caliente_uk | Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Reply)

My love of the Buffyverse appears to be stronger than ever lately. RL has been difficult, so what do I do? Turn to BtVS again, of course! Buffy the Vampire Slayer helped me through some tough times when it was first aired, and it continues to do so today.

Even though I have the DVDs, I've been rewatching the show on Sky over the last few weeks. Spike and Spuffy have constantly been in my thoughts lately (well, even more than usual) and I've been thinking about which season is my faourite...and which one is my least favourite. Bear in mind that I'm a little bit (just a little *g*) biased towards Spike and Spuffy. Although I must point out that I loved many different characters and pairings while I was watching the show for the first time.

I went along with the story that was told and loved every minute of it - even when things weren't necessarily going the way I'd have liked them to. I liked Riley and Buffy together, and felt Buffy's pain when he left. Buffy and Angel? Yes, I completely believed in them in the early seasons...although I have to admit that my love of Angel blossomed once he was on his own show. I adore the Angel of AtS! Xander, Willow, Oz, Tara? Giles and Anya? I loved them all. I liked how they grew and changed during the course of the show. I can honestly say that my love of Xander was even stronger by the end of season 7.

You won't see any Buffy hate here. :) She will always be my hero. In fact, the Buffy of the later seasons is the one I relate to the most. The Buffy who had the weight of the world on her shoulders, who had been broken by life...but always managed to keep on going. The Buffy who had to keep strong for those around her, even when it was almost too much to bear. She was so battle worn and weary by the end of season 7 that my heart broke for her. And then there's Spike. Once I get started on Spike, I could go on and on forever. So all I'm going to do is repost part of the Spike/Spuffy post that is now on my user info. :)

I loved Spike from the moment I first saw him in S2. He made an impact from his first appearance, and he was so beautiful he made my heart melt. He was pure evil from the start, and it never even crossed my mind that Spike and Buffy could ever be together as a couple. But then he started to grow and change and by S5 he had completely stolen my heart. Then came Fool for Love...and that was it. My ~~obsession with~~ love of Spuffy was born and I've never looked back.

I'm not saying that I wouldn't have liked some things to have been different along the way (of course I would), but on the whole I was happy with the Spike/Buffy story we got. When I think of how far Spike and Buffy came from Spike's first appearance in S2, to the pain and heartache they had caused each other by the end of S6 (and I truly believe they were both equally to blame for the heartache of S6), to the love and trust they had for each other by the end of S7, my Spuffy heart can't help but be happy. From pure evil in S2 to Champion by the end of S7. What a journey it was! And I wouldn't have missed a second of it.

There isn't anything I could write that could even begin to show the depth of feeling I have for Spike. All I will say (as dramatic as it sounds) is that he saved me. When thngs in my RL got so bad that I didn't think I could carry on, Spike was there to lift me up. He gave me something to believe in. He really was (and still is!) the only thing that kept me sane. I honestly don't know where I'd be today if it hadn't been for Spike and Buffy.

Congratulations if you got to the end of all that waffling. :)

Now for my list of seasons! From my favourite to my least favourite. Let's see if there are any surprises. :D

1. Season 5

Fool For Love, Crush, Intervention, The Gift. What's not to love?

2. Season 6

Once More, With Feeling, Tabula Rasa, Smashed. Love it or loathe it, but who could ever forget it. Dark, angsty, but oh so good!

3. Season 7

Beneath You, Conversations With Dead People, Touched. My love of this season grows with every viewing. I tend to think of S6 and S7 as two halves of one long storyline. They work so well together!

4. Season 2

School Hard, Halloween, Innocence, Becoming (parts one and two). It goes without saying really, doesn't it? Spike, Dru, Angelus...how could anyone not love this?

5. Season 4

Something Blue, Pangs, Harsh Light of Day. So much to love about S4! I think I was on a high while watching most of this season. Spike was back! *squee* Um...sorry. But I couldn't help myself. *g*

6. Season 3

Lover's Walk (who didn't guess that one? *g*), The Wish, Amends, Helpless. Some wonderful episodes in S3. I love the season (as I love them all), but this is one of my least watched seasons. What can I say? I'm a Spike girl! :D Lover's Walk is one of my favourite eps ever!

7. Season 1

Welcome To The Hellmouth, The Pack, Prophecy Girl. The season that started it all. A few strong episodes in this, but not a season I watch very often. I do have a soft spot for it, though. I liked it enough to keep watching when S2 started! And they are all so young! Compare how fresh faced and eager they are here, to how worn out and weary they are by the end of S7. Pure nostalgia!

I think I'm going to do a favourite quote post next. And then my favourite episodes. And then my favourite AtS season. And then... ;)