"Buffy" is my all time favorite show, but it can be a bit of a hard sell. Between the show's age and its incredibly campy first season, many are hesitant to watch. If you power through, however, you'll find a hilarious, insightful, and downright fun series with so much to offer.
What do I need to know?
The show follows Buffy Summers, the latest in a line of girls known as Slayers, who are called to face vampires, demons, and other supernatural threats. At the start of the series, Buffy does not want to be the slayer, but as she discovers that her new town, Sunnydale, is located on a mouth of hell, she begins to learn to accept her destiny with the help of Giles, her Watcher, and her new friends.
"Buffy" aired for seven seasons from 1997-2003 on the WB and later on UPN. It features some of the most critically acclaimed television episodes of all time, such as "Hush," an episode with only 17 minutes of dialogue out of the entire 44 minutes, and "Once More With Feeling," which kicked off the trend of musical episodes.
Okay, but I really don't like Season 1.
Season 1 is pretty rough. I personally didn't hate it the first time around, but upon rewatching, I've learned that it's definitely not the best reflection of the rest of the show. It's also not necessary to watch all of it.
If camp isn't your thing, there's only a few episodes of the first season I would say you must watch: episodes one, two, three, seven, and twelve. As for the rest, you can get away with skipping. Here's a brief overview of what you'll miss if you do.
Season 1, Episode 4: "Teacher's Pet"
We don't really learn any new information here. Xander is seduced by a giant preying mantis pretending to be a substitute teacher, and there will be jokes referencing it in later seasons. That's about it.
Season 1, Episode 5: "Never Kill A Boy On The First Date"
Giles reveals a prophecy to Buffy about a vampire called "The Anointed One" who is destined to "lead her into Hell." The gang thinks that they successfully prevented him from rising, but what they don't know is that they had the wrong vampire. The real Anointed One is a little boy, who rises and goes to the Master.
Season 1, Episode 6: "The Pack"
Xander and a group of bullies get possessed by hyena spirits during a school trip to the zoo. While hyena-driven Xander attempts to seduce Buffy, the rest of the pack eat the principal alive. No, I am not joking.
Season 1, Episode 8: "I, Robot... You, Jane."
Willow gets an online boyfriend who turns out to be a demon. This episode has the first appearance of Ms. Calendar, the school computer teacher who also happens to be a cyber witch. She'll be important later.
Season 1, Episode 9: "The Puppet Show"
A new principal is introduced. His opinion of Buffy is not very high.
Season 1, Episode 10: "Nightmares"
The gang lives their worst nightmares in real life. This episode is pretty much self-contained.
Season 1, Episode 11: "Out of Mind, Out of Sight"
Cordelia learns that Buffy is the slayer after Buffy rescues her from an invisible girl who's trying to kill her.
Congratulations! You are now ready to watch one of the best shows ever made. Enjoy!
