Buffy and Angel - Buffy Season 4 Discussion #1: I'm with you, though. I'm all for spurty knowledge.

Charmed Slayer Angel · 04-08-2015, 02:07 PM

Welcome to the

1st Season 4 Discussion Thread!

"The Freshman" had an audience of around 4.4 million upon its premiere.

57 - The Freshman (October 5, 1999)
58 - Living Conditions (October 12, 1999)
59 - The Harsh Light Of Day (October 19, 1999)
60 - Fear, Itself (October 26, 1999)
61 - Beer Bad (November 2, 1999)
62 - Wild At Heart (November 9, 1999)
63 - The Initiative (November 16, 1999)
64 - Pangs (November 23, 1999)
65 - Something Blue (November 30, 1999)
66 - Hush (December 14, 1999)
67 - Doomed (January 18, 2000)
68 - A New Man (January 25, 2000)
69 - The I In Team (February 8, 2000)
70 - Goodbye Iowa (February 15, 2000)
71 - This Year's Girl (Part 1) (February 22, 2000)
72 - Who Are You (Part 2) (February 29, 2000)
73 - Superstar (April 4, 2000)
74 - Where the Wild Things Are (April 25, 2000)
75 - New Moon Rising (May 2, 2000)
76 - The Yoko Factor (Part 1) (May 9, 2000)
77 - Primeval (Part 2) (May 16, 2000)
78 - Restless (May 23, 2000)

"Restless" had an audience of 3.3 million upon its premiere

Starting with this season, crossovers with Angel: The Series began

The show was nominated for three Emmy awards, for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series for "Beer Bad", Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series (Michael Gershman) for "Hush", and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Joss Whedon) for "Hush".

It was also nominated for two Television Critics Association Awards, for Outstanding Achievement in Drama and Program of the Year.

Charmed Slayer Angel · 04-09-2015, 07:57 PM

Guess I'll start us all off.

My opinion of Season 4 has made a total 180 from how I felt about it upon first watching. Originally, I thought that compared to Season 3, it didn't feel as well written or as intense. Because of that, I considered it one of the weaker seasons, sandwiched inbetween the masterpieces that are Season 3 and 5.

However, upon rewatching it, I found myself enjoying it for what it was. Season 4 is relatively light-hearted, in a way that it almost hearkens back to the Season 1/Early Season 2 era episodes. There's nothing really that serious/big going on in the early half, and it's more about how the Scoobies are trying to fit into the world around them. In addition, there's new faces within their little group, as well as those leaving it. Cordelia, Oz, and Angel all leave, while we're introduced to Riley, Tara, and reintroduced to Spike.

**BlackWhiteRose** · 04-10-2015, 06:16 AM

It was a good season and had a lot of fun episodes (Fear Itself, Beer Bad, Pangs, Something Blue, A New Man, Doomed)
"Hush" was the best episode of the season there is no doubt. Loved it!
And I loved how the Willow/Tara realtionship blossomed, that Faith came back and switched bodies with Buffy for one episode, I loved that Angel came for two episodes, Spike was hilarious, Anya was funny and her realtionship with Xander started, loved Giles singing (Tony is a wonderful singer!).
The things that I didn`t like were Maggie Walsh, the Buffy/Riley relationship and Adam (sorry he wasn´t a cool big bad)

Charmed Slayer Angel · 04-10-2015, 01:58 PM

Willow and Tara's relationship is obviously one of my favorite things about this season

"Hush" is so amazing

The way there's hardly any dialogue, but yet there's so much going on without it

tender looks · 04-16-2015, 12:32 PM

Season 4 is much more enjoyable now to me than I found it originally. Adam is a very weak Big Bad and the Initiative plot drags things down in places towards the end, but there was still a lot to enjoy about S4. As Colton pointed out, a lot of it harked back to the S1 vibe of the gang figuring out who they were and how to fit in to the world as they became young adults. There are several very good or excellent individual episodes, Hush being the obvious winner of these. We met Tara and it was the start of W/T, a major highlight, as much as I adore W/O. And of course the reintroduction of Spike, this time as a main character, was a serious boost. Overall this season had many more positives than negatives and it's one I do enjoy watching back.

Spike's "A Bear! You made a bear! Undo it, undo it!" from Pangs is one of my favourite moments on the whole show

Also a major fan of Something Blue and the hilarity it provides.

Doomed, Restless, Wild At Heart and A New Man were other strong and enjoyable eps IMO. Oh and of course the Halloween episode, Fear Itself.

Charmed Slayer Angel · 04-16-2015, 02:42 PM

I feel like it was probably a good decision not to try and top what had been done in Season 3. A lot of people were probably expecting them to do that, and as a result, that's why people were disappointed by it initially. Instead, they wanted to take the time and develop the entire gang character wise. They weren't in high school anymore, and I really think that's one of the points S4 tries to drive home at its core. Things and people change, and they did an effective job in showcasing that.

Charmed Slayer Angel · 10-17-2015, 11:22 AM

tender looks · 10-18-2015, 03:46 AM

S4 gets harsh treatment, I enjoy it much more now than I did initially, and there are some very good individual episodes too. It was the execution of the Initiative arc and the rather unimpressive Adam that let this season down, but overall I like it more than many seem to. Of course it gets big bonus points for introducing Tara and being the start of W/T.

Charmed Slayer Angel · 10-18-2015, 10:29 AM

Definitely. It's not a season that's on par with Season 3 or Season 5, which definitely lead a great many to think it's not very good. But to me it's honestly like a sleeper season. It's very good in quality, and the stand-alone episodes are pretty entertaining

And of course my bbys met each other in this season, so massive points there

Butterfly85 · 10-18-2015, 12:41 PM

I think S4 is underrated, I like the season. I think S6 was the worst season (but I loved Willow turning bad near the end when Tara died) I know I'm in the minority but I loved Riley/Buffy, of course the Hush episode (that seems to be the main thing people love to bring up about S4) at the time I was watching Angel (didn't stay with it though) and I loved how the crossovers were very connected during this season. I also thought Adam was a great villian, loved how they used the first slayer to take him down and I love the Restless episode showing what is coming up next. Oh and and of course I love when Faith wakes up and her and Buffy switch bodies (and the continuation of that is on Angel when Faith reforms) The thing I hated about S4 was that Oz/Willow ended, I really liked them together. I was whatever about Willow/Tara.

Charmed Slayer Angel · 10-19-2015, 09:34 AM

That honestly seems to be the thing that divides a lot of people on Season 4. When the show was still airing, there were a lot of people upset about Willow choosing Tara over Oz.

tender looks · 10-19-2015, 11:56 AM

It would be interesting if we could go back and see people's initial reactions compared to how they feel now. I wasn't impressed with Adam at all, but I did enjoy that taking him out required the Scoobies to become one unit of power, brains and heart. It was wonderful to see them reconnect after being somewhat distant all season, and it emphasised again that unlike other Slayers, having friends was a big part of what helped Buffy get so far. A sort of united we stand, divided we fall theme. Plus it did very well in foreshadowing Dawn's arrival and Buffy's quest to learn more about the meaning of being the Slayer.

**eternalfate** · 07-31-2020, 07:25 PM

SEASON 4 FILL OUT FORM

HTML Code:

[B]⇾ Favorite Character(s):[/B]
[B]⇾ Favorite Couple(s):[/B]
[B]⇾ Favorite Friendship(s):[/B]
[B]⇾ Favorite guest/recurring character(s):[/B]
[B]⇾ Favorite episode[/B]
[B]⇾ FAV storyline (or episode arc):[/B]
[B]⇾ Favorite new addition cast member?[/B]
[B]⇾ Initiative or Vampires?:[/B]
[B]⇾ LEAST Character(s):[/B]
[B]⇾ LEAST Favorite Ship(s):[/B]
[B]⇾ LEAST favorite recurring/guest star:[/B]
[B]⇾ LEAST favorite storyline: [/B]
[B]⇾ Least favorite episode: [/B]
[B]⇾ Least favorite character addition?[/B]
[B]⇾ Story that had potential but was dropped suddenly? [/B] 
[B]⇾ Oz/Willow vs Willow/Tara? [/B] 
[B]⇾ Favorite crossover/collab episode?:
[I] "The Harsh Light of Day", "Pangs",
 "Who Are You" "The Yoko Factor" episodes"[/I] [/B]  
[B]⇾ Best character introduction?[/B]
[B]⇾ Episode with the best cliffhanger:?[/B]
[B]⇾ Scale 1-10 how do you rank this season: [/B]

**BlackWhiteRose** · 08-02-2020, 05:58 AM

⇾ Favorite Character(s): Willow, Anya, Buffy, Giles, Spike (his most hysterical season), Xander
⇾ Favorite Couple(s): Willow/Tara

⇾ Favorite Friendship(s): Buffy/Willow
⇾ Favorite guest/recurring character(s): Faith
⇾ Favorite episode Hush, Pangs, Something Blue, Fear It Self, Who Are You, Doomed, The Yoko Factor (only because of drunk Giles was so funny

)
⇾ FAV storyline (or episode arc): Mmh maybe the Willow/Tara stuff.
⇾ Favorite new addition cast member? Emma Caulfield, James Marsters
⇾ Initiative or Vampires?: Neither
⇾ LEAST Character(s): Maggie Walsh (loved that Giles called her fishwife

)
⇾ LEAST Favorite Ship(s): Buffy/Riley -> It was just boring

⇾ LEAST favorite recurring/guest star: Lindsay Crouse
⇾ LEAST favorite storyline: the boring Buffy/Riley realtionship that made me wanna fall asleep

⇾ Least favorite episode: The I in Team, Goodbye Iowa
⇾ Least favorite character addition? Maggie Walsh
⇾ Story that had potential but was dropped suddenly? None
⇾ Oz/Willow vs Willow/Tara? Willow/Tara
⇾ Favorite crossover/collab episode?: Pangs and Who Are You
"The Harsh Light of Day", "Pangs",
"Who Are You" "The Yoko Factor" episodes"
⇾ Best character introduction? Tara
⇾ Episode with the best cliffhanger:? This Year´s girl
⇾ Scale 1-10 how do you rank this season: 6 -> There were a lot of funny episodes and Spike and Anya brought at lot of fun into the season and Willow became more confident which I loved and then she found Tara which I loved too

But the Buffy/Riley thing bored me out and Maggie Walsh and Adam mmh not really my favourite story.

**eternalfate** · 08-02-2020, 03:34 PM

⇾ Favorite Character(s): Xander, Willow, Buffy, Giles
⇾ Favorite Couple(s): Buffy/Spike in "Something Blue"!
⇾ Favorite Friendship(s): Friendships suffered this season.... um... I dunno. lol Buffy/Willow because of how protective she was of Buffy after her break up with Oz.
⇾ Favorite guest/recurring character(s): Tara.
⇾ Favorite episode: Hush
⇾ FAV storyline (or episode arc): Willow falling in love with Tara.
⇾ Favorite new addition cast member? James as Spike! Nice surprise! I grew to love Spike as well.
⇾ Initiative or Vampires?: Vamps!
⇾ LEAST Character(s): Love ya Oz but if I have to go by the series regulars, have to go with Oz. Terrible season for him.
⇾ LEAST Favorite Ship(s): Spike/Harmony... he literally staked her in the heart... my goodness...
⇾ LEAST favorite recurring/guest star: Kathy...
⇾ LEAST favorite storyline: Oz/Veruca storyline... what an absolute joke.
⇾ Least favorite episode: Wild At Heart
⇾ Least favorite character addition? This season had a lot of them, Maggie, Forrest, Veruca, Parker
⇾ Story that had potential but was dropped suddenly? Willow's coming out should've been a bit louder to me. I feel they shouldn't have turned Willow all the way lesbian, I think the story should've been handled about Willow falling in love with Tara because of the beautiful person Tara was because even in "New Moon Rising" episode, she did show that conflict between Tara and Oz and said somewhere she'll always be waiting for him but she moved on with Tara and grew to love her as well so I wish it was about Willow loving Tara for who she is... not that she's just a straight lesbian.
⇾ Oz/Willow vs Willow/Tara? Willow/Tara
⇾ Favorite crossover/collab episode?
"The Harsh Light of Day", "Pangs",
"Who Are You" "The Yoko Factor" episodes": Who Are You
⇾ Best character introduction? Tara
⇾ Episode with the best cliffhanger:? "This Year's Girl"
⇾ Scale 1-10 how do you rank this season: 6, there were some episodes that were good but as a whole this season't wasn't that good. I didn't care about the Oz exit story, I didn't care for the initiative storyline. A bunch of I don't care storylines...

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Fan Forum > TV Shows - Past > Buffy and Angel > Buffy Season 4 Discussion #1: I'm with you, though. I'm all for spurty knowledge.