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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

[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

[ladypeyton.livejournal.com]

Surprise/Innocence actually creeped me out because I couldn't let go of the age difference.

And then I went full Spuffy and never looked back.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

The age difference bothered me more in season 1 because Buffy seemed so young then, but I was generally on board with them in season 2. I went full-on Spuffy too after Out Of My Mind and Fool For Love though *g*

[ladypeyton.livejournal.com]

For me the cut off was graduation, but then Angel left. I feel that if he had waited until she was more adult he wouldn't have emotionally scarred her so badly so that she never again had a fully committed and trusting relationship.

OOMM anf FFL *happy sigh* both wonderful episodes. If I hadn't already been on the ship they would have convinced me.