Something next to normal, that's the thing I'd like to try

I watched Season 2 first, so I'm biased. It was School Hard that got me, not just for Spike, but for Dru and little Sheila, as well. The little scene changes ("Is she tough?" "Ow, my creme rinse..." "If nothing bad happens" "Home, sweet home.") were so delightfully silly and playful, I was all in. That said, I also enjoy Season 1 on rewatch, especially The Witch, The Pack, Angel and Prophecy Girl. My main issue is with the darkness of the visuals. It's kinda hard to watch, after the visual pop of Season 3. The stories are still great, though.