I've had good luck converting people with Dopplegangland.

That and The Wish might make and interesting pairing for conversion. The Wish is pretty dark and bleak, and then Dopplegangland uses the same AU, but is pretty funny and light.

I'd recommend Passion because I think it's BtVS at its most adult. Not least because there's an adult relationship at the heart of it. Jenny's death isn't slasher fare, and pretty much demands to be taken seriously. It would be hard to sustain a view that it's just a teen show after it.

I think I'm pretty sold on a Lie to Me/Passion pair, despite my earlier misgivings about S2 (which, I think I've seen more of than I thought, It's S1 that I've seen almost none at all).

But particularly Passion as it shows a major supporting character death. I can't think of anything that would shatter my friends illusion of Buffy as a goofy teen show than to show him that they are perfectly happy to kill a fairly major character and deal with the consequences.

After those two, which will hopefully allow me further opportunity, I'm thinking a Hush/The Body/OMWF triple feature to show him the some of the creative highs the show is capable of.

Actually, if I can get him to agree that the show is worth catching, I'd start sending him hgihlight reels of S3 & S4, shows that give him the arcs, some of the better one offs, and allow him to see the growth of the show.

I am now giggling madly at myself for not remembering that this question is asked and answered in the FAQ, but I like the discussion anyway, as we're sort of tailoring the choices to the person, which is of the good.

Sean, I'm going to send you my tapes. Promise.

You're the BEST!

My conversion story:

I was one of those people who said, "Oh, stupid teenybopper show." I had only seen the movie, and that's what I figured the show was going to be. Plus, at the time, I was working in a bookstore, and the tie-in merchandise was just off-putting.

Then I saw "Halloween" and for all its high school elements, it was immediately apparent to me, that is was NOT a teenybopper show. It's a great stand-alone, but you also get enough of the background to understand the deal with B/A. There's a lot of good character moments, and it's very funny.

So, I testify: "Halloween!"

as we're sort of tailoring the choices to the person, which is of the good.

Yes, I don't think there's a 'one conversion fits all.' I personally am going with 'Faith, Hope, and Trick' for New!Roomie. She likes banter and Bring It On, plus FHT has boy angst and Fatherly!Giles and Snyder and did I mention FAITH!!

Wish me luck.

My conversion story:

I mocked like a big, old mocking thing my two friends who watched it. Then one day, I said something, and one of them said, "Wow. That sounds like something you'd hear on Buffy." (I couldn't think of a word, so I was using many words to describe what it did). I thought, well, hell, it must be good then (Ego? What?). So I watched. Here's the funny thing -- I have no idea which episode I saw first, but there was no going back. It was Season 5, and I'm pretty sure the F/X started running eps right around my conversion, so I caught up pretty rapidly. Now I surpass them both in knowledge of and obsession with all things of the 'verse.

Last night at dinner I asked two of my convertees (one girl, one guy) to tell me what got them, that is, besides my constant yammering and pushing. (They have both seen every ep.)

But the poor souls don't know episode titles. They don't even know what seasons Riley was in. With a little patience I managed to get out of them that:
a. for both the initital hook was a great fight scene
b. the second hook was the funny
c. they both weren't truly addicted to the soap opera aspect until they saw Becoming II

Oh, and one's first full ep was Buffy vs. Dracula and he thought about never watching again after that because he disliked it so. And the other's favorite ep ever is Angel. YConverteesExperiencesMV

None of this matters much, but I thought it was interesting.

I didn't watch it at first because it really didn't seem like something I'd like. Then some of my friends from the XF fandom migrated to Buffy, and I still resisted. When FX started showing the reruns, I said, "Well, all right."

Boy, was I sorry I waited that long.

I watched a few early eps and thought "Wow, that was interesting. Not much to it though." And didn't really think of it again till I started reading articles in Salon saying how great it was, and then one day happened on an FX repeat with Spike in it, and thought "Wow, who's that?" Shallowest.Conversion. Ever. I would guess most "Homicide" fans would not be Buffy fans so I'm glad to have a place where I can share my opinion that they fit just fine. Viva Buffistas.org.

Then some of my friends from the XF fandom migrated to Buffy, and I still resisted. When FX started showing the reruns, I said, "Well, all right."

We have a number of X-Files fans here who migrated as it descended into crapulence.

Boy, was I sorry I waited that long.

I hear ya'.