Best/Worst "Buffy"/"Angel" episodes per season?

[The Borgified Corpse]

It's been a while since we've had one of these and it's always a good 'un. For each season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel, name your favorite & least favorite episode and why.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer best

Season 1, "Prophecy Girl." It's a great conclusion to the season. If need be, it could have been a satisfying series finale. The scene where Xander asks Buffy to the prom always breaks my heart. Ditto the scene where Giles tells Buffy about the prophecy that she's going to die.

Season 2, "Bewitched, Bothered, & Bewildered." I loves me a good Xander comedy.

Season 3, "The Zeppo." See above.

Season 4, "The Freshman." Buffy's 1st day at college reminded me a lot of my 1st day at Arizona State. I'm also a big fan of Xander's scene with Buffy at the Bronze. "Thank you for the Dadaist pep talk. I feel much more abstract now."

Season 5, "Fool for Love." Tons of Spike backstory and fun crossover appearances by Angel & Darla. "The king of cups is expecting a party! But today's not his birthday."

Season 6, "Once More With Feeling." Just about the only good episode this season produced.

Season 7, "Conversations with Dead People." It's one of those strong, mostly talking episodes.

Angel best

Season 1, "Sanctuary." This is a tough pick. I can't say enough good things about "I Will Remember You" & "Hero." But at the same time, I think "Sanctuary" is what the show is really all about. This is the kind of episode that only Angel could do because only Angel is this kind of hero. It takes a good man of his checkered past to reach Faith and bring her back from the edge. As Doyle said in the 1st episode, "It's not about saving lives. It's about saving souls."

Season 2, "Reprise"/"Epiphany." The 2-part climax to the entire arc of the season. Angel has a moment of "perfect despair" with Darla after Holland Manners shows him that Hell is really a place on Earth. Really, this 2-parter brought thematic closure to the series. Everything after was merely delicious epilogue.

Season 3, too tough to say. There were a lot of really strong episodes in the baby Connor arc, particularly "Lullaby" & "Sleep Tight." On the stand alone front, I'm actually quite fond of the Gunn-centric "Double or Nothing." "You're soul wasn't worth air conditioning?!?"

Season 4, "Orpheus." While most of Season 4 is one giant, non-sensical apocalypse arc, "Orpheus" gets back to basics with the central theme of Angel redeeming himself by redeeming other lost souls. Again, Faith is back for further guidance on the road to redemption. You've also got the 1st crossover experience in a good long while when Willow shows up to reensoul Angel (while subtly flirting with Fred!). Plus, the long awaited Angel/Angelus fight!

Season 5, "You're Welcome." A nice bit of nostalgia with the return of Cordelia & Lindsey. The ending will break your heart (and make the ending of "A Hole in the World" sting even deeper).

Buffy the Vampire Slayer worst

Season 1, "Nightmares." There's really not a stand-out bad one in the bunch. This one is merely the weakest.

Season 2, "Go Fish." There is nothing worthwhile about this episode. "Bad Eggs" is also a strong contender but barely escapes from the bottom slot due to one funny exchange between Xander & Willow:
"We're supposed to teach our eggs good Christian values."
"My egg is Jewish."
"Then teach it that dradle song."

Season 3, "Dead Man's Party." Despite a few funny lines here & there ("'Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead!' Americans!"), it's mostly a lot of uncomfortable yelling.

Season 4, "Where the Wild Things Are." A.k.a. Buffy & Riley have lots of sex! This one is just barely watchable thanks to a few good lines from Xander, Spike, & Anya, particularly when Spike talks himself out of helping Buffy. "...Actually that all sounds pretty convincing. I wonder if Asia House is open?"

Season 5, "The Weight of the World." It takes all of the fantastic momentum built up by "Spiral" and pisses it all away. It takes "The Gift" about 20 minutes to rev back up again.

Season 6, I don't remember it well enough. But one of the really depressing Willow-is-a-magic-addict episodes.

Season 7, I don't know what's worse, Xander's grotesque eye-gouging in "Dirty Girls" or all the angry yelling in "Empty Places."

Angel worst

Season 1, "She." It's hard to say "She." The beginning with Angel's bad dancing is one of the most iconic moments of the entire series. I also like the bit where Angel hides by pretending to be an art museum tour guide. But the main plot of the episode is just so bad. While metaphors aren't always a bad thing for SF/F, I don't think any of us really needed a female circumcision episode.

Season 2, there isn't really a bad episode in the bunch. The worst I can say is that the Pylea arc probably drags out longer than it needs to.

Season 3, again, I can't really single one out. They're all just so great!

Season 4, "Deep Down." Since the return of Angel was really a foregone conclusion, this episode can really drag in places.

Season 5, "Hellbound." It's just a bit gruesome for my tastes. Runner-up: Spike getting his hands chopped off in "Damage."

 

[CorporalClegg]

Buffy Best

(1) "Prophecy Girl"
You pretty much nailed it on the head.

(2) "Passion"
The first glimpse of what the show's true potential.

(3) "The Prom"
I still tear up when Buffy get's her award. Plus I just LOVE The Sundays' cover of "Wild Horses."

(4) "Restless"
The show's best episode.

(5) "The Gift"
The show's second best episode.

(6) "Life Serial"
The mummy hand gag is my single favorite act from the entire series. I nearly had an aneurysm the first time I saw it from laughing so hard.

(7) "Selfless"
I can't help it; I'm an Anya fan.

Angel Best

(1) "I Will Remember You"
Ironically, I think this is one of SMG's best performances.

(2) "The Trial"
It was hard to decide. Season Two is really the only bit of Angel I really like.

(3) "That Vision Thing"
One of Carpenter's best performances IMO.

(4) "Spin the Bottle"
I love the way this was directed.

(5) "Not Fade Away"
Just too good for words.

Buffy Worst

(1) "I Robot, You Jane"
So terrible.

(2) "Lie to Me"
Whedon's worst effort.

(3) "Revelations"
The episode that made me despise Faith.

(4) "Primeval"
It was just too rushed and not really complete. There was a lot of needed exposition that was omitted.

(5) "I Was Made to Love You"
The ending is the best part. *cough*

(6) "Normal Again"
I just hate this episode for some reason.

(7) "Dirty Girls"
I just never cared for Caleb.

Angel Worst

(1) "She"
Yeah it is that bad.

(2) I couldn't pick one.

(3) "Billy"
I just find Billy obnoxious.

(4) Pretty much the entire second half. I find it unwatchable.

(5) "Smile Time" I know people generally like it. I think it's silly and stupid.

 

[Jetfire]

Just BtVS...I didn't care for Angel too much and haven't seen all of Angel.

(S1)
Best: Prophecy Girl
Worst: Teacher's Pet

(S2)
Best: I Only Have Eyes for You
Worst: Go Fish

(S3)
Best: Lovers Walk
Worst: The Zeppo

(S4)
Best: Restless
Worst: Where the Wild Things Are

(S5)
Best: Tough Love & The Gift
Worst: None...I loved S5

(S6)
Best: Tabula Rasa
Worst: Doublemeat Palace

(S7)
Best: Lies My Parents Told Me
Worst: Him

 

[DigificWriter]

Best Buffy/ANGEL Eps
BtVS Season 1: "Out of Mind, Out of Sight" (Marcie is, for me, one of the better MotWs from the first couple of seasons of the show, and the ep is a great example of the 'High school is hell' theme that permeated the first couple seasons of Buffy)

ANGEL Season 1: "Parting Gifts" (Wesley Wyndham-Price is one of my favorite secondary characters in the Buffyverse, and so I absolutely loved seeing him come to ANGEL, especially since this ep, more than any of his subsequent appearances on ANGEL, demonstrated that not much had changed with the character, even though he'd like to think otherwise)

BtVS Season 2: Killed By Death" (This was the first episode that I remember seeing of BtVS, and remains one of my favorite eps of the series because of it, and because of the ways that it takes the 'monster under the bed' concept and twists it)

ANGEL Season 2: "There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb" (The Pylea trilogy of episodes as a whole constitutes my favorite part of ANGEL Season 2, but this ep, as the finale of that arc, is the strongest; it also has one of my favorite moments in the entirety of ANGEL, which happens during the ep's closing moments, and is a perfect example of Joss Whedon at his best)

BtVS Season 3: "Earshot" (I love this episode, not only because of what it says about Jonathan, but also because of what it says about Buffy herself and about the series as a whole up to that point; it also has some great humor in it that perfectly counterbalances the seriousness of the main storyline; it might not have a whole lot to do with the main story of S3, but it's still a really great episode nonetheless, and is a really great character study on Buffy)

ANGEL Season 3: "That Old Gang of Mine" (Gunn is one of my favorite ANGEL characters, and this ep is a shining example of why; not only is the episode a great character study for him, it also forces him to finally pick a side instead of dividing his loyalties between Angel Investigations and his old crew)

BtVS Season 4: "Beer Bad" (People rag on "Beer Bad" for being a poor episode, but I absolutely love it for every single reason that people seem to hate on it; it perfectly encapsulates Buffy's struggles over the course of the first 3 eps of Season 4, and is one of the funniest episodes of the series)

ANGEL Season 4: "Apocalypse Nowish" (I'm one of the few people who didn't have a problem with the Cordelia/Conner subplot; there are several 'key' episodes in that arc that I really like, but Apocalypse Nowish is the best because it not only kickstarts that arc, but the rest of the major arcs for the season as well)

BtVS Season 5: Blood Ties (Dawn is one of my favorite characters, and Blood Ties is really her signature episode in Season 5, and one of the few 'signature eps' she gets throughout the course of the series; I love her interaction with Spike during this ep, and her reaction to finding out the truth about who/what she really is is brilliantly played by Michelle Trachtenberg)

ANGEL Season 5: "Smile Time" (ANGEL and 'Muppets' really aren't something that you would think would be a good match, but, in typical fashion, Joss Whedon makes the two concepts work perfectly; it's hillarious seeing Angel as a puppet, especially when he gets to kick some butt)

BtVS Season 6: Tabula Rasa (I was torn between picking this episode or Doublemeat Palace, but went with TR because it's not only a great comedy episode, it's also a great character development episode, and really sets up the rest of the season's major story arcs perfectly, especially in terms of what happens with Buffy and Willow)

BtVS Season 7: "The Killer in Me" (I love this episode for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it finally kickstarts the relationship between Willow and Kennedy; it's also a great call-back to the ending of Season 6, which happens to be one of my favorite season-ending arcs in the entirety of the Buffy/ANGEL franchises, and gives both Alyson Hannigan and Adam Busch a chance to really show off their acting talents)

Worst Buffy/ANGEL Eps
BtVS Season 1: "Nightmares" (It's really hard to pick a 'worst' episode for Buffy S1, but, of the season's 12 eps, Nightmares is really the one that I like the least, primarily because it doesn't entirely feel like it belongs, chronologically, where it's set)

ANGEL Season 1: "Eternity" (This episode is one of the few eps in the entirety of ANGEL that I don't think worked as well in execution as it ought to, especially since the concept behind it is really quite intriguing; it might be that there's not as much chemistry between David Boreanaz and the actress playing Rebecca as there ought to be given the nature of their storyline throughout the episode, or it might be the way the ep is edited, but things just don't work as well as they should've/could've)

BtVS Season 2: "Bad Eggs" (I like a lot of things about Bad Eggs, but I think most of what I like about the episode would have worked much better if it occurred, chronologically, earlier in the season)

ANGEL Season 2: N/A (I really can't pick a 'worst' ep for ANGEL S2)

BtVS Season 3: "The Zeppo" (I usually like Xander, but, of all of the various 'focus' eps he got over the course of the series, this one feels, to me, a bit out of place in relation to the rest of the season in which it occurs; it also feels a bit anticlimactic in that there's such a disproportionate level of danger when it comes to what Xander's dealing with and what everyone else is dealing with)

ANGEL Season 3: "Carpe Noctem" (I haven't seen a lot of ANGEL S3, but, of the eps I have seen, Carpe Noctem is the one that I 'get' the least; I don't really understand the significance of the plot or what it brings to the table, character-wise, which makes it feel very much like 'filler', which is not usually something that happens with regards to BtVs or ANGEL)

BtVS Season 4: "Superstar" (I like Jonathan's character, and there are certain aspects of Superstar that I like, but the ep as a whole doesn't quite feel like it belongs where it is placed chronologically, which drags it down for me)

ANGEL Season 4: "Orpheus" (There are a great many things about Orpheus that really should have made the episode one of the best of the season, but there are a couple of really glaring flaws with the episode that ultimately drag its quality down, and they both have to do with Willow's guest appearance, in that she's written almost completely differently - and disproportionately - to how she was being written on BtVS at the time, and there's really no explanation as to why this is the case; it also doesn't feel like her reaction to Faith and Wesley is as pronounced as it ought to be)

BtVS Season 5: "Shadow" (There are certain things that I like about Shadow, conceptually, but not everything that should've worked about the episode actually works, particularly Glory's giant snake monster; it doesn't really feel like she'd send a gigantic snake out to do her bidding, even though it ends up being more successful than anything she'd previously tried)

ANGEL Season 5: "The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco" (This is the one episode of ANGEL Season 5 that I just don't 'get', and it really doesn't add anything to the grand scheme of things for me, even though the episode's story is mildly interesting)

BtVS Season 6: "Older and Far Away" (This is really the weakest of Dawn's 'focus episodes', and it doesn't have so much to do with Dawn herself as it does with the way that the writers try to weave Dawn's issues into the rest of the storyline; it feels like Halfrek's introduction comes slightly out of left field, and her motivations for doing what she does don't really feel like they're as developed as they could've been)

BtVS Season 7: "First Date" (I really don't 'get' this ep; it adds very little to the overall story of the season, and makes several characters, including Wood and Xander, look extremely foolish)

 

[label]

Buffy Season 1:
Best: Prophecy Girl -> it's not amazing or anything but there is some stuff amongst the cheese.
Worst: I, Robot, You, Jane -> AKA El Robotica Diablo. Horrible episode.

Buffy Season 2:
Best: Becoming -> There's lots of good in season 2 and Passion, Bewitched, B.., & B and a few others are also quite good but nothing quite breaks your heart like the Season 2 finale.....at least until Season 5.
Worst: Either Some Assembly Required or Bad Eggs. Probably Some Assembly Requirede

Buffy Season 3: (AKA : My Favorite Buffy Season)
Best: I'm going to cheat and say "The Wish/DoppelgangLand". Lots of great episodes in Season 3 though
Worst: Probably Dead Man's party

Buffy Season 4:
Best: Hush
Worst: Where the Wild Things are

Angel Season 1:
Best: Under my Skin or To Live and Shanshu......
Worst: She

Buffy Season 5:
Best: The Body or The Gift depending on my mood
Worst: Dunno......perhaps Triangle.

Angel Season 2:
Best: Unapologetically cheating again: Reunion/Redefinition
Worst: The Shroud of Rahmon

Buffy Season 6:
Best: OMWF (Duh)
Worst: Doublemeat Palace

Angel Season 3:
Best: Either SleepTight or Lullaby
Worst: That Old Gang of Mine

Buffy Season 7:
Best: Conversations with Dead Peeps.
Worst: Dunno, the whole "let's hide in the Summer's house and let buffy preach at us for not being tough enough" arc got really old, really quick.

Angel Season 4:
Best: Apocalypse Nowish
Worst: Nothing really bad.....maybe Ground state

Angel season 5:
Best: A Hole in the World/Shells. A lot of great episodes starting with Lineage though......Smile Time especially
Worst: Unleashed or Life of the Party

 

[mimic]

BtVS
Season 1
Best: Prophecy Girl
Worst: I Robot, You Jane

Season 2:
Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered
Killed By Death

Season 3:
Lovers Walk
Gingerbread

Season 4:
Restless
Where the Wild Things Are

Season 5:
Fool for Love
Listening to Fear

Season 6:
OMWF
Flooded

Season 7:
Conversations With Dead People
First Date

Angel
Season 1:
I've Got You Under My Skin
She

Season 2:
Are You Now or Have You Ever Been
Happy Anniversary

Season 3:
Sleep Tight
Provider

Season 4:
Salvage
Supersymmetry

Season 5:
Not Fade Away
The Girl In Question

I had a lot of trouble picking for Angel, because for the most part there aren't a lot of truly standout episodes on either end of the curve.

 

[Warp Coil]

Subject to change on a whim, depending on my mood:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

Season 1 Best: "Prophecy Girl"
Season 1 Worst: "The Pack"

Season 2 Best: "Becoming, part 2"
Season 2 Worst: "Inca Mummy Girl"

Season 3 Best: "Doppelgangland"
Season 3 Worst: "Dead Man's Party"

Season 4 Best: "Hush" tied with "Restless" (don't make me choose just one!)
Season 4 Worst: "Beer Bad"

Season 5 Best: "The Body"
Season 5 Worst: "I Was Made to Love You'

Season 6 Best: "Once More, With Feeling"
Season 6 Worst: "Doublemeat Palace"

Season 7 Best: "Conversations With Dead People"
Season 7 Worst: "First Date"

 

[Warp Coil]

Angel:

Season 1 Best: "Five By Five"
Season 1 Worst: "She"

Season 2 Best: "Reunion" and "Redefinition" (kind of a 2-parter)
Season 2 Worst: "The Thin Dead Line"

Season 3 Best: "Sleep Tight"
Season 3 Worst: "That Old Gang of Mine"

Season 4 Best: "Apocalypse Nowish"
Season 4 Worst: "The House Always Wins"

Season 5 Best: "You're Welcome" and "A Hole in the World"
Season 5 Worst: "Why We Fight"

 

[I am not Spock]

Best:
Buffy season 1: Prophecy Girl
s2: Surprise/Innocence
s3: The Wish
s4: Hush
s5: The Body
S6: Once More With Feeling
s7: Conversations With Dead People

Angel:
s1: Five By Five
s2: The Trial
s3: Sleep Tight
S4: Apocalypse Nowish
s5: A Hole In The World

Worst:
Buffy season 1: I Robot, You Jane
s2: Bad Eggs
s3: Gingerbread
s4: Beer Bad
s5: Triangle
s6: Doublemeat Palace
s7: Beneath You

Angel:
1: She
2: The Shroud of Rahmon
3: Provider
4: Sanctuary
5: The Life Of the Party

 

[saturn5]

One HELL of a tough question!

Season 1
Best ep, 'Prophecy Girl' with 'Welcome to the Hellmouth' a close second. Buffy very much finding it's feet in season 1 but the triumphant finale a great ending. Worst ep? I'd say 'The Pack'.

Season 2
'Bewtiched, bewildered and bebothered' is the ep that made me a fan, made me start collecting the series, logging onto the chatrooms and attending conventions. Of the worst I'd say 'Reptile Boy'

Season 3
'Earshot' is the ep that i always say is what you should show to people to prove to them the genius of Buffy. Worst is hard to pick from a series hitting it's prime but maybe "Beauty and the Beasts'?

Season 4
'Restless' by a mile. Easier now to pick the worst, 'Beer Bad'

Season 5
'The Body' is undoubtedly the best ep but 'Forever' is my favourite, the ep that made me fall in love with Dawn, the final scene between her and Buffy my favourite in the entire Buffyverse.
Worst? Probably 'Out of my Mind', any ep with Riley at it's core will never really work although i like seeing Grhame back

Season 6
Best? 'Once more with feeling' is obviously my vote although I do have a fondness for Tabula Rusa. Worst? Probably Doublemeat Palace.

Season 7
Almost tempted to say 'Him' but really it has to be 'Chosen', our girl makes it, she triumphs over all just as we knew she always would. As for worst I'd go with 'Beneath You'.

But overall BTVS is the best TV series of all time and I'd rather watch the worst ep of it then countless other mediocre shows

 

[DS9Continuing]

I'm going to take issue with some of DigificWriter's choices. I actually agree with most of his Best Of choices, but I'm going to defend some of his Worst Of choices...

BtVS Season 3: "The Zeppo"
It also feels a bit anticlimactic in that there's such a disproportionate level of danger when it comes to what Xander's dealing with and what everyone else is dealing with

You do get that that's the point of the episode, right? To focus on the small drama and ignore the supposedly world-destroying apocalypse?

ANGEL Season 3: "Carpe Noctem" (I haven't seen a lot of ANGEL S3, but, of the eps I have seen, Carpe Noctem is the one that I 'get' the least; I don't really understand the significance of the plot or what it brings to the table, character-wise, which makes it feel very much like 'filler', which is not usually something that happens with regards to BtVs or ANGEL)

The point is that it introduces the concept of Angel as a father, something that we need to set us up for the larger arc of the season. It also crunches the Fred-has-a-crush-on-Angel subplot underfoot, throws an extra twist in the Angel-vs-Lilah subplot, and points out that women can be just as objectifying of men as vice versa.

ANGEL Season 5: "The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco" (This is the one episode of ANGEL Season 5 that I just don't 'get', and it really doesn't add anything to the grand scheme of things for me, even though the episode's story is mildly interesting)

It's pivotal to Angel's arc for the first half of the season. It's all about how Angel is depressed, not feeling like a hero anymore, how he doesn't believe in any kind of light at the end of the tunnel. It's brings up the fact that Spike is a potential candidate for the Shanshu.

BtVS Season 7: "First Date" (I really don't 'get' this ep; it adds very little to the overall story of the season...

Well, let's see... it answers the questions we had about Wood all season, it's gives Wood the information that Spike is the one who killed his mother, which leads to their confrontation later, which leads to Buffy's break-up with Giles, which leads to the mutiny against Buffy...

 

[Skellington]

Buffy.
Season 1:
Prophecy Girl. Honourable mentions to Welcome To The Hellmouth, Angel and I Robot, You Jane. (The last one gets a mention for the whole self-erasing books thing and that conversation between Giles and Jenny.)
Worst: The Pack.

Season 2:
Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered is a good candidate for best. Reptile Boy wasn't necessarily inspiring.

Season 3:
Band Candy. Honourable mention for The Zeppo, which may well have been what turned me on to the show.
Homecoming wasn't all great.

Season 4:
Restless is one if the best episodes of anything, with Superstar coming second for this season.
Beer Bad exemplifies mediocrity.

Season 5:
Real Me gets my vote for best.
Worst? Hard to say. The one towards the end that was monk-heavy and was written by either Steven S DeKnight or Drew Goddard wasn't the best.

Season 6:
Entropy for best. OMWF and After Life are challengers. Kinda liked All The Way, too.
Doublemeat Palace tied for worst with the ones where Willow is miserable or angry. Dishonourable mention to Hell's Bells.

Season 7:
Conversations With Dead People is probably my favourite. Honourable mentions to Lies My Parents Told Me, Storyteller and Chosen.
Can't think of one that I loathed. Wasn't thrilled with Same Time, Same Place.

 

[the G-man]

Buffy Season 4:
Best: Hush

I'd argue that was the best of the series in a lot of ways. It worked as both an episode of Buffy and an intense stand-alone mini-horror film. I know a few people who've only see that ep and loved it.

 

[I am not Spock]

My top five would be:

Hush
Restless
The Body
Once More With Feeling
Conversations With Dead People

All great episodes, and all 'gimmick' episodes, with so much more to offer than just that.

 

[saturn5]

Jetfire, you have to watch Angel, at some points it's actually better than Buffy.

As for Angel;

S1
Best; Five by Five with Sanctuary coming a close second
Worst; Hero UNTIL the last 5 minutes

S2
Best; Epiphany is great
Worst; First Impressions is DIRE

S3
Best; Lullaby
Worst; Carpe Noctem

S4
Best; Orpheus, Willow and Faith in the same ep, pure gold!
Worst; hard to pick but Players is pretty weak

S5
Best; I'll go for Smile Time just pipping Not Fade Away
Worst; Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco

 

[label]

Jetfire, you have to watch Angel, at some points it's actually better than Buffy.

I'm one of those who likes Angel better overall as a series and I certainly know I'm not alone.

However, that being said, I will say Buffy tended have the better single, really strong episodes (e.g. Hush, The Body, OMWF, etc. ect.) whereas Angel tended to lean towards telling the story over many, many episodes/seasons and did a better job with that.

I personally love both shows, but Angel was just a bit darker, and more mature series that held my interest a little better once it got past the first season. Course, who knows what would have happened if it went 7 seasons like Buffy?

 

[C_Miller]

I personally like Buffy as a series better, but Angel as a character better than I like Buffy. I will always maintain that the supporting cast of Buffy is where the show shines and since Angel started out as support, naturally I think he's a better character than Buffy.

 

[Skellington]

Angel.

Season One.
Best: To Shanshu In LA.
Worst: She or Hero.

Season Two.
Best: Reunion.
Worst: Happy Annversary.

Season Three.
Best: Sleep Tight. Greenwalt does it again.
Worst: Couplet.

Season Four.
Best: Apocalypse, Nowish.
Worst: Whichever one had Angelus trying to be a badass in a bar.

Season Five:
Best: Not Fade Away. This is a great send-off for the series.
Worst: The Girl In Question. Mostly dreadful.

 

[DevilEyes]

I personally like Buffy as a series better, but Angel as a character better than I like Buffy. I will always maintain that the supporting cast of Buffy is where the show shines and since Angel started out as support, naturally I think he's a better character than Buffy.

Buffy is one of my two favorite characters from the Buffyverse (the other one is Spike), and the character I relate to the most. Angel is in my top 5, but only as Angel on AtS. he was just OK on BtVS, but he got a lot better and more interesting on his own show.

My other favorite characters are definitely in the supporting character category: Faith, Anya, Darla... I do like Willow, too, and I've started to like Xander and Cordelia better with time, but I wouldn't call any of them my top favorites.

I'll come back with the list of best and worst episodes later, I think I need to remind myself of some seasons, for instance I haven't seen Buffy S3 in a long time...

 

[DevilEyes]

BUFFY

Season 1
Best: The Prophecy Girl (but I have to mention that Nightmares was a really good episode by S1 standards, it doesn't deserve to be called the worst... I also liked Out of Mind, Out of Sight)
Worst: Teacher's Pet

Season 2
Best: Passion (this was the episode that blew my mind and made me realize that BtVS was one of the greatest TV dramas I've ever seen... that scene when Giles finds dead Jenny...
Other favorites: Becoming (esp. part 2), I Only Have Eyes for You, Innocence, Lie to Me (the episode that made me realize that BtVS was more than just an entertaining and witty show)
Worst: Some Assembly Required or Bad Eggs

Season 3
Best: it's between Graduation Day II - a great finale with so many memorable moments; and The Wish - a great standalone that presents a nightmare AU scenario that shows what Buffy would be like as a Slayer without friends and family and what Sunnydale would be like without her; the end battle of the Wishverse is truly epic and ironic (Xander kills Angel who cries out to an indifferent Buffy, Oz kills Willow, Buffy kills Xander, and finally, the Master kills Buffy).
Worst: Beauty and the Beasts - it gets really hamfisted with the whole 'men are all beasts underneath' theme.

Season 4
Best: Something Blue or Restless, but I also love Who Are You? Restless is so layered with meaning and so fun at the same time; Something Blue is one of the funniest Buffyverse episodes ever, but underneath the laughs it has a lot revealing character moments (for Willow and Buffy in particular) and tons of foreshadowing.
Worst: Where the Wild Things Are. Beer Bad wouldn't be so bad if not for Willow's misandric speech.

Season 5
Best: The Body. My personal favorites also include Fool for Love, Crush and Intervention. Spike-centric episodes were really memorable that season. The Gift was a great season finale, but I'm really happy that it didn't end up being the series finale, since it would suck if the show's message was that the heroine's ultimate feat was to have exactly the fate what the Watchers Council had planned for her: to die at the age of 20.
Worst: I can't think of any really bad episodes, but maybe Family (I know a lot of people love it, but I thought it was another hamfisted episode) or Listening to Fear (the one with the alien demon or whatever it was).

Season 6
Best: Once More, With Feeling (duh! Maybe the best episode of the show). But I also love Tabula Rasa and most of the episodes in the second part of the season when it gets really dark - Smashed, Dead Things and the stretch of the last 7 episodes, from Hell's Bells (yes, I like it ) to the finale, particularly Normal Again, Seeing Red and Grave. It is my favorite season, after all...
Worst: Doublemeat Palace (another duh!). Dishonorable mention goes to As You Were its "Riley is teh awesome!" attitude and everyone's amnesia regarding his vampire prostitutes incident.

Season 7
Best: Conversations with Dead People. There are lots of great moments and character stuff in season 7, but this is the only really perfect episode. It's my top 5 for the entire show.
Worst: Him. Stupid, pointless, and a waste of valuable screentime that could have been used so much better in the last season.


ANGEL

Season 1
Best: Five by Five. I loved the Faith episodes in S1. Sanctuary would be right up there for the Angel/Faith parts, if it didn't have such a terrible characterization of Buffy. To Shanshu in L.A. was also excellent.
Worst: She

Season 2
Best: Reprise or Reunion. But I could also add Darla, Dear Boy, The Trial (the entire Darla arc was great) or Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? This is my favorite AtS season by far.
Worst: I didn't like the Pylea episodes, Groo was a ridiculous character, and I wish that the season had ended with Epiphany.

Season 3
Best: Sleep Tight or Lullaby, followed by Forgiving. I really enjoyed the Connor/Holtz/Wesley arc. Season finale was also really good, I just didn't like Cordelia going to the higher plane.
Worst: Billy - another episode with a hamfisted message.

Season 4
Best: Spin the Bottle, because it was witty and fun unlike the rest of the season, but even more so because it had little to do with the storyline of the season, which I disliked. Though I did like an occasional episode like Salvage (Wes hallucinating Lilah), Faith's appearances, and the finale.
Worst: The House Always Wins - just boring and pointless. But I hated a lot of the season with its Cordelia possession story and retconing of everything that happened in the last couple of seasons into an elaborate scheme by the PTB, and found it all so tedious I had trouble getting through to the end.

Season 5:
Best: Damage - a really strong, chilling and moving story with Dana, and also one of the few episodes of the season that didn't waste Spike. Honorable mention to Destiny, Shells, and Not Fade Away, which was a good finale but a little overrated.
Worst: The Girl in Question - the worst episode in all Buffyverse: stupid, unfunny, ill-timed, shallow, horribly OOC and verging on character assassinations, full of bad jokes and awful Italian characters that are complete caricatures - it all seems like a really bad crackfic. At least, unlike Angel and Spike, Buffy gets to walk away unharmed thanks to the season 8 retcon (Best. Retcon. Ever ).