The Freshman
When an overwhelmed college freshman Buffy is taken to pick up her books with Willow she first encounters Riley. In true Buffy style the relationship starts with a bang when she drops large textbooks on his head. She only manages to spit out a couple of stupid comments and Riley walks off talking books with Willow. Later when they bump into each other he barely remembers her, only as 'Willow's friend'. Not a good start really.Fear, Itself
A more upbeat conversation as Prof Walsh tells Buffy to shape up or get kicked out of the class. It shapes up with Riley advising her to try harder, but take the night off for halloween, an awkward conversation about monsters taking night off and they go their seperate ways.Beer Bad
Another short meeting here, and Buffy is once again not making a good impression. Visibly pining after jerky Parker and turning smack bang into Riley, even managing to insult his rather...uh...large bulky chest. Riley keeps it cool of course, as usual. He tries to warn Buffy off Parker, telling her of his girl chasing ways, but she barely hears him. Of course it's too late, Buffy has already been with him.The Initiative
As the initiative army boys discuss Buffy's appearence when spying on her in the cafeteria. Riley admits she's a hotty, but after seeing her wrestle with the yogurt machine, tells the others that she is a bit peculiar for his liking. And she's always too busy running off other places, he prefers the girls he can 'get a grip on'. Nice to look at, but you wouldn't really want to date her.After Buffy tells of Walsh for being insensitive, Riley tells everyone how nuts she is, but you could tell the admiration in his voice.
Riley and his friends bump into Parker, and after hearing him speak rudely about Buffy, Riley almost out of no where, decks him! Shocked at why, he needs Forrest to tell him to stop being so stupid and realise that he likes her! Well duh, we realised that a while ago.
After pumping an unwilling Willow for information and tips on winning Buffy's heart, it doesn't start well. A strange conversation and an offer of cheese leads to Buffy leaving with Xander in an emergency. Riley misinterprets but has to rush off for an initiative emergency.
This leads to Buffy and Riley bumping into each other while both are patrolling, and a sexist argument as both wants the other to leave.
Luckily the next day they make up and have a nice conversation, with Buffy calling Riley reculiar. Two peculiars, now get it together!
The Pangs
A short, but awesome conversation. Riley running a few blocks just to say goodbye to Buffy for the holidays. She invites him to dinner, and he unfortunately declines, but we know he's really sad about it! Willow is yanked away by Angel, who can see the obvious chemistry between Buffy and Riley and is obviously jealous.Something Blue
A very good start in this episode, from Buffy and Riley's quick, bouncing wit, to Riley admitting that she makes him so nervous he has to practise conversations. This leads to Riley calling Buffy beautiful, and they share a moment.They decide to go on a picnic, and Buffy shares with Willow that there is sparkage, she thinks Riley is a nice solid guy who won't cause her heartache- though this in itself worries her, as she wonders if a relationship can be as powerful without the passion and the fighting.
At the picnic the two share some lovey moments, but are unfortunately interrupted by a still depressed Willow. The very same Willow that causes an amusing though upsetting for Riley conversation about Buffy and Spike's pending nuptials.
A confused and hurt Riley is later placated by Buffy's insistence that it was all a joke to make fun of him for catching her looking at wedding dresses. And Buffy realises even more that she wants to be in a nice stable relationship, with a decent, reliable guy.
It ends with a happy Riley realising that Buffy is still single, and slotting another piece of the Buffy puzzle together, and telling Buffy that she has to teach him about women.
Hush
This episode starts with Buffy's dream, where Riley and Buffy share their first kiss (make believe or not). At the wake up they exchange some more bouncy banter flirting, and Buffy once again has to lie about what she is going to do that night. They are about to share a kiss, when the moment is broken by Buffy's inquisitive nature. Buffy rants to Willow on how they are unable to get it together and have their first real kiss, and how she hates having to lie, she wishes she could just come clean, the scene cuts to Riley wishing the exact same thing.As the magic descends and they are all silenced, the two bump into each other on the streets. They hug and finally share that first kiss, and a passionate movie ending type kiss it was!
At the end, while defeating gentlemen, they see each other in action, and eventually meet back at her dorm room, realising they need to talk, but the episode ends in silence.
Doomed
The episode starts with a rather aggresive conversation as they discover who the other is, and find each had been lying to each other the whole time. The conversation started to turn sour(er) but they are interuppted from the break up by an earthquake. Buffy turns to major apocolypse mode, and they bump into each other while patrolling later. Buffy tells Riley that she doesn't want another dangerous relationship, she thought he was a safe, reliable person. Riley thinks she is just scared of the relationship and tries to convince her to be with him.After the scoobies bump into him and discover his secret, Riley thinks he's finished, that it's the end of the world. Buffy and him share another kiss, and she tells him it's not.
A New Man
Buffy and Riley are getting pretty hot and heavy on the bed at the start of the episode, when Willow rushes in and interrupts. And no, it's not a demon like she said, it was a surprise birthday party for Buffy. Most of the episode is made up for Riley discovering the real story of Buffy's slayer life, and her slayer strength. He seemed a little taken aback, but it seemed he got to grips with it. He tells Buffy he likes the way she's in charge , she's the slayer and the episode ends with with Riley proclaiming to Walsh, that Buffy is the truest soul he's ever known.The I in Team
It's finally time for Buffy to be introduced to the initiative, after a healthy portion of innuendo of course. She gets in, gets a beeper, and starts to intergrate into the team. She sticks out like a sore thumb, in her halter tops with her questions, but that just makes Riley love her more.Goodbye Iowa
After Maggie Walsh tries to kill Buffy, Riley can't believe it. The scene where he is told she is dead cannot be described in words, the pure pain on his face, then he sees her alive, on the monitor. As Buffy tries to discover the secret behind 314 that could have driven Walsh to try and kill her, Riley struggles with the truth of Walsh's behaviour. When she is killed, the commandos are convinced it's Buffy and Riley is confused as to what to believe. Riley worries about his failing health, when they realise the the initiative were pumping Riley with steroids. When they sneak back into the initiative to try and break into 314, they bump into Adam. Riley is taken to the army hospital due to Adam's beatings, and clings to Buffy's bandana as he lies alone in his hospital bed.This Year's Girl
After Riley 'breaks' out of the hospital he returns to Buffy, battered, but received a warm reception. Riley explains that he is afraid to leave the Initiative, no matter how corrupt they may seem. He feels that without the soldier in him, he's got nothing. Buffy reassures him that he's much more than just a soldier. As they start to plan how to handle Adam, they receive the disturbing news that Faith is back.Who Are You?
This episode is sort of devoid of true Buffy/Riley interaction, considering most of the episode is Faith in Buffy's body. Riley reveals his tender, loving bed manners; as if we couldn't have guessed. At the end of the episode, Riley beats himself up for not recognising the true identity, and Buffy realises they slept together.Superstar
Although it was an alternate reality, this episode contains some key Buffy/Riley moments. Both of them talk to Jonathon about their failing relationships. Buffy realises she was irationally mad at Riley for not realising that it was Faith in her body and Riley realises she was scared of him thinking Faith was better than him in bed. They dance together at the Bronze and Buffy realises it's her that she wants.Riley tells the others to let Buffy take lead, even though that's not normal in this reality, he shows his trust and faith in her.
They don't really talk at the end, but they both know know that they are doing better together than before.
Where the Wild Things Are
This episode is kind of obvious to the Buffy/Riley stuff. Basically, they are all back and loved up after the previous Faith!trauma. In fact, they are so loved up, that their frequent humping awakens poltergeists in the frat house. The scoobies, without them, manage to solve the mystery and break the spell before the power of the spell kills the couple, and the rest of the people in the house.Plus we get the fabulous 'you get fang, I'll get horny' line.
New Moon Rising
Oz's reappearence puts a slight dent in the couple's relationship. Riley thinks that Willow dating a 'demon' is wrong, and that all demons are bad. Of course in Buffy's experience that is not always so.Riley realises after Oz's capture at the initiative, that not all demons are bad people, and that what happened to Oz wasn't his fault. He, infact, gets thrown into a military cell from trying to help him get out. When Willow admits her new relationship with Tara, and Buffy initially gets the wiggins, she realises that that is how Riley felt when he found out about Willow and Oz. When she breaks into the initiative to try and retrieve Oz, they find Riley. He is given the ultimatum that either he stays and they try to help him save his military career, or leaves with Buffy and be labelled a traitor. He chose to leave, and throws a last punch at the Colonel.
The Yoko Factor
The episode starts with Buffy being in LA, Riley in hiding in the burnt out high school and Xander accidently lets slip the exact method in which Angel lost his soul. Buffy may have told Riley about Angel, but she wasn't exactly giving of the exact delicate details. Riley becomes pretty upset and jealous, thinking that perhaps Buffy went back to LA to get with Angel. When Buffy comes back, seeming upset, Riley gets worried about what Angel did to her, and when Angel comes to Sunnydale looking for Buffy, beating up army guys, Riley thinks he's gone evil. He tries to stop Angel from getting to Buffy, but Angel gets through. After a manly man display of testosterone, Angel goes home after apologising to Buffy, and Buffy makes sure Riley knows that Riley is the only one she wants. The lovey part of the conversation ends with Riley telling Buffy he's so in love with her, that he can't think straight.Unfortunately Buffy has to break the news of Forrest's death and Riley splits pretty fast.