Favorite Season of Buffy?

[shadowkat]

[Figure this should be safe and won't get any pedantic arguments/fights. But you never know with the Buffy fandom. At any rate, mind my blood-pressure in responses, I have a sinus head-ache from hell and a hellish work week with crazy bureaucrats and pedants. This is a mild distraction.]

[ETA: Almost wish I asked where you are in the viewing of series. Are you brand new to the series, watched it live in the 1990s-2003 (and since seen it 20 times or more, okay that may be an exaggeration...then again maybe not), or only watched the first three seasons all the way through and haven't seen most of the later seasons yet...although not really sure it matters one way or the other..]

[Poll #1822636]

Comments

[tomomakimou.livejournal.com]

I must say, season 3 is at the bottom of my list only above season 1.

Aside from Mark Watches, I've been listening to a podcast called PotentialCast. It also features three people who have never seen the series (and one who has). So far, those first-time watcher's reaction is very close to mine when I first watched the series. At the point of their season 3 wrap-up, no one is raving about the show yet - except the rewatcher who stated that S3 is her favorite season - , while they all admit that it's a very entertaining show. I'm curious to see how their opinion will change – for better or worse – in later seasons.

I mentioned about this podcast because it was a very refreshing change for me after having read Mark's reaction for three seasons - not to mention, there is a lot of “flailing” going on in the comment section. I just can't get emotionally connected with these early seasons. I don't know why ....

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

It may have a lot to do with how well you identify with the high school bit or "high school is hell".

I've noticed over time that the people who either like high school storylines or found that "high school as hell or the adolescent search for identity" resonating - loved the earlier seasons more than those who didn't.

The other possibility is that the early seasons are more standard tv formula. ie. You have several stand-a-alone monsters of the week,
clear-cut heroes and bad-guys, clear-cut mythology and rules. And you pretty much know who will and die at the end. Buffy is safe, Xander, Willow, Giles, and Cordy...more or less.

Whedon and his fellow writing team didn't begin to break all those rules and tropes until S4 onwards. Where they pretty much threw the rules out the window. I've noticed people who prefer a clear-cut, consistent, mythos and story tend to struggle more with the later seasons.

[tomomakimou.livejournal.com]

Your comment makes me ponder.

High school was hell for me, too. So at least I can understand why these teen characters are feeling or/and acting the way they do. But it's a life which I left behind a long time ago and I guess I'm not particularly keen to watch it all over again on my little screen...

Speaking of which – though this is off-topic - I've heard that “Freaks and Geeks” is an excellent show. I'll check it out and see how I feel about it. It may not actually be a teen drama thing. I'll see.

As for the “clear-cut” heros, I'm not so sure about that because I'm a big fan of Superman. (Which hero can be more clean-cut than him, right?) My husband is amused to see me fangirling over both Clark Kent and Spike. He thinks it's a Ying Yang thing. Lol

As someone who struggled with depression, S6 hit me really hard. If those earlier seasons are “relatable” (now as fond memories but “hellish” back then), S6 is timeless to me. That season will continue to resonate with me no matter how old I am.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

My husband is amused to see me fangirling over both Clark Kent and Spike. He thinks it's a Ying Yang thing.

I'm similar. So..that's a good point. About not being so much "clear-cut" heroes...although Superman...was a bit more complicated.

I think another factor on which season you prefer may be based on how much you love the character of Spike and which version or why.
Although there's at least two Spike fans in the comments who loved S3 and rank it first with S5.
So...

As someone who struggled with depression, S6 hit me really hard. If those earlier seasons are “relatable” (now as fond memories but “hellish” back then), S6 is timeless to me. That season will continue to resonate with me no matter how old I am.

This may be closer...I'm somewhat the same way.
I was going through a depression during S6 and S7...so both seasons resonated for me far more than any other did.

And...High school was hell for me, too. So at least I can understand why these teen characters are feeling or/and acting the way they do. But it's a life which I left behind a long time ago and I guess I'm not particularly keen to watch it all over again on my little screen...

Yes. That's exactly how I feel. Exactly. High school was hellish, but differently so (in some respects my experience was closer to what is depicted in Veronica Mars which as a high school series worked better for me in some respects. The feeling of disconnection and not really having any friends or any support group.
Buffy? High school isn't that bad. She has a boyfriend who loves her beyond life itself, she has close friends who stick with her through thick and thin, and a wonderful teacher/mentor.
Most the angst is externalized - monsters, a curse, etc. So I can't really identify with Buffy or her friends. They fit too neatly into brain, jock, nerd tropes. For me - the first three seasons felt false and somewhat fake emotionally. It wasn't a high school experience that I could relate to in any way. Nor one I remembered. Any more than I relate to Glee or
Vamp Diaries for that matter. I enjoy them but in the same sort of casual non-fannish way I enjoyed the first three seasons of Buffy.

It's possible Freaks and Geeks would have worked better...I know in some respects Veronica Mars did.

In stark contrast? S5-7 of the series really resonated for me. S5 was the first time that I really understood the character of Buffy and identified. Up until that season..I found her hard to relate to. The only character I sort of related to...was Willow. And that I think is also a big factor - at least for me. It may not be for anyone else.

[tomomakimou.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you said Superman is little bit more complicated than “clean cut”. It's true. He is often criticized as being too much of a “goody two-shoes”, but that's not it. Though, just for argument's sake, I think he is more Riley than Spike. :p

I think another factor on which season you prefer may be based on how much you love the character of Spike and which version or why.

I agree. The vast majority of TV shows work because of our attachment to the character(s).

When I first watched S7, I was busy rooting for Spike's redemption arc that I paid less attention to what's been going on with other characters. I only noticed on my re-watch how much the writers put their focus on his arc compared to other character's arc (or non-existent arcs). If you don't care about Spike's character at this point of the series (or worse, if you downright hate him), it must be quite hard to watch S7.

That said, I don't feel bad for those fans who don't enjoy S7. If I enjoy something that somebody else doesn't, more power to me. This show has many different things to offer and we are all here because we love some part of it, or all of it. Cookies for everyone! *g*

I stopped watching Veronica Mars around mid-S2 but I'm planning to give it another try. :)

About how we relate to the characters because of our own experiences? I can even relate to Buffy's “I love you forever!” thingy if I channel my inner teenager angst. In fact, I once left this dramatic note to “the love of my life” (or so I thought back then) that says: “I love you forever". *blushing eternally* Now I don't even remember his last name!

Thank god we change and move on...