All 7 Seasons of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, Ranked

Even after almost thirty years, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is still a hugely important and influential TV show. Its impact can be seen in many aspects of pop culture today, from Marvel movies to shows on The CW and even Stranger Things. Now, the story of the teenage vampire slayer in Sunnydale, California, is getting a new series on Hulu. Let’s take a look back and rank every season of the original Buffy series, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, along with Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, Nicholas Brendan, and David Boreanaz.

7. Season 7 (2002-2003)

Buffy’s seventh and final season had its high points, with some truly great episodes. However, the main storyline felt stretched thin over the 22 episodes. The season’s villain, the First Evil, was an interesting idea – it could take the form of anyone Buffy had previously defeated. But in practice, it mostly manifested as a dark version of Buffy herself, delivered through Sarah Michelle Gellar acting opposite herself and lengthy monologues.

As a huge fan, I’ve noticed this season really leans into those big, inspirational speech moments – mostly from Buffy guiding the next generation of Slayers. Honestly, there were so many they even started to poke fun at themselves! But despite the season feeling a little uneven at times, there are some truly standout episodes. “Conversations with Dead People” is genuinely haunting, and the series finale, “Chosen,” is just iconic. It’s still Buffy at its heart, which means it’s still fantastic, and it left me craving more – thankfully, we’re finally getting some continuation soon!

Here are some of the show’s best episodes: “Selfless,” “Conversations with Dead People,” “Storyteller,” “Lies My Parents Told Me,” “Dirty Girls,” and “Chosen.”

6. Season 1 (1997)

If you watch season one of BTVS today with no prior knowledge, it’s hard to see what the big deal is. It’s essentially a better, more clever version of the 1992 movie. Or perhaps, one can say it’s Clueless meets The X-Files. But it’s not great by any means; however, all the right ingredients are there from the start. Sarah Michelle Gellar is hilarious and relatable as Buffy Anne Summers, and the entire cast is pitch-perfect from the get-go. Some episodes are actually terrific, like “Angel,” and the season finale, “Prophecy Girl.”

Despite the season’s strengths, it also includes some of the most awkward episodes of the entire series. For example, the episode dealing with the early days of the internet, “I Robot, You Jane,” feels particularly dated. And while the season’s villain, the Master, has a few good moments, he’s a fairly typical and uninspired bad guy – not as compelling as the more memorable villains from later seasons. Speaking of villains, this show actually coined the term ‘Big Bad’ to describe its main seasonal antagonist, so it set the standard for that kind of character.

Don’t miss these standout episodes: “Welcome to the Hellmouth/The Harvest,” “Angel,” “Out of Mind, Out of Sight,” and “Prophecy Girl.”

5. Season 4 (1999-2000)

This season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer feels a bit different and serves as a bridge to new storylines. With Buffy and Willow now in college, the show couldn’t rely on the familiar ‘high school is hell’ theme, and some of the college-based episodes felt awkward. It was also the first season without key cast members David Boreanaz and Charisma Carpenter, who moved on to the spin-off Angel, which was a big change for longtime viewers. To make matters worse, audiences weren’t very enthusiastic about Buffy’s new boyfriend, Riley Finn (Marc Blucas).

Despite limited funding that hampered the portrayal of the season’s main villain, the shadowy ‘Initiative,’ season four still delivered some of the show’s strongest episodes. Standouts included the almost entirely silent “Hush,” a two-part story where Buffy and rogue Slayer Faith switched bodies, and the fantastic, dreamlike season finale, “Restless.” This season also saw the welcome addition of Emma Caulfield as ex-demon Anya, Amber Benson as Tara, and James Marsters as Spike, all of whom became regular cast members and significantly enhanced the show.

Best Episodes: “Something Blue,” “Hush,” “This Year’s Girl,” “Who Are You?” “Superstar,” “Restless.”

4. Season 6 (2001-2002)

This season has really divided fans – people either love it or hate it. Even Sarah Michelle Gellar hasn’t been shy about her dislike. But we appreciate the bold choices the show made, and how it wasn’t afraid to explore some truly dark and difficult themes. (Warning: spoilers ahead!) The season starts with Buffy still dead, having perished in the previous finale. Her return isn’t just a plot device; the writers cleverly used it as a way to represent the experience of battling severe depression and the unhealthy ways people sometimes try to deal with it.

Season six sees Buffy and Spike begin a scandalous and secret relationship, which divided fans. Meanwhile, Willow reaches a new level of power and tragically falls to the dark side – though her reasons felt predictable even back in 2002. While the season is intentionally chaotic and imperfect, it features a standout moment: the incredible musical episode, “Once More With Feeling,” widely considered the best of its kind in any long-running show. Unlike previous seasons with a central villain, season six’s biggest challenge isn’t a specific enemy, but life itself.

Here are some of the show’s best episodes: “Once More, With Feeling,” “Tabula Rasa,” “Smashed,” “Normal Again,” “Villains,” and “Grave.”

3. Season 2 (1997-1998)

Season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is where the show truly found its identity. The first part of the season felt like a more assured version of what came before, especially with the exciting introduction of James Marsters as Spike and Juliet Landau as Drusilla. However, the season dramatically changed course when Buffy and Angel finally became intimate in the episodes “Surprise” and “Innocence.” This pivotal moment led to Angel’s descent into villainy and established him as the season’s main antagonist.

As a huge fan, I have to say the latter half of Buffy’s second season is just phenomenal. The episode “I Only Have Eyes for You” is a standout – seeing Buffy and Angel trapped in this amazing 1950s-style ghost story was so clever. But then “Passion” hit, and wow. It wasn’t just talk with Angel; he genuinely felt like a terrifying, powerful villain, and it was a really intense episode. Everything builds to the season finale, “Becoming, Parts 1 and 2,” which remains one of the most emotionally devastating finales I’ve ever seen. Seriously, even after nearly thirty years, that Sarah McLachlan song, “Full of Grace,” still gets me every time – and that’s saying something, considering how many ASPCA commercials make me reach for the tissues!

Here are some of the best episodes: “School Hard,” “Halloween,” “Lie to Me,” “Surprise,” “Innocence,” “Passion,” “I Only Have Eyes for You,” and the two-part episode, “Becoming.”

2. Season 5 (2000-2001)

Typically, shows start to decline in quality around their fifth season. However, season five of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was arguably one of its strongest. The season introduced a puzzling new character: Buffy’s younger sister, Dawn, played by Michelle Trachtenberg, who seemed to appear out of nowhere. This raised questions, as Buffy was previously believed to be an only child. The mystery surrounding Dawn, and a storyline involving Buffy’s mother’s illness, added layers of complexity to Buffy’s already hectic life—which, of course, still included fighting monsters on the regular.

Season four truly shines with episodes like “Fool for Love,” which revealed a surprising backstory for Spike. “The Body,” a heartbreaking look at grief, is arguably one of the best episodes about death ever made for television, and many consider it the show’s peak. The season finale is also remarkably shocking. While the season’s main villain, the goddess Glory (Clare Kramer), was often entertaining, she could sometimes be frustrating, which keeps this season from being number one – though it’s a very close second.

Here are some of the show’s best episodes: “Family,” “Fool for Love,” “Crush,” “I Was Made to Love You,” “The Body,” “Forever,” and “The Gift.”

1. Season 3 (1998-1999)

By its third season, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was at its peak. This was the final season where the show could explore the drama and symbolism of high school life, and the writers really took advantage of it, delivering consistently excellent episodes. The season featured a compelling overarching storyline, introducing the new Slayer, Faith (Eliza Dushku), who later became an antagonist. Plus, the season’s main villain, the seemingly cheerful but ultimately evil Mayor Wilkins (Harry Groener), is widely considered the best the show ever had.

The early episodes of season three, including “Band Candy,” “The Wish,” and “Homecoming,” perfectly captured the show’s signature mix of humor and emotion. And “Amends” still stands out as the most memorable and angsty romantic episode between Buffy and Angel – especially considering it’s a Christmas special! However, the season truly hits its stride in the second half. “The Prom” remains a heartwarming highlight, as the students of Sunnydale High finally recognize Buffy as their hero. And “Graduation Day” delivers everything you could want in a season finale. Ultimately, season three of Buffy the Vampire Slayer embodies everything that made the show great, which is why it’s considered the best season of all time.

Here are some of the show’s best episodes: “Homecoming,” “Band Candy,” “Revelations,” “The Wish,” “Amends,” “The Zeppo,” “Bad Girls,” “Consequences,” “Earshot,” “The Prom,” and “Graduation Day” (Parts 1 and 2).

All seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are currently streaming on Hulu.

2026-01-01 21:36