We’re talking (of course) about season six.

There’s no denying that it set the show on a far darker path: Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) leaves and returns to England, convinced that Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) has become too reliant on him. Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Anya (Emma Caulfield) have their relationship torn apart by a vengeance demon, while Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) begins shoplifting on a regular basis.

And then… well, Tara (Amber Benson) is accidentally shot and killed, sending Willow (Alyson Hannigan) down a path of vengeance, dark magic and a burning desire to “kill the world”.

Meanwhile, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), utterly scarred by the experience of coming back from the dead, enters into a highly-charged sexual relationship with Spike (James Marsters) – which climaxes with him almost raping her.

All in all, not a very cheery series of events. Although it’s worth remembering that season six was also, of course, the season which brought us Once More With Feeling.

There’s one season of Buffy that Sarah Michelle Gellar really didn’t like