What are your 'essential' Buffy episodes?

[gloominous]

I watched Buffy during its original run and have always been a big fan but my best friend has never seen it. All the episodes are currently on Prime and she mentioned the other night that she'd be amenable to a 'highlights' version.

Obviously I have my own favourite episodes which I've returned to (many, many times) over the years but I've never rewatched all seven seasons in chronological order. So I wondered what everyone else would consider to be the essential episodes of each season that would give a complete newbie a sense of the overall story?

Obviously the ideal scenario is that she'll love it so much that she binges the whole thing without me but I like to be prepared

Anything with Oz.

Buffy should be watched in all its glory and - if you give her a highlights list - you should explain very clearly that she will be missing so much character development - as well as brilliant comedy and poignancy - that she will be doing herself - and more importantly Buffy a massive disservice.

But if she only wants to watch essential episodes the season 1 is:
Welcome to the hellmouth
The Harvest
Never kill a boy on the first date (but only if she really enjoyed the first 2 - otherwise just explain the concept of the annointed one to her)
Angel
Prophecy girl

Season 2 is
When she was bad
School hard
What's my line part one and two
Surprise
innocence
passion
I only have eyes for you
Becoming part one and two.

If by this point, she does not want to watch all of Buffy - then it isn't the show for her and she should give up. Ideally though, she will go back and watch what she has missed.

Actually highlight episode like hush or OMWF aren't the best for her to watch - as without the context of all that comes before it makes no sense and has no impact. Start at the beginning - watch the story arc episodes and see if she likes it enough to watch the MOTW episodes as well.

I really don't understand getting in to a show and only watching some of the episodes. it's like reading a book but only reading some of the chapters. Of course the overall experience is going to be poorer because of it.

Despise everything about Series 4 with the initiative and Riley and Professor Walsh and Adam

Agree they were all crap but I still think S4 is well written - the dialogue is great. And I'll take Riley over Dawn any time - at least he's not perky

I love all the evil Mayor episodes from S3 - he's my all-time favourite character and role model

The wish and prom were another one of my favourites plus the one where buffys cousin dies and turns out it’s a monster feeding off poorly kids.

I don’t know the episode names but the one where Buffy thinks she’s in an asylum and chooses to stay ‘mad’ at the end. And the one with the creepy grinning dudes.

I also loved the episode where buffy was in an institution for the insane and made the story of being a vampire slayer and sunnydale it really made you question if it was real because of the ending especially when they reference her death in season 5 and she snapped out of her psychotic episode, was brilliant writing.

I started with Once More with Feeling, watched to the end of Season six, and then watched from the beginning, and Angel.

The person I was with wanted me to love it so chose an episode he knew I would like, and then I just wanted to watch the rest.

My first ever episode was 'Ted'. It changed my life. But it's not the one I would try to hook other people in with.
If Buffy is the show for you it really doesn't matter where you start. Or what order you see it in (I watched season 2 on BBC 2 and season 4 on sky 1 simultaneously. I watched season 3 on the BBC and at some point must have gone back to season 1, because I had seen it all by the time season 5 started airing in January 2001).
I just fell into it and watched would I could whenever it was on. Back in the day I was obviously limited by the t.v schedule (until I bought the vhs tapes) so I had no say in the order I saw it in.
But starting now - with it all already out there on multiple different mediums - it makes sense to start at the beginning and watch through.

Trailers back in the day were pretty spoileriffic (anyone else remember the advert for 'The Gift' aired directly after the end of 'weight of the world' showing Buffy's grave?) but people watching now have an opportunity to watch it pretty spoiler free. Diving in at the middle sort of ruins that.

OMWF contains massive spoilers for things to come, if someone goes back to watch it. Like Buffy dying. and - oh yeah - the entire existence of DAWN!

Yes I agree... season 6 probably wasn’t the best to start with for spoilers

If I were not starting from the beginning in order to choose a good episode, I’d prob choose one from series 2.

My niece and nephew have just watched the whole thing plus Angel and they followed an internet guide to watching them simultaneously and I think they got quite a lot out of doing it like that.

I've just started watching from the beginning, currently on season 3.

Agree with all the episodes people have suggested! Love Oz, definitely not enough of him in the series!

I am debating missing out season 4 as i can't stand Riley and the whole Adam storyline... any crucial episodes I should watch in season 4 if I do miss it out?? Although I'm sure there's lots of flashbacks if Spike which I like!

And I'll take Riley over Dawn any time - at least he's not perky

Agree! Dawn was awful!

Hush. A couple with Faith to explain the dynamic. Where her mum dies and about Dawn.

Not Once More With Feeling it’s hideous. I don’t understand why people like it.

Oh yeah and when she kills Angel. Where Spike and Dru turn up.

I love the episode when Buffy is working in the burger shop and Riley is waiting in line. Her facial expressions are amazing, when Buffy is clearly hoping Riley is back for her and will sweep her off her feet and take her away from her shit life, and then she realises he is married. Sarah Michelle is a very underrated actress.

I love Spike and "you made a bear!" I really identified with the Parker storyline at the time, it broke my heart.

I like the last few in season 5 and I think the last one in the series is my favourite. I liked Glory as the big bad. Rather dodgily I love spike when she's tortured him (dont want to know what that means about me).

I am v much team spike not angel. I don't know if this is because I didn't watch as a teen (although my mum did) so didn't get the teen love stuff. I liked the cute but evil bad boy/amazing sex stuff way better.

Band candy is fun
Tabula Rasa
Hush
The body (I cried my eyes out)

I actually started watching half way through season 6 then went back and rewatched from the start so no reason why your friend can't dip in and see if she loves it. I agree it's something you get or don't get really.

I only have eyes for you.

My absolute favourite!

Spike vs Angel - is it even a competition? It’s so obviously Spike!

Anyway, I am not sure if watching highlight episodes will work. We tried that with the dcs, who very clearly are not related to us in any way

I bet once she watches a few of season one she will he hooked!

My friend who is 25 so had no idea about Buffy became a super fan 3 years ago after I suggested we watch the first few episodes 😊

I love Buffy. I haven't seen the episodes for years though, so I can't remember favourite episodes but Hush was definitely a highlight, and I'm another who couldn't bear Riley. -The character not the actor- Spike was the best character.

I loved the series Angel even more though, especially Lorne/The Host. I just realised that it's been ten years this month since Andy Hallet who played him died. He was so young.

Unpopular opinion: I like Dawn. Imagine being 14, going through puberty, abandoned by your father, your older sister is the chosen one, then you find out you're the Key, then your mother dies, then your sister dies! Of course she's gonna be messed up and act like a brat.

I also don't like Buffy/Spike. It's a toxic relationship.

I love Dawn. I hated her when it first aired but looking back ... she's a whiny teenager that's nothing special... I was a whiny teenager that was nothing special. The only thing I hated about Dawn was that I had to face the reality that I was a Dawn not a Buffy. Well - that - and the shrieking.
I think that it was a lot of people dislike about her, deep down.
Now I think she's brilliant. And whilst I hate her when she kicks Buffy out of her own house at least she is the only one of the scoobies who feels bad about it.

I'm torn on Angel vs Spike. I prefer the potential of Spike with Buffy but hate what we get after OMWF but Angel on his own show is awesome. And the 'close you eyes' theme is the saddest piece of music ever written.
I prefer Angel and Spike together in season 5 of Ats than either of them with Buffy.

I hated Dawn when I first watched it but as I’ve rewatched it many, many times I totally get her. She’s still irritating as fuck but she’s meant to be and has reason to be.

I can’t get over how they’ve got no money in S6. Willow and Tara are college students? Not paying rent living at Buffys house cos it’s mortgage free but have no money? Wtf?

And don’t even get me started on S7 when they boot her out. Then immediately turn on Faith when she fucks up.

I really wish Joss had been able to talk SMG into a 10 episode S8 so the story could have been told properly and not crammed into one season.

S5 of Angel is fucking hilarious

And why is Buffy slinging burgers? How bout Willow and Tara leave college and get fricking jobs

I'll nominate The Pack as my least favourite episode. I don't like mean Xander, and I liked Principal Flutie!