Best Season Premiere

[Laura]

Which do you think is the best season premiere?

My vote goes for Lessons. It was a really hard decision, though.

However, I didn't vote for "Welcome to the Hellmouth" because I liked "The Harvest" better, I didn't like "When She Was Bad" that much, "Anne" was good, but not the best, "The Freshman" I hated, "Buffy vs. Dracula" wasn't my favorite, and "Bargaining Part One" was good, but also not the best. So, my vote went for "Lessons". I loved some of the lines, and sunnydale being built again was a great twist! I also loved the ending with Spike and the First.

What do you guys think?

[Shaun]

I don't like most of the opening episodes very much. Most of them were good enough, with the exception of Buffy v Dracula, but none of them were great. Bargaining I guess.

[Beck]

Hmm. I agree that none of the opening episodes were outstanding, but I enjoyed them all. I've never understood the Buffy v Dracula hate, or the Freshman hate, I like both of them. Bargaining and Welcome to the Hellmouth I see as openers with their second halves, because on their own they are only half an episode. Anne was the weakest opener for me, and thats only because I HATED Ken or whatever the demon's name was. I voted When she was Bad. But really, I don't know

[Allan]

I voted "When She Was Bad", because it was the first time I'd seen a season opener with someone so messed up over the previous seasons' events.

Re BvD, I like the episode. It wasn't a "get over it" like previous season openers, but for all intents and purposes, that was handled with Restless.

The opening episodes have never been the greatest episodes, IMO.

[Laura]

I never really had any problems with the season premieres. I didn't like the Freshman, but I enjoyed the others. "Anne" in particular was a unique way to start a season, and Lessons imo introduced the First again nicely and had some good parts back at Sunnydale High School.

Although, I didn't really like When She was Bad because Buffy was such a brat in it. Even though it was explained in the end, I just didn't like the way she treated her friends .

[Alissa]

I voted for Lessons. It was between that and When She Was Bad. Like Allan said, WSWB was such a great way to show that past seasons do affect the characters and they have to get over it. But I agree with Laura that Lessons was a good introduction to The First, I was wondering what the heck that thing talking to Spike was, but then my brother told me and ruined it. I also liked Lessons because of that speech the First gives. "It's about power" oooo, intrigue.

5/5

[Deleted]

I voted for "Lessons," too, for many of the same reasons that have already been listed.

I've always enjoyed the season openers, even though they don't always prove to be as strong as the later episodes.

WTTH: I thought it was a great opening for the series, given everything it needed to overcome and establish, even though later episodes easily surpassed it in quality.

WSWB: I liked that it showed Buffy's reactions to what had happened in season 1 and how she'd grown to cope with it over the summer, but hated that she was such a jerk in it.

Anne: I liked that we saw her during her time in L.A. when she was away from everyone and how she battled with the Slayer part of her, but it does seem to be one of the weaker ones.

The Freshman: My least favorite. I think they could have done a better job of showing them adjusting to life after high school.

Buffy vs. Dracula: Meh. To be honest, I only seem to remember about it when I'm watching it.

Bargaining: One of the better ones. I think it was a great way to bridge the events that happened in season 5 with those that would happen in season 6.

[Bre]

Yeah I voted for Lessons as well. I loved the opening scene. Plus Buffy's outfit was kick-ass.

WTTH: It was good for the early season definitely. I mean it got people hooked, didn't it.

WSWB: Probably my least favorite. I hated Buffy's attitude.

Anne: This was a close second. I loved seeing how Buffy was on her own. It shows she can take care of herself (even though she wasn't ready to). I wasn't a fan of the next episode though.

Freshmen: I think it was underrated. It was interesting to see Buffy feel small around all the college kids and campus. Going from "small" Sunnydale High to the out of nowhere UCSD was interesting

Buffy vs Dracula: Again, underrated. I thought it was a hilarious episode. Xander was funny as hell, but Riley annoyed me.

Bargaining: Another good one. Pt. 2 was better than pt. 1 but I thought it was a great way to start the season.

[Allan]

Re Buffy's attitude in WSWB, I didn't like it myself. But to me, it really showed that she's vulnerable, and she's just had this whole world thrown onto her. The previous season was just one huge ordeal that she has so much trouble coping with.

[Laura]

batmite79 said:

Re Buffy's attitude in WSWB, I didn't like it myself. But to me, it really showed that she's vulnerable, and she's just had this whole world thrown onto her. The previous season was just one huge ordeal that she has so much trouble coping with.

Yeah, it did showed how the Master really did affect her. I just didn't like how she took it out on her friends .

Looking into the later seasons, where she battles very scary things but doesn't flinch, it really shows how much she has grown since the first season.

[shred]

I'm torn between When She Was Bad and The Freshman. The Freshman used to be my favourite season premiere but lately, I've been watching a lot of When She Was Bad and I realised how much this episode rocks.

I thought the writers handled Buffy's emotions and the aftermath of what happened in season 1 really well. It was very believeable and SMG's performance made it even more so.

So I voted When She Was Bad.

[Glenn]

I liked all the season openers except Anne. I get the messages behind it and the sense of isolation but as an episode its plain crap.

When She Was Bad possibly gets my vote. Its a tough call.

[shred]

I thought Ann was alright - not bad but not the best either. I think the villian in that episode brought the episode down. Everything else - the story with the Scoobies and with Buffy's isolation - was pretty good, in my opinion.

[sosalola]

When She Was Bad gets my vote. Awesome season opener, with a great conflicted Buffy.

[Brittany Bear]

Bargaining!

Bargaining was my first ever episode, so I kinda love it for that reason. I loved seeing the scoobies working togther with no slayer. It was fun watching it with no Buffy, to see what the scoobies would do. I loved the biker demon thing, and pretty much everything about the eppi!