Best Season Arc

[Weredog]

This doesn't mean which was your favourite season. This is the place to say which was your favourite arc. This means excluding all the stand-alone/filler episodes, which had the best knit and most interesting storyline?

To remind some folk, I'm gonna list some episodes that more or less encompass the season arc:

SEASON ONE:
"Welcome to the Hellmouth" "The Harvest" "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" "Prophecy Girl"

SEASON TWO:
"Surprise" "Innocence" "Phases" "Passion" "I Only Have Eyes for You" "Becoming"

SEASON THREE:
"Bad Girls" "Consequences" "Enemies" "Choices" "Graduation Day"

SEASON FOUR:
"The I in Team" "Goodbye Iowa" "New Moon Rising" "The Yoko Factor" "Primeval"

SEASON FIVE:
"No Place Like Home" "Blood Ties" "The Body" "Tough Love" "Spiral" "The Gift"

SEASON SIX:
"Smashed" "Wrecked" "Dead Things" "Hell's Bells" "Seeing Red" "Grave"

SEASON SEVEN:
"Bring on the Night" "Potential" "Get it Done" "Dirty Girls" "Chosen"

[Kold]

Hahaha, I'm not sure I'd call season 2 "Teen Angst". That was a season of guilt and responsibility, I thought, encompassed in episode's from "Lie to Me" on to the Angelus arc in which Buffy really took responsibility for the things she did.

I don't know that season 4 can expressly be called "Magic vs Science" because it was a bit more of "the Natural Order vs Science", with that being very much connected to "Slayer Identity", not to mention the good old patriarchy we find in just about every season.

Also, I had a good laugh when I got down to "Girl Power". So true. So sadly true.

When it comes to the episodes you put down, with your definitions, I guess that I'd say season 3... because there was a lot of drama in Buffy's maturing, her conflict with Faith and her moving away from Angel. And there was a lot of irony in Wesley representing the patriarchy, which Buffy got.

I'd also probably say season 2, but maybe not exactly as "Teen Angst".

[Jenni Lou]

I'm going to with the season five arc because it was the one that really forced every character to grow. Where every character found a new direction. But it was really Buffy's year. About her being a big sister and then later, the primary caregiver after the death of her mother. Yeah, I think the s5 arc is the most impressive.

[Weredog]

I don't know that season 4 can expressly be called "Magic vs Science"

I quoted from ye old Douglas Petrie (the writer who writes amazing episodes or horrible episodes). He claimed this to be a recurring theme of the season specifically. Did you actually think I had a thought of my own? Pfff...

[Nina]

I voted for season 2, the Angelus arc was fantastic with episodes as Innocence, Passion, Phases, I only have Eyes for You and Becoming. The actors were all giving their best. I think that SMG and ASH had their best performances in the season 2 arc, and DB as Angelus is brilliant.

Season 3 was also a nice arc, maybe the best lessons were in season 3. But it was less emotional. I also liked the arc of season 5 with Buffy who was doubting herself and her love ... but I think the quality of the episodes were less.

[redrevo]

IMO, Season 5 was the peak of coherent storytelling for Buffy. When the writers know what they're going to do in e1 and take it all the way through e22, I'm satisfied. The early seasons had some interesting themes but as I remember they got lost in some stupid/childish things. S7 was also pretty good, at least it was consistent in overall theme (it's not about good or evil, it's about power) - even though the writing got a bit sloppy, and we had to see Buffy act Council-ish in order to see her come around.

I'd have to put s4 last, not only because the arc was short and not developed, but because I thought it was philosophically bankrupt. Science is evil because we'll all end up demons? No thanks. I prefer the themes of the Scoobs coming back together after a long year of college, and that of government messing around where it doesn't belong.

[LRae12]

I went with Season 2 because I think the writing for the episodes in that arc - ie Surprised, Innocence, Passion, IOHEFY, and Becoming was the best of all of the seasonal arcs - it incorporated the best drama and acting all in one...

[selenspuffy]

I voted for season2, because I feel closer to it, the subjects were all about that:teenage angst. The whole thing was built on the idea of teenage problems, school life etc. I'm lovin' it!

[sherrilina]

I picked the season 2 arc, just because I think it's the most epic and emotional and powerful, much as I love season 5....I like the season 2 epps listed a bit better too, except for Phases...why is that there?!

The season 5 arc comes in second though....

[Kold]

I picked the season 2 arc, just because I think it's the most epic and emotional and powerful, much as I love season 5....I like the season 2 epps listed a bit better too, except for Phases...why is that there?!

Guilt of being/having created a monster, even though the deaths aren't strictly your fault -- Oz parallel to Buffy, the idea of loving something that can turn evil or monstrous -- Willow parallel to Buffy, Buffy's more obvious guilt over Angelus turning one of her school friends into a vampire.

[Wolfie Gilmore]

Close call between five and two, went with five in the end - the way it ties together Buffy's slayer identity and her "just a girl" identity is fascinating.