I just watched my first ever episode of Buffy!

[Brian G Turner]

Never watched it in the day, but as we're desperately running out of things to watch as a family I thought we'd try Buffy now it's on Amazon Prime.

So we watched Welcome to the Hellmouth...

Anyway, somewhat cheesy, as expected - but more entertaining than I expected, and some good dialogue.

Will be watching episode 2 tonight.

 

[Hugh]

Brilliant.
A friend of mine (and long time Buffy fan) has been watching it with her twelve year old son. He's got really into it.

 

[picklematrix]

The cheesiness is there, granted. But the thing with Buffy is that the characters and story are good enough that the show holds up. You'll enjoy it for sure.

 

[Anthoney]

The show is still trying to find it's footing in season 1. Season 2 is put together better and the show really starts to shine. Many people believe 3 is the best. It's really good but 5 always stood out to me.

 

[Werthead]

The first season is cheesy and even a bit hokey, but the characters shine through and the season finale (the first episode both written and directed by Joss Whedon) elevates the show onto another level. Season 2 is quite a lot better and the show goes from strength to strength there.

If you're watching it with kids, it may be worth noting that Buffy gets a lot less cheesier and lot more, er, adult surprisingly quickly in Season 2. 12 and up is fine, below that might lead to some interesting conversations (Season 6 in particular is "complicated" on that score).

 

[Brian G Turner]

I nearly lost interest with the mantis episode, but I was interested enough to keep watching. The scripting is clever and seems to take its cue from good thrillers in using misdirection and twists. The Season 1 finale was quite gripping, with a strong emotional undertone. Am looking forward to Season 2.

No worries about the kids, as the youngest is 15. I think the whole Season 1 was rated as 15 anyway on Amazon Prime Video.

 

[thaddeus6th]

When it was first showed, I missed the entire first season and started at the second, though I did catch the first later.

I like the new characters in the second season, one in particular.

 

[Bugg]

Hope you enjoy it, Brian. As others have said, Season 2 really picks up and becomes a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Season 3 was my favourite. For me, after that, it became a bit patchy, maybe due to Whedon's attention being diverted elsewhere, but there were still some absolute classic episodes (my very favourite episode is in season 4) just not quite the consistency.

I still haven't forgiven Sky for when they first started showing the series (on Saturday evenings) and dropped it from the schedules mid-way through season 2. I wrote angry letters Yes, letters

 

[BAYLOR]

Never watched it in the day, but as we're desperately running out of things to watch as a family I thought we'd try Buffy now it's on Amazon Prime.

So we watched Welcome to the Hellmouth...

Anyway, somewhat cheesy, as expected - but more entertaining than I expected, and some good dialogue.

Will be watching episode 2 tonight.

Buffy is an excellent series .

I also recommend Angel

 

[Droflet]

Good for you, Brian. I envy that you get to see it for the first time. It keeps getting better and better. Enjoy.

 

[Pyan]

This. I wish there was some sort of safe and quick (possibly) hypnotising method to selectively cull things you've read or seen from your memory - then I could watch Firefly, Buffy, Angel and Galaxy Quest, or read Tolkien, Pratchett, Heinlein and David Weber's HH series for the first time again, every time...

 

[Brian G Turner]

Well, we put Buffy on out of desperation - not having normal TV and only having Amazon Prime there isn't much that's directed toward family viewing. But while Season 1 was interesting, Season 2 has hit some astonishing emotional levels. It's almost like the Babylon 5 of Urban Fantasy.

 

[Overread]

Brian I forget where it starts (might be season 3) but at some point the series splits into two concurrent series. Buffy is one and Angel is the other and they cross over at several key points. Though each one does a decent job of updating the other regarding major events; they were designed to be viewed side by side. It's a unique twist that I don't think has really ever happened much in TV before; since most directors have a hard enough time keeping one series going let along having the wealth of having two to run "safe" at the same time.

Series 1 of buffy can be a little rough around the edges here and there; esp at the start; however it was still mostly finding its feet at that stage. Season 2 really picks up far stronger!

 

[Bagpuss]

Brian I forget where it starts (might be season 3) but at some point the series splits into two concurrent series. Buffy is one and Angel is the other and they cross over at several key points.

Angel season 1 starts at Buffy season 4. I don't remember there being that many cross-overs between the two shows. However, if you did want to watch them together you need to get to the end of Buffy season 3 first.

 

[Bugg]

Interesting piece about the Buffy HD remaster that Amazon Prime UK (among others) is streaming.

@Brian G Turner - don't watch this yet, it has many spoilers.

 

[Randy M.]

It's interesting to note some of the actors who flit through the Buffy/Angel universe early in their careers: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeremy Renner, Amy Adams, Kal Penn, Felicia Day, and many others who either made it big or pop up over and again in supporting roles.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it Brian. The show became a family touchstone as my daughter was growing up, one of those shared experiences that still occasionally pops up in conversations. I agree seasons 2 and 3 were great, as was season 5; season 4 may have slumped a little but some of the individual episodes were among the best in the series.

Randy M.

 

[Biskit]

We watched it when it first came out on UK terrestrial - late 90s I think. Some digital channel started a repeat the other year, we watched the first couple, found it still worked for us and just bought the box set.
Enjoy.