Here it is again... Season 6: Good or Bad?

[gumgnome]

I agree with a lot of what you just said, except your conclusion. You're absolutely right about the character development, and plot arcs, but dead wrong that it's a bad season! I think it's fair to say that the series lacks direction for a while which may give it a meandering sense alien to the Buffy viewer who has just seen the intensely episodic Season 5. However, this allows you to take in the scenery a bit more with S6. Things slow down for us and the characters take stock of their lives.
Personally, I find S5 much harder to watch, just because it is exhausting in it's pace, plus DEPRESSING - just think of the 3 ep run of Shadow, Listening to Fear and Into the Woods. mrkittyfantastico and I were watching these three as part of a Buffy marathon last week and were so relieved to get some levity in Triangle at the end of that merry-go-round of laughs. We got to end on The Body, another laugh-a-minute ep. So i don't see what the big problem with S6 is. The characters implode, yes, but it's much funnier and less depressing than S5.

[Marcos]

Apr 28, 2009 5:10:36 GMT -5 gumgnome said:

I agree with a lot of what you just said, except your conclusion. You're absolutely right about the character development, and plot arcs, but dead wrong that it's a bad season! I think it's fair to say that the series lacks direction for a while which may give it a meandering sense alien to the Buffy viewer who has just seen the intensely episodic Season 5. However, this allows you to take in the scenery a bit more with S6. Things slow down for us and the characters take stock of their lives.
Personally, I find S5 much harder to watch, just because it is exhausting in it's pace, plus DEPRESSING - just think of the 3 ep run of Shadow, Listening to Fear and Into the Woods. mrkittyfantastico and I were watching these three as part of a Buffy marathon last week and were so relieved to get some levity in Triangle at the end of that merry-go-round of laughs. We got to end on The Body, another laugh-a-minute ep. So i don't see what the big problem with S6 is. The characters implode, yes, but it's much funnier and less depressing than S5.

Well, maybe you misunderstood me. Season 6 is one of the best seasons IMO (my rank goes: 3, 5, 6, 2, 7, 4, 1) . I adore it, because it's bloody brilliant. flawed, like almost every season, but has things that others don't. I actually find it more depressing than any other, but that's my vision. If u think s5 is more depressing, well, fine. I just don't. LOL ;D

Critically speaking, you may have misunderstood me, because I will NEVER say this is a bad season. It's amazing.

[Spiked]

I thought season 6 was good. Not great, but good. It's weird, because, like a lot of other people, my sentiments toward it tend to change after every rewatch. When I first watched through it, I wasn't a fan of the Spike/Buffy arc, but loved Willow's whole magic dilemma. Now, after several rewatches, it's the opposite. I think the first time I watched through, I, like a lot of other people still seem to, thought that Spike and Buffy's relationship was just a lot of sex...it was hot, yeah, but I didn't think it had the depth that Buffy and Angel had. Now that I've watched through it again and have had time to think about it, I think they have far more depth than almost any other couple on the show. Sure, the hot sex is a bonus, but what makes their relationship so interesting is its several layers. Buffy starts out going to Spike to stop thinking about her problems, but eventually becomes so disgusted with herself that she takes her anger with herself out on Spike. Meanwhile, he truly believes that she loves him and is constantly trying to convince her that her feelings for him go beyond her own self-loathing and desire for comfort, although even in Chosen, we're not given a clear answer on whether he's right. All of it is explored so well in Dead Things, an episode that I hated at first, but turned into one of my all-time favorites. I guess the thing about Spike and Buffy's relationship is that you really have to think about it a lot to "get it," and that's why a lot of people tend to dislike the direction it went in during season 6.

Now, onto my feelings about Willow's magic arc. Now, don't get me wrong, I like that they incorporated addiction into the show, since it's a really good topic that I was surprised they hadn't covered before. Still, did they really have to shove the metaphor into our heads like a railroad spike? I mean, seriously...what happened to the more subtle metaphors, like Angel losing his soul after he had sex with Buffy? The whole time, I felt like they were just yelling, "LOOK HOW BAAAAD DRUGS ARE, EVERYONE!" That's why I hate Wrecked so much (which is surprising, because I actually liked it the first time I watched season 6).

Still, besides the painfully obvious drug metaphor, I think the main problem with season 6 was the middle. It started off really well and ended on a high note, but there were about eight episodes in between that were mediocre or just plain bad. In fact, in my opinion, the only good episode between Tabula Rasa and Normal Again was Dead Things (although I guess Smashed was sort of okay, if only for the house-smashing scene at the end ). Maybe that's because it didn't have a long arc like all of the other seasons did and they had to make a bunch of crappy filler episodes to make up for it.

[Midnight Butterfly]

I really enjoyed season six of Buffy. Yes Buffy could be really depressing at times but thats just being realistic, afterall she was pulled out of heaven by her best friends.
One of the best episodes ever of Buffy came from season six, that ofcourse being Once More With Feeling.
Season six was the season when all the Scoobies really had to grow up. Xander almost got married and had to deal with the consequences of leaving Anya at the altar, Buffy got pulled out of heaven and was left to raise Dawn (most of the time without Giles to help her) and Willow had to deal with the death of Tara, her magic grew and she had to face to consequences of her actions and carelessnes of magic. Because so much drama was happening while they were going through such intense moments in the characters lives it caused the series to be quite dark. Alot of fans didnt like this due to the fact that the first four seasons were quite bright and happy, they were then lead into a more intense season five whcih wasnt a major hit and than BANG! everything changes in season six.
Personally I enjoyed season six as we got to see all the characters develope and at the end of the day, it was the most realistic season out of all seven.

[deathisyourgift]

When I first watched S6 I loved it, and it has been my favorite season for years now. However, I have changed my mind on other seasons. I used to HATE S4, and now I love it. It's probably my second favorite season, either that or S3. Also, when I first watched S7 I liked it, and now I hate it. So yes, I have experienced the change in opinion on likeability of seasons, and I think it is because we as viewers identify with characters and plots. So when we are feeling certain ways, we either relate less or moreso to said characters and plots.

In response to the thread title: S6=GREAT! I LOVE IT ALWAYS! hahaha
Here's why: Season 6 brings the three main characters into the most trouble they've ever been in. What I mean by this is that Buffy's coping with life after death, Willow's addicted to magic and her gf gets killed, Xander is planning a wedding and eventually pulls the worst break-up move ever. All of these things lead to serious character development, which I find intriguing. While many of the episodes lean towards dark and gloomy, there are hidden comedy gems in the murky dramatics, and the portrayals of our favorite scoobies are amplified in all the turmoil. The only thing I have to complain about with S6 is that Dawn is still pretty whiny, and Spike can be pathetic at times, a far cry from S2 Spike in all his rebellious badass glory. Also, the Trio were fun until Warren became truly scary, Willow going evil was fuuuuun, and Xander saving the world, well, I think most people on the forum know my undying love for the 'heart' of the scoobies, so needless to say I love the finale to this season ('yellow crayon speech best monologue ever??? lol )

-Jen

[Midnight Butterfly]

('yellow crayon speech best monologue ever??? lol )

I totally agree ;D. You get kharma just for saying that lol ;D

[redhead]

Agree with deeathisyourgift. Also LOVE your banner. I think that is my fav Spike + Dru moment ever.

[EvanCooper93]

I think Season Six had a lot of bad points and a few good points. Which overall, made it a mediocre season. They had a lot of things that I really hated in that season (i.e SPUFFY!)

[diabeticdude202]

Addiction. Rape. Revenge. Murder. Insanity. Buffy: The Complete Sixth Season.

Okay, so the season starts with Buffy's traumatic return. Buffy upset makes good television, but this season took it just a bit too far. Most of the season is made up with AMAZING episodes such as Hells Bells, Life Serial, Flooded, Once More With Feeling, Two to Go, but also had a few major letdowns: Smashed, Dead Things. This season completely ruined Willow's character, which at first was alright to me. She was always the funny, cute best friend but soon became the enraged, addicted to magic, wicca. Season 7 had a good chance of fixing her character up but instead chose to keep that dark side of her present, but somewhere deep inside of her. I enjoyed Tara's death, not in a sick twisted way, but it was a good turn of events. The plot became rather "meh" as some people would put it but after that it turned right around to "oh my god" which made the show even that much better.

Overall: the Start was good, the middle was rubbish, and the ending was SUPERB!

Season rating: 7/10

[henzINNIT]

I found myself quite liking "Afterlife" recently, so I officially like 2 episodes from this season now *thumbs up*

[ambersknight]

Season 6: Bad! Worst season by far for me, and yes I place season 1 above it. In fact I place season 1 above the last 2 seasons of Buffy.

It was a season that promised much anfd delivered little. Nonsensical sotry arcs that were only there for misery's sake rather than logical progression. Story arcs changing mid-season as if the writers were lacking the courage of their convictions and then you hav ehte last 4 episodes which are supposed to be the the big set piece of the year, emotionally and dramatically. never has a season finale been so poorly earned (the tara death made no sense dramatically or logically) and the less said about the attempted rape and the symbolic rape scenes which were both disturbing but not really dealt with satisfactorily.

Then you have an end of the world scenario placed in the story with 20 minutes to go just so we can have a big finish that hadn't been earned and it really was a mess of a season.

I think some people get so caught up in the emotion of the season they fail to see that its a season of all style, very little if any substance.

I'm all for dark season. Angel season 3 was even darker than Buffy season 6 and yet they still managed to fit in good characterisation, gut wrenching drama and gallows humour in a way that made it watchable. it had all the style, depth and flair season 6 of Buffy lacked, which considering it shared a lot of the same writers, makes the failings of season 6 all the more visible.