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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

[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