@tomalak301 did you notice that when Buffy killed the Mayor, he exclaimed “Well gosh!” Which was extra funny considering he was all snakey. 
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel - First Time Viewer
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@tomalak301 did you notice that when Buffy killed the Mayor, he exclaimed “Well gosh!” Which was extra funny considering he was all snakey.
I was wondering what he said. It sounded blurred so I couldn’t make it out. Yeah I could see the hilarity in that
So you might notice there was sort of a tonal pattern to the seasons. The first season was fairly light and campy, season two was more drama-heavy, and season three was serious and dark. Well, the pattern repeats for the next three seasons with the dials turned up several notches.
It's one of my favorite aspects of the show. It kept it from feeling too samey year in and year out.
It's one of my favorite aspects of the show. It kept it from feeling too samey year in and year out.
I should add that, the reason I say this is to encourage you to enjoy the levity of season four. Despite having some of the best episodes, it's generally considered the weakest season (overall) It was one of those cases where the show just had a lot of unavoidable logistical issues pile up. And ultimately the season arc falls flat. Things get rushed and there are a lot of bits that don't make much sense. I mean, there are some story threads that I still don't fully understand. You're bound to go "Huh?" several times.
But most of the episodes, when taken on their own, are a lot of fun.
But most of the episodes, when taken on their own, are a lot of fun.
Without getting spoilery, season 4 introduces my favourite Buffyverse couple ever. They are “extra flamey” for those in the know. 
I would agree season 4 has a couple really good episodes. Just the problem is
The Initiative comes off as ridiculous. It was obviously written by somebody with no military knowledge and they never have clear enough goals to make sense.
Oh, agreed, so very much.
Without getting spoilery, season 4 introduces my favourite Buffyverse couple ever. They are “extra flamey” for those in the know.
And remember kids, "O" is for "orgasm."
I don’t get it. Can you Spoiler Code it for me?
And remember kids, "O" is for "orgasm."
That's good, it adds variety. Although you say Season 3 was serious and dark, I didn't find it depressing or gloomy. There were some aspects of levity in this season and I appreciate that. I don't like it when shows have just one tone and it's usually either serious or depressing. The series is going down pretty easy and that's a good thing.
I don’t get it. Can you Spoiler Code it for me?
Basically, the network wasn't too keen on Willow/Tara. (Their first actual on-screen kiss isn't until "The Body," which is over a year after the start of their relationship.)
Annoyed by this, Whedon liked to come up with blatantly conspicuous scenes to circumvent the rules and stick it to them.
So in "Who Are You?" they do a spell to create a Buffy/Faith soul-swapper. During the scene, they sit cross-legged facing each other with only their hands touching - as if they were two girls in kindergarten playing Patty Cake. They both start breathing heavily building up to the - um - 'climax' of the spell. And then, as Hannigan falls backward in a wreathing sigh of extasy, a giant "O" ring of magic smoke arises over her body.
Annoyed by this, Whedon liked to come up with blatantly conspicuous scenes to circumvent the rules and stick it to them.
So in "Who Are You?" they do a spell to create a Buffy/Faith soul-swapper. During the scene, they sit cross-legged facing each other with only their hands touching - as if they were two girls in kindergarten playing Patty Cake. They both start breathing heavily building up to the - um - 'climax' of the spell. And then, as Hannigan falls backward in a wreathing sigh of extasy, a giant "O" ring of magic smoke arises over her body.
Oh, and I meant to address this too.
This was totally my fault. I thought I was being really clever with my phrasing, but obviously, I totally failed.
The point I was trying to convey in retrospect is how this show loves to blatantly foreshadow the end of the season early on. In "Band Candy" Buffy kills a big snake with a fire. At the end of the season, she kills a much bigger snake with a much bigger fire.
I won't say which one, obviously, but theirs an early season four episode where the entire thing foreshadows the season's primary dramatic twist. There's even a well-placed prop in that same episode. It's in plain sight, but you won't even know what you're looking at.
More things to look forward to when I rewatch the series. You pick up more easter eggs on the second or more times than the first. I mean it took me twenty years to figure out the connection between the TNG episodes Booby Trap and Times Arrow, when it came to Guinan being attracted to "Bald Men".
I'd totally forgotten that.
Believe me I got really giddy when I finally figured it out. It was like finally experiencing something new about my favorite series I have seen so many times before.
Truth be told, my knowledge of the later seasons isn't up to snuff. I know seasons 1-4 pretty much by heart. Mostly because, throughout high school, they were aired nightly in reruns. But, after that, it's pretty select in what I remember. And - a dark little secret - to this day I've still never seen "Dark Page" or "Sub Rosa." And I think I've only seen "Masks" once in its entirety. And even since getting the remasters, I pretty much have stuck to my 10-or-so favorite episodes of each season.
The funny thing, I did watch Voyager in its entirety when it was on and have done so since multiple times.
The funny thing, I did watch Voyager in its entirety when it was on and have done so since multiple times.
Very true, but
Professor Walsh was originally intended to be the season's Big Bad not Adam. Lindsey Crouse quitting the show halfway through the season fucked up the myth arc big time. There's a reason why Adam feels like an ass-pull and why his plan to separate Buffy from her friends despite his plan hingeing Buffy working with her friends makes no goddamn sense.
Hell, Adam's end game is most certainly different from what Professor Walsh and The Initiative's original end game was. I doubt their goal was to kill themselves in a bloodbath. The weaponisation of demons would have probably played a bigger role, but who knows for sure.
EDIT: Or perhaps there would have been more incidents like Oz being kidnapped and experimented on. Anya was a former demon.
Hell, Adam's end game is most certainly different from what Professor Walsh and The Initiative's original end game was. I doubt their goal was to kill themselves in a bloodbath. The weaponisation of demons would have probably played a bigger role, but who knows for sure.
EDIT: Or perhaps there would have been more incidents like Oz being kidnapped and experimented on. Anya was a former demon.
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That sounds like a much better story. Couldn't they have just made up some higher order commander and do the "Suspiciously similar replacement" thing?
I picked up the Guinan thing pretty quick. For me though it took nearly 20 something years before realizing all Betazoids have the same color of eyes!
Jason
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