow, how Giles feels unnecessary b/c Bot doesn't require him - he can't teach it anything, and how Spike can't bear being around the Bot - due to how it reminds him of his failure and how like Dawn - he can't connect to it emotionally as he did in The Gift. All themes that will be explored in greater depth through the season. Buffy the robot - how each character desired her back b/c they desired the connection and how she denies it to them due to her own depression and pain. Brilliant. WttH in contrast - introduces how they need Buffy the hero more than Buffy the normal girl.
The worst? Buffy vs. Dracula. Of the seven episodes listed, B vs. D does the least to further the characters or establish relationships, it hints at things, but it is largely fun and stand alone. The Real Me is actually the true first episode of that season.
Episode 2
s1: The Harvest, s2: Some Assembly Required
s3: Dead Man's Party, s4: Living Conditions
s5: Real Me, s6: Bargaining 2, s7: Beneath You
My choice after a little debate between Real Me and Beneath You is Beneath You - why? Because Beneath You examines the fractured mind and how we handle guilt. How do you deal with a messed up relationship – or a love affair that has exploded? Particularly when you still care deeply for the person you inadvertently hurt? How do you atone? Is it possible? How do you deal with the feeling that you are beneath someone else or the rejection. The church scene at the end is probably the single best scene of any Whedon show – haunting and touching at the same time, with a soft blue light. It alone paints how complex these issues are. That the hero isn’t necessarily so evident or so clear. I don’t like Buffy in Beneath You and something tells me, I’m not supposed to. Yet at the same time, in retrospect? I feel for her. I understand her dilemma. You have to respect a television show that is willing to put its heroine in that type situation.
Worst? Some Assembly Required Nice title, poorly written episode. The weakest in comparison to the others - in that the characters seem to be going in circles through most of it. Dead Man's Party comes close - but it did a good job of showing what happens when you don't communicate or avoid handling a problem.
3. Episode 3
s1: The Witch, s2: School Hard, s3: Faith, Hope and Trick
s4: The Harsh Light of Day, s5: The Replacement
s6: AfterLife, s7: Same Time, Same Place
Another hard choice – but I chose Harsh Light of Day over School Hard, once again because it does a good job of exploring a series of relationships and delicately parallels them – it also does a wonderful job of expressing the college experience of the one night stand from three perspectives. The fight sequence at the end between Spike and Buffy blows the one in School Hard out of the park – both in dialogue and action. Spike in both episodes reflects Buffy’s darkest fears and thoughts. But in this one the comments are far more painful and reflect far more about Buffy’s state of mind than the first one did. It also establishes the Anya/Xander relationship arc very well.
Worst episode? The Witch – cliché episode about a mother wanting to relive her cheerleading days.
Episode 4
s1: Teacher's Pet, s2: Inca Mummy Girl
s3: Beauty and the Beasts, s4: Fear, Itself, s5: Out of my Mind
s6: Flooded, s7: Help
Out of My Mind - why? Because of the wonderful contrasts between Spike and Riley which built on the ones established the previous season. The boy whose heart just isn’t up to it – b/c the worries of his brain keeps him back, and the boy whose heart is working overtime because the brain has been compromised. The story of two chips. One in the heart and one in the head. And how both reflect the lead, Buffy’s own state of mind. S5 was a season about the duality inside ourselves and this episode was a subtle approach to that metaphor. Runner up is Fear, Itself.
Worst? Hard decision, since I disliked Teacher’s Pet, Help, and Beauty and The Beasts equally. Choosing Teacher’s Pet for the pray mantis special effect and the vampire with the claw.
Episode 5
s1: Never Kill a Boy on the First Date, s2: Reptile Boy, s3: Homecoming
s4: Beer Bad, s5: No Place Like Home, s6: Life Serial, s7: Selfless
Selfless of course. Of all the episodes here – this one is the most inventive and the best character study. Selfless finally explains who Anya is. But it doesn’t stop there, it explores the dynamic between Xander,Willow and Buffy and how these three friends just don’t get each other sometimes. I think Selfless is when Xander finally understands Buffy and Willow. Finally understands why Buffy did not kill Spike or Angel. Something Willow has always understood. It also shows how Willow gets the murky nature of evil actions. A complex episode. Probably one of the best in the series as a whole. And 0 competition in this group.
Worst? Much harder to decide, but picking Reptile Boy over Homecoming and Beer Bad, for the monster and the cliché set up.
Episode 6
s1: The Pack, s2: Halloween, s3: Band Candy, s4: Wild at Heart
s5: Family, s6: All the Way, s7: Him
The Pack - why? Because it went so dark and demonstrated what happens when kids play to the mob mentality. Doing whatever to fit in.
Worst? All The Way – somewhat cliché exploration of first date and old territory for ME. Also the plotting and structure was a tad disjointed as if the writers couldn’t find the focal point – which should have been Dawn.
Episode 7
s1: Angel, s2: Lie to Me, s3: Revelations s4: The Initiative
s5: Fool For Love, s6: Once More, With Feeling*
s7: Conversations With Dead People
Fool For Love - yes, I’m a Spike fan, but I honestly can’t find anything wrong with this episode. Once More With Feeling – as wonderful as it is – has some flaws – one being the reveal that it was Xander who summoned the demon? Also the dance sequences were choppy and off somewhat. CwDP? The best bit was Whedon’s Buffy and the Vamp psychologist. The worst? A contest between Andrew/Jonathan and Dawn. Too over the top in places. And confusing. I had to explain this episode to people online and offline after seeing it. Fool For Love? Is flawless. It explores the slayer/vampire relationship through the ages, explores the slayer’s role, and it also explores how Buffy’s role divides her from others – yet at the same time it’s her friends and family that hook her to the world. The contrasts in this episode are fascinating. One of the best episodes of the series and in a tough category – since I’d include OMWF and CwDP in that as well, but both have flaws I can’t overlook and become more and more apparent upon rewatchings.
Worst? Revelations. Another cheesy villain. Also some of the interactions seemed a tad on the contrived side – Xander was just a little over the top here.
Episode 8
s1: I Robot, You Jane , s2: The Dark Age, s3: Lovers' Walk
s4: Pangs, s5: Shadow, s6: Tabula Rasa, s7: Sleeper
Lover’s Walk because of the seven listed it’s the most flawless. It moves each character further on it’s arc, doesn’t play too loosely with characterization to be innovative or get laughs like Tabula Rasa does, and does a good job of jumping between comedy and tragedy. While I love Pangs and Tabula Rasa and Sleeper – all three had discordant notes, all three felt forced in places – as if the characters were being pressed to fulfill a plot-point as opposed to going there naturally. Lover’s Walk never felt that way.
Worst? I Robot You Jane - the cheesy monster and the over-done computer dating sub-plot.
Episode 9
s1: The Puppet Show, s2: What's My Line 1, s3: The Wish
s4: Something Blue*, s5: Listening to Fear, s6: Smashed*
s7: Never Leave Me
Struggled with this one – but The Wish wins. Why? Again it’s the most flawless and it does a wonderful job of showing an alternative universe, while at the same time telling us something new about each character – showing us the dark sides of their natures, sides that the show revisits in later episodes. Runner-ups are Something Blue, Smashed.
Worst? Listening to Fear - not too bad for its reveals, just a little cheesy in places. I liked Puppet Show and Never Leave Me and WM1 better.
Episode 10
s1: Nightmares ,s2: What's My Line 2*, s3: Amends, s4: Hush
s5: Into The Woods, s6: Wrecked, s7: Bring on the Night
Hush, while I love What’s My Line 2, Hush wins for being the most flawless. Another one of the best episodes of the series. Innovative. Pushes Character arcs forward. And has the scariest villains. Also lovely exploration of how we communicate and how talking and noise can get in the way - ie. how we don’t listen.
Worst? Wrecked - the Willow on magic crack metaphor was cringe-worthy. The two themes addressed – addiction and bad relationships? Cliché to the max. The show dealt with them better in earlier episodes. Also they leapt from the far more interesting arc – regarding abuses of power and desiring physical attraction sans emotional connection – what that does to people – an arc that is addressed far better in Dead Things.
Episode 11
s1: Out of Sight, Out of Mind, s2: Ted, s3: Gingerbread
s4: Doomed, s5: Triangle, s6: Gone, s7: Showtime
Triangle - not perfect but the least hokey of the choices and the best plotline. Tempted towards Ted, but I just find that episode impossible to watch more than twice.
Worst? Showtime - it made the least amount of sense and seemed the most forced of the choices – lots of deux ex machina at play here. Fury later said he’d been busy on ATS and not really up to speed on BTVS, well, you could tell.
Episode 12
s1: Prophecy Girl, s2: Bad Eggs, s3: Helpless, s4: A New Man
s5: Checkpoint, s6: Doublemeat Palace, s7: Potential
Checkpoint again the most flawless. Nice mix of comedy and drama. Advances every character and establishes the relationships between them. Also does a nice job of furthering the plot.
Worst? Bad Eggs - cheesy sci-fi monster and the silly cowboy vampires that Whedon stole from The Wild Bunch.
Episode 13
s2: Surprise, s3: The Zeppo, s4: The I in Team, s5: Blood Ties
s6: Dead Things, s7: The Killer in Me
Dead Things - one of the darkest episodes of television I’ve seen and an interesting commentary on S&M and abusive relationships. Not to mention self-hate and using people to pleasure yourself. It took the heroine to a dark place, something very few TV shows dare to do. Amazing episode. Flawless in what it wanted to accomplish. One of the best episodes in the series.
Worst? The Killer in Me - oh the pain! What this episode could have been if the writer had only focused and put the chip business in another episode. Or decided not to go for a cheap joke on Giles. This episode had so much potential.
Episode 14
s2: Innocence, s3: Bad Girls, s4: Goodbye, Iowa
s5: Crush, s6: Older and Farther Away, s7: First Date
Innocence - why? It’s flawless. Everything in it works beautifully. It’s a wonderful twist on the old fairy tale and it also has lovely echoes of the Stanly Kubrick film classic Lolita, something Whedon continues to echoes throughout the season. A true classic and possibly the best episode of the series. While Bad Girls and Crush are both good episodes, they both have flaws – Bad Girls – the stupid monster plotline, Crush? You have to do cart-wheels to fanwank Buffy’s reasons for wandering around a vampire’s crypt by herself when he’s just told her he has a thing for her and she knows there’s a nasty new vamp in town. How dumb is she? Equally forced are Joyce and Willow advising Buffy to go see him.
Worst? Older and Far Away, while I equally disliked Goodbye, Iowa and First Date, this episode is far worse – it sags in the middle, the production quality is completely off, the editing cuts were so bad that people on fanboards fanwanked that they were deliberate and meant to convey telepathy between Buffy and Spike. Yes it had a cool thematic structure and metaphor and it was an interesting attempt to play with a Luis Bunnel film the writer probably saw, but it did not work. Also having Spike look beaten up and not addressing it, was distracting to the viewer.
Episode 15
s2: Phases, s3: Consequences, s4: This Year's Girl, s5: I Was Made to Love You
s6: As You Were, s7: Get It Done
Consequences - this episode far better than any other explains the complexity and ambiguity of Faith and Angel as well as their relationship. Very noir in concept, addressing some dark themes that are seldom shown on TV – including a female attempting to rape and kill a male, the idea of guilt, the idea of remorse, what it means to have a conscience, and what it means to kill someone – what that does to us. One of the best episodes of the series and almost flawless. Far better in my opinion than any of the other Faith episodes in BTVS.
Worst? As You Were - this episode was poorly plotted and destroyed the character of Riley Finn. The only good parts were the Xander/Anya bits which were more or less repetitive of former episodes and the Spike/Buffy scene at the end. The sections with Riley and Sam were truly awful. Ruining the character of Riley for fans of the character. He came across as chauvinistic, smug, egotistical, morally superior, asswipe who hit people who couldn’t hit back. The egg plotline came out of nowhere with 0 buildup or explanation. Instead of explaining it, the writer attempted to swipe it under the rug – stating it’s unimportant, Buffy has other reasons to break up with him. Bad writing. Bad plotting. Bad characterization. A shame – because this episode could have been the twin to Into The Woods – a far superior one on all counts.
Episode 16
s2: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, s3: Dopplegangland*, s4: Who Are You?
s5: The Body, s6: Hell's Bells, s7: Storyteller
Hard choice. But The Body wins. Because it is flawless. Everything has a reason. Everything supports the writer/director’s theme and purpose. It also works as both a stand-alone and part of an arc. The episode is also the best examination of how we deal with death that I’ve seen done on film. It looks at death unflinchingly, without rose colored glasses or platitudes. And it examines our struggle to come to terms with it – from numerous perspectives – those of the people closest to the loved one and those of the people farthest away. By delving into the physicality of death through the use of certain film techniques – Whedon oddly enough does the opposite of what he believed he was doing, instead of discomforting the viewer, he comforts them. Amazing episode. Possibly the best.
Worst? Storyteller - manwitch on the atpobtvs discussion board sums it up best. A great idea but poorly executed, because instead of using a character the audience had followed and identified with – the “initiation character” – which was Jonathan in the series and how they used Jonathan in many episodes, they use a character that is under-developed. I can’t watch this episode more than twice. It makes me cringe. The same idea was done much better in Superstar and The Zeppo.
Episode 17
s2: Passion, s3: Enemies*, s4: Superstar, s5: Forever
s6: Normal Again*, s7: Lies My Parents Told Me
Passion - it feels the most flawless to me. While I love Enemies and Normal Again, Passion did more to push forward the arc and also changed certain characters relationships forever. Passion established why Buffy and Angel should never be together. (The episode creepily echoes some scenes in Lolita, regarding how the prof treats Lolita’s mother and a colleague who suspects him after sleeping with Lolita.) Also why Giles would never trust an ensouled vampire again. It delved into the inter-relationships between Giles, Buffy, Xander very well – it also explored Angel, Spike and Dru and the nature of obsessive love. Wonderfully layered episode. Normal Again and Enemies are a little less layered and have less effect on the characters.
The Worst? Lies My Parents Told Me - the worst thing about Lies was the lack of followup. The writers dropped several bombshells on the audience, yet never resolved them. Giles betrayal of Buffy and his use of a stranger to kill a very dangerous vampire.
While it was understandable that Giles would try to kill Spike, using Wood to do it, made no sense. The character of Wood –poorly developed. Want to see DB Woodside give a stellar performance – try 24. The trigger? Cliché and bit too Freudian. If you look at the episode from the pov that it’s about sons wanting to save their mothers from demons and resenting themselves and their mothers for being unable to do so without becoming demons themselves metaphorically and literally speaking – it’s an interesting episode. Unfortunately, it can also be examined from another perspective – which is that if mom doesn’t focus all her attention on her kid, she’s a bad parent – offensive to say the least. (I doubt that was the intent). Plus the feeling many people had that Spike showed no remorse for killing slayers. The only redeeming characteristic of LMPTM is how ATS is addressing some of these issues a year later.
Episode 18
s2: Killed By Death, s3: Earshot, s4: Where The Wild Things Are, s5: Intervention, s6: Entropy, s7: Dirty Girls
Intervention is the best episode in a weak filled. Funny – hilarious at times, it also does the same thing Passion did; it changes two characters relationship forever. In this episode Buffy and SG go from the extreme of wanting Spike staked and dead, to saving his hide. After this episode, Buffy no longer dismisses Spike with contempt and she’ll never let anyone stake him again. A complex, layered episode, discussing the ambiguous nature of love, sex and attraction while at the same time exploring how we connect to others and disconnect at the same time. One of the best episodes of the series.
Worste? Where The Wild Things Are - with the exception of a few spooky moments, and the scenes between Xander, Anya, and Spike – a waste of time. Cheesy somewhat cliché problem. The sex between Riley and Buffy – dull and not revealing much about either character.
Episode 19
s2: I Only Have Eyes For You, s3: Choices, s4: New Moon Rising*
s5: Tough Love, s6: Seeing Red, s7: Empty Spaces
Choices - an interesting episode that explores once again why Buffy and Angel are completely wrong for each other, the choices we make and paths we choose and why we choose them. Each character gets some exploration and is expanded upon. Not brilliant but the best in a weak field.
Worst? Empty Places The last few scenes? Did not work. They should have left the house, not the other way around. Clearly contrived due to set issues. Not much in this episode worth watching. While Seeing Red is not a favorite – I do like and appreciate the Clem/Spike sequence.
Episode 20
s2: Go Fish, s3: The Prom, s4: The Yoko Factor, s5: Spiral
s6: Villains, s7: Touched
The Yoko Factor - one of the best descriptions of how high school relationships slowly break apart over time. Also a wonderful examination of the characters foibles which are addressed again in greater detail in the marvelous Restless. Spike as the Iago character – is a fascinating examination of how we blame others for bringing to our attention our own flaws. He really isn’t doing anything. All he’s doing is pushing their buttons and they are letting him. The episode is so well written, that the writers apparently had to do cartwheels to find a way of getting out of the corner they’d written themselves into and get the SG to work together again. The Prom – while a decent episode, unlike Yoko Factor, is deeply flawed. The hellhounds? Laughable. The plot to take care of them, disjointed. And once again – we’re told why B/A is a horribly destructive relationship. This is getting repetitive. The best bits? Are small moments: the bit between Xander and Cordelia and the dress, Giles and Wes, and Buffy and the school who honors her – they aren’t enough though to save the episode. I have to fastforward through 80% of it to get to those moments which all happen at the end.
Worst? Go Fish The monsters just do not work. Also a bit cliché on the steroids bit. The good parts? Xander and Cordelia.
Episode 21
s2: Becoming 1, s3: Graduation 1, s4: Primeval, s5: Weight of the World
s6: Two to Go, s7: End of Days
Becoming Part I - I debated Graduation 1 for the great B/F fight sequences, but Becoming does a much better job of exploring character conflict – so much so, that what happens in it echoes through two series. Flawless episode. (How people do accents doesn’t bug me – since I’m tone death and can’t really distinguish the tonal inflections that well any way.)
Worst? Weight of The World drug in places that the others didn’t. Even though I loved the Spike bits, not enough to save the repetitive nature of the episode – which spent too much time exploring Buffy’s guilt loop, until the audience began to emphasize with Willow’s desire to slap Buffy.
Episode 22
s2: Becoming 2, s3: Graduation 2, s4: Restless, s5: The Gift
s6: Grave, s7: Chosen
Becoming 2 A largely flawless episode – each character utilized, the plot works, no gaps in logic, even if the whole being sucked into hell thing seems a tad silly – it is established well in the previous episode and isn’t just plopped in there. Buffy’s final dilemma makes perfect sense and follows from all the episodes. Every character makes sense in this finale. Nothing feels overly contrived. Or forced. The actions are also nicely ambiguous – from Xander’s lie to Spike’s odd bit of heroism. The episode also changes everyone’s relationships and how the series is viewed. As great as Restless and The Gift are – they don’t come close to the plot structure and emotional beauty of Becoming.
Worst? Hard choice - Grave, although Chosen comes in a close second. Both episodes are horribly plotted and the finale? Seems forced somehow. Xander’s speech to Willow seems unconvincing in the final analysis, its difficult to see Willow caving to him as she does. Also the magic as crack and power addiction metaphors get a tad confused, almost as if the writer is struggling to keep from losing both the theme and the character at the same time. Buffy is under-used in the episode. Spike’s search for a soul – is a series of misleads that ends up confusing both the viewer and the actor playing the role. An episode that had plenty of potential but somehow went astray. Chosen similarly is poorly plotted with tons of deux ex machina powering it. Buffy’s decision to share her power seems wonderful ideally, but not so great in reality – when it does happen, the viewer sees what amounts to 20 teenage girls fighting an unlimited number of uber-vamps. Considering it took just one ubervamp to beat Buffy to a pulp in Bring on The Night – it’s a bit hard to believe these 20 teens are going to win, super-powered or not. In the end? It’s not the characters that save the day or figure out how to defeat the enemy so much as the two tools that they just happened to find – the amulet brought by Angel and the Scythe that Caleb discovered. What makes Grave worse than Chosen is the pacing. Chosen for all it’s flaws – moves along at a nice clip, each character is well-utilized to some degree, and there’s a nice mixture of humor and tragedy – Grave on the other moves very slowly and sort of sags in the middle.
How it looks sans explanation:
Lists:
1. Bargaining 1 S6
2. Beneath You S7
3. Harsh Light of Day S4
4. Out of My Mind S5
5. Selfless S7
6. The Pack S1
7. Fool for Love S5
8. Lover’s Walk S3
9. The Wish S3
10. Hush S4
11. Triangle S5
12. Checkpoint S5
13. Dead Things S6
14. Innocence S2
15. Consequences S3
16. The Body S5
17. Passion S2
18. Intervention S5
19. Choices S3
20. The Yoko Factor S4
21. Becoming Part I S2
22. Becoming Part II S2
2 =S7
2=S6
6=S5
3=S4
4=S3
4=S2
1=S1
Best Season=5
Worst List
1. Buffy vs. Dracula S5
2. Some Assembly Required S2
3. Witch S1
4. Teacher’s Pet S1
5. Reptile boy S2
6. All the way S6
7. I Robot, You Jane S1
8. Revelations S3
9. Listening to Fear S5
10. Wrecked S6
11. Showtime S7
12. Bad Eggs S2
13. Killer in Me S7
14. Older and Far Away S6
15. As You Were S6
16. Storyteller S7
17. Lies My Parents Told Me S7
18. Where the Wild Things Are S4
19. Empty Places S7
20. Go Fish S2
21. The Weight of The World S5
22. Grave S6
S1=3
S2=4
S3=1
S4=1
S5=3
S6=5
S7=5
Hmmm…S7 and S6 in a dead heat for worst. I liked S6 better. So S7 gets the nod. Although both seemed to slide downhill after the 9th episode, interesting.
This took way too much time btw, an embarrassing amount of time, like uhm all day. sigh. Not that I had anything else to do, cold frigid day...and I'm broke. Hope someone liked it.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-01-10 03:29 pm (UTC)Thanks for being nudgable.
Thanks...
Date: 2004-01-10 03:34 pm (UTC)Season 7 - ugh. Really did not like that season. So bad.
So very very bad...partly b/c of all the potential.
Re: Thanks...
Date: 2004-01-10 03:38 pm (UTC)And very much b/c of all the Potentials.