Presented in a chronological order, so that folks new to the series can follow somewhat of an arc that will give an indication of why Buffy is an important character and why the show left such a mark on the cultural landscape. But mostly on me.

Prophecy Girl – Season 1, Episode 12 (Finale)

What you need to know:

The first season received due criticism for being a camp, monster-of-the-week serial, but as the writers began to understand their characters, something truly unique emerged. The Master (Milwaukee native Mark Metcalf) managed to be menacing and mirthful at once, setting the standard for Buffy villains, though many would surpass him in importance to the series.

Why I love it:

The scene where Buffy learns of the prophecy and tries to quit is one of the most powerful performances Sarah Michelle Gellar has given and hinted at what the series would become. Certainly, it suffered from some Dawson’s Creek melodrama, but its portrayal of teen angst reached beyond its contemporaries into the realm of literature. And her renewed vigor when fighting The Master is simply the Buffy-est of moments. She quips boldly and fights the way we all wish we could.

When She Was Bad – Season 2, Episode 1 (Premiere)

What you need to know:

Season 2 is often considered the best of the Buffy seasons, and for good reason. Not only does it show a marked improvement in cinematography, stunts, writing, and acting, but it put in place the 22-episode arc that would be the standard for all future Buffy seasons.

Why I love it:

Like Spiderman, another hero who represents the reality of dealing with responsibility, Buffy finds herself occasionally attempting to walk on the dark side. When her trauma causes her to lash out at her friends, she finally realizes how little super powers have to do with being a hero.

Surprise / Innocence – Season 2, Episodes 13 & 14

What you need to know:

Season 2 was the first to introduce several important Buffy tropes: the little bad and the big bad,  prophetic dreams, and the mid-series shift pivoting around Buffy’s birthday. Spike and Drusilla are set up as the villains for the series, and their intense, playful evil sets a tone for something much more sinister and painful. Angel and Buffy are now an item; Buffy, with the help of Kendra, has already defeated Spike and Drusilla once, rescuing Angel from a dark ritual which restored Drusilla, but left Spike in a wheelchair. Until this episode, the show was still mostly monster-of-the week, but after it, the show-runners began to show what depths the show could plumb with what seemed like a simple concept.

Why I love it:

We get just enough Buffy / Angel time to set her up for the biggest fall imaginable. Love, innocence, and betrayal in the literal and metaphorical senses, dancing around each other in some of the best writing of the series. To have Angel actually turn evil after sleeping with Buffy so perfectly represents the pain that so many young women go through dealing with young men and their hormonal duality. In the running for the best two-episode arc in television history. Plus, Oz appears, and he is awesome.

I Only Have Eyes For You – Season 2, Episode 19

What you need to know:

After losing his soul, Angel begins to torment Buffy emotionally, murdering Jenny Calendar, a techno-pagan computer science teacher for whom Giles had fallen pretty hard. Willow has taken over teaching but also begins to become a witch herself, experimenting with magic. Angel continues playing cruelly on Buffy’s inability to let go of her love for him, even going so far as to stalk Joyce, her mother. This episode is the turning point for Buffy in the season.

Why I love it:

One of my favorites, obviously. The unexpected gender reversal, but with the flavor of Buffy and Angel in their torn relationship, is deftly handled and allows Buffy to express all of her swirling pain, regret, anger, and undying love. There’s so much to love about this episode, but most important to me is that Buffy finally takes that step toward emotional maturity that leads to…

Becoming, Parts 1 & 2 – Season 2, Episodes 21 & 22 (Finale)

What you need to know:

Angel ‘s done so much bad to Buffy that no one is on his side. Except Buffy. She still holds out that there’s something wonderful in him that needs to be released. Could there be a more adept metaphor for a woman trapped in an abusive relationship? And in the end, she does what she must to escape it, though it will cost her everything.

Why I love it:

Romantic love, heroic sacrifice, sword-fights, and plenty of quips. Buffy’s departure from all that she knew, symbolically and literally.

Anne – Season 3, Episode 1 (Premiere)

What you need to know:

Buffy runs away from home and all the associated pain, leaving her friends and family essentially in mourning.

Why I love it:

One of my favorite movies is Superman 2. Superman gives up all of his power to live a normal life with Lois Lane, but his past returns and threatens to destroy everything in his absence. We see what a hero sometimes wishes could happen: they could leave behind their terrible responsibility and become truly human. Buffy wants to leave it all behind, but like all heroes, cannot ignore her calling.

Earshot – Season 3, Episode 18

What you need to know:

A lot, I suppose. Buffy has learned that the Mayor, a warlock, is going to perform some kind of mystical Ascension to destroy Sunnydale. In the meantime, a new Slayer named Faith has risen due to the deaths of Buffy in Season One, and Kendra in Season Two. After accidentally murdering the Deputy Mayor, Faith loses touch with her Slayer roots and joins the Mayor against Buffy.

Why I love it:

In the midst of apocalyptic world-destruction, we get another human story about our own isolation. Joss and company make a bold statement in Jonathan, when he says, “Yes, it must be so difficult being beautiful and popular,” reminding us how we are all similar in our feelings of oppression and loneliness, no matter our circumstances. Buffy’s heroism shines in these human moments.

Choices – Season 3, Episode 19

What you need to know:

With an invulnerable force in the Mayor, and an insider in Faith, the Big Bad is as bad as it’s even been. Despite Angel’s cunning attempts to sway her, Faith stays with the Mayor.

Why I love it:

After getting to know every character so well, we get new and clear perspective on each of them from the point of view of people who have observed them carefully. Willow sees through Faith, the Mayor sees through Angel, Westley makes the stand for the larger picture, we see where Buffy draws the line on saving the world (at least for now), and Oz makes a difficult decision easy.

Graduation Day, Parts 1 & 2 – Season 3, Episode 21 & 22 (Finale)

What you need to know:

TBD

Why I love it:

TBD

Hush – Season 4, Episode 10

What you need to know:

TBD

Why I love it:

TBD

Restless – Season 4, Episode 22 (Epilogue)

What you need to know:

Buffy and the Scoobies have defeated the Big Bad — this time represented by mad science — by mystically joining themselves, a la Captain Planet, with Xander as the heart, not surprisingly. Buffy literally rips the power out of science with the power of friendship and belief, and then begins my favorite episode of the series.

Why I love it:

Thematic and beautifully shot, Restless explores the dreams of each of the characters in a perfect Freudian representation of their deepest fears. It’s not too stupid to be obvious, and not so arcane as to lose its intended audience. The balance it strikes between sewing up the wounds of the past and setting the tone for the future is perfect for this point in the series, not only for the series which will now take on a darker and deeper tone emotionally, but for the characters themselves who suddenly find themselves truly comprehending their year-long graduation.

The Body – Season 5, Episode 16

What you need to know:

I will say nothing.

Why I love it:

The opening. The silences. Anya’s speech. Buffy, who solves all of her problems with violence, meets her only true nemesis.

The Weight of the World – Season 5, Episode 21

What you need to know:

TBD

Why I love it:

TBD

The Gift – Season 5, Episode 22 (Finale)

What you need to know:

TBD

Why I love it:

TBD

Once More, With Feeling – Season 6, Episode 7 (Musical)

What you need to know:

TBD

Why I love it:

TBD

Normal Again – Season 6, Episode 17

What you need to know:

TBD

Why I love it:

TBD

Seeing Red – Season 6, Episode 19

What you need to know:

TBD

Why I love it:

TBD

Grave – Season 6, Episode 22 (Finale)

What you need to know:

TBD

Why I love it:

TBD