Season 4 premiere

[GATEGOD]

I just rewatched it and it was such a sad premiere. Everything buffy hoped it would be and thought it would be, it wasn't.
Everything was spinning out of control, she was feeling like nothing, like there was no reason for her existence like nothing was right.
It was just errrrr you wanted to hit anyone that even said something mean towards her. She was so sad :(
Then Xander comes and call's her his "Hero" :kiss: It was so cute how he tried to comfort her. I loved this episode, even though i hated watching Buffy so sad.
The reveal at the end with Riley's guys taking down a vamp was cool too. The only things i didn't like was the
btch of a vampire who broke Buffy's Class protector umbrella, and the guy who was talking to buffy about his safety blanket,
it was sad when they killed him aswell. This episode was a total downer, in the sense that it was a sad ep, yet none of our favorites were killed.
I think there was 2 minutes of happiness in it ^_^ but it still managed to introduce all the characters that came back.

8/10 from me ^_^

:happy30:

[Keanoite]

I love this ep...yes it was sad but Buffy got through it, like she always does. College is hard! some people take to it straight away like willow and oz and some struggle like buffy...she can't be good at everything...I love when she spun her stake like a six shooter! and when giles comes running up ready to fight!! hilarious!

[Spirit_Of_Fred]

yeah, it was such a shame that the umbrella got broken! that was her class protector award! that should have lasted and been up on the mantle or something :silly:.

[hyperballadbrad]

I loved the way that, yeah, shit doesn't turn out the way you want it to right away (if at all) even if those events are big life changing ones.... there'll be struggle with any path you take..... and all the hype and excitement people put on start university crumbles once she's actually there.... it's not as rose as she thinks it's supposed to be

But that's life for ya :) And Buffy reflects life so well

[JollyApe]

It was an excellent episode which summed up the first College experience rather well I think.

Change is after all frightening, but once you let go of your fears it can become something rather impressive.

[codyw1]

Don't like the ep much, I'm afraid. Kinda dull, sorry.

[GATEGOD]

I liked it :D I didn't think it was dull, only depressing because of everything that happened to Buffy

[SpikedBuffy]

See, I didn't find it depressing. (I just watched this yesterday while walking on the treadmill)

I don't think she's sad and hates college, just a little discouraged. Especially after her first fight with Sunday, when she gets taken down, it makes it worse for her.

I would have to say that the best part of the episode is when Sunday asks her if breaking her arm was a mistake, and Buffy hauls off and hits her with the arm, stating that it's only hurt. That was one mighty punch for the arm hurting.

This is one of my favorite episodes. I like the power that Buffy has the end!

[Joyce Summers]

I really love this episode. It just sets up the whole theme for the rest of the season really well.
And I can utterly relate to how she felt. That was exactly how I felt on my first day at college. Lost, confused and totally overwhelmed. And how come everyone else around just seems to be getting along with it so well, while we struggle, huh? Typical. Hehe.
And I do thoroughly enjoy the kicking of Sunday's ass. I always get the goosebumps on any show or film where the hero gets her/his equilibrium back and gets the better of the bad guy. And Buffy does it to the nth term. Hehe.

[Randy Giles]

Whenever I watch "The Freshman" I sort of freak out. I have not started college yet (I'm finally going after a two-year hiatus this fall) and I just know my experience will be like it. In fact I can already relate to Buffy being so overwhelemed. I was like that the first couple of days at my new school when I moved in 10th grade.

Buffy losing a potential good friend made me really sad as well. But as for a villain, Sunday was actually pretty cool and I'm surprised they killed her off so quickly, she would have made a good recurring bad guy.

[Jules]

Sunday was such a cool vamp. She would have been great if they had kept her in a few of the episodes after this one. She had such great lines of banter with Buffy. But her fate was kind of sealed with her being all of Buffy's insecurities :(

I loved Xander's attempted at the Yoda speech. That was fun! And her thinking she saw Angel in the Bronze!! Along with Angel's silent phone call...how cute!! I'd have been a bit annoyed at my mum if she'd started using my room as a storage area only a few days after I'd left!! We have been having words lol

[UlaGan]

Oh, whenever I watch this episode in recent years it makes me miss my college and all this fun to be free, having all roads ahead. Just instead of being tied up to work, etc. College time was fun. Sunday - brrr, I dislike her. In my perspective she's too snobbish, "limited" and lacking style, not goth enough. Ethan, Dru, SoulChipLess Spike, Sweet - now, these villains were totally cool.

What I like the most about this ep. - is Buffy reffering to Giles for help and meeting there Olivia instead. I just love David's Bowie's "Memory of Free Festival" as a theme... Altogether it combines in smth special, somewhat nostalgic.

[angeldork]

I really liked this episode cause it did show her really vulnerable from her break up with Angel and the fact that she felt a lone being in college. Even maybe lonely from Willow and Oz. I even liked the part in the Bronze where she thinks she sees Angel and the look on her face when she thinks its him. You look at that episode and the first few episodes of Angel before the episode 'I Will Remember You'. In the first episode he gut the guts to call her but he couldn't bring himself to actually talk to her, in I believe the episode is 'The Bachelor Party' he still keeps her picture by him. He leaves a reminder of her with him all the time cause he still loves her more than anything. So to get back to what I was saying, I think that episode really showed a loneliness and vulnerability that I don't think before that episode we have really seen all that much.

[LittleMissLikesToFight]

i thought it was a little annoying that Buffy was so weak. I understand her feeling lost and unsure of herself, but that affecting her slaying SO much? Yeah i remember when she ran away from Sunday i was like, come ON Buffy! just kick her ass!

[Joyce Summers]

But that just metaphory goodness again. Her insecurites were effecting her Slaying because Sunday etc WERE her insecurites. By being unable to beat them and failing so miserably was showing us how she still hadn't regained her equilibrium in college. It was only when everything came together (Which only happened once Xander, her white knight as always, returned) that she is able to beat them as her insecurities (and so by extension the vampires) are destroyed

[alexa]

This is my favourite Buffy episode.. generally.
I love that she falls down (metaphorically) and has to get up. I can really relate to it, and I don't find this episode sad, it's one of Buffy's most empowering episodes to me.. much like When She Was Bad. I love Joss writing for Buffy when she's down. Xander really did help, but he reminded her who she was and she remembered.

Sometimes you don't do so good, and you have to find your strength and try again... hence the Sunday thing.. I wouldn't trade the scene when she stakes her for anything. Owh and it's also one of my favourite Buffy character episodes.

10/10 ;)

[Spirit_Of_Fred]

xander is one of my favourite parts of this episode. i just adore that part when he comes back to the bronze and talks to buffy; its funny, and its like the light for buffy when all she's been finding through the episode is dark, dark, and more dark. i think when he makes those big speeches, he just shines, in any episode. i mean, sure, xander has flaws and yadda yadda yadda (no offense to the people who agree with that or hate xander, just not trying to get into that) but part of what he does as the only normal joe guy of the gang is just be there for everyone and be a friend. he shined in 'into the woods' with his speechifying (and shorter speechifying) to both buffy and anya, his in 'dirty girls' was one of the best speeches of season 7 (and, as i know dander fans will also support, he made a good speech at the end of 'potential'), and of course, his speech in the season 6 finale was pretty much world-saving stuff. when buffy makes speeches, mostly to the potentials in season 7, i go "ok, enough already!" when xander makes speeches, its like a big hug.:grouphug: