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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

[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.