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[frelling_tralk]

Gateway episodes: Buffy The Vampire Slayer


So if you’re a late-comer to Buffy, and want to know whether you’ll actually enjoy the show, which of these standalones should you give a shot? Start with “Earshot,” the 18th episode of Season 3. Seasons 1 and 2 of Buffy relied a bit much on excessively campy bad guys—fish monsters, a ventriloquist’s dummy, a giant man-eating insect, a robot—who served as narrative crutches clumsily telegraphing real-world evil. The bad guys of Season 3, on the other hand, embody villains we all know: adolescent alienation, romantic jealousy, teenage insecurity, high school frenemies, parents who just don’t understand.

Do people consider Earshot a good choice, or do you prefer to go earlier than season 3? (That would be me! I hate introducing newbies to a really late episode in a show as it spoils a lot of what comes earlier, so I try to choose the earliest classic episode that I can). Which episode do you generally consider the perfect episode to introduce newbies to Buffy? Do you have more than one?

Heh someone recommended Ted in the comments, and someone else responded with "You do want people to watch the show, right"? :P


ETA What was your first episode of Buffy, and did it win you over right away and make you want to see more?

Comments

just passing by

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

I would suggest: Band Candy, Hush, Halloween, Beer Bad, Fear Itself, Once More With Feelings. Oh, boy, so hard to pick any one episode they are all so great for different reasons.

How old is the person? Older the person, I would suggest later the season.

Hey :)

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I love most of those choices! Halloween and Fear Itself especially are perfect one-off episodes to watch for the first time

I'm not sure about the musical though, I always feel like those one-off concept episodes are a bit too odd to introduce a newcomer to Buffy as they're not as representative of the average episode. Hmm now I'm curious about what people's first episode was, and whether anyone did watch something like Hush, The Body, or OMWF first and it made them want to see more :goes to edit that question in:

[sabotabby]

The first Buffy episode I ever saw was "Becoming Pt. 2" and my friends were all bawling their eyes out, and I was like, "What?" Somehow, I got into the show anyway. Part of it was that I actually liked the movie and was willing to give the series a go on that basis.

I'm one of those people who needs to watch TV in order, so I'd start with the first one. Otherwise, I might say something like "The Puppet Show," as "Hush" and "Once More With Feeling," brilliant as they are, are approximately a million times better after you're familiar with the characters.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Heh yeah that would be an odd one to watch for the first time I'm guessing! My intro to Buffy was kind of a strange one. I watched the movie and thought it was fun, mostly the first half when she's finding out about the vampires and training, it was really the climatic dance that I found the cheesiest from what I remember, although it's been years since I watched now. So anyway I was curious about the show and started watching the pilot, then I was so unimpressed at Cordelia being snotty to Willow, this will sound weird now but I remember that I thought it seemed like something cheesy like Sabrina The Teenage Witch with steteotypical characters like bitchy mean girl and shy sidekick, so I switched off then. Later on I saw Inca Mummy Girl and didn't like that one much either, then finally I watched Halloween and I was hooked from then on and crazily obsessed with Spike and Drusilla at around that time, so clearly they were the hooks to get me into the show :D

And yeah I'm the same with preferring newbies to watch in order and as unspoiled as they can, so I always hesitate in recommending an episode that's too far along

[ladyoneill.livejournal.com]

I started watching from the start and when it originally aired (a very positive review in Tv Guide intrigued me though I watched anything with vampires back then--well, still do). Plus ASH. I was hooked from the start.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I used to be really into vampire literature back then and I even watched the Buffy movie, so it's weird that I didn't give the show more of a chance when it first aired, instead I started switching off around the time that Bufy first goes to school and meets Cordelia. What can I say, I was young and impatient *g*

[mcjulie.livejournal.com]

My first episode was the pilot, but not live -- a friend taped most of season 1 for me. (Yes, taped! It was the olden days!) I lived in Bellingham, where the broadcast stations we could pick up were from Canada and they weren't showing Buffy yet. They were showing it by season 2 and I watched all the other seasons live, although I missed the odd episode here and there.

I was definitely won over right away -- obviously I was excited by the premise, since I had a friend tape it. I was expecting, "like the movie, but better." Which it is! The movie!Buffy only has a clueless dude sidekick reminiscent of Xander. But in the show, Buffy has a best friend who is an adorable nerdy redhead girl! It only gets better when she decides to be a witch.

Hush would be my pick if you just want someone to like the show. I think it is really entertaining as a standalone, and does a good job of introducing major themes and characters, without being really story arc heavy.

If you want to go "earliest really great episode" I think you could go all the way back to Nightmares in season 1, or Prophecy Girl.

Even though I liked the show right away, Prophecy Girl was the first episode that really GOT to me.

Halloween would be a good choice. I might also pick Lie to Me, especially if I were showing it to a goth or a vampire fiction fan.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I'm biased towards Halloween because it was the episode that really got me into the show :D It's funny actually because someone in the comments also mentioned Lie To Me and I was surprised at how I've never seen that episode suggested before. It's actually a really strong episode and an early example of the show willing to go darker with Ford's fate, so yeah I'm surprised that it's not an episode you see recommended much for a first episode

I always feel like Hush might be a bit too out there for a newbie, but maybe that's just me *g* Season 4 is probably the best episode for new viewers otherwise though as it has a ton of fantastic stand-alone episodes that almost seem designed to appeal to someone just dipping into the show for the first time

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

Seasons 1 and 2 of Buffy relied a bit much on excessively campy bad guys

As opposed to Hansel and Gretal, hellhounds, zombies and rage-filled demons. *eyeroll*

I watched from the beginning.

As for the hooker episode, depends on the person, but I think Lie to Me is a pretty good one to indicate what the show will turn into. It's MotW but not really.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Heh yeah I was a bit confused at that, since when don't most seasons of Buffy have monsters that you could call campy?!?

My way of getting into the show after Halloween was kind of weird lol. I went to WHSmith to buy Buffy novels of the episodes and thoroughly confused myself with an Angel book that chronicled three of his episodes up to Passion, I flipped to the end of the book and I was like wait Buffy's vampire boyfriend is just pretending to be good??? Then I brought the video's so I could catch up from the beginning properly *g*

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I think Lie to Me is a pretty good one to indicate what the show will turn into. It's MotW but not really.

I hadn't thought of that one, but you're probably right on that one. Although I'm still wavin' the "I watched from the beginning and you should too!" banner.

[snickfic]

I accidentally started someone off with The Initiative once, and in retrospect it turned out to be a really good choice. It's got both action and humor, and it gets the major S4 action started without depending much at all on what came before.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Oh that's interesting! It's not an episode I would have thought of as the Iniative arc is so underwhelming for me, but in itself that episode is pretty solid from what I remember, and good moments of humour with Spike, the Xander/Harmony fight, and Riley's clumsy attempts to bond with Buffy over a mutual love of cheese! I think it's mostly The I In Team and Goodbye Iowa that really fall flat for me with the Iniative, but otherwise things still finished on a strong note with Primevil

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Isn't The Initiative the ep where Riley goes to Willow for advice on dating Buffy? (Back when I still liked him.)

"If you hurt Buffy I will beat you to death with a shovel. (off his look) A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend. Have fun!"

BEST Willow line ever.

[ladypeyton.livejournal.com]

My very first episode was Puppet Show, which I initially watched because I loved the movie, and after 15 minutes I hated the entire series and wouldn't return until my second very first episode, which was the live airing of Becoming, Part 2. Goofy Angel exit aside (I mean really he looks comical standing there hunched over and reaching out) I was obsessed. I watched every rerun of season 2 over the summer, back when they ran reruns during the summer, and then caught up reading about season one online until those episodes finally became available to watch on tape.

I was very disappointed when Spike didn't show up much in season 3 but very happy when Angel left for his own show making room for my favorite vamp to come back.

Honestly, the episode that got my husband hooked was The Zeppo. Before he saw that one he watched with me to humor me, that one made him a fan. I think that's a great entry point for guys because they can easily identify with Xander's alienation. For women, well let me restate for *romantic* women, I'd absolutely have to go with Something Blue.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I got my sister into the show with Surprise/Innocence for romance! But then it made a lifelong fan of Buffy/Angel out of her, while I'm more of a Spuffy fan, so that was a bit annoying :P

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I watched a few standalone Buffy episodes before I was convinced to watch the whole show. 'Hush' was my first and I think that's probably the best gateway episode. But 'Once More with Feeling', 'Restless' and 'The Body' are all powerful standalones too.

I'm in the minority but I didn't like the high school seasons as much as the laters ones. Of the early seasons, 'Earshot' was one of my favourites, along with 'Passion' and 'Doppelgangland'. My other favourite episodes are listed here, most of them later season episodes.

http://falafel-musings.livejournal.com/88732.html

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

It depends on who you talk too really, a lot of my flist were also more into the later seasons and generally used to write meta and discuss them more. I'm kind of a mixture because my favourite seasons are 3 and 6 and a lot of people I talked Bts with found season 3 overrated and dull compared to later seasons, whilst a lot of fans of season 3 thought that Bts was terrible in season 6, so I always feel like kind of an oddity for liking earlier and later Bts equally more or less!

[suzvoy.livejournal.com]

Hush was my first episode and yes, it converted me :D

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

You picked a good one to start with then *g*

[silverusagi]

I was flipping through channels when S7 was airing and saw part of Conversations With Dead People. I was not hooked. I didn't actually watch the show until three years later.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Dd you start right from the beginning after that? And yeah, season 7 would be a tough one to get into for the first time as so much of it is continuity-heavy

[ever-neutral.livejournal.com]

I usually go with an early S2 ep (Lie to Me would probably be the best example) because that's the show's first really good season (IMO anyway), and once you get people hooked on the Angelus/Drusilla/Spike plot it's pretty easy from that point on.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Yeah I always think that season 2 is a good season to start a new viewer on as Spike and Dru bring a really fun gothic romance element to the show, whereas the Master and the vampires from season 1 are a bit too traditional horror at first glance and maybe won't make the show stand out to new viewers

[daybreak777.livejournal.com]

I watched Buffy from the beginning. Gosh, I was so young then. ;-) The episode that hooked me? I can't remember. I liked the first season very much. I liked the ep when Xander was a hyena. That was ep 6 and it didn't go back to eps like that for a while. But I liked it.

I got hooked by the season finale. When she died the first time. It was season 1. I had no idea if the show would be renewed. And they maybe just killed her!!! And then I really paid attention. I love watching things live for that reason. You don't know what really will happen. I think I was hooked from that time on.

I never had any issues with Buffy. A few but mostly I enjoyed that show from start to finish. :-)

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I got hooked by the season finale. When she died the first time. It was season 1.

I loved Prophecy Girl, it's in my top ten episodes! And I always have a few issues here and there with each season lol when I sit down and really nitpick it all with other fans, but yeah overall I really enjoyed the entire show as well :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I finally watched the series last year - and I don't know why it took me so long either; (other than the fact that I moved in with my partner the year before Buffy went on the air and we still don't have cable tv because we don't want it. Thanks, netflix!)

I've heard this question a lot and my only answer is - I watched the show from the very beginning and every newbie should too, damnit! Really, though, the moment I was hooked was the scene in the library between Buffy and Giles in WTTH: "Go ahead, prepare me!" I knew this was a protagonist I wanted to watch.

I wouldn't recommend the "standalone" eps in general because they would give a false idea of the series (although I MIGHT make an exception for Hush); but more to the point, every episode except the earliest ones depend on prior knowledge of the characters for their heft; I see Earshot listed frequently but the best joke in the episode is a spoiler for Band Candy, and so forth. Giles dream in Restless is a callback to Puppet Show; Dopplegangers is a sequel to the Wish and if you don't know about X/C/W (oh Cordy, you were so misused) then you're missing a huge chunk of it. Etc. There are two moments in OAFA that are callbacks to Family. And so forth.

BTW - I don't know who said that quote at the very top of your post but - um, yeah, right; whatever.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I've heard this question a lot and my only answer is - I watched the show from the very beginning and every newbie should too, damnit!

Heh I guess there's always kind of a dilemma because a lot of Bts fans don't look so fondly on season 1 and want to start new fans off at a time when the show got REALLY good, but yeah it probably is best to start new viewers with the pilot and just keep telling them just how crazy good things will get. For me Prophecy Girl is the first real stand-out episode but then, like you said, a lot of it relies on the characters and what they've been building up too with Buffy facing the Master, so it's probably better not to watch a lot of those episodes out of context

[stolenglimpse.livejournal.com]

I remember the very first episode I saw was actually while they were doing reruns in either a Christmas holiday time off or Summer (not too sure anymore) and the episode was Some Assembly Required. I was completely on board with that episode but I was intrigued. For some odd reason, I don't remember the 2nd episode ever but it got me hooked. Maybe in the Angelus arc?

As for trying to pull people in, I'd say the Angelus arc but I like my shows in order... I mean, evern Some Assembly Required (which in my opinion is not that good) made a lot more sense to me.

I do somehow suggest The Pack, Angel, Prophecy Girl, Halloween, the entire Angel Arc (because feelings), Faith, Hope and Trick, The Wish, Earshot, Graduation 1 & 2, Something Blue, Hush, This Year's Girl, Who Are You?.

I can't trim this list down. I also felt like adding Restless but that might just confuse people for nothing. And suggesting from season 5, 6 and 7 is hard. Aside from The Body,OMWF, The Gift... Normal Again (because we get to know something from Buffy's past) and Chosen. So I chose some but I'm sure there's more; I just can't haha!!

Not sure I'd be the best to pull out a list of eps, really. Based on my own opinion, those would most likely pull me in easy but for others... I don't know.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

A lot does depend on individual taste before you decide what episode will appeal it's true!

And yeah, I was never keen in Some Assembly Required either. It's funny but I always feel a bit wary when newbies get season 2 recommended to them as the high point of the series/best season ever, because of course they mean for the Angelus arc, but I always wonder what newbies think when they are working their way through the first half and some of the bad filler there like Reptile Boy, Bad Eggs etc