Editing Buffy the Vampire Slayer (section)

===U.S. television ratings===
{{Television season ratings
| hide_18_49_rating = y
| hide_18_49_rank   = y
| show_network      = y

| link1             = Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 1)
| timeslot1         = Monday 9:00 pm
| network1          = [[The WB]]
| network_length1   = 5
| episodes1         = 12
| start1            = {{Start date|1997|3|10}}
| startrating1      = 4.8<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|work=[[USA Today]]|date=March 10, 1997|page=D3}}</ref>
| end1              = {{End date|1997|6|2}}
| endrating1        = 4.0<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|work=[[USA Today]]|date=June 6, 1997|page=D3}}</ref>
| season1           = 1996–97
| rank1             = 144
| viewers1          = 3.7<ref name="Audiences USA">{{cite web |url=http://www.audiencesusa.com/article-retrospective-buffy-contre-les-vampires-38533079.html |title=Rétrospective Buffy Contre Les Vampires |language=fr |publisher=Audiences USA |date=December 30, 2010 |access-date=May 17, 2015 |archive-date=March 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316063022/http://www.audiencesusa.com/article-retrospective-buffy-contre-les-vampires-38533079.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

| link2             = Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 2)
| timeslot2         = Monday 9:00 pm <small>(1–13)</small><br/>Tuesday 8:00 pm <small>(14–22)</small>
| episodes2         = 22
| start2            = {{Start date|1997|9|15}}
| startrating2      = 4.4<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtango.com/series/buffy_the_vampire_slayer/episodes|title=Episode List: Buffy the Vampire Slayer|publisher=TV Tango|access-date=May 17, 2015|archive-date=October 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019053934/http://tvtango.com/series/buffy_the_vampire_slayer/episodes|url-status=live}}</ref>
| end2              = {{End date|1998|5|19}}
| endrating2        = 6.4<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|work=[[USA Today]]|date=May 14, 1998|page=D3}}</ref>
| season2           = 1997–98
| rank2             = 133
| viewers2          = 5.2<ref name="Audiences USA"/>

| link3             = Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 3)
| timeslot3         = Tuesday 8:00 pm
| timeslot_length3  = 5
| episodes3         = 22
| start3            = {{Start date|1998|9|29}}
| startrating3      = 7.1<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|work=[[USA Today]]|date=September 29, 1998|page=D3}}</ref>
| end3              = {{End date|1999|9|21}}
| endrating3        = {{TableTBA|N/A}}
| season3           = 1998–99
| rank3             = 133
| viewers3          = 5.3<ref name="Audiences USA"/>

| link4             = Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 4)
| episodes4         = 22
| start4            = {{Start date|1999|10|5}}
| startrating4      = {{TableTBA|N/A}}
| end4              = {{End date|2000|5|23}}
| endrating4        = {{TableTBA|N/A}}
| season4           = 1999–2000
| rank4             = 120
| viewers4          = 5.1<ref name="Audiences USA"/>

| link5             = Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 5)
| episodes5         = 22
| start5            = {{Start date|2000|9|26}}
| startrating5      = 5.8<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2000/09/26|title=September 26, 2000|publisher=TV Tango|access-date=September 30, 2013|archive-date=March 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315070556/http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2000/09/26|url-status=live}}</ref>
| end5              = {{End date|2001|5|22}}
| endrating5        = 5.2<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2001/05/22|title=May 22, 2001|publisher=TV Tango|access-date=September 30, 2013|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816053332/http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2001/05/22|url-status=live}}</ref>
| season5           = 2000–01
| rank5             = 120
| viewers5          = 4.6<ref name="TV Tango season 5">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvtango.com/series/buffy_the_vampire_slayer/episodes?filters%5Bday%5D=&filters%5Bseason%5D=5&filters%5Bbroadcast%5D=All&filters%5Bmedia%5D=&commit.x=17&commit.y=10 |title=Episode List: Buffy the Vampire Slayer |publisher=TV Tango |access-date=May 17, 2015 |archive-date=May 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503204735/http://www.tvtango.com/series/buffy_the_vampire_slayer/episodes?filters%5Bday%5D=&filters%5Bseason%5D=5&filters%5Bbroadcast%5D=All&filters%5Bmedia%5D=&commit.x=17&commit.y=10 |url-status=live }}</ref>

| link6             = Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 6)
| network6          = [[UPN]]
| network_length6   = 2
| episodes6         = 22
| start6            = {{Start date|2001|10|2}}
| startrating6      = 7.7<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mania.com/top-ten-genre-broadcast-tv-ratings-oct-17_article_30089.html |title=Top Ten Genre Broadcast TV Ratings (Oct. 1–7) |publisher=Mania.com |first=Frank |last=Kurtz |date=October 11, 2001 |access-date=September 29, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018135406/http://www.mania.com/top-ten-genre-broadcast-tv-ratings-oct-17_article_30089.html |archive-date=October 18, 2012 }}</ref>
| end6              = {{End date|2002|5|21}}
| endrating6        = 5.3<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2002/05/21|title=May 21, 2002|publisher=TV Tango|access-date=September 29, 2013|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816194851/http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2002/05/21|url-status=live}}</ref>
| season6           = 2001–02
| rank6             = 124
| viewers6          = 4.3<ref name="TV Tango season 6">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvtango.com/series/buffy_the_vampire_slayer/episodes?filters%5Bday%5D=&filters%5Bseason%5D=6&filters%5Bbroadcast%5D=All&filters%5Bmedia%5D=&commit.x=13&commit.y=17 |title=Episode List: Buffy the Vampire Slayer |publisher=TV Tango |access-date=May 17, 2015 |archive-date=May 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504140749/http://www.tvtango.com/series/buffy_the_vampire_slayer/episodes?filters%5Bday%5D=&filters%5Bseason%5D=6&filters%5Bbroadcast%5D=All&filters%5Bmedia%5D=&commit.x=13&commit.y=17 |url-status=live }}</ref>

| link7             = Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 7)
| episodes7         = 22
| start7            = {{Start date|2002|9|24}}
| startrating7      = 5.0<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2002/09/24|title=September 24, 2002|publisher=TV Tango|access-date=September 29, 2013|archive-date=August 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817051359/http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2002/09/24|url-status=live}}</ref>
| end7              = {{End date|2003|5|20}}
| endrating7        = 4.9<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2003/05/20|title=May 20, 2003|publisher=TV Tango|access-date=September 29, 2013|archive-date=August 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817052339/http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2003/05/20|url-status=live}}</ref>
| season7           = 2002–03
| rank7             = 140
| viewers7          = 3.9<ref name="TV Tango season 7">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvtango.com/series/buffy_the_vampire_slayer/episodes?filters%5Bday%5D=&filters%5Bseason%5D=7&filters%5Bbroadcast%5D=All&filters%5Bmedia%5D=&commit.x=16&commit.y=22 |title=Episode List: Buffy the Vampire Slayer |publisher=TV Tango |access-date=May 17, 2015 |archive-date=May 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504065322/http://www.tvtango.com/series/buffy_the_vampire_slayer/episodes?filters%5Bday%5D=&filters%5Bseason%5D=7&filters%5Bbroadcast%5D=All&filters%5Bmedia%5D=&commit.x=16&commit.y=22 |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

''Buffy'' helped put [[The WB]] on the ratings map, but by the time the series landed on [[UPN]] in 2001, viewing figures had fallen. The series' high came during the third season, with 5.3 million viewers (including repeats), possibly due to the fact that both Gellar and Hannigan had hit movies out during the season (''[[Cruel Intentions]]'' and ''[[American Pie (film)|American Pie]]'' respectively). The series' low came in season one at 3.7 million. The series finale "[[Chosen (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Chosen]]" pulled in a season high of 4.9 million viewers on the UPN network.<ref name="s7 ratings">{{cite web |url=http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?31651 |title='Buffy' Finale Stakes Strong Ratings for UPN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030524173301/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?31651 |archive-date=May 24, 2003 |date=May 21, 2003 |access-date=December 29, 2012 |publisher=Zap2it}}</ref>

The WB was impressed with the young audience the show was bringing in, and ordered a full season of 22 episodes for season two. ''Buffy'' was moved from Monday at 9:00 pm to launch The WB's new night of programming on Tuesday, starting with the episode "[[Innocence (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Innocence]]", watched by 8.2 million people. Due to its success in that time slot, it remained on Tuesdays at 8:00 pm for the remainder of its original run, and became one of the network's highest-rated shows.

In the 2001–2002 season, the show moved to UPN after a negotiation dispute with The WB. While it was still one of the highest rated shows on their network, The WB felt that it had peaked and thus declined a salary increase to the cast and crew. UPN then picked the series up for a two-season renewal,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/23/buffy/index.html |title='Buffy' picks up stakes, leaves WB for UPN |publisher=CNN |date=April 23, 2001 |access-date=January 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211104047/http://articles.cnn.com/2001-04-23/entertainment/buffy_1_dean-valentine-key-upn-affiliates-buffy?_s=PM%3ASHOWBIZ |archive-date=December 11, 2011}}</ref> dedicating a two-hour premiere to help re-launch it. The following season premiere attracted the second highest rating of the series, with 7.7 million viewers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mania.com/top-ten-genre-broadcast-tv-ratings-oct-17_article_30089.html |title=Top Ten Genre Broadcast TV ratings (Oct. 1–7) |publisher=Mania.com |date=October 11, 2001 |access-date=June 26, 2011 |author=Kurtz, Frank |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018135406/http://www.mania.com/top-ten-genre-broadcast-tv-ratings-oct-17_article_30089.html |archive-date=October 18, 2012}}</ref>