Buffy The Vampire Slayer: All 7 seasons ranked from worst to best

1. Season 3

If Buffy‘s first season is where it figured what kind of show it wanted to be, and its second season was where it found its most steady footing, season 3 is where things truly came together for the perfect blend.

Perhaps it’s the remarkably nuanced portrayal of the season’s central antagonist, who could be hilarious and terrifying at the same time. Or maybe its the larger than left sequence featuring a giant snake rampaging its way through the halls of Sunnydale High. Or it could just be the sense of change that Buffy employs so well, as its characters begin to look ahead after high school.

The storytelling might waver on certain subjects like Faith’s potential redemption, but the compelling narrative force shaped over three seasons comes together here, with the gang standing against their most ambitious enemy at the time (and perhaps the best of the series?).

Ironically, the ending of the high school era mirrored Buffy‘s journey itself, as this is also where some of its cast members left for spinoff Angel. The show was set to move into newer, more adult territory, and even though those seasons never brought the highs of the first three, this was a fitting send-off for that remarkable era.

There are imperfections and some aspects don’t hold up well. Yet, in spite of these quibbles, the allure of the third season remains unbroken.

“Well, gosh.”

Which season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer is your favorite?