Buffy Episode Confusion

[Quasqueton]

I've only recently gotten into watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I saw my first episode a couple months ago, and it just struck me as such a cool show. It is now the only show I actually make time to see each week. But what the hell is going on? I've been watching for like 8 weeks now, but seen only, what 3 actual new episodes, in proper sequence? What is it with all the reruns?

Now, yes, the reruns are new to me. But that is what is so aggravating. I watch one show, get excited to see the next episode, but then next week confuses me because people who are mentioned as dead last week are walking around alive. Plots that seemed resolved last week are apparently still driving the characters this week.

Tonight, I'm watching as Buffy is talking to all the students who come to her as the counselor. Then I see this one student who was dead a few episodes ago. This girl had turned out to be the First trying to trick Willow.

So this week when I see her talking to Buffy, I'm thinking, "oh no, Buffy doesn't know this girl is dead, and the First is trying to trick her too." So half the episode I'm trying to figure out what the First is up to. Then I see Willow sitting at the computer looking at a picture of this dead girl, and she doesn't recognize her?

Arrgh! Then I start to realize this episode is a rerun from earlier in the season. DAMN!

I'm so confused. I can't tell where in the timeline I am watching the shows. Aren't reruns normally reserved for the "off season"? I can't figure out who is who and what is happening when new and old shows are constantly mixed up.

It really is aggravating. Can someone tell me how and when new Buffy episodes are aired? Once a month? Twice a month? Any kind of pattern? Is next week a new show?

Quasqueton

 

[Umbran]

The air dates for Buffy, as well as many other Sci-fi shows, can be found on The SFTV Page

 

[John Crichton]

I've only recently gotten into watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

>snip<

It really is aggravating. Can someone tell me how and when new Buffy episodes are aired? Once a month? Twice a month? Any kind of pattern? Is next week a new show?

I would go with www.tvguide.com, too.

This may not be something you are willing to do, but you may want to try and pick up seasons 1,2 & 3 on DVD before jumping to where they are now (season 7). Season 4 is out in June, too. Also, they rerun many old eps on many stations during the week and on Sunday. That's a good place to pick up on old eps as well.

But sweeps is coming soon so there will be a string of about 3-4 new Buffy's in a row. Enjoy.

 

[Staffan]

The thing is that nowadays, "one season" usually equals 22 episodes. Compared to the 52 weeks in a year, it's easy to see that there won't be a new episode each week - or every other week for that matter. This, combined with the "sweeps" they do every now and then to decide advertising rates, means that in non-sweeps periods you'll get a lot of reruns.

 

[Dr Midnight]

The thing about Buffy, I think, is that it's monstrously hard to just jump into. I recommend the show to everyone, but always with the warning that you should get caught up on the backstory first.

Not that that's what you're talking about.

I always check to see if there's a new Buffy... not because I might get caught watching a rerun, but because I want to make sure I don't forget if there IS a new episode.

They tend to be kinda rerun happy this time of year, I think. It'll pick up soon.

 

[KnowTheToe]

I am the only one of my friends who still watches Buffy because it has such an irratic schedule. Instead of being able to set aside time to watch the show every week, you need to religously check the TV guide becasue of all the repeats. IMO it is worse than any other show I watch. I often miss key episodes because of this. It seems the only time you get more than 2 consecutive episodes is during ratings months. That being the case Feb should be pretty good, but I have not checked in the guide.

I am getting into Angel this season and it is nice that they have 6 consecutive weeks of new shows, it makes the story much more fluent and enjoyable.

 

[RatPunk]

I am the only one of my friends who still watches Buffy because it has such an irratic schedule. Instead of being able to set aside time to watch the show every week, you need to religously check the TV guide becasue of all the repeats. IMO it is worse than any other show I watch. I often miss key episodes because of this. It seems the only time you get more than 2 consecutive episodes is during ratings months. That being the case Feb should be pretty good, but I have not checked in the guide.

I am getting into Angel this season and it is nice that they have 6 consecutive weeks of new shows, it makes the story much more fluent and enjoyable.

Consider yourself lucky, then. The station that Angel is on here is also the station that shows all the professional and college basketball games, which wasn't really a problem until they moved the show to Wednesday nights. Guess what night all the ball games are on...

Tonight its merely pushed back to 11:00pm. Next week, they have a college double header or something, so its not even going to be on on Wednesday night, which means I'll have to scour the TV Guide for any mention of it.

 

[WizarDru]

New Buffy AND new Angel this week. Hurrah.

 

[Henry]

Quasqueton:

Two suggestions that may prove helpful.

If you get it in your area, the FX channel show reruns of the first 6 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, every Monday through Friday, 2 episodes back-to-back. Seeing 10 episodes a week, you can get up to speed on the show by watching almost an entire season every two weeks!

Second, www.scoopme.com is an excellent site for reviews and in-depth analysis of each buffy episode. As far as I know, their archive spreads back at least to last season, so you can get up to speed very quickly. The reviewers of this show (Formerly Jen Sonstein and now Hunter Maxin) are very good at bringing out overarching themes and hig points, and are dedicated to giving no spoilers in their reviews.

Hopefully, these two resources are available and helpful to you.

 

[Ranger REG]

I'm so confused. I can't tell where in the timeline I am watching the shows. Aren't reruns normally reserved for the "off season"? I can't figure out who is who and what is happening when new and old shows are constantly mixed up.

It really is aggravating. Can someone tell me how and when new Buffy episodes are aired? Once a month? Twice a month? Any kind of pattern? Is next week a new show?

Define "off season."

What I can tell you is that aside from the first few weeks of a new season, plus November and February (also known as TV sweep months; where the rating determines which shows stay or go), the rest of the year is off season.

I suggest you look for a TV schedule web site, that tells you if the show's episode is a repeat or new.

www.tvguide.com
http://tv.entertainment.excite.com/index.html
http://tv.yahoo.com