I liked Buffy Season Six! That's right! You heard me!

Before we start, let me note that I am well aware of the problems that Season Six had. It was dark, it was twisted, the characters’ actions had no consequences, Dawn whined too much, and all that jazz. And yeah, you’re right. It was dark and twisted. It was so dark and depressing that I didn’t like it when I first saw it. I was right there with you guys, yelling at the T.V. (Well, at Joss, through the T.V.) to let the characters have at least a teensy bit of happiness…

Anyway, upon review of the tapes, I’ve decided that none of this matters. It was still brilliant television. One thing I noticed, though, is that it seemed to be written more for consumption in one big gulp (a la a DVD set or something) than as episodic television. It reminds me of The Sandman storyarc called The Kindly Ones. When it was released, as seperate issues, it was the most reviled storyarc of the bunch. People hated it because it was too dense, with lots of storylines happening all at once and not being able to keep them all straight during the month-long wait for a new issue. But then they got collected into a single book and became one of the most popular storyarcs in the series’ run. I see similar things happening with season six.

However, spread out or not, this season still wouldn’t have drawn accolades from me if they hadn’t done what Buffy always does; they explored issues rarely (if ever) found elsewhere of teevee. Where else could we have found an exploration of the darker side of sex that was as painfully realised as Buffy and Spike’s affair? Where else would Dawn’s confused abandonment syndrome and cries for attention have been brought to such an emotional head? Ye gods, where else on television would you find an episode coming close to the calibre of Once More with Feeling or Normal Again? And that’s another point. I know I made an issue of the fact that, through this season, episodes took a backseat to the storylines, but that doesn’t mean that there weren’t solid, quality episodes this year. I adored the two episodes I’ve already mentioned, but this season also included Life Serial (the mummy hand sequence was great) and Tabula Rasa (“Why not just call me ‘Horny Giles’ or ‘Desperate-for-a-Shag Giles?’”) among other strong installments.

However, what I think I liked most about this season was the idea that the characters are all dependent upon each other. We’ve had five seasons of how strong the women are, and that’s all well-and-good, don’t get me wrong, but this season showed how integral the men are to the situation in roles that are traditionally (in mass media, anyway) reserved for women. Really, how many times have you seen some dude go mad and try to kill people, only to be brought back from the brink by the woman he loves? Check it, add witchy-magic goodness, switch the genders, and BAM! there’s Grave. I could say much the same thing about Giles and the lack of maternal/paternal influence on the gang and how far they strayed from what they were.

Anyway, this whole thing basically adds up to a “Season Six was much better than Season Four and worlds better than Season One, but even if it wasn’t, any season of Buffy is so far ahead of anything else on television they shouldn’t even be compared.” Or something.

Yeah, I really enjoyed Tabula Rasa as well.

You’re not alone. I said I liked this season during the season, and after the finale I even said that it became my favourite season of Buffy. And it’s not just because of all the Naked Spike-y goodness (though that didn’t hurt :wink: ), but I liked the darkness, and the pain. It was a heart-wrenching season and some of my favourite episodes from past seasons are the ones that make you cry (or make me cry anyway).

For what it’s worth, my favourite season up until it got replaced by six, was three (with the exception of the first episode Anne, which I still don’t like, no matter how many times I watch it).

I, too, liked this season, though I wouldn’t call it my favorite–which is not to say it was bad just that there are better seasons.

I think it suffered greatly – GREATLY (you hear that UPN and whatever else PTB?!) – from the great divide up of 4 episodes, 4 repeats, 4 episodes, etc.

My wife and I loved season 6 and consider it the best season of Buffy, easily.

I loved every episode this season through Tabula Rasa. After that…well, at least it wasn’t as bad a season four. :slight_smile:

Interestingly, the horribleness that was Season Six has led me to rethink Season Four, which I previously disliked intensely but have now come to appreciate a lot more. As for Season Six, I also liked OMWF, “Tabula Rasa”, and “Normal Again”. But overall, I still think watching this season was an exercise in masochism.

My problem is that the other actors looked actually shocked and dismayed at Sarah’s cold reaction to the fact her birth father died.

Also. it looked like each of them caught teh flu at the same time.

I think the main problem with the season was that the three nerds were tiresome and that the “Willow as villain” storyline set up in the early episodes, was turned into the “magic as addiction” storyline, which also was tiresome. Once we got evil Willow, it was great (although they missed a chance – Willow trying to rule the world because she wanted everyone to be nice).

Still, there were plenty of first-rate shows, and “Once More With Feeling,” was one of the best hours on TV last year. Other plusses were the Buffy/Spike relationship (though the near-rape was overdoing it) and Tara and Willow.

I’m with RealityChuck, although I didn’t like the musical episode at all. This season had tons of potential, but the pacing was so off that so much of it seemed wasted.

I wanted to see them really take advantage of Evil Willow; instead we got a dragged-out-and-occassionally-forgotten bang-you-over-the-head analogy for drug addiction, and then everything happen in the last episode. It doesn’t really matter whether or not it’s better watching them all at once. This is episodic television, and the writers have proven many times before that they’re talented enough to know exactly how to pace episodic television. The whole season with “Adam” – I forget which one that was – wasn’t that great overall, but the pacing was perfect. What happened to Dr. Walsh is about the only time that a TV series has genuinely surprised me.

The best I can give season 6, is that it was a lot better than season 5. Joss Whedon has announced they’re bringing back Glory next season. Wheee. Don’t bother.

I think I must be having a brain fart or something. Or maybe I missed an episode. But can you explain this a bit? Are you saying that Buffy (Sarah M Gellar)'s father died on the show? Mr Summers? When did that happen?

I also have no idea what Capacitor is talking about – neither Buffy nor Sarah’s father died that I recall.

While I do think the addition metaphor (in more than just Willow’s life incidentally) was a little “hit you over the head,” but I think it became obvious after a several episodes that there wasn’t mean to a be a “big bad” as villian this season despite the incremental and eventual big stand-off with Willow.

It was more about how everyone is their own worst enemy lesson (at times) – Willow and Buffy most obviously, Xander, Anya, Spike and Dawn to a lessor extent. Also, how additions of varying types can effect anyone–even strong warriors. Finally lesson that seemed obvious if you took the season as a whole that Joss and company were hitting hard on the idea that you always hurt the ones you love. Spike said it, and they all did it (including the actual “villians”).

Overall, I thought the season seemed kind of transitional–like life is at that stage–that change from teenager and high school to adult is seldom easy or what any of us expect it to be. As I said, I think all the breaks caused some of the ideas to be loss in the translation. The one episode I really hated was the Riley Finn returns episode, which I won’t get into now.

Of course, I meant “addiction” metaphor. ::oopsy::

I think the season had a lot of potential, but I’m not pleased with where they took it, particularly in Willow’s case. To me, it seemed that she was addicted to power, not magic. She wanted to bend reality to suit her will and other people’s free will–even Tara’s–be damned. The whole “magic as a physically addictive drug” schtick let Willow get away without seriously facing her demons and accepting the moral consequences. In other words, “the magic made her do it.”

I’m also disappointed with how little Season Six focused on Xander and Anya. Up until the last couple of episodes, they had very little to do except bicker with each other. Boring.

Actually, Burundi, I think you are right about what exactly her addiction is and that is the point they were making at least somewhat. Think about drug addictions. Yes, there is a certain chemical/physical addiction to many, or even most, of them, but people become addicted for the way it makes them feel or not feel. I mean, that is the point of a lot of addiction recovery programs, I believe–understanding that you don’t just stop using to become unaddicted, you need to fix the problem(s) that allowed you to become addicted in the first place. Power was the way, magick was the means. (One pick, I did think the whole Rack mini-storyline was a bit hit-you-over-the-head with the metaphor.)

Now, as for the grand finale. Up until the last few minutes, it was superb, but the VERY end I detested. Switch Buffy and Xander, and I would’ve been happy. It would’ve been nice because:

(1) it would’ve shown that Willow and Buffy HAD actually become and remained close enough that her words of love and compassion could bring Willow back;

(2) it would’ve demonstrated that Buffy could be forgiving and human rather than the same old “you want a fight-I’ll give you a fight”; and

(3) finally, as it was it offered Xander some bit of “heroism” and redemption that he hadn’t particularly worked for or earned.

I could’ve even seen Anya being the one, in a way, because it would demonstrate that she had learned from all of them and realized that vengence was empty. Even more interesting might’ve been Tara speaking from beyond, but…what’s done is done.

Personally, I think Xander has gotten away with and off too easily for some of his actions (Hello PTB? People died from the singing-dancing demon he called). Of course, my opinion of Xander changed the moment he opted not to tell Buffy that Willow was trying the restoration curse again (even though I know it served the plot), and continued going down hill from there. His holier-than-thou speech to Buffy about Riley, for example, was over the line IMHO. The way he has dealt with both Buffy and Anya (and at times Willow) in recent seasons has been dubious, and frankly, he could use a good spanking (and not the fun, sexplay with Anya kind).

Incidentally, despite my love for “Once More with Feeling,” my absolute favorite moment of the season took place in the season finale when the door opened and Giles smacked Willow down. While I genuinely like Willow–even with her problems this season–and was hoping she’d pull herself together, she needed taken down a notch (or twelve) and Giles was the perfect father-figure to do so.

Peta, what restoration curse?

ANd I’m glad it was Xander and not Buffy. It was more realistic and honest that way, because “I’ll give you a fight” is who Buffy is and what she knows. If she had suddenly become Ms. Sensitivity it would have been out of nowhere and looked like an ego stroke for SMG. That was believable coming from Xander. Not to mention the fact that he and Willow have been friends since they were small children and that history (which she does not have with Buffy) was crucial to reaching her.

As to the OP: Every season (except perhaps the first) has much to recommend it and some stuff that’s not quite as great. For me, 6 ranked at the top simply because of the Spuffiness, which rocked me right down to the ground.

And I had a chance last night to personally thank James Marsters for exactly that, which I did. And he was gracious and adorable.

Last episode season 2. Willow was trying to restore Angel’s soul and Xander showed up at the very end to help rescue Giles and didn’t tell Buffy.

Imagine her surprise/shock/horror when he regained his soul at the final climactic minute and she had to send him to hell anyway.

My wife had an interesting theory this morning (interesting to me anyway, as I don’t browse the Buffy Boards and this could’ve been debated to death by Those More In The Know):

Suppose Buffy did come back wrong… she came back without a soul? This could explain why Spike can hit her, her emptiness, etc. Of course, this could set up an interesting scenario in S. 7 where soulful Spike finds soulless Buffy to be a monster.