Poll!

[next_to_normal]

Quite a while back, snickfic posted about her season 1 rewatch, and there was talk about "The Pack" being the first really effective episode of the series. And that got me to thinking.

It seems pretty generally accepted that season 1 is in a different category than the rest of BtVS - Buffy with training wheels, almost. It doesn't get much fandom love. Full series rewatches usually begin with a grumble about slogging through season 1 in order to get to the good stuff. I've even heard plenty of people suggest NOT starting at the beginning in order to get new viewers hooked on Buffy, or at the very least, assuring people, "Just keep watching! It gets much better, I promise." It's shorter, it's campier, the metaphors are really anvilicious, the monsters are really cheesy (okay, that doesn't totally change), and it features less of the long-term arcs and emotional character moments that become the touchstone of the show.

But where, exactly, does the "real" BtVS begin? What's the first episode that makes you sit up and say, "THAT'S the show I know and love!"

[Poll #1494098]

Comments

[alexeia-drae.livejournal.com]

For me it was "Passion." Yes, I know, I'm probably going to have the latest episode. Pretty much I wasn't interested in seeing the show because I thought it was that faux grrl power thing popular when I was in high school (I graduated the year after the Scoobies did) and I'm not big on vampires. But I loved Firefly and my sis got into the show, showed me OMWF and Hush.

Finally I decided to watch it, but she suggested I start with season 2. I ignored her, started at Welcome to the Hellmouth and was bored and disappointed so I skipped to season 2. I got more and more interested as the show picked up steam, but it was "Passion" when I was hooked. It was so well done and showed the consequences of actions that the characters made, had the drama, and raised the stakes. But then I'm probably weird in that regard. And yeah, I'm kinda morbid.

[next_to_normal]

I could definitely see "Passion" as a defining moment for the series. Morbid though it may be, that part's pretty critical, since Jenny's death shows that Joss is willing to kill off important characters, and Angelus killing her shows that he's not afraid to take his characters to really dark places. I mean, sure, Angel lost his soul and has been killing people since "Innocence," but killing someone close to the Scoobies takes things to a whole new level.

And you should listen to your sister. She's very wise. ;)

[alexeia-drae.livejournal.com]

And you should listen to your sister. She's very wise. ;)


Eh, I guess;-)

[gabrielleabelle.livejournal.com]

I was trying to hook you with Spike, but I suppose Jenny dying will do, you morbid, morbid person you!

[alexeia-drae.livejournal.com]

When have I ever been a fangirl type?