The Best of Buffy

[stoutfellow]

In a determined turn towards something more pleasant, I offer the following without further comment. These are, in my judgement, the 15 best episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (Why 15? There were 144 episodes all told, and I figure 10% is a reasonable cutoff for "five-star" episodes.)

1. "Passion" (2-17). Jenny Calendar dies and Giles goes Ripper on Angel. "I can't do this alone."


2. "Innocence" (2-14). Angel turns evil, and the Judge tries to destroy the world. "What's that do?"


3. "Becoming (pt. 2)" (2-22). Angel awakens the demon Acathla, in another attempt to destroy the world. "Me."


4. "The Wish" (3-9). The demon Anyanka plunges Sunnydale into an alternate timeline. "Because it has to be."


5. "The Body" (5-16). Joyce dies. That is all. "...and no-one will tell me why!"


6. "Prophecy Girl" (1-12). Buffy finally goes against the Master. "Giles, I'm sixteen years old..."


7. "Becoming (pt. 1)" (2-21). Angel and Drusilla prepare to awaken Acathla. "You'll see what I mean."


8. "Once More, With Feeling" (6-7). The musical episode. "Give me something to sing about!"


9. "Helpless" (3-12). Buffy undergoes the Cruciamentum. "I don't know you."


10. "Fool for Love" (5-7). Flashbacks to Spike's life and unlife. "You're beneath me."


11. "Normal Again" (6-17). Buffy hallucinates about an insane asylum. "Thank you. Goodbye."


12. "Consequences" (3-15). Buffy and Faith deal with the aftermath of Allan Finch's death. "I guess that means you have a job opening."


13. "Dead Things" (6-13). The nerds try to frame Buffy for Katrina's murder. "Please don't forgive me!"


14. "Hush" (4-10). The Gentlemen come to town. "Well. I guess we have to talk."


15. "Selfless" (7-5). Anya rejects demonhood once and for all. "Who did you think you were dealing with?"