Y'know, I thought it would be a cool idea and all to let you in on what I think are the top five episodes of
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, seeing as it's almost Halloween and all (and yes, I know, baddies find the day to be
boorish and cliché). But can I really sum up seven seasons of episodes within a measly list of five? Well, I'll
do my best, and I'm sure no matter how I order them or list them, someone's going to disagree. Big time. So, without
further ado...First, I need to have some honorable mentions here, because I just don't feel right at all not having them in the list. If I could, I'd have listed 'The Wish' (3.9) and 'Tabula Rasa' (6.8) among my favorites, but this is 'The Five', after all. I know many will tell me I should have added 'The Body' (5.16) to the list, but sorry, it's not one of my favorites.
5) The Zeppo (3.13) -- This episode is better known to me as "The Xander Episode". Finally the guy with no special powers gets his day in the sun, except nobody's around to witness it. Xander takes down a high school bully zombie gang, saving the school and the rest of the Scoobs in the process. Not only that, but the man loses his virginity to Faith. Faith! A nice touch was how much the writers downplayed the battle that Buffy and gang were calling the possible "end of the world," as we barely caught a glimpse of what was going on during brief scenes when Xander was in the high school. Cap it all off with the look he gives Cordelia. Perfect.
4) Fear, Itself (4.4) -- I just loved Oz. I hated that he later left the show, and I always dreamed up scenarios in later seasons when he'd return for good. He plays a great part in this episode, where a "fear demon" takes hold of a fraternity house during a Halloween bash, turning everyone's worst fears upon themselves. Oz's worst fear was, of course, turning into a werewolf outside of a full moon and then hurting Willow. And then there's Anya's idea of a scary costume: a rabbit. In a classic ending, the gang finally comes face-to-face with the fear demon, and we learn that the heading next to its picture in Giles' book translates to "actual size".
3) A New Man (4.12) -- This had some great interaction between Giles and Spike, something we hadn't really gotten to see in the past. I also love the Ethan Rayne character, who in this episode changes Giles into one of the very things he fights: a demon (I always thought that the BBC's Ripper series should start out with Giles meeting Ethan, so we could learn more about their sordid past, but I digress). Since Spike is the only one who can understand the Fyarl demon language, Giles relies on his help. I didn't really care for season four all that much, mainly due to the featured big-bad being a bit disappointing. Thankfully this (and one other) episode brightly outshines what was a rather lackluster season.
2) Once More, With Feeling (6.7) -- The famed musical episode had me a little nervous. Could these cats actually sing? And could Joss put together a story that made sense in a musical setting? Oh, why oh why did I doubt the Whedonmeister. It's evident that a lot of time and planning was put into making sure this episode worked and worked very well. Not only were the songs well done, but the lyrics made complete sense with the story and the characters. Some of the songs were sung very well, too. Everything's explained in a very Buffyverse-believable sort of way, and we even get a huge plot point for the series thrown in there for good measure: Buffy and Spike's first kiss. No list of Buffy favorites is complete without this episode. None, I say!
1) Hush (4.10) -- No brainer. If someone who had never seen Buffy (blasphemy!) asked me to show them just one episode of the show to get them hooked, this would be it. Joss and company pull off one hell of a stunt by making an almost completely speech-free episode, and damn does it work. Also, this is one scary-ass episode. Holy creepy on those 'Gentlemen' and the gimps that hurried after their floating bodies. And those plastered on grins. Parents, do not show this episode to your young kids; they will have nightmares for months following watching this. And once again, we get a huge piece of the Buffy story added in the mix, as Riley finally finds out that Buffy is a little bit "special".
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
2-07-2006 @ 1:46PM
bangslash said...
I don't understand the hatred for some seasons of Buffy. I enjoyed every season immensely, even 4, 6 and 7. Heck, I had this school-girl like excitement throughout season 7 because I knew it was building towards something big as well as, sadly, the end. I guess I don't mind it when a season plods along slowly. Heck, there were only 2 episodes in the entire series I would say were not waaay above average: Beer Bad and Ted. That's it, the rest I could watch over and over(and have). If Ihad to pick favorites they wouldbe:
Band Candy
Hush
The Gift
The Body
Once More With Feeling
I would say OMwF is one of the best 42 minutes of TV I have ever seen. Also, if I had to pick a favorite season it would be season 5. I just loved Glory.
Anyhow, I went into this show a few months ago not knowing anything about it or Joss or anything associated with him. Now I feel I have seen one of the best shows ever. I haven't seen Angel:TS yet and plan on seeing it soon enough.
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11-03-2005 @ 1:42PM
Saumyalina said...
Well, my favourite episodes would be
Hush (great craft, very creepy and hilarious at the same time + plot advancement)
Becoming Part II (absolutely heartwrenching - I was bawling for some time)
Innocence (again, very heartwrenching and the reveal at the end of it being Buffy's b'day, somehow, just got to me + Plus Buffy's rocketlauncher against the Judge's no weapon forged..hee)
Graduation Day Part II - The Scoobs in action, doing their thing. And winning. Unambiguously + tears again)
Primeval (it was all about the Scoobies coming together, which is what Buffy was all about, to me at least).
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11-26-2005 @ 4:58PM
willow said...
I agree that "once more with feeling" is one of the top 5 but i think that the entire seventh season deserves a honerable metion because as all true fans know it was the saddest season because alas the show ended that season
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11-15-2005 @ 3:29PM
Kim said...
I can't believe no one mentioned "Earshot"! Definitely one of the best hours on TV, despite the coincidentally horrible timing of when the episode was to be originally aired. "Fool for Love" is a great one too.
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11-15-2005 @ 3:54PM
Matt said...
My big 5, In order from best to bestest:
5) Hush - Beautiful, haunting, wonderful music. Only Riley episode in my list.
4) Earshot - My vote for most under-appreciated episode.
3) Once More With Feeling - I have no words for how much fun this episode is.
2) The Body - The most emotionally grueling hour of television that I have ever experienced.
and #1
Becoming Part 2 - Not mentioned enough here, as far as I'm concerned. It's got action, emotion, and it's chock full o' pathos. I'll also confess that the first time I watched it...I cried at the end. What can I say, I'm sappy.
It also has my favorite Mutant Enemy "Grr, Argh". (I need a hug)
Matt
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11-30-2005 @ 3:35PM
Lacey said...
School Hard (season 2 Episode 3) lol, that's all I have to say.
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12-07-2005 @ 4:53PM
Echoboy5000 said...
My new favorite is Fool For Love from season 5. I thought that was amazing. Also a HUGE fan of Doppelgangland. Liked Zeppo alot.
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4-21-2006 @ 3:01AM
Andrew said...
Could only agree with 'Hush', 'Zeppo' and 'Once More'. Definitely not 'Fear Itself'. 'The Body' HAS to be in there. No other episode of tv deals with death in a more realistic, delicate, saddening, beautiful way.
Mine would be ...
1)The Body
2)Becoming 1&2
3)The Zeppo
4)Hush
5)Normal Again
... with 'Once More With Feeling', 'Storyteller' and 'Restless' as close runners up
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5-14-2006 @ 2:18AM
David McFarland said...
My favorite episodes would most definitely match most of those given above, including Restless, Hush and The Body, and Once More with feeling, which I will defend to my death. Alright, yes, cheesy, but somebody said "To me, it's a crappy gimmick episode that doesn't advance the plot, doesn't give us any new insights into the characters, doesn't have any good action, doesn't have any emotional resonance" - to you, i say watch it again. It's the climax of that season ... well, not the climax, but all the action rises, advances us towards terra's death not long afterwards, explains why in hell buffy is out of touch with damn near everything... 'nuff said.
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3-21-2009 @ 2:44AM
sww said...
Top 5:
5. Passion
4. The Body
3. Hush
2. Restless
1. Once More, With Feeling
Honorable mentions: Storyteller, Conversations with Dead People, Doppelgangland, The Wish, I Only Have Eyes For You, Innocence, Becoming Part II, Graduation I and II, Tabula Rasa, Fool for Love, The Gift, Selfless, The Dark Willow Trilogy (Villains, Two to Go, Grave), Superstar, Chosen.
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4-12-2009 @ 7:52PM
Jessie said...
Where is Band Candy? I repeat, Where is Band Candy? It is one of the most awesome episodes ever. Since I have just gotten into Buffy, I have only seen seasons 1-3, but these are my favs from those seasons:
Band Candy
Doppelgandland
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
Halloween
Nightmares
there are too many favs in seasons 1-3 to make a definative list, so i cant wait to see the rest of the episodes.
Reply
8-14-2006 @ 1:59PM
Meena said...
Spike and buffy make a good couple PLEASE download buffy and spike episodes to www.youtube.com please to contact me 2 talk more go 2 lilmischeeky13@hotmail.co.uk
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8-04-2009 @ 12:39PM
Georgina said...
Storyteller. Just hilarious!
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10-31-2006 @ 11:39AM
MrsEldubya said...
I know this is a year later but I have to say one of my favorite scenes is when Buffy confronts the council. When she realizes she has the power and they don't. I'm not as well versed in what season, what episode it is but it's when they are dealing with Glory and the council has been putting them all through the hoops. Just the way she handles herself when takes over and puts them all in their place. Of course the great ending... Glory is a God. Just one of my all time favorite scenes, not necessarily the whole episode.
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11-05-2006 @ 2:52PM
Marshall said...
Oh wow. LOL There is soo many great episodes, and I think all of them are superb in there own way, but if I had to choose.....
Surprise/Innocence, Once More With Feeling, Hush, The Gift, and Conversations With Dead People.
The others are definitely amazing, but those episodes I could watch again...and again....and again.....
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7-31-2007 @ 10:57AM
Derek said...
Since you are all Buffy fans I wanted to offer a different view of the meaning of "Once More With Feeling." If you care to read my extreamly long article I would appreciate any comments.
http://redge777.wordpress.com/pop-culture/analysis-omwf/
Reply
10-24-2005 @ 9:19AM
w.virtue said...
Coming late to the series and losing interest during Evil Willow times my exposure was short. But of the episodes that I could pick as the best were the musical and speechless were by far my favs.
Reply
10-24-2005 @ 10:07AM
Ryan j Budke said...
Unfortunately, my only exposure to the Buffyverse is the last two seasons of Buffy and the last of Angel. Buffy was good, but I heard the good times were before my time. I still hold that that season of Angel was one of the finest in TV. I've always meant to spend some time and buy/rent all the seasons and watch them. I do think it's funny how you mentioned that you thought season 4 was the weakest yet you named 3 episodes from it.....
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10-24-2005 @ 10:16AM
Amy said...
Most people's favorite episodes DO fall under season 4, interestingly enough, even though it's also a season hated by so many. The problem lies in that the strongest Stand Alone episodes were likely the best of all the seasons, however, the story arc for season 4 was weak at best. For die hard fans, the show became way too SciFi when it had been based--up until that point--in magick fantasy land. That and Buffy's boyfriend was no longer hot David Boreonez. LOL.
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10-24-2005 @ 10:26AM
Alec said...
The Body is one of my favorite episodes but I can understand people not adding it. It was something completely different from any episode ever and has somewhat of a special place outside of the normal buffy episodes. My favorite of all time though was the season five finale, The Gift. Action packed, emotional and shocking. Before I discovered internet spoilers having Buffy die was a great way to end the series run on WB.
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