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.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rosecarmine
(no subject)
Date: 2013-05-08 02:54 pm (UTC)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.