Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Every Season Ranked Worst To Best

Season Four was a difficult time for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was a bridging season that struggled slightly to determine what Buffy's new identity post-school was to be. The result is a mixture of what came before in the first three seasons with what would come in the last three seasons, and the end result is a mix of highs and lows.

Leaving school and a couple key characters behind left the show in a position to try out new things with varied results. Re-introducing Spike and making him a core cast member was one of the best decisions the show ever made, however introducing Riley Finn as Buffy's new love interest was a clear miss.

Managing to be more dull than Angel (who wasn't exactly known for his charisma) didn't do Riley any favours, and he's not overly interesting even with his secret agenda. Big Bad Adam was somehow even more boring, especially compared to the vibrant presences of the villains that had come before him.

Those two are the main downsides, but Season Four clearly has some strong standout episodes - one being Hush, which featured the genuinely terrifying Gentlemen in a one-off appearance that could very well be the best episode of the show.

The introduction of Tara was a major highlight, for she would become a fan favourite who would break historic new ground for television alongside Willow as they begin their romantic relationship. Remove Riley and Adam, and you have one of the strongest seasons of the show.