10 Buffy The Vampire Slayer Episodes To Rewatch Before The Reboot

There’s no question that a rewatch of Buffy The Vampire Slayer is in order before the reboot premieres, but the hard part is determining which episodes are the most important to revisit. Of course, game-changing installments, like season finales and episodes that include big twists, stand out. However, it’s not just plot points that make these episodes notable, as the emotional and character development are where Buffy shines. The Buffy revival can return to the show’s roots, relying on the best parts of the series, which are showcased in the episodes that are worth rewatching.

There are many original characters we want to see in the Buffy reboot, and it’s through the most important episodes we get to know these characters and become invested in their stories. It will be interesting to see how the revival grapples with the looming legacy of the iconic fantasy show. The fact that Buffy is still so popular, over twenty years since it stopped airing, speaks to how much the series has changed the landscape of fantasy television. Buffy The Vampire Slayer kept the audience guessing and sparked emotional moments throughout its run, as seen in these iconic episodes.

10

Angel

Season 1, Episode 7

Buffy has a few significant romantic entanglements throughout Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but no matter who you’re rooting for, there’s little question that Angel makes the biggest impact. Though he’s introduced in the pilot episode, another installment worth watching for some nostalgic fun, Angel is given depth in his titular episode, “Angel.” While the writing is on the wall, it’s in this installment that we learn that Angel is a vampire cursed with a soul, and it becomes obvious that he will be the tragic and doomed romance that will define Buffy’s life.

As Buffy and Angel get closer and the Master closes in, things heat up throughout “Angel,” which is one of season 1’s strongest installments. Even as the pair claims they can never be together as the episode ends, “Angel” is just the beginning of the dramatic and dark path that their relationship will take them on. It’s exciting to go back to the start of this journey and see how it all began with the knowledge of what’s to come.

9

Who Are You?

Season 4, Episode 16

The second part of season 4’s mid-season two-part episode, “Who Are You?” follows “This Year’s Girl.” After putting Faith in a coma at the end of season 3, Buffy and the audience were aware that she wasn’t going to disappear forever and that their relationship was still unfinished. Buffy The Vampire Slayer season 4 was a little uneven, as the show was adapting to life after high school, but episodes like “Who Are You?” stand out. When Faith takes possession of Buffy’s body, Gellar gets to do some unforgettable acting.

Additionally, Dushku gets to make her triumphant return to the Buffy universe, leading her to Angel and later back to Buffy for season 7. The question of redemption, when it comes to Faith, is at the forefront of “Who Are You?” as Faith slowly changes throughout the episode, coming to understand Buffy’s moral lines and her sense of duty, which were always uncomfortable for Faith throughout season 3. Faith’s ability to change and her realizations about her identity make “Who Are You?” one of the most complex episodes of Buffy​​​​​​​.

8

Chosen

Season 7, Episode 22

It’s impossible to do a Buffy rewatch without watching the series finale, “Chosen.” The stakes were high going into the last ever episode of the original show, and fans and critics were curious to see how things would end, especially since the almost-series-finale, “The Gift,” had already concluded with Buffy’s death. However, that bittersweet ending allowed “Chosen” to be one of the more hopeful installments of the series, with Buffy being set free from being the chosen one forever.

Buffy was always concerned with empowerment and centering young women as their own heroes, and the events of “Chosen” solidify these themes. There are some deaths and sacrifices, but the core characters make it through and team up for a nostalgic yet action-packed finale. After season 3 saw the high school destroyed, it was only fitting that Sunnydale itself was blown off the map in “Chosen,” fully allowing the characters to move on and giving the audience permission to do the same, sparking plenty of big emotions.

7

Bad Girls

Season 3, Episode 14

Buffy faces many adversaries throughout Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but her dynamic with Faith is one of the most interesting. As Buffy’s foil, Faith is the rash, impulsive Slayer that Buffy works so hard not to be, but as season 3 progresses, Buffy starts to see the benefit of doing things Faith’s way. However, all of this rebellion and freedom come crashing down on them when Faith accidentally kills a human in “Bad Girls.” The way the two Slayers behave in the aftermath changes both of their lives forever.

There are many great Faith-oriented episodes throughout season 3, but “Bad Girls” demonstrates the parallel paths that Buffy and Faith are on and pushes Faith toward darkness. While it’s the aftermath of “Bad Girls” that is the most impactful, witnessing Faith slip away from Buffy and refuse to acknowledge what’s happened explores a new emotional element that Buffy hadn’t touched upon before. Following this intense storyline while also introducing Wesley, a major character in Buffy and Angel, showcases just how much the show tackles in every episode.

6

Fool For Love

Season 5, Episode 7

Both Spike-heavy and full of flashbacks, “Fool For Love” sees the return of Angel, Darla, and Drusilla, giving a rare insight into Spike’s backstory and emotional development. As he chronicles how he killed two Slayers to Buffy after she slips up and wants to know why, the building tension between Spike and Buffy nearly reaches its boiling point. The chemistry between Gellar and Marsters is vital for making “Fool For Love” work, but it also shines because Spike is taking the next step as a three-dimensional character in Buffy​​​​​​.

“Fool For Love” doesn’t do much to further the season-long arc or change what Buffy’s going to do, but this gives the audience and characters room to breathe as the season’s biggest questions loom in the background. The fight choreography and parallels between Spike’s past battles and his current dynamic with Buffy give the action additional weight within the story. Even for fans who aren’t as invested in Spike and Buffy’s relationship, “Fool For Love” is a thrilling watch, as it paves the way for Buffy to sacrifice herself later on.

5

Conversations With Dead People

Season 7, Episode 7

“Conversations With Dead People” is a clear follow-up to one of Buffy‘s best episodes, “The Body,” as it sees its characters reflect on the people they’ve lost along the way. The episode is markedly different from the typical action and goal-oriented episodes. The characters spend the majority of the story by themselves, discussing the thoughts and feelings that have been underlying the seventh season. The writing in the episode is some of the show’s best and gives the series room to reflect on the story’s trajectory.

Buffy season 7 marks a significant tonal shift for the show as the series recovers from the darkness of season 6 and prepares to say farewell to the audience. “Conversations With Dead People” is almost like Buffy‘s version of a clip show, as it allows the characters to openly grapple with the near-constant grief they’ve been dealing with since the early seasons. This creates a clean slate for the rest of season 7 and sets the stage for The First Evil effectively, showcasing that this battle will be mental as well as physical.

4

Hush

Season 4, Episode 10

“Hush” is far from the only Buffy episode that plays with sound or pays homage to a certain genre. However, it’s one of the best examples of the series taking a risk that pays off incredibly well. The lack of dialogue in “Hush” allows the characters to act more freely and explore some of the desires they struggle to express out loud. This manifests in the relationship between Riley and Buffy, who are finally put on a level playing field in “Hush.”

The Gentlemen are one of Buffy The Vampire Slayer‘s scariest monsters. “Hush” leans into the horror aspects of Buffy, which are a defining aspect of the series. This makes for unforgettable tension, allowing “Hush” to be much more than a filler episode and be frequently cited as one of the best episodes of season 4 and the series in general. Willow also meets Tara for the first time in “Hush,” marking the beginning of her most important romantic relationship and her development as a witch.

3

Once More, With Feeling

Season 6, Episode 7

These days, it seems like every TV show attempts a musical episode at some point during its run, but Buffy was one of the first and best series to do it. Doing special episodes like “Once More, With Feeling” can easily fall into the trap of relying on gimmicks, but Buffy didn’t do that. With fully choreographed numbers and cleverly using the songs as a means to get the characters to reveal their secrets, “Once More, With Feeling” ultimately pushed the plot forward in season 6 with shocking twists.

The revelation that Buffy was in heaven after she died and that she’s been dealing with that ever since crushes the characters and alters Buffy’s relationships for the rest of the season. Additionally, though the relationship between Spike and Buffy is controversial, especially in season 6, “Once More, With Feeling” marks one of their first real kisses, as there are some false starts before this. Outside of the story elements that “Once More, With Feeling” tackles, it’s also just a fun episode to get lost in within one of the darkest seasons.

2

The Gift

Season 5, Episode 22

In what was originally intended to be the series finale of Buffy, Gellar gives one of her best performances as the titular Slayer, finding peace with the fact that she was put on Earth to sacrifice herself. After spending season 5 battling Glory and adjusting to Dawn’s arrival, there was no other way for season 5 to end than with Buffy’s death. Though this would ultimately be short-lived, this doesn’t change how heartbreaking this moment was and the lasting consequences of Buffy’s decision to die not only for Dawn but for the entire world.

Related

10 Buffy Episodes It Will Be Impossible For The Reboot To Top

News of the potential Buffy reboot is exciting, but there are certain episodes of the original series that the revival shouldn’t try to outdo.

After reaching out to the first Slayer early in the season, Buffy puzzled over the message she received: “Death is your gift.” Despite the tragedy, it was a beautiful full-circle moment and could’ve been a satisfying ending for the series to go out on. The tonal shift in seasons 6 and 7 stemmed from the fallout of Buffy’s sacrifice, successfully using what could have been a final note for the series into a brilliant setup for the final era of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

1

Becoming Parts 1 & 2

Season 2, Episodes 21 & 22

It’s almost impossible to pick just one season of Buffy as the best, but season 2 is when the series fully came into itself and hit its stride. Angel’s arc as Angelus and Buffy’s conflicting desires to stop him, while also hoping that he might return to his former self, take the audience on an emotional roller coaster. All of this comes to a head in one of the show’s most groundbreaking series finales, “Becoming Parts 1 & 2.” Buffy is brought to her lowest, but fights at her best, drawing the audience into the story.

While the episodes themselves are fantastic, Buffy’s sacrifice of Angel, Kendra’s death, and getting kicked out by her mom are all pivotal emotional moments for the character that follow her for the rest of the series. It could be argued that it’s not until “Becoming” that Buffy fully understands that her life will never be her own as the Slayer. Buffy The Vampire Slayer propelled itself into a fantastic third season after “Becoming” and will always be remembered for this near-perfect end to a thrilling season.