Unlike many iconic fantasy TV shows, there are very few bad episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and even the bad ones sometimes have plenty to offer. However, certain installments don't fit the mold of a typical Buffy episode, standing out against many of the best and most iconic moments of the show. Buffy was a monster-of-the-week series and had plenty of stand-alone and bottle episodes, but the writing and character development didn't go unnoticed in those additions to the series. This makes it all the more obvious when the writing isn't up to par.

Conversely, the that the reboot can't top are all extremely memorable and have stood the test of time. When recommending Buffy to contemporary audiences, it's those episodes that cement the series as a fantasy classic. Of course, the installments that lack the clarity of writing and depth of character that Buffy is known for don't ruin the overall quality of the show. However, they do demonstrate that even a series as influential as Buffy can't always be perfect. ​​​​​​​

10 Doublemeat Palace

Season 6, Episode 12

Buffy The Vampire Slayer season 6 lets Buffy have it from the very beginning, bringing her to her lowest point before she can come back and start to rebuild. "Doublemeat Palace" is hard to watch, as Buffy is grappling with the adult realities of having to provide for her younger sister and sustain herself while going through so much emotional trauma. The setting of the fast food restaurant is funny, but "Doublemeat Palace" doesn't go much further in the comedy or storytelling than the location and visuals.

We don't learn anything new in "Doublemeat Palace," and there's no engaging villain to make us interested in the monster of the week.

Though "Doublemeat Palace" touches upon some deeper themes about capitalism and Buffy's struggle to adapt to life on Earth, it's more of a gag episode than an interesting addition to the season. The conceit of the story is that the restaurant is using people as the secret ingredient in the food. It's fairly obvious, and the twist doesn't make the narrative more engaging. We don't learn anything new in "Doublemeat Palace," and there's no engaging villain to make us interested in the monster of the week.

9 Living Conditions

Season 4, Episode 2

Buffy The Vampire Slayer is arguably a fantasy TV show with no bad seasons, but season 4 did have some low points, like "Living Conditions." The entire episode feels like Buffy is stalling for time before the season's actually intriguing plots, like the Initiative and Adam, can take center stage. It's a fun concept that Buffy would be paired with a demon as her first college roommate, as it reflects the heightened version of every new student's worst nightmare.

However, after saving the world time and again and facing down the mayor, it's hard to take Buffy's demonic roommate seriously and view the episode as anything more than a small bump in the road. Season 4 is hard to get into during the season's first few installments because these stories all revolve around undermining Buffy and addressing how out of her element she is. When rewatching Buffy, it's easy to skip over "Living Conditions" and miss nothing.

8 I, Robot... You, Jane

Season 1, Episode 8

When Buffy began in the late 1990s, technological advancements were exploding, and Buffy was consistently on the cutting edge of bringing these changes into the pop culture sphere. Before Willow became a witch, her skills at the keyboard were a huge part of Buffy's plots, and this comes to a head in "I, Robot... You, Jane." However, the episode is a pale reflection of the character arc that Willow would later go through, and it lacks the nuance and emotional realism that audiences had already come to expect from Buffy.

Though Willow has to do a lot of work to come out of her shell as Buffy progresses, "I, Robot... You, Jane" portrays her as much more ive and suggestible than usual. It comes off as though Buffy had already given both Buffy and Xander romantic mishaps in season 1 and was rounding out the season with a similar arc for Willow. Though this provides some narrative symmetry, the villain in "I, Robot... You, Jane" is too different from any other episode of Buffy to make sense within the show's canon.

7 The Zeppo

Season 3, Episode 13

It's always surprising when an episode of Buffy seasons 2 or 3 misses the mark, as these are widely considered the show's two best seasons. However, in "The Zeppo," Xander takes center stage and falls into a bad crowd once again, making for a mundane take on teenage insecurities. Xander's feelings of inadequacy are recurring elements throughout Buffy, but there are a few too many episodes when Xander gets caught up with a demon or force of darkness just because he feels left out.

Coming off the high of all-time great episodes like "The Wish" and "Helpless," Buffy season 3 hit a bit of a lull with "The Zeppo." This episode sees Xander at one of his lowest points, exploring his complicated relationship with masculinity and the way his close female friends are all considered more "special" or "chosen" than him. However, the sharp contrast between Xander's storyline and the secondary adventure Buffy is on confuses the tone and pacing of "The Zeppo."

6 The Puppet Show

Season 1, Episode 9

While the pilot and season finale of Buffy are highlights of season 1, there are a few episodes throughout the debut installment that don't fall in line with the series' tone. "The Puppet Show" is far from the only episode of Buffy that's a complete stand-alone story within the monster-of-the-week format, but it's one of the weaker mysteries that the series presents. One of the only notable parts of "The Puppet Show" is the introduction of Principal Snyder (Armin Shimerman).

The episode takes the classic high school event, the talent show, and infuses it with the supernatural, but it never quite finds its footing.

Many parts of Buffy The Vampire Slayer season 1 were unrecognizable by the end of the series, and the quirky, nonsensical plotting of "The Puppet Show" is one of them. The episode takes the classic high school event, the talent show, and infuses it with the supernatural, but it never quite finds its footing. There are a few too many misdirects and red herrings throughout "The Puppet Show," making it a forgettable addition to the show.

5 Where The Wild Things Are

Season 4, Episode 18

"Where The Wild Things Are" is all about the characters unleashing their more "animalistic" natures and exploring their ions. Throughout season 4, Buffy begins to talk about sex and relationships more frankly, putting an emphasis on how Buffy gets to explore the physical side of her relationship with Riley in a way she never got to with Angel. While this is an interesting change and shows how different Riley is from most of Buffy's love interests, "Where The Wild Things Are" is a little over the top.

Buffy is almost completely absent from "Where The Wild Things Are," and the episode suffers because of this. The frat house setting and ghostly spirits are all elements that Buffy has tackled in the past, making the storyline come off as less original. Additionally, like some of the other early episodes of season 4, "Where The Wild Things Are" takes a heavy-handed approach to the pitfalls of college life, which doesn't fit with the series' overall tone.

4 Gone

Season 6, episode 11

Easily the darkest season of Buffy, season 6 sees our heroine hit new lows and struggle to re-establish her sense of identity. Her relationship with Spike in season 6 is unhealthy across the board, but "Gone" demonstrates just how much Buffy wants to disappear, and the story makes her do just that. While it's always a fun visual gag when someone turns invisible in an episode of television, "Gone" relies much more on tropes than a typical Buffy episode.

Though Buffy is known for juxtaposing intense and humorous moments, "Gone" doesn't find the balance as easily as the series' best installments.

Though Buffy isn't herself throughout season 6, she becomes someone entirely new in "Gone." It's not an entirely weak episode of the series, and it does have some emotionally compelling moments. However, these come after goofy jokes that undercut the underlying serious themes of "Gone." Though Buffy is known for juxtaposing intense and humorous moments, "Gone" doesn't find the balance as easily as the series' best installments. This wasn't the first time that Buffy was more absent from an episode, but her disappearance made it harder to follow the story's thread.

3 The Killer In Me

Season 7, Episode 13

Willow has a challenging arc in Buffy season 7. When she returns to Sunnydale in the wake of her time away and readjustment to natural Earth magic, she immediately goes through a traumatic experience in "Same Time, Same Place." However, things get even worse when Willow transforms into Warren (Adam Busch) out of guilt and residual anger in "The Killer in Me." Since the season 6 finale, Williow has been paying for her actions, and forcing her to inhabit Warren's body is an intense choice.

In the midst of The First's campaign against Buffy and the potentials, it feels strange to return to a story arc that had been resolved a long time ago. Additionally, the romance between Willow and Kennedy (Iyari Limon) wasn't as strong as Willow's connection with Tara, and it felt like a hasty addition to the show. Season 7 wrapped up many residual plots from seasons past, but "The Killer in Me" stands out as an unexpected addition to the series.

2 A New Man

Season 4, Episode 12

Giles-centric episodes can be exciting and help develop his character throughout Buffy, but "A New Man" felt more like a re-hashing of old territory than a dynamic episode. In the past, Buffy had introduced Ethan Rayne (Robin Sachs) and his relationship with Giles. "A New Man" was repetitive and felt like recycled material in a way that most episodes of the series don't. We had already seen the hidden parts of Giles that Ethan brings out and witnessed him being transformed into his teenage self in "Band Candy."

The larger thematic tone of "A New Man" grapples with Buffy and Giles's father-daughter dynamic and the fact that Buffy is growing into an adult who needs him less.

The larger thematic tone of "A New Man" grapples with Buffy and Giles's father-daughter dynamic and the fact that Buffy is growing into an adult who needs him less. However, the series tackles this more effectively later on and works better when Giles can speak for himself. Transforming Giles into a demon in "A New Man" was a way for Buffy to make him do things his character never would, forcing the viewer to question the necessity of the episode.

1 Beer Bad

Season 4, Episode 5

It's always difficult when Buffy tries to comment on a contemporary issue and fails to make its point. Any episode that disempowers Buffy without a clear reason or narrative purpose is always uncomfortable, and "Beer Bad" is universally regarded as one of the series' worst episodes and one that can easily be skipped when doing a rewatch. While Buffy never shied away from portraying Buffy as a flawed character, "Beer Bad" was crude for no reason.

Buffy season 4 was a transitional installment of the series, witnessing many significant changes in the way Buffy related to her world now that she was out of high school. The first few episodes of the season, including "Beer Bad," showcase how much the series was still finding its footing during this period. Witnessing Buffy turning into a Neanderthal and the moral implications of the episode are a sharp turn from the usually progressive and accepting tone of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.