Every Season Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Ranked

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is heating up and new cast members have been added recently, which is exciting. Fans love the supernatural and action-packed series, which starred Sarah Michelle Gellar as wise and witty slayer Buffy Summers and aired for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003. After Firestarter star Ryan Kiera Armstrong was chosen for the reboot’s lead role, Deadline reported that Kingston Vernes will have a guest part in the first episode. Other cast members include Jack Cutmore-Scott, Daniel DiTomasso, Sarah Bock, and Faly Rakotohavana.

Although fans are waiting to see what the new version is like and trying to guess which actors could reprise their roles (and even Gellar wants to resurrect beloved characters), it’s still fun to rewatch the original show. But while Buffy the Vampire Slayer remains a popular, compelling, and entertaining binge-watch to this day, not every season was perfect.

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7

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 6 Is A Mess

The musical episode was a big mistake

Best Episodes:

• Episode 1: “Bargaining”
• Episode 22: “Grave”

A rare show can pull off a musical episode, and unfortunately, Buffy the Vampire Slayer didn’t. Season 6, episode 7, “Once More With Feeling” is corny and awkward, and it sums up the problem with the whole season. The second-to-last season of the popular show is all over the place and doesn’t feature many stand-out episodes.

Although the end of season 6 is memorable thanks to the storyline focused on Dark Willow, Willow Rosenberg’s (Alyson Hannigan) evil alter ego, the other episodes aren’t that enjoyable.

6

Season 4 Isn’t As Much Fun As The High School Years

The college setting pales in comparison

Best Episodes:

• Episode 1: “The Freshman”
• Episode 7: “The Initiative”

The early seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are so much fun because of the unique and engaging Sunnydale High School setting. As Buffy adjusts to her new environment, she has to solve some supernatural problems, including a substitute teacher who is really a praying mantis. Season 4 is lackluster as it’s not that interesting to watch Buffy go to college.

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When fans look back fondly on Buffy, they likely aren’t thinking about season 4, although Buffy’s love interest Riley Finn (Marc Blucas) is fairly memorable. His involvement with a group called The Initiative is somewhat compelling since it’s fairly mysterious. However, there are a lot of confusing storylines associated with them, which makes this a weak season.

5

Season 5 Has Some Low Moments, But One Stand-Out Episode

Fans still debate the introduction of Dawn Summers

Best Episodes:

• Episode 16: “The Body”
• Episode 22: “The Gift”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer hit some highs and lows in its fifth season, making this the third weakest season overall. Although fans are still unsure about Buffy’s younger sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) and her place in the story, Dawn’s introduction arguably adds depth and emotion to Buffy’s character arc.

Not every viewer thinks Dawn’s character arc makes perfect sense, and it’s a bit odd how she just randomly appears on the show as if she has been there all along. However, Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 5 has one great episode: “The Body,” which chronicles Joyce Summers’s (Kristine Sutherland) tragic death. It’s one of the best episodes of the series, period, and is raw, real, and unforgettable.

4

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 3 Deepens Buffy And Angel’s Relationship

This fan-favorite couple goes through a lot

Best Episodes:

• Episode: 11: “Gingerbread”
• Episode 12: “Helpless”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 3 isn’t quite as thrilling as the first two, but it’s still a satisfying group of episodes. Most of all, season 3 shares the heartbreaking challenges Buffy and Angel (David Boreanaz) face.

Two episodes, “Gingerbread” and “Helpless,” stand out the most. In the former, Joyce meets mysterious and strange kids who she wants to help, and in the latter, Buffy becomes weak. Since there are so many horrifying villains in Sunnydale, it’s fascinating to see what could happen if Buffy doesn’t have her usual strength.

3

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 7 Ends On A Compelling Note

After some hits and misses, the final season is still great

Best Episodes:

• Episode 22: “Chosen”
• Episode 5: Selfless”

While Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 6 isn’t that exciting, the seventh and final season makes up for it. The series finale is fairly satisfying and clever, and although not everyone agrees that it’s exactly what should have happened, it’s hard to find too many faults with it.

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Throughout the entire show, Buffy feels a lot of anxiety about saving everyone, but by the last episode, she feels a lot better. Unlike other series finales that upset fans, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer finale ends Buffy’s character arc properly. It might not spell out what happens to every main character or feature an emotional montage, which is often what fans want in a finale, but it’s still a good one.

2

Season 2 Is Still High Quality

No one can forget the introduction of Spike

Best Episodes:

• Episode 1: “When She Was Bad”
• Episode 6: “Halloween”

Although season 2 doesn’t have quite as many fun episodes as season 1, it’s still great, and fans can point to many favorite episodes. The season 2 premiere, “When She Was Bad,” is a significant part of Buffy’s character arc. After leaving Sunnydale for L.A., she comes back to fight The Master. In one of the best scenes from the early seasons of the show, Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), who wants to come back for the reboot, tries to help Buffy see how strange she’s been acting. It’s refreshing to see Cordelia become nicer and more vulnerable.

Season 2 is important since Buffy learns more about her place in the world and also becomes closer to the other characters. The best Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes are funny and clever, and this season has a great tone.

1

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 1 Is The Gold Standard For The Show

Fans love the pilot, storylines, and Buffy’s quick sense of humor

Best Episodes:

• Episode 1: “Welcome to the Hellmouth”
• Episode 3: “Witch”

In many cases, a TV show’s first season is the most exciting and entertaining since it sets up the main location, lets viewers get to know the compelling characters, and usually includes some stand-out episodes. Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 1 has a smart and funny tone, and it’s a lot of fun meeting Buffy Summers and her new friends at Sunnydale High School.

By the end of Buffy season 1, fans know Buffy is determined to balance regular high school life with the dangerous and mysterious calling of protecting Sunnydale (and, ultimately, the world) from vampires and demons. Her relationship with Angel is also particularly compelling at the start of the show. Since season 1 is only 12 episodes, it tells a succinct and fascinating story, and sets up the rest of the show perfectly.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Release Date

1997 – 2003

Network

The WB

Showrunner

Joss Whedon

Directors

Joss Whedon

Writers

Joss Whedon

• 

  Sarah Michelle Gellar

  Buffy Summers

• 

  Nicholas Brendon

  Alexander Harris

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