The toughest call: best SINGLE Buffy episode in human history.... by chrisisall

BUFFYVERSE

The toughest call: best SINGLE Buffy episode in human history....

POSTED BY: CHRISISALL
UPDATED: Friday, May 19, 2006 14:08
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 33257
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Sunday, September 25, 2005 8:48 AM

Flying on duct tape and a damaged registry.

I felt somewhat let down by S7 as well, until I saw it on DVD, back-to-back, no commercials. That definitely made it way better for me, slip-ups and all.

"That was nifty!" -- Willow.

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Sunday, September 25, 2005 8:51 AM

GROUNDED

Fair enough. But what other SF/F shows have you actually watched in recent years? There have been plenty of good ones, even if most of them haven't survived their first years. Beyond that, there are also tons of older shows worth investigating on DVD.

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Sunday, September 25, 2005 9:31 AM

KAREL

Flying on duct tape and a damaged registry.

Quote:
Originally posted by Grounded:
Fair enough. But what other SF/F shows have you actually watched in recent years? There have been plenty of good ones, even if most of them haven't survived their first years. Beyond that, there are also tons of older shows worth investigating on DVD.

I'm with you there!

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Sunday, September 25, 2005 9:37 AM

LOVOK

First off, note that I've ONLY seen Buffy in the DVD format, I never saw any episodes originally.
I got an influx of cash from selling some of my old junk on ebay. I don't usually have an abundance of money to buy DVDs either. Gotta wait a year until I graduate with my Comp. Sci. degree for the money (hopefully, heh).

As for other sci-fi/fantasy show, I've heard lots of good things about the new Battlestar Galactica, but alas I don't have the sci-fi channel and I don't want to be relegated to downloading every episode. Some people have said some good things about CBS's new "Threshold," but that was created by Brannon Braga, 1/2 of the reason why Star Trek went to hell after ST:DS9. I used to watch Charmed occasionally, but after recently discovering Buffy, I'm not sure if I can stomach Charmed anymore. Last year I caught Point Pleasant on TV, and while it wasn't great, it started to just begin to get interesting right when it got cancelled; the show *was* improving. I saw some of Tru Calling in S2, but I can see why that show was cancelled; it wasn't that good.

It feels like when a new show comes out that I find at least interesting enough to watch for its first season, it just ends up getting cancelled. :/ My favorite sci-fi shows are primarily Firefly and Star Trek (TOS, TNG, and DS9). I know Stargate SG-1 has been on forever, but that show never remotely interested me. Andromeda and Earth: Final Conflict blow (though to be fair I haven't seen much of EFC).

I'm worried, because before I got hooked on all of Whedon's shows my tolerance for mediocre TV was a lot higher, lol. I'm not sure I can go back.

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Sunday, September 25, 2005 11:38 PM

GROUNDED

Oh well, you'll just have to trust us there are good shows out there ;)

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Wednesday, September 28, 2005 6:59 PM

NUMEROCINCUENTAUNO

Neat thread with impressive legs. Obviously, it proves that many fans have many different episodes that they liked.

I agree with those who think that BECOMING 2 was the best single episode. The episode itself crackled from start to finish, but what made it unique was the culmination of a season and a half buildup. Season 1 (half a season) set up the premise; the first half of season 2 built up the Buffy-Angel romance, paid off by the I-gave-it-up-to-my-boyfriend-and-he-turned-into-monster metaphor.

The rest of the season revolved around Buffy's determination that she had to kill Angel, and the wonderful chain of events that leads to the last act of BECOMING. The brilliant acting of the scene where Angel regains his soul, Buffy realizes it, but at the same time knows she has to kill him, is meaningless without the backstory. The few seconds of SMG's face after she kills Angel is absolutely riviting. (One critic called the episode one with "real emotional heft.")

This was the apotheosis of the "little blond girl slaughters vampires, but falls in live for an (older) vampire who happens to have a soul" premise of the original story. At the end of the show, Buffy had given up her calling and left town, and as far as anyone knew, Angel had suffered the real death.

I take nothing away from the many wonderful episodes and elements in all of the later seasons. I am on record as saying the worst thing about Season 7 of BTVS was that there was no Season 8.

However, after the ending of Season 2, BTVS tended to treat DEATH as a slap on the wrist. That ultimately undercut the sincerety of the mission.

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Wednesday, October 5, 2005 7:31 PM

LOVOK

I don't completely agree with your comment about death on "Buffy." It seems to me the only reason why Angel was brought back in season 3 was to prepare his sendoff for his own show, which they new they wanted to do after the episode "I Only Have Eyes For You" in S2.

The only other death on Buffy they really "take back" is Buffy's. Hearing Joss' commentary on "The Gift" comforts me quite a bit because he states that this episode was a very likely series finale for the show where she would have stayed dead. Once the show got picked up by UPN he obviously had to bring her back as she's the title character. Also, the pain and depression of S6 was a consequence of her coming back, so it wasn't just "I'm back, everything's the same" (thankfully!).

The only time I feel like they didn't "earn" bringing someone back was in Angel's case. That was poorly explained and could have been done much better (though I can understand the reasoning behind bringing him back and accept it). Think about how many deaths on the show aren't "just a slap on the wrist" and compare it to those that maybe are. More often than not, it's the former, imo anyway.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with the way almost everything was handled on the show. Season 1 had growing pains (and is easily the worst season imo), season 4 had a poor primary arc, and season 7 had too many convenient plot devices and threads left hanging. But all of those seasons still have a ton of merrit and stuff to love about them.

My favorite seasons in each group go from left (best) to right (worst).

The Best: S2, S6, S3, S5
A Step Down: S4, S7
Another Step Down: S1

I love them all though! :)

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Saturday, October 8, 2005 12:49 PM

CAT1620RD

It is almost impossible to choose but i love a challenge... while I loved Once More with Feeling I mean you really cannot get better then that episode... but the one that made me feel the most and i am not sure why was choices I mean when they were all arueing and Oz just gets up calmly and destroys what they were fighting about that was the single sweetest thing i have ever seen in my life and that makes it the top episode to me not to mention the freaky bugs and Willow being all kickass. I just loved every minute of it.

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Tuesday, October 25, 2005 7:41 PM

VISITINGMYINTENTIONS

I hate to be all predictable, but OMWF and Hush definitely share the seat of "OMFG best episode EVAR!11". OMWF is just so truly brilliant, it made me really impressed with Joss, even though I'm generally wary of people who talk about the creator (director, writer, actor, what-have-you) rather than the work. OMWF parodied every stereotype known to man and television ...and got me my lover

And Hush was a good "normal" episode with the awesome Gentlemen, and all this while silent!

---------------------------------------------------
Early: Where'd she go?

Simon: I can't keep track of her when she's NOT incorporeally possessing a spaceship, don't look at me --

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Sunday, November 6, 2005 5:51 AM

GEEKMAFIA

Well gotta jump into this buffyverse forum for the first time to say.

The Zeppo.

Very closely followed by omwf and hush.

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Tuesday, November 8, 2005 5:25 PM

RMMC

I think I've got to say two.

The Body is the best episode I'm never watching again. It made some personal losses lose that necessary time/distance thing. It was great television, but far too painful to watch again.

Band Candy is my favorite one to watch over and over.

**************
You filthy little ponce, are you afraid of a little demon?

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Saturday, November 12, 2005 11:58 AM

PHI

Here I am all teary eyed at the memories. God I’m a sap.

Anyway, I don’t know about anyone else but I’ve had the Buffy Guide page up while reading this just to refresh my memory… I need more DVDS.

Hands down, I’m with the proud and vocal group championing Becoming Part two. I was sobbing, literally shaking and howling down the phone in the ads to my friend who was as incomprehensible as me.

However I have to add these;

Lie to me
Passion
The Wish
Amends – Am I alone in mentioning this?
Dopplegangland
Earshot
And obviously Hush and Restless.

On the discussion of favourite seasons, Buffy slowly started to lose something at some point during season four for me. After that I felt there were only a few shining moments in the later seasons (and shine they did, blinding in fact) instead of seasons 2 and 3 which were just brilliant in their entirety. Chalk me up as a golden oldie!

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Saturday, November 12, 2005 12:54 PM

MILT

i would put Amends up there as well. I always just call it the Buffy Angel Christmas specail

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Saturday, November 12, 2005 12:58 PM

PHI

'The Christmas Special' - I like that, easier to remember.

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Monday, December 12, 2005 2:20 PM

SHINYTALENT

I'm going to have to vote alongside chrisisall and say Fool For Love- ohhh who doesn't love an awesome Spike episode!

(That being said School Hard has the best entrance scene) mmmmmmm Spike and his big black shiny car!

The human body can be drained of blood in 8.6 seconds given adequate vacuuming systems.

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Tuesday, December 13, 2005 4:49 AM

MANICDEPRESSIVEMOUSE

Once More With Feeling aside, It's gotta be [bold]"Doppelgangland"[/bold], or maybe "Selfless".

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Wednesday, December 28, 2005 5:50 AM

ALLARTICULATE

Yes, love Spike so much.
That is why I have to say I was completely bowled over by Smashed. Hottest thing I've ever seen on TV. I think I screamed out loud.

The overall best episodes have been mentioned many times and I concur...

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Wednesday, December 28, 2005 7:13 AM

MER

Once More With Feeling. Everything about it I love (from technical to storywise)...I could go on forever... *__*

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Wednesday, December 28, 2005 12:29 PM

The Gift is the best, even though I'm not a huge season 5 fan. I loved how every character played a major part, Buffy perfection.

OMWF is one of my least favourites, not a big musical fan

Fool for Love is really good, but it was in the days when Dawn was very very annoying.

The Body is a genious episode, but not one that I care to watch too often.

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Thursday, December 29, 2005 10:34 AM

GORRAMREAVERS

Innocence - the epi that made me say *holy crap...best. show. ever.*

Becomming 1&2 - all the best elements of buffy in 2 hours.

The Gift, The Body, Fool For Love, OMWF, The Wish, Tabula Rasa, Passion, Hush, Restless, Lover's Walk and Selfless are all top notch and can all be counted for best ever.

Also...watching 'Him' from S7 on my DVD's. Im not sayin its the best ever but I really like that epi. Loads o fun to watch.

"..it is my very favorite gun."

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Tuesday, January 3, 2006 12:54 PM

TAMSIBLING

I realize this is an old thread, so maybe no one will care, but for me Selfless, S7 has got to be among the top 3, if not the best.

Everyone in that episode did amazing work, not to mention the tour de force performance given by Emma Caulfield. It was amazing!

Plus, I love "Mrs.!" What a great song that should have made OMWF!

This must be what going insane feels like.

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Thursday, January 5, 2006 4:59 PM

SCYTHE404

S1: Prophecy Girl

S2: Innocence, Passion, Becoming

S3: Lover's Walk, Bad Girls, Graduation Day

S4: Hush, The Yoko Factor

S5: Fool for Love, The Body, The Gift

S6: Once More With Feeling, Tabula Rasa, Seeing Red

S7: Selfless, Lies My Parents Told Me, Chosen

I especially wanna stress LMPTM, because it is so underappreciated, i feel.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

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Thursday, January 5, 2006 6:27 PM

ROLAND19

Quote:
Originally posted by Tomanta:
Hush is just brilliant television. From the super-creepy bad guys, the creative commentary on communication, the brilliant writing that made the episode work, to the humor... this is as good as it gets.

Yeah, I have to agree. Anyone remember what show "Hush" lost the Emmy to? Cuz I don't have the faintest idea, and I bet neither does anyone else.

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The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.

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Wednesday, January 11, 2006 2:21 AM

KIDCONGOPOWERS

Impossible to name just one, but some of my favorites are:

S1: Prophecy Girl
S2: Innocence, Passion, Becoming pt. 2
S3: Lover's Walk, The Wish, Doppelgängland, Graduation Day pt. 1-2
S4: Hush, Who Are You?
S5: Fool For Love, The Body, The Gift
S6: Once More, With Feeling, Tabula Rasa, Seeing Red, Grave
S7: Selfless, Conversations With Dead People, Storyteller, Lies My Parents Told Me, Chosen

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Wednesday, January 11, 2006 5:13 AM

XENOPROBE

I like your train of thought here... all the yummy naked Spike eps! I am totally on board - I've certainly watched these three more than most of the series!

Still -picking just 1? I can't do it. So here's an attempt at five:

The Body
Once More With Feeling
Conversations With Dead People
Passion
Hush

Of course the runners up would include:

Graduation Day 1&2
Life Serial (I know, I know, but I love the trio and the whole Timothy Dalton thing cracks me up each and eery time!)
Normal Again
The Gift
Fool For Love
Restless
Something Blue

Gah! see how fast it spirals out of control? I suck!

Anchovies, anchovies you're so delicious... I love you more than all the other fishes!" Dawn, Conversations With Dead People

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Wednesday, January 11, 2006 5:55 PM

TINUVIEL

So hard to choose just one!!

For me, though, I love "Hush." That's one Buffy episode I can't get out of my head. I also really enjoyed "The Body." Great emotional episode that one. Hmm... "Passion" ... and like some people have already said, episodes with Spike.

I can't wait to get the 40-disk collection!

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Wednesday, January 11, 2006 7:11 PM

CAPTAINCDC

Quote:
Originally posted by Roland19:
Quote:
Originally posted by Tomanta:
Hush is just brilliant television. From the super-creepy bad guys, the creative commentary on communication, the brilliant writing that made the episode work, to the humor... this is as good as it gets.

Yeah, I have to agree. Anyone remember what show "Hush" lost the Emmy to? Cuz I don't have the faintest idea, and I bet neither does anyone else.

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The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.

I think it was The Sopranos that beat Hush out that year. But I don't remember the other shows that were nominated against them.

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The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason!

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Wednesday, January 11, 2006 10:43 PM

ROLAND19

Quote:
Originally posted by captaincdc:

I think it was The Sopranos that beat Hush out that year. But I don't remember the other shows that were nominated against them.

Ah, the Sopranos? I mean, I guess it could be worse, but really, did they even watch "Hush"?

The world we live in.

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The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.

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Thursday, January 12, 2006 6:30 AM

CAPTAINCDC

Quote:
Originally posted by Roland19:
Quote:
Originally posted by captaincdc:

I think it was The Sopranos that beat Hush out that year. But I don't remember the other shows that were nominated against them.

Ah, the Sopranos? I mean, I guess it could be worse, but really, did they even watch "Hush"?

The world we live in.

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The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.

I would like to think that they didn't see Hush. Because if they did then they are morons. I am a big fan of The Sopranos and I liked the episode that won the emmy but it paled in comparison to Hush.

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The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason!

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Friday, January 13, 2006 5:25 PM

TINUVIEL

Well, Buffy never got the respect it deserved. Maybe because it's entitled "Buffy." I don't know. "Once More with Feeling" didn't get a nod either, and I thought that was brilliant.

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Friday, January 13, 2006 6:19 PM

CAPTAINCDC

Quote:
Originally posted by tinuviel:
Well, Buffy never got the respect it deserved. Maybe because it's entitled "Buffy." I don't know. "Once More with Feeling" didn't get a nod either, and I thought that was brilliant.

OMWF is a brilliant episode, probably one of my favorite eps of all time. I thought it was a travesty that it was ignored, but I can't say I was surprised.

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The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason!

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Monday, January 16, 2006 3:43 AM

TINUVIEL

Can't say I was surprised either, Captaincdc. Too bad, though.

I just bought the Chosen Collection. Am so excited to go on a Buffy marathon!

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Friday, February 3, 2006 8:18 AM

CHRISISALL

Since I started this thread I've gained some perspective, and now I think maybe Ammends should top my list...

Watching season 3 again, and wow did that ep have me goin'.
Anne rocked, too.

Back and forth Chrisisall

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Tuesday, February 7, 2006 12:53 AM

SERENITYSLITTLEANGEL

I can't decide on ONE!!!!!

"Prophecy Girl"
"Hush"
"Once more with feeling"
"Amends"
"Becoming (Part 2)"
"Chosen"

and - purely for humour value: "Something Blue"

-------------------------------------
19 conversions and counting!!!

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Thursday, February 9, 2006 11:24 AM

LOSTNO1FAN

I would have to say HUSH and Once more with feeling. Gosh, how wonderful Joss has been with these shows of his! He needs more recognition!

"Smells like crotch"

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Monday, February 13, 2006 2:37 PM

WTE

The Body, Passion, and Becoming Pt. 2.

Definitely a season 2/3 person, but after recently getting into Firefly and (back) into Angel, I'm going to go ahead and get the Buffy series and catch up on what I missed (basically, season 7).

HONKS

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Thursday, February 16, 2006 12:41 PM

PARKER6097

"The Body", without question, if there's one thing Joss does best, it's death, and the emotions that surround it. He did it again in "Hole in the World" from season 5 angel, come to think of it he also did it in "The Message" from Firefly.

He just captures all those powerful emotions so well and makes you feel for a fictional character as you would for someone who's real.

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Saturday, April 1, 2006 1:05 AM

BUFFYMON

Oh I agree! Fool For Love is perfection! 45 minutes of bliss.

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Saturday, April 1, 2006 1:08 AM

BUFFYMON

aka "The Nude Spike Triology"

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 9:39 AM

DUSTYCHALK

The Body is my personal favourite.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 9:57 AM

ELFIE

I like Innocence. Just the whole bit between Buffy and Angel when he's really horrible to her and she doesn't know he's turned. Hard to watch but you just can't help but listen. Becoming parts 1 and 2 are great too. Hush scared me but I loved it.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 10:00 AM

ELFIE

OOPs I forgot Once More With feeling. Can't help but sing along.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 10:08 AM

20THCENTFOXHATER

Just one word: "Hush". Creepy as hell. Should have won the Emmy.

But oh well, the good shows always get boned (ie- Firefly, Angel, and I'm counting the days until ABC cancels the awesomeness that is Lost).

"I aim to misbehave."
"Can't do something smart, do something right".

HOMER: "Oh Lisa, you and your stories; Bart is a vampire, beer kills brain cells. Now lets go back to that... building thingy... where our beds and T.V.... is".

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Sunday, April 23, 2006 6:57 PM

VINTERDRAKEN