Question If Buffy season 1 spanned 22 episodes, what stories would you add in?

[Napoleon]

Lets' say, Buffy season 1 goes just like does up to episode 12... but you still have 10 more episodes to fill up. Without going into season 2 stories or onwards, what would you fill up those 10 episodes with? What story? The director's seat is yours.

 

[thetopher]

Well, off the top of my head we could've had a few more character-centric episodes. Xander gets two already ('Teacher's Pet' and 'The Pack') and Buffy's arc is fairly well established so...

Another Angel one, something like- there's another vampire hunter in town, or possibly a group of them, gunning for the great 'Angelus', they are well-meaning but fanatical. (Kinda like Holtz in the beginning.) What will Buffy do?

Plus another Willow- centric one. 'Cause I Robot, You Jane' was bad. Instead of her 'computer nerd-ness', focus on her first dabblings with magic- not a 'spell gone wrong' episode, more like a MotW involves magic somehow.

Anothe Giles episode, give a few hints to the dark side of his youth, not Eyghon- not yet, but maybe a MotW that's he's faced before, as a Watcher-in-training and he somehow failed to stop it/feels responsible. Show his fear, but also his determination/drive to stop it, with or without Buffy's help.

Another ep about a vampiric scheme to free the Master- allow Buffy and The Master to meet some time before 'Nightmares' but not actually fight, gives a bit of build-up to 'Prophecy Girl'.

Do something with those damn eggs at the end of 'Teacher's Pet'! Maybe some student found them and is training them to exact his revenge ala 'The Prom'- little scuttley creatures are easier FX to do than big Mantis creature.

Maybe one with Pike in? Pike tracks down Buffy and we expand on the happenings in between the film and the start of the series. Get some Luke Perry lookalike to fill in for the ep.

There that's six that don't impact too much on the plot and character developments in S2, also stick one of the lamer eps- like 'Some Assembly Required' in S1 and turn 'When She Was Bad' into a more nuanced two-parter that isn't so ham-fisted with the whole 'Buffy is traumatised from dying that one time'.

 

[chasesummers]

Buffy's old life
would have been interesting to see Buffy telling the story to Willow about her old life, in school and when she burned the gym, with scenes of course 🙂

More focus on main characters
Of course, the most important thing is exploring the characters and investing more time in them, this never gets old as there are plenty of characters in season 1 already (Buffy, Xander, Willow, Cordelia, Giles, Angel)

 

[AnthonyCordova]

sorry I'm not going to go into great detail, but a few good extra MotW episodes, several character-centric episodes (e.g. like some of [MENTION=12614]thetopher[/MENTION] 's ideas; for example I really like the idea of a Giles episode that could expose a little of his old ripper self or something but without giving away too many details and leaving it still largely of a mystery, to be developed in later seasons. Just suggest with a subtle hand that Giles has a dark side to give the audience something to speculate about [is it his past, something else, what?]) and definitely some larger story arc episodes to help build up more to the final confrontation with the Master. You could fill ten episodes quick with this, and manage to leave everything that came after it unchanged.

Then suddenly season 1 is in the discussion for best/favorite season, if all ten of the additional episodes were pretty good.

 

[Fuffy Baith]

[MENTION=12614]thetopher[/MENTION]: I like the idea of doing something with those eggs at the end of 'Teacher
s Pet'.
Willow and Giles could have a more character centric episode. I like the idea of exploring more of Giles past.

I would push 'Angel' back further and had a couple more episodes with Darla working for the Master and maybe drop hints about her and Angel's past without giving away that he's a vampire. Maybe we could have even had a Cordelia centric episode something funny similar to 'The Zeppo'.

Possibly more build up to 'Prophecy Girl'. Maybe even make it a 2 parter where the part one ends with Buffy's death. Idk. I really like the Master so with 10 more episodes we could have used him a lil bit more. Also maybe add more Giles and Jenny interactions. Oh, so much could have been done. Even for a short season I still like season 1 over some others. We could do this with all the seasons and just take out some episodes and replace them with better ones.

 

[Wild At Heart]

I like everyone's ideas. Pretty cool. One of my ideas would've been to have a Jenny-centric episode about her past & when she was sent to Sunnydale. I know it was a surprise in season 2 but it could've been a surprise in season 1 & then followed up with until Buffy finds out in Innocence. I'll have to think of some more...

 

[bespangeled]

SPIKE!! Just joking

I would have loved to see more Giles. In fact, Ethan Rayne and Giles should have been an entire arc instead of just a few unrelated guest spots. It would really add to his back story and later actions if his dark side had received more attention.

 

[Napoleon]

I would have liked a 2-episode reboot of the original Buffy movie. Same plot but no vampires flying and etc.

 

[Mr Trick]

SPIKE!! Just joking

I would have loved to see more Giles. In fact, Ethan Rayne and Giles should have been an entire arc instead of just a few unrelated guest spots. It would really add to his back story and later actions if his dark side had received more attention.

You stole my thunder with that one! But why not Spike? If they planned to introduce him in the next season anyway then if S1 had got more episodes then there would have been more than enough time to at least have got the ball rolling on his character. They could have done one of two things. One just have bits of Spike hanging around the high school as some sort of mystery character who the viewers/Scoobies slowly find things out about and realize that he could be a future threat. Or maybe have him pretending to be on their side in order to trick them. Or I guess the final shot of the season could have been Spike appearing, and saying something like, "Right now time for the real fun to start" and an evil laugh to go into the end credits. I did find the way S1 ends a little bit anticlimatic. It would have been better to have had something to set up the next season. I'm guessing than at the time they maybe didn't know if they would be renewed for a second season which maybe explains that ending.

 

[thetopher]

They could have done one of two things. One just have bits of Spike hanging around the high school as some sort of mystery character who the viewers/Scoobies slowly find things out about and realize that he could be a future threat. Or maybe have him pretending to be on their side in order to trick them. Or I guess the final shot of the season could have been Spike appearing, and saying something like, "Right now time for the real fun to start" and an evil laugh to go into the end credits.

This made me laugh. 😉

With all due respect if they'd done this then it would've much lessened Spike's impact in S2 and also he would've come across a really lame/full of himself- especially the 'evil laugh' thing.
Most people would've probably thought that he was a doof and not taken him seriously.
His intro in 'School Hard' was perfect- they first time they faced Spike could've bested Buffy, there are few better ways to make Spike out to be a major threat.

I think it's actually rather nice that there are at least a couple of seasons where Spike doesn't horn in on everything. 😛

 

[Mr Trick]

This made me laugh. 😉

With all due respect if they'd done this then it would've much lessened Spike's impact in S2 and also he would've come across a really lame/full of himself- especially the 'evil laugh' thing.
Most people would've probably thought that he was a doof and not taken him seriously.
His intro in 'School Hard' was perfect- they first time they faced Spike could've bested Buffy, there are few better ways to make Spike out to be a major threat.

I think it's actually rather nice that there are at least a couple of seasons where Spike doesn't horn in on everything. 😛

You have a point and don't get me wrong he is just about perfect in season 2. Don't forgot though that if there had been extra episodes in the first season and if Spike had of been involved then, that means that the second season might have been very different anyway.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I was thinking about this the other day, though thinking the opposite. If all of the seasons were 10 or 12 episodes in length how much better the story lines would have been.

 

[white avenger]

They shouldn't have killed off either Luke or Darla so soon. Angel would have (obviously) recognized Darla, and, because she is family, so to speak, he would have spent several episodes trying to keep Buffy from meeting her and trying to get her to leave town. That would have been when Angel being a vampire would have been revealed to the audience, but Buffy wouldn't find out right away. Angel's motives for being in Sunnydale, as well as his past history, would remain ambiguous for awhile before his past would be revealed, possibly when Buffy has her first fight with Luke, and Angel helps her, with Darla (who "kills" Buffy temporarily before Xander revives her) being staked in the process, revealing his vampire status as well as that his being there was honorable.

At least one episode would be devoted to Buffy reconciling her feelings for Angel and accepting that, a vampire he might be, but evil, he apparently wasn't. (The key word there being "apparently")

The Season finale is a fight with Luke and several other of the Master's minions. Angel is fighting the last two while Buffy faces the Master alone. Out of sight of Buffy, Angel stakes one vampire, but is about to be staked, himself, when a black clad figure steps out of the shadows and literally tears the last vampire's dead off. The dust clears, and Angel is staring at his savior. "Hello, Peaches, We too late for all the fun n' games?" Spike.

(The Season ends with that scene)

 

[Mr Trick]

I was thinking about this the other day, though thinking the opposite. If all of the seasons were 10 or 12 episodes in length how much better the story lines would have been.

I don't think so. Buffy is a show where it is all about character depth and slow burning storylines, just don't think you can have that with just 12 episodes a season. Also because they tend to have a few stand alone episodes thats another factor.

 

[thetopher]

At least one episode would be devoted to Buffy reconciling her feelings for Angel and accepting that, a vampire he might be, but evil, he apparently wasn't. (The key word there being "apparently")

Why 'apparently'? In S1 Angel hadn't done anything morally dubious just yet and he was clear in his purpose to help Buffy.

The Season finale is a fight with Luke and several other of the Master's minions. Angel is fighting the last two while Buffy faces the Master alone. Out of sight of Buffy, Angel stakes one vampire, but is about to be staked, himself, when a black clad figure steps out of the shadows and literally tears the last vampire's dead off. The dust clears, and Angel is staring at his savior. "Hello, Peaches, We too late for all the fun n' games?" Spike.

HA! Yet anothor way that Spike could ruin the first season.
Desperately trying to squeeze in your favourite character anywhere you can is one thing. Doing it at the expensive of another character that you happen to dislike is just sad.

This thread is supposed to be how you could improve S1 without going into S2 stories, which includes shoe-horning in already overexposed characters.

(The Season ends with that scene)

And S2 ends with Angel and Buffy staking Spike and then walking off hand in hand, whistling happily. Lovely. 😉

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Actually they could have introduced Riley in the first season, killing both vamps and saving the world, viewers and the internet in general. Then instead of Angel/Buffy/Spike love triangle it could have been Buffy/Riley/Faith. Which, of course would have been much better.

 

[Mr Trick]

Why 'apparently'? In S1 Angel hadn't done anything morally dubious just yet and he was clear in his purpose to help Buffy.



HA! Yet anothor way that Spike could ruin the first season.
Desperately trying to squeeze in your favourite character anywhere you can is one thing. Doing it at the expensive of another character that you happen to dislike is just sad.

This thread is supposed to be how you could improve S1 without going into S2 stories, which includes shoe-horning in already overexposed characters.



And S2 ends with Angel and Buffy staking Spike and then walking off hand in hand, whistling happily. Lovely. 😉

But how are we trying to shoe-horn characters in? If Spike was in S1 theres a chance he would not have played such a big part in the second one. Its just a case of introducing a very important character a bit sooner. And thats part of the point with Spike is that he would go on to be so much more than just another villain even if they didn't know it at first.

 

[thetopher]

The original post was this:

Lets' say, Buffy season 1 goes just like does up to episode 12... but you still have 10 more episodes to fill up. Without going into season 2 stories or onwards, what would you fill up those 10 episodes with? What story? The director's seat is yours.

By including Spike you're needlessly mucking about with S2 for small reasons. Spike is fine where he is, he's great in S2.
I don't understand the 'let's bring him in earlier' thing- it just doesn't fit. Also the ideas I've heard just seem to needlessly agrandize Spike imo.
To me it seems to indicate a lack of original ideas.

C'mon, the question has paramiters to work with. That's why nobody's included a 'Willow does a spell' episode because that wouldn't fit in S1. Nor would bringing in another slayer (although I'd love to), or bringing in any other character that you happen to like.
I guess you could have a Jonathan cameo, that wouldn't really affect s2 much.

 

[white avenger]

Why 'apparently'? In S1 Angel hadn't done anything morally dubious just yet and he was clear in his purpose to help Buffy.



HA! Yet anothor way that Spike could ruin the first season.
Desperately trying to squeeze in your favourite character anywhere you can is one thing. Doing it at the expensive of another character that you happen to dislike is just sad.

This thread is supposed to be how you could improve S1 without going into S2 stories, which includes shoe-horning in already overexposed characters.



And S2 ends with Angel and Buffy staking Spike and then walking off hand in hand, whistling happily. Lovely. 😉

One sentence and a glimpse of the (then unknown) big bad for at least part of the next season is hardly "shoehorning" Spike in a Season early, it's ending Season 1 with a lead in to Season 2, something that is a common element with many TV series, something that even Joss used to connect Seasons 2 and 3 of this series, then again with Seasons 5 and 6, and also with Seasons 6 and 7.

That is also true with the use of the word "apparently" in the case of Angel truly being on the side of light, love, and wiggly puppies. That, however faint, glimmer of doubt would lead into the next Season, because the audience would be wondering if he was actually the real deal or had pulled off a hoax on Buffy and the others. None of that actually "goes in" to Season 2, it merely sets the stage for it.

However...

"And S2 ends with Angel and Buffy staking Spike and then walking off hand in hand, whistling happily. Lovely."

does, indeed, involve Season 2, since you are rewriting that Season's finale.

 

[thetopher]

One sentence and a glimpse of the (then unknown) big bad for at least part of the next season is hardly "shoehorning" Spike in a Season early, it's ending Season 1 with a lead in to Season 2, something that is a common element with many TV series, something that even Joss used to connect Seasons 2 and 3 of this series, then again with Seasons 5 and 6, and also with Seasons 6 and 7.

Joss only ever did this with The Mayor in s2/3, and that was only oblique references to him. Otherwise he never used what you'd describing to foreshadow a 'Big Bad'.

But okay, I guess what you're saying is that Spike comes into town, lurks about a bit for no real reason that I can see, and then goes off for a few months, only to reappear with a sick and weakened Dru in 'School Hard', all so you can have a few minutes of foreshadowing? (And show Angel up?)

That's still kind of lame, illogical and breaks the flow of S2 for me, but whatever. Apparently some people can't live without Spike.