Episode Rankings: Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy The Vampire Slayer is my favorite TV show of all time. Is it cheesy? Sure. Flawed? Absolutely. But it's also sharply written, incredibly creative, full of memorable characters, packed with crazy twists, and it nails the emotional moments perfectly. Buffy is an incredible genre-bender of a show that I will always hold close to my heart, so it's about time. Here's my ranking of Buffy's episodes:

1. The Body (S5.16) - In a show about vampires, The Body is fundamentally human. I can't watch this episode after the first time, but that first viewing will always stick with me.
2. Tabula Rasa (S6.08) - The funniest episode in the show... until it's not.
3. Hush (S4.10) - Half the episode is silent, the villain is the scariest in the whole show, Tara debuts, and so much more. Absolutely deserves its legendary status.
4. Graduation Day: Part 2 (S3.22)
5. Innocence (S2.14) - This episode's plot twist permanently changed the series, for the better.
6. Once More With Feeling (S6.07)
7. The Gift (S5.22)
8. Conversations With Dead People (S7.07)
9. Dopplegangland (S3.16) - The quintessential Buffy episode. It's not plot-relevant at all but it's funny, creative, and character-driven. Show this to anyone if they're unsure about watching the show.
10. Becoming: Part 2 (S2.22)
11. Graduation Day: Part 1 (S3.21)
12. The Zeppo (S3.13)
13. Passion (S2.17)
14. Chosen (S7.22)
15. Seeing Red (S6.19) - This one's a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. It crosses the line in some aspects but I kinda like how much it's willing to completely demolish these characters' lives, as well as finally end that unhealthy Spuffy relationship.
16. Spiral (S5.20)
17. The Wish (S3.09)
18. Restless (S4.22) - Such a trippy and unconventional finale, but it works really well especially in hindsight. Unlike anything I've ever seen in a TV show.
19. Surprise (S2.13)
20. Becoming: Part 1 (S2.21)
21. What's My Line: Part 2 (S2.10)
22. Intervention (S5.18)
23. School Hard (S2.03)
24. New Moon Rising (S4.19) - Willow comes out!
25. Band Candy (S3.06)
26. Fool For Love (S5.07)
27. Villains (S6.20) - Two words: "Bored now".
28. The Prom (S3.20)
29. Grave (S6.22)
30. Something Blue (S4.09)
31. Lover's Walk (S3.08)
32. Blood Ties (S5.13)
33. Dirty Girls (S7.18)
34. Angel (S1.07)
35. Who Are You? (S4.16)
36. Prophecy Girl (S1.12)
37. Normal Again (S6.17)
38. Family (S5.06)
39. Faith, Hope, And Trick (S3.03)
40. The Yoko Factor (S4.20)
41. Selfless (S7.05)
42. Lie To Me (S2.07)
43. Fear Itself (S4.04)
44. Earshot (S3.18)
45. Tough Love (S5.19)
46. The I In Team (S4.13)
47. Bargaining: Part 2 (S6.02)
48. What's My Line: Part 1 (S2.09)
49. Two To Go (S6.21)
50. End Of Days (S7.21)
51. Crush (S5.14)
52. Halloween (S2.06)
53. This Year's Girl (S4.15)
54. Empty Places (S7.19) - Hot take: Buffy's friends were right! She really let the power of being leader get to her head this season and I'm glad they knocked her down a peg.
55. Gone (S6.11)
56. Lessons (S7.01)
57. Bad Girls (S3.14)
58. Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered (S2.16) - "Love potion" storylines haven't aged too well but this one is elevated by its manic sense of energy.
59. Forever (S5.17)
60. Nightmares (S1.10)
61. Life Serial (S6.05)
62. Buffy Vs Dracula (S5.01) - How did it take until Season 5 for Buffy to finally fight Dracula?! Oh, and the Dawn twist is cool too.
63. Storyteller (S7.16) - The point where Season 7 stops being boring.
64. The Harsh Light Of Day (S3.03)
65. Hell's Bells (S6.16)
66. Same Time, Same Place (S7.03)
67. Amends (S3.10)
68. Potential (S7.12) - Hands down the most underrated episode in the series, and the point where I really started to like Dawn.
69. Primeval (S4.21)
70. Homecoming (S3.05)
71. The Freshman (S4.01)
72. Bargaining: Part 1 (S6.01)
73. Out Of My Mind (S5.04)
74. Entropy (S6.18)
75. Lies My Parents Told Me (S7.17)
76. Consequences (S3.15)
77. Older And Far Away (S6.14)
78. Checkpoint (S5.12)
79. When She Was Bad (S2.01)
80. Dead Man's Party (S3.02)
81. I Only Have Eyes For You (S2.19)
82. A New Man (S4.12)
83. The Weight Of The World (S5.21)
84. Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight (S1.11)
85. No Place Like Home (S5.05)
86. Touched (S7.20)
87. Choices (S3.19)
88. Wild At Heart (S4.06)
89. Smashed (S6.09)
90. Phases (S2.15)
91. I Was Made To Love You (S5.15)
92. Welcome To The Hellmouth (S1.01)
93. Goodbye, Iowa (S4.14)
94. Help (S7.04)
95. Enemies (S3.17)
96. Living Conditions (S4.02)
97. Revelations (S3.07)
98. Shadow (S5.08)
99. Anne (S3.01)
100. Ted (S2.11)
101. Pangs (S4.08)
102. Bring On The Night (S7.10)
103. Triangle (S5.11)
104. Helpless (S3.12)
105. Witch (S1.03)
106. After Life (S6.03)
107. Beneath You (S7.02)
108. Doomed (S4.11)
109. First Date (S7.14)
110. The Harvest (S1.02)
111. Real Me (S5.02)
112. The Dark Age (S2.08)
113. Showtime (S7.11)
114. Flooded (S6.04)
115. The Pack (S1.06)
116. Into The Woods (S5.10)
117. Dead Things (S6.13)
118. The Beauty And The Beasts (S3.04)
119. Sleeper (S7.08)
120. The Initiative (S4.07)
121. Him (S7.06)
122. The Replacement (S5.03)
123. Teacher's Pet (S1.04)
124. Reptile Boy (S2.05)
125. Killed By Death (S2.18)
126. Superstar (S4.17)
127. Wrecked (S6.10)
128. The Killer In Me (S7.13)
129. Some Assembly Required (S2.02)
130. All The Way (S6.06)
131. Never Leave Me (S7.09) - The point where Season 7 gets kinda boring.
132. Never Kill A Boy On The First Date (S1.05)
133. Gingerbread (S3.11)
134. The Puppet Show (S1.09)
135. Go Fish (S2.20)
136. As You Were (S6.15)
137. Inca Mummy Girl (S2.04)
138. Get It Done (S7.15)
139. Listening To Fear (S5.09)
140. Bad Eggs (S2.12)
141. Where The Wild Things Are (S4.18)
142. Doublemeat Palace (S6.12)
143. I Robot, You Jane (S1.08) - I love episodes of 90s TV shows that fundamentally get the internet wrong, but yeah this one blows.
144. Beer Bad (S4.05)