I remember bingeing Buffy and Angel over the course of like a year when I was 13 or 14, it really helped me cope with being a bit of an outsider at school. I’m 19 now, about to watch it for the first time since. Anything I should look out for (foreshadowing, minor details)?
Can’t wait to show my girlfriend :)
Posted Feb 18, 2019, 2:37 PM UTC
I feel like there's so much! Here are a few things you might want to consider as you watch.
Season 1, often seen as fairly weak, does a great job of introducing and developing the characters. Note how much you learn about them and how their actions in season 1 can be felt through the rest of the show. Watch Buffy really decide to BE the Slayer, and you'll see her grow into a powerful leader over the course of the series.
Season 2, enjoy and let your heart break. Keep an eye on Spike for traits that you'll see when he turns his obsessions to Buffy. Cherish Buffy's coming out and the wonderful Spike/Joyce conversation as they wait for her in Becoming.
Season 3, foreshadowing of Dawn, of course. But look at Faith with the perspective of adulthood (though you are still young!). Who is taking care of her? She's not an adult. How accountable is she at each step? The mayor treated her like someone who mattered for 5 minutes and got her never-ending loyalty.
Season 4, yeah the arc is way below the level of the previous 2 seasons but there's a lot of good in there. Compare to season 1 in some ways. The same characters but in a new chapter of their lives, so what sticks with them and what do they leave behind? Also, you'll have much more information when you watch the finale than you did last time and it's amazing how much is foreshadowed there, not just Dawn.
Seaon 5, try not to spoil it for the new viewer by sobbing every time Joyce is on screen. What's our first look at Warren like? How has Spike changed, and what of his character was always there, just burried under his vamp face? Tara and Anya interact a bit and that's great. Besides "Death is your gift," what else hints at Buffy's upcoming sacrifice? And don't forget to cheer when she throws a sword near the council dude. Not "at" him like the other lady says because if she threw it AT him he'd be dead.
Season 6, oh my god, how much does everyone except Spike suck when she comes back? But watch how they all behave and you'll see that they are still true to character. As someone who is older now, do you agree with the way they managed the house and the bills and raising Dawn over the summer? Enjoy the lead up to the musical, knowing that all those secrets and insecurities will be coming right out soon. And how much of Dark Willow is regular Willow? You can see so much of it starting way back at season 1.
Season 7. Whew. Why do they turn on her? Not the potentials, they are complaining the whole time (though who could blame them, really?), but Giles, Xander, and Willow. Is that in character? I think it is even though I hate them for it. The change in Spike and his relationship with Buffy happens so gradually that it makes sense that he is her defender, that he puts his trust in her. And she proves worthy of his trust. As for Willow, what does she see in Kennedy? Many fans hate Kennedy, so does the relationship make sense?
I love a good re-watch and especially with someone seeing it for the first time.
I enjoyed seeing the hints and winks foreshadowing Dawn or Willow's sexuality, personally.
I'm currently watching it with my girlfriend for her first viewing--midway through Buffy S5. Really enjoying when characters I love appear on screen for the first time, seeing how she reacts.
also just willow's increasing interest in magic and how her powers develop
Dawn‘s gay? Is that in the comics?
Sorry, poorly worded. Willow's sexuality or Dawn's existence...
:-)
Nope, lots of fanfic around with Fawn, Tawn, & Kawn femslash, even some Bawn inceslash, but not in the comics or anywhere else in canon. I haven't gotten to writing my own Sawn stories yet.
I’m on my 4th rewatch and it’s my husband’s first. If your girlfriend likes to multitask on her phone, try to discourage that because my husband keeps missing really good visual jokes and foreshadowing. A favorite is s6 ep3 where Buffy goes patrolling by herself and a cemetery angel’s wings appear behind her, hinting at the big reveal to Spike at the end of the ep. I gasped aloud the first time I realized what the Scoobies had actually done to Buffy. Heartbreaking. Hope your girlfriend loves it!
As much as you might think you aren't spoiling things, some of the littlest things could be spoilers. Watch her surprise when she sees Hush or Once More With Feeling because she doesn't expect to see what those episodes are about.
Also, the characters when they first appear on screen, but it's unknown at that point that they would show up again. Like after watching The Wish, don't say something along the lines about how great Anya is. Or Lorne. You actually aren't supposed to know his name until the end of season 2 with the Pylea story. Before that point, he is only known as The Host.
Trust me, I know exactly the kind of thing you’re talking about. The only thing I unfortunately gave away ages ago is that Angel has his own spinoff and it takes place alongside Buffy (so she won’t believe that he’s dead at the end of S2).
My boyfriend spoiled Lorne's name for me by mistake. He watched it when it first aired, so he forgot. Then he told me Fred was a great character when I was still watching the Pylea story arc. Lol
ouch
Tell her to get through the first season before she judges it.
I was going to say the same thing. Just tell her to hang in there through episodes like the hyena and praying mantis episodes 😂 it gets better
Warn that special effects are of the time. People don’t love this show because every time looks amazingly realistic, it’s the characters and stories that keep you hooked.
Specifically a low-budget of the time
As others have mentioned, watching Willows magic addiction start is fun to see. You see hints of it incredibly early on.
And as others have mentioned, the Dawn foreshadowing.
Lot's of good in this comment section already. If I had to choose one thing to focus on it is very interesting to take note of Willow's entire character arc. I am also rewatching with my gf who is watching for the first time and am watching Passion of the Nerd's guide along side of the series. He helps me notice, even from season one, all the indicators of the strong character that Willow will become. There is also the foreshadowing of her sexuality in season 3, the mini arc of her crush on Giles (really cute), the foreshadowing of Dark Willow in alt universe vamp Willow, her willingness even from early in season 3 to dive into dangerous magiks, and even the progression of her wardrobe.
Another tip is just to ask her not to get you any Buffy related gifts until she finishes, unless she wants spoilers.
When Dawn does appear, please act like she's been there the whole time to mess with your girlfriend.
I did that. It was great. Of course, the lady already knew I'm totally full of shit, so it didn't go very long. :)
What a great idea!
I'd done something similar when I was a kid. We lived in Southern California and though there were mountains in easy view of our home, in those days the smog was so bad that most the time one couldn't see the mountains, they were hidden behind a grey haze. But now and again the winds would shift, blow the haze away and, voila! Mountains.
One time we had visitors in from out of state. They'd been with us two or three days when, one morning, the haze blew away and they saw the mountains for the first time. One of them was shocked and said, "Wait -- were those mountains always there?" I played along, "Oh, my God!"