I could never make a list of the best or my favorite Buffy episodes because my brain isn't oriented to list-making - I always want to make connections, not the other way around. (although I do have a short list of eps I think are very underrated in fandom.) Part of the problem is that almost all the episodes (besides a few MOTW ones early one) are very much serialized (I've watched several other tv shows since that I could easily watch out of order and not really miss anything.) A lot of people name Earshot as a favorite to show first timers, but then you've spoiled Band Candy.

I'm glad to see The Wish making an appearance on Syfy's list; Dopplegangland tends to steal the fandom spotlight. I probably shouldn't be surprised at the number of S3 eps. (Faith, Hope and Trick, really?) I find the season overrated.

The omission of This Year's Girl / Who are You is just...wrong. Those eps are a turning point for Faith, Buffy, Spike (it foreshadows the entire Buffy/Spike trajectory in S6 down to the dark sexuality and violation), and more subtly, Tara.

I'm assuming neither you nor the folks at Syfy are fans of Prophecy Girl? I consider that an essential episode; but I'd also name Nightmares, because Buffy's fear of losing her humanity, of being isolated physically and emotionally, is spelled out right there.