Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Be back before Dawn.
As most customer reviews have dutifully pointed out, season 4 has always been the sore spot on a good number of Buffy fans' favorite lists. As most, if not all, reviews go on to say, in what could be perceived as an elitist attempt at irony, these fans are wrong. These pleas from naysayers against season 4 naysayers are of course neither elitist nor ironic because season 4 of Buffy is genius in almost every aspect of it and comes intact with several of the show's greatest moments.The first several episodes of the season strive to regain the ground that the show had lost with the departure of Angel, Cordelia and high school. With teasers throughout each episode impending 'The Initiative', we are treated to glimpses of military garbed commandos taking out bad guys just like our Buffy. While admittedly weak, the Initiative storyline served as a stepping stone for, among other things, Buffy to get past Angel and Spike to become an integral member of the Scooby-gang. In that respect, the Initiative storyline served its purpose and, love him or hate him, gave us Riley. With the departure of Oz, the reintroduction of Spike and Anya and the introduction of Tara and Riley, Buffy seemed to be reinventing itself. While most characters were greatly received (Anya, Spike and Tara), Riley has always been seen as a faulty character. Blame it on the writing, Marc Blucas or any other factor, the character was one-note and eventually wore thin. Personally, Riley never bothered me until season 5, so his presence throughout these 22 episodes doesn't really bother me all too much. If for no other reason than that of a self-serving nature, the best episodes of the season are, in my opinion: 'The Harsh Light of Day': The return of Spike... and Anya... and Harmony!! Once again Jane Espenson proves she's Buffy's comic guru eliciting many a laugh from almost every character. The ending of this episode is also particularly affecting. 'Pangs': Aside from a clumsy Angel crossover, this episode provides many laughs. Not much plot development presiding in the episode, but, with the exception of season 3's 'Amends' (which was decidedly weaker), it is the only non-Halloween holiday episode we've ever gotten. 'Something Blue': Who can't resist angsty inner-turmoil turned into irreverent hilarity? The whole Buffy-Spike thing is genius. Bewildered, helpless Giles is always good for a laugh too. 'Hush': Only a caustic Buffy fan attempting mockery would omit Hush as a tour de force episode of Buffy's entire run. The acting is top notch, the cinematography and score are also exceptional here. In hindsight, this really isn't much of a surprise: whenever an episode is penned by Whedon you can expect great things. 'The "I" in Team': Plenty of great Anya lines. Perfectly balances the plot development and hilarity. Witness the Willow-Anya-Xander poker game, Xander selling Boost bars and a certain static inducing protection spell. 'Who Are You': The second (and better) part of the season 4 Faith arc. The episode examines the Willow / Tara relationship, pre-empts the redemption of Faith and overall has fantastic performances from the whole cast in particular Sarah and Eliza. 'Restless': A precursor to Buffy's future (be back before dawn, etc.), 'Restless' is, in my opinion, the best episode of the season and, aside from OMWF, the best episode of the series. Everything is perfect here: the music, the lighting, the sets, the art direction, the cinematography, the dialogue: leave it to Joss to perfectly capture the eerie nature of dreams that leave us both unsettled and somewhat abandoned. Probably the most artistic episode of the series, 'Restless' is a flat out masterpiece and an essential part of the show's mythology. Some other favorites include 'Superstar,' 'A New Man' and 'The Yoko Factor.' As immediate predecessor to the best season of Buffy and immediate successor to the most hyped season of Buffy, season 4 is often times over shadowed by the accomplishments of its bookends. This is a harsh injustice as the fourth season is a flat out masterpiece with practically nary a road bump; 'Beer Bad', 'The Initiative', 'Doomed' and a few other episodes are the exceptions here (which is not to say they are without highlights).
With Buffy ending in a month, it seems wrong to calculate all the mishaps the show has taken over the years. It seems even more obscure that many fans attribute this season of Buffy with the "worst season ever" title. Some say Xander and Giles were underused, some say Adam is the worst big-bad ever, some say Riley was little more effective than a set prop. It matters not, because once you finish watching 'Restless', you know you have just witnessed greatness.
Rating: - Buffy Goes to College!
Season Four Regulars:
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
Seth Green as Oz (Through episode 6)
James Marsters as Spike (Episode 7 onward)
Marc Blucas as Riley Finn (Episode 11 onward)
Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles 1. The Freshman - As Buffy adjusts to college life, she realizes that classmates are mysteriously disappearing.
2. Living Conditions - Everyone wonders what's wrong with Buffy when she insists that her annoying roommate is evil.
3. The Harsh Light of Day - As Buffy has an affair with a handsome student, Spike searches for a ring that, according to legend, makes the wearer invincible.
4. Fear, Itself - The gang finds themselves in a real-life house of horrors at a Halloween party, in which a Fear Demon feeds on their individual fears.
5. Beer Bad - Xander finds employment as a bartender at a pub where some of Buffy's friends metamorphose into terrifying Cro-Magnon creatures.
6. Wild at Heart - Oz and Willow's relationship is up in arms when Oz is powerfully drawn to a female werewolf.
7. The Initiative - Spike is imprisoned in an underground demon-research facility. Riley realizes he has a crush on Buffy.
8. Pangs - On Thanksgiving, Buffy encounters the spirit of a Native American warrior whose people were wiped out by settlers.
9. Something Blue - A spell by Willow goes awry, causing Giles to go blind and Buffy and Spike to fall in love and get engaged.
10. Hush - A group of murderous creatures straight out of a fairy tale steal away the townspeople's voices.
11. Doomed - Buffy attempts to stop demons determined to bring about the apocalypse by reopening the Hellmouth.
12. A New Man - After being transformed into a demon, Giles attempts to track down Ethan Rayne in hopes of reversing the process.
13. The I in Team - The gang worries about Buffy's involvement with the Initiative. Walsh sends Buffy on a dangerous mission.
14. Goodbye Iowa - Tension erupts between Buffy and an ailing Riley as they pursue Maggie Walsh's killer.
15. This Year's Girl (Part 1 of 2) - Faith awakens from a coma and seeks revenge against Buffy. Riley joins Buffy in the hunt for Adam.
16. Who Are You? (Part 2 of 2) - While Buffy is mistakenly kidnapped by the Watcher's Council, Faith wreaks havoc in Buffy's life.
17. Superstar - Buffy and her friends sense that something's amiss when a ubiquitous Jonathan becomes a hero to everyone in Sunnydale.
18. Where the Wilds Things Are - Buffy and Riley's passionate lovemaking energizes supernatural elements inside a frat house.
19. New Moon Rising - Oz's return to Sunnydale leads to his incarceration inside the Initiative, and complicates the relationship between Willow and Tara.
20. The Yoko Factor (Part 1 of 2) - Riley spars with Angel when Angel visits Sunnydale; Spike conspires with Adam to bring Buffy to her knees.
21. Primeval (Part 2 of 2) - Having gained control of Riley's mind, Adam sets in motion his plot to destroy the Initiative and create an army of unstoppable soldiers.
22. Restless - Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles experience dreams in which they are pursued by a mysterious figure.
Rating: - Buffy Goes to College!
Another Season has arrived as Buffy and Co. leave behind their High School world and venture into college!Regulars:
Sarah Michelle Gellar; Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon; Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan; Willow Rosenberg
Seth Green; Oz (Through episode 6)
James Marsters; Spike (Episode 7 onward)
Marc Blucas; Riley Finn (Episode 11 onward)
Anthony Stewart Head; Rupert Giles 1. The Freshman - While Willow blossoms in the college environment, Buffy has a difficult time adjusting, and her Slaying suffers because of it. 2. Living Conditions - Everyone wonders what's wrong with Buffy when she insists that her annoying roommate is evil. 3. The Harsh Light Of Day - Spike is back, searching for a gem that will make him invincible; Buffy is distracted by her first attempt at getting back into the dating pool. GUEST STAR: James Marsters 4. Fear, Itself - The gang finds themselves in a real-life house of horrors at a Halloween party, in which a Fear Demon feeds on their individual fears. 5. Beer Bad - Buffy drowns her sorrows by drinking with some upperclassmen, but Xander grows concerned when they start to get in touch with their primordial roots. 6. Wild @ Heart - Oz and Willow's relationship is up in arms when Oz is powerfully drawn to a female werewolf. 7. The Initiative - Spike is imprisoned in an underground demon-research facility; Riley realizes he has a crush on Buffy. 8. Pangs - Angel secretly arrives in Sunnydale to protect Buffy; Buffy tries to have a perfect Thanksgiving. GUEST STAR: David Boreanaz 9. Something Blue - A spell by Willow goes awry, causing Giles to go blind and Buffy and Spike to fall in love and get engaged. 10. Hush - After the residents of Sunnydale lose the power of speech, Buffy battles strangely silent assailants alongside an incredulous Riley. 11. Doomed - Buffy and Riley struggle with the knowledge of each others' secrets; the gang must head back to high school to stop another apocalypse. 12. A New Man - When Giles is turned into a demon, he turns to an unlikely source for help while an unknowing Buffy hunts him down. 13. The I in Team - The gang worries about Buffy's involvement with the Initiative; Walsh sends Buffy on a dangerous mission. 14. Goodbye Iowa - Buffy discovers the Initiative's secret weapon; Riley becomes disoriented and paranoid after the death of his mentor. 15. This Year's Girl (Part 1 of 2) - Faith wakes up from her coma and goes after Buffy, seeking revenge and armed with a mysterious gift left behind by the Mayor. GUEST STAR: Eliza Dushku 16. Who Are You? (Part 2 of 2) - While Buffy is mistakenly kidnapped by the Watcher's Council, Faith wreaks havoc in Buffy's life. GUEST STAR: Eliza Dushku 17. Superstar - Buffy must put aside the turmoil she feels about Riley and Faith's night of passion to investigate why a former nerd is suddenly a superhero. 18. Where the Wild Things Are - When Buffy and Riley rouse a supernatural force, they are held hostage by ghost-children who have returned to exact revenge for past abuses. 19. New Moon Rising - Oz returns to Sunnydale and is captured by the Initiative during a full moon; a conflicted Willow tells Buffy about her new relationship with Tara. GUEST STAR: Seth Green 20. The Yoko Factor (Part 1 of 2) - Riley spars with Angel when Angel visits Sunnydale; Spike conspires with Adam to bring Buffy to her knees. GUEST STAR: David Boreanaz 21. Primeval (Part 2 of 2) - Adam's plan to craft a master race of human-demon hybrids unfolds while Buffy is at odds with Giles and the others; Adam captures Riley. 22. Restless - A primordial spirit haunts the dreams of Buffy, Giles, Willow and Xander, making them each face their innermost fears.
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