Most underrated episode?

[Ferg]

What do you think is the episode that doesn't get enough love? I'm gonna go with "I Only Have Eyes For You" really one of the most heartbreaking Buffy ep's there is. Also "Faith Hope & Trick" what a fantastic introduction of a great character.
Oh you can include Angel episodes too if you want.

[Giant Michael]

mikey said:

The Dark Willow Trilogy. Alyson's performance in that arc was very underrated and deserved award nominations.

What, 'Most Laughably Bad Depiction of Evil in a Genre Show'? Her performance in that episode makes me cringe. Bad writing combined with bad acting and a terrible, terrible resolution does not for a good season finale make! That said, I do think Tony Head proves how vital he is to the cast in what little screentime he has, and Anya is fabulous in this episode. 'I'm blonde.'

For me, 'Spiral'. It's easy to overlook with 'The Gift' just around the corner, and it's utterly ludicrous in terms of plot, but it's the only time that the Knights of Byzantium even begin to make sense for me, and there are some delicious character moments in there. Also, 'HORSIES!'

MB x

[ladyparasyte]

michaelbush said:

mikey said:

The Dark Willow Trilogy. Alyson's performance in that arc was very underrated and deserved award nominations.

What, 'Most Laughably Bad Depiction of Evil in a Genre Show'? Her performance in that episode makes me cringe. Bad writing combined with bad acting and a terrible, terrible resolution does not for a good season finale make! That said, I do think Tony Head proves how vital he is to the cast in what little screentime he has, and Anya is fabulous in this episode. 'I'm blonde.'

For me, 'Spiral'. It's easy to overlook with 'The Gift' just around the corner, and it's utterly ludicrous in terms of plot, but it's the only time that the Knights of Byzantium even begin to make sense for me, and there are some delicious character moments in there. Also, 'HORSIES!'

MB x

I have to say it would have been more interesting if Aly played Dark Willow with more of a crazy spastic intensity. For being emotionally ripped to shreds so to speak by Tara's death, she should have had a more crazed/insane attitude. Expressing that life is to hard and the thing that made it easier was gone. She seemed a little too together for the emotional pain she supposedly had.

[CowboyGuy]

Flooded is the most overlooked episode. If you watch it carefully, it sets up every theme for the rest of the season!!!


**ALSO** OMG! I was watching S3's Revelations last night and Gwendolyn Post asked Giles if he'd ever heard of Sir Robert Kane's TWILIGHT COMPENDIUM...?!?!

[Giant Michael]

mikey said:

She didn't feel anything anymore, that's why she was able to do all the puns and such.

I don't think the source of all dark magic - or whatever convuluted explanation that had for that nonsense - would concern themselves with half-arsed Wizard of Oz references and really bad CGI.

MB x

[Lukee]

i loved the Dark Willow trio they where some of the best episodes. Aly was great in them and the last scene in Grave was just heartbreakingly good.

I think Potential' and The body' because that episode should have WON awards never mind Hush that had nothing on the body, there was so much good acting in that episode and the filming was brilliant. Pfff that should have won awards.

[roguewarrior]

Dopplegangland, Grave, Halloween, and Bad Girls.

[commandercool]

The Body is one of the better episodes in the series, probably in my top 5. The holy trinity of Buffy, as far as most people I know are concerned, is Once More With Feeling, Restless, and Hush. The Body is kind of an unofficial fourth simply because it's so different.

Also, while the Dark Willow trilogy had some good aspects it also had some bad ones. I can't bring myself to like it personally, as Tara was arguably my favorite character.

[Giant Michael]

mikey said:

The dark magic fused itself to Willow. They were mixed into one. That's why half the time she was making regular Willow'y quips, and half the time trying to kill her friends. She was insane. That was the point.

But regular Willow was - is! - funny, whereas Dark Willow was just... lame. I'm not one of these 'Marti came and made everything bad' fans - I think she wrote some bloody good episodes - but I do think the end of six really suffers from Joss not being around a the time. Particularly Willow; in terms of dialogue, I think Willow is Joss, and - given that the storyline had been in the offing for such a long time - you'd think he'd have wanted to write it. Shame.

Regardless, I'm not seeing all that many underrated episodes here! Hush, The Body, the Dark Willow trilogy are all... rated.

I need to put in a good word for Family, one of my favourite episodes, not least because Amber Benson looks so cute with her hair clipped up [/gay]. I think Tara was starting to fall victim of the same thing that got Oz in the end; being 'Willow's lover', and not being allowed a story of her own. To get a glimpse into the way she grew up and to pull her out of the realms of Mary Sue was a great move, and I think Family went a long way in establishing Tara as so many peoples' favourite character.

MB x

[matthewblake]

I was going to say "family!"

[BuffyBot*Fan]

I forgot what it was called but after primeavel where the slayer tries, to kill them in their dreams.

[Ferg]

taramaclay said:

I forgot what it was called but after primeavel where the slayer tries, to kill them in their dreams.

Restless

[henzINNIT]

michaelbush said:

mikey said:

The Dark Willow Trilogy. Alyson's performance in that arc was very underrated and deserved award nominations.

What, 'Most Laughably Bad Depiction of Evil in a Genre Show'? Her performance in that episode makes me cringe. Bad writing combined with bad acting and a terrible, terrible resolution does not for a good season finale make! That said, I do think Tony Head proves how vital he is to the cast in what little screentime he has, and Anya is fabulous in this episode. 'I'm blonde.'

100% +1

mikey said:

You don't seem to get that once she became Dark Willow she wasn't Willow anymore. She didn't feel anything anymore, that's why she was able to do all the puns and such. Her first phase was total rage (tracking down and killing Warren). Then by the time she cooled down, she was care-free and insane. Aly nailed it in that finale. Love her!

Nah I was busy gagging from the 2 and 1/2 hours of cheese I had to endure in the final arc. The Xander scene at the end was good, but evil Willow was terribly handled.


I'm going for Once More With Feeling. It's in no way overlooked, but it's still unappreciated as the only reason to watch season 6, or even aknowledge the season's existence.

[patrick]

I'd vote for "Restless."

We may as well get this out: I hate the Psycho!Lesbian Willow episodes with the passion of ten thousand suns. IMHO, the lowest point of the show.

[matthewblake]

I think season 7's "Never Leave Me" is a great episode, especially the ending! (Xander and Anya's good cop/bad cop stuff with Andrew is hilarious, Spike attacking Andrew through the wall, the attack on the Summer's house, Spike's capture, the first uber-vamp emerging from the seal) It had a lot of great moments.

[commandercool]

matthewblake said:

I was going to say "family!"

I'm not sure why I forgot about this episode, but it is one of my favorites from season 5. It seems like there should be more story there, though. There are a few storylines that I feel were never really developed, including Oz after he left Sunnydale and Tara's creepy family. Maybe the comics will fill those stories out a little.

[dane5by5]

matthewblake said:

I think season 7's "Never Leave Me" is a great episode, especially the ending! (Xander and Anya's good cop/bad cop stuff with Andrew is hilarious, Spike attacking Andrew through the wall, the attack on the Summer's house, Spike's capture, the first uber-vamp emerging from the seal) It had a lot of great moments.

I agree! Emma Caulfield and Nicholas Brendon had such great onscreen chemistry and Drew Goddard wrote Anya so well! I loved that episode.

I also loved "Help" but it was mostly one scene from that episode I'll always remember, when Willow goes to visit Tara's grave. It's not overplayed, it was a very personal touching moment. A great scene from a great episode. I also loved seeing Dawn get to be part of the team, trying to help save people. I think because the series ended when it did, she never really got time to fully develop into the character she was becoming.

[commandercool]

VERY true. I thought Dawn was irritating in season 7, but I recently rewatched season 5, and she was much, much worse. She really did grow quite a bit, and she doesn't appear to be done.

[matthewblake]

I think season 7's "Dirty Girls" is another great episode that gets forgotten. We have the introduction of Caleb, Faith's return, a great fight sequence in the end, and Xander's eye...

[commandercool]

All of the last 4 or 5 epsiodes are actually really nice. The end of the series was very well done.