On Scoring
I'm of the opinion that any attempt at objectively rating anything is futile, and, as such, I freely admit to a certain amount of subjectivity in my scores. However, I try to keep my personal biases out of the scoring as much as possible and judge the episode based on overall quality. I have decided to rate episodes based on an "average Buffy episode". That is, I'm not scoring these relative to other shows on TV, but simply on the basis of it being a Buffy episode. Given that, the scoring can roughly be broken down as follows:
1-4: A below average episode. For whatever reason, an episode with a score in this range doesn't meet the standards I expect from a Buffy episode, whether because of weak character development, poor plotting, or overall structural problems.
5-6: An average episode of Buffy. This is the baseline standard that I start with when scoring episodes. In theory, taking a statistical average of my scores should result in something around a 5 or a 6. These are not low scores. These meet my expectations of what Buffy is.
7-8: An above average episode of Buffy. Episodes in this range are particularly strong and should be considered some of the best Buffy has to offer. They often have pivotal events in them, rich themes, or outstanding character development that push them above an average episode score.
9-10: An exceptional episode. These scores are rarely given out and for good reason. In my opinion, Buffy is at its best when it's making an emotional impact. For any episode to attain a 9 or 10, it has to meet this criteria (In short, it has to make me cry). These are the episodes that standout as the absolute gems of the series. The difference between a 9 and a 10 is purely subjective and depends on my own opinion as to whether a perfect score is warranted or not.
I hope this is clear enough, as I realize that it may seem harsh for me to give out numerous 5s and 6s. However, this is the best system I can come up with so please take it into consideration when reading my scores on various episodes.
1-4: A below average episode. For whatever reason, an episode with a score in this range doesn't meet the standards I expect from a Buffy episode, whether because of weak character development, poor plotting, or overall structural problems.
5-6: An average episode of Buffy. This is the baseline standard that I start with when scoring episodes. In theory, taking a statistical average of my scores should result in something around a 5 or a 6. These are not low scores. These meet my expectations of what Buffy is.
7-8: An above average episode of Buffy. Episodes in this range are particularly strong and should be considered some of the best Buffy has to offer. They often have pivotal events in them, rich themes, or outstanding character development that push them above an average episode score.
9-10: An exceptional episode. These scores are rarely given out and for good reason. In my opinion, Buffy is at its best when it's making an emotional impact. For any episode to attain a 9 or 10, it has to meet this criteria (In short, it has to make me cry). These are the episodes that standout as the absolute gems of the series. The difference between a 9 and a 10 is purely subjective and depends on my own opinion as to whether a perfect score is warranted or not.
I hope this is clear enough, as I realize that it may seem harsh for me to give out numerous 5s and 6s. However, this is the best system I can come up with so please take it into consideration when reading my scores on various episodes.