5. Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-1998)
If you have read some of my other posts you will know that I am a massive Buffy The Vampire Slayer fan. Personally I consider it to be the greatest television show in history and I can not see it loosing this crown anytime soon. If I am being completely honest with you, Season 2 of Buffy probably isn’t my personal favorite season of the show, however it is the season I think is the best. Confused? Basically, although I think I prefer season 5 because by this point in time I was so in love with all the characters and so invested in the show, if I had to recommend a season to someone who had never seen the show I would definitely make them watch Season 2. Also, if I had to suggest which season should be critically judged by a group of people who know a lot about television I would make them watch Season 2. Despite it not being my favorite season, it is critically the greatest season of the show.
Season 1 of Buffy was great, but at this point the show wasn’t all that challenging and was never going to go down in history as one of the greatest shows of all time. The show hadn’t really become all that mature at this point, and the characters hadn’t had the chance to fully develop and grow into some of our favorite on-screen characters of all time. Also, Sarah Michelle Geller had yet to prove she was one of the greatest television actresses of her generation. All this changed in season 2.
This was the season where Buffy grew up, both in terms of the character and the show itself. This was the season, in case you didn’t watch the show, where Buffy’s true love Angel, a vampire with a soul looses his soul after sleeping with Buffy on her seventeenth birthday and then spending the rest of the season trying to kill all her friends and ultimately send all of earth into hell. Joss Whedon, the shows creator (you know the guy… he made that little film called “The Avengers”) names the episode in which Buffy finds out that Angel is now the bloodthirsty vampire Angelus (“Innocence”) as his favorite episode of Buffy of all time. The final episode of this season, where Buffy has to kill her boyfriend who has just had his soul returned to him in order to save the world is perhaps arguably the shows greatest episode ever. This is also the season- let’s not forget -that fan favorites Drusilla and Spike are introduced. If you watch the season again and you are familiar with the show it is difficult to imagine that in only 4 more seasons Buffy and Spike would be “romantically” involved, considering they spend most of this current season trying desperately to kill each other. This season also has one of the most criminally underrated episodes of the entire shows run called “I Only Have Eyes for You” which shows a ghost (who shot a teacher who happened to be his lover and then killed himself) possess the halls of Sunnydale High. If you haven’t seen this episode it truly is both fascinatingly complex and hauntingly romantic.
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24 Comments
More proof!
Justified and Sons of Anarchy. Completely agree with Buffy too, one of the most stellar seasons of television ever made.
I agree wholeheartedly with Buffy Season 2 – for me, the greatest single season of TV I’ve ever seen. Damn, I cried like a baby at the finale…
LOST, I always preferred Season 2 to 1 (probably because it focused a lot on Desmond, Eko and Locke), Community S2 was excellent, Justified, Sons, Friends, yes yes yes. Good list!
Thanks… I agree, Season 2 of Buffy is probably the greatest season of television ever made (at least the greatest season of television at the time). I too am unashamed to say I cry (well, my eyes water) at the season finale. One of the best season finales of all time.
I also loved Lost season 2 and personally loved the series the most when it was more focused on the mystery of the hatch… hence why the first two seasons are in my opinion the best.
I don’t watch Community or Justified or Sons of Anarchy yet so I don’t know whether I agree with you… but thanks for adding to the argument.
Great list but I can’t help but think that there is a lot of evidence that season 4 is the best…
I personally thought Dexter’s fourth season was the best. (Oh an its “Trinity” killer.
Also – Breaking Bad, The Wire, (New) Doctor Who.
The Sopranos fourth season was also amazing but I don’t think I could choose between 2,3,4,5 or 6…
That’s embarrassing… as a big Dexter fan I obviously knew it was the “Trinity” killer… Don’t even know how that quite happened to be honest with you. Maybe it was spell-check being annoying.
Thanks for adding a counter argument… there appears to be some evidence as to why Season 4 is the best… and I definitely agree with you about Breaking Bad… but not Doctor Who. I also think (although I personally loved it) Season 4 of Buffy is probably the worst, Season 4 of the O.C is definitely the worst and I am sure there are many other examples. You often find with many TV programs Season 4 is when there starts to become a decline.
Homeland still has time to disappoint(which i doubt),but leaving out Justified,big error,an amazing season 2
I don’t watch Justified hence me leaving it out of this list… but I am glad people have informed me. I am aware there are likely many other season 2′s which are the best and never stated these were the only ones. I am glad people are adding to the evidence. Thanks for reading.
Deadwood.
I especially agree about Buffy. Season 2 was my favorite as well. I love dthe introduction of Spike and Drusilla, the Angelus arc was great, introducing Willow to magic, the mind blowing finale – Gosh I’m nostalgic now!
Another great example for the season 2 thing would be The Vampire Diaries, the show had a terrific second season, one of the best pieces of television I’ve seen so far.
Thanks for this… like I said in the post, Season 5 is actually my favorite Buffy season but I can appreciate that season 2 is probably the best.
I do not watch The Vampire Diaries but I am only hearing good things about the show. Not sure whether to watch it or not.
That would be the “Trinity Killer” not Trilogy from Season 4. Played brilliantly by John Lithgow I might add.
Yes yes I know. Trinity Killer (this was just a foolish mistake on my part- I am a big fan of the series and obviously knew it wasn’t Trilogy… though that would have also worked). That said though, I may be the only person in the world who actually disliked John Lithgow in this role. I prefer 3rd Rock from the Sun/ Harry and the Hendersons John Lithgow than this guy.
Ahh mate, Buffy was fun to watch but that was it really, I know you love your Whedon and all his stuff so I’ll drop it. Lol
But Breaking Bad is I reckon to be the best show on tv (along with Mad Men), so those shows season 2 are better than any show listed here for me.
Btw, I totally relate with the watching The OC as a brit because of the sunny beaches in Cali. :D
Thanks… but this was arguing why “Season 2″ is the the best season- not the best season 2′s… and Breaking Bad season 3 and 4 are better than season 2 hence why I couldn’t include it on this list. But even still, Buffy season 2 is far better than Breaking Bad season 2 as much as Breaking Bad is one of my all time favorite programs.
Yeah, Breaking Bad was better. Actually, every Breaking Bad season is better. Mr. Bowen, I’m not trying to get into an argument about this topic again, just expressing my agreement to another comment. And I still of course think Breaking Bad is the best show of all time.
You are (in my opinion) wrong. Breaking Bad Season 2 is not better than Buffy Season 2… watch them side by side. Compared to Season 2 of Buffy, nothing happens in Breaking Bad Season 2. This said, I still think it was a great Season of TV… it just won’t be considered as good as Buffy Season 2 in years to come.
If you were arguing why Breaking Bad Season 4 was better than Buffy Season 2 then I would listen to you more… but as Buffy is my favorite show of all time, I consider all its Seasons to be better- simply because I enjoy the show, the genre and the characters more. I can understand those people who disagree with me though, so there really is no need for an argument. Opinions are opinions- they are both great shows… which one is better is really up to you- no one is right or wrong.
Breaking Bad series 2 was still amazing. The exploding head on a tortoise, Walt and Jesse being stranded for 4 days in the desert. The episode “Peekaboo”. And of course Walt watching Jane die… Breaking Bad’s worst season is 1000X times better than most shows best season.
Yes, for sure… I agree with you. Even still, Breaking Bad Season 2 was on of the worst seasons of the show and hence why it couldn’t have been included in this list. Like I said, this list wasn’t about great season 2′s…. but TV series’s where season 2 was the best of it’s entire run. Thanks for reading anyway.
Don’t really know what you mean by this: “Even still, Breaking Bad Season 2 was on of the worst seasons of the show and hence why it couldn’t have been included in this list”. Breaking Bad has gotten better with each season, and the least good season of the show (season 1) is still spectacular.
I know. You clearly do not understand this list. This list is for shows where Season 2 were the best of their entire runs.
Because like you said, every season of Breaking Bad gets better and better, I couldn’t include Breaking Bad on this list not because its Season 2 wasn’t great, but because it’s Season 2 wasn’t as good as 3, 4 or 5.
If I put Season 2 of Breaking Bad on this list, that would be saying that I though Season 2 of Breaking Bad was better than Season 4… and I did not. It is pretty clear what I mean by this article in the title. I do not understand why people are having a problem understanding.
No, I understand what you meant by this and I think it’s a good list, only thing I was pointing out was that your choice of words could have been better (from “worst season” to “least good”). Difference of opinions aside, interesting subject for a list.
I believe the second season of fringe was one of the best 2nd seasons of all times. In fact I had a hard time finishing season 1; skipped it and went on to watch season 2. From the minute I saw the first episode of season 2, i couldn’t stop and went back to watch the whole of season 1.
You should have put on the list the second season of six feet under. It is easily the best season of the show by far. Too many standout moments were in the episode “The last time” such as both david and claire decided to skip prom to see nate at the hospital. Or the emotionally conversation between ruth and nate. Or David (as Nikolai):”Your mother is a very good woman. God have mercy, God have mercy.” And so on and on. Lots of memorable moments.
Love Six Feet Under but as i watched the whole 5 seasons within a couple of months i cant really remember what happened when. Still, i cant remember season 2 being my favorite (though i’m not sure).