I’m not entirely sure what this list is. It could be a list of what I consider to be the best episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or they could be my favourites or they could be both.
It’s in chronological order but I have starred my favourite.
1. “Prophecy Girl”
Season one BtVS is a lot of fun and often very enjoyably silly but it hasn’t ramped up the drama yet but there are two scenes (Buffy quits and Willow and Cordelia discover a room full of murdered students) in this episode that make you realise that there is enormous depth as well as zingy dialogue.
2. “Surprise” and “Innocence”
“Surprise” is just the starter before the main course. SMG continues to amaze as an actress but she is outstripped by an utterly adorable Alyson Hannigan who in “Innocence” establishes herself as the reason why I started to love BtVS. Her scenes with Nick Brendon and Seth Green are wonderful.
3. “The Wish”
This is an alternate reality and, of course, it’s going to have a happy ending but Willow and Xander are so mean, Cordelia is murdered by them and Buffy gets her neck broken by the Master. It’s so deliciously horrible.
4. “Doppelgangland”
The funniest episode of BtVS which is full of superb dialogue and great acting. Willow as Vamp Willow waves at Oz and she is so endearing. And let’s not forget she’s “kinda gay”.
5. “Graduation Day, Part I” and “Graduation Day, Part II”
Buffy tries to kill Faith. That is all.
6. “Hush”
Sometimes when something as a reputation as being one of the greatest, if not the greatest, something or other then I have the tendency to grab the word “overrated” except that this isn’t. We have scary villains, an overhead projector, suggestive miming, an exciting chase, a thrilling fight in a clock tower and my top BtVS moment as Tara and Willow link hands and make magic.
7. “Who Are You?”*
“I am you know”, “And you know why I don’t? Because it’s wrong.”, “So Willow’s not driving stick anymore.”, “Plus, she was, um, she was kind of mean.”, “I trust you”, “What’s a stevedore?”, “You’re nothing! Disgusting! Murderous bitch! You’re nothing! You’re disgusting!”
8. “New Moon Rising”
This is certainly not among the best episodes of BtVS but it has hand holding, “overhelping”, a reminder of why Oz was so great, Willow’s coming out and an extra flamey candle.
9. “Restless”
I don’t love this but is a tremendous piece of TV.
10. “The Body”
This surely has to be on any list of best episodes.
11. “Once More, With Feeling”
Another audacious episode from Joss Whedon. “Going Through the Motions”, “I’ve Got a Theory/Bunnies/If We’re Together”, “Under Your Spell”, “I’ll Never Tell”, “The Parking Ticket” and “Walk Through the Fire” are the musical highlights.
12. “Tabula Rasa”
For some people this is the episode that almost literally jumps the shark but I love it because a) it’s a very funny episode topped and tailed by two heartbreaking scenes, and b) this was when I fell for Tara (and Amber Benson), I felt so bad for her hurt and sadness that I realised I totally loved the character and that she had inched her way into my heart.
Seven that match with my top 10…not bad. I guess it’s not really that surprising, though. I can’t imagine too many Buffy fans not including Hush, Doppelgangland, etc. Plus, we both love Tara which makes New Moon Rising and Tabula Rasa must-haves.
I watched Surprise and Innocence again last night and was reminded just how good they really are. It also reminded me that as much as I was never that keen on Angel, I absolutely LOVE Angelus. Without a doubt my favorite villain.
You’ve got 5 of my faves but with our shared healthy Amber Benson obsession how could we not be somewhat in sync
My top episodes include almost anything written by Joss, including Family which I think is probably my all time favorite Tara-sode. And I still shudder when I see that DeKnight has penned an episode, as I hold him personally responsible for killing Tara but overall he’s a good writer too.
I think Tabula Rasa has one of the most comical scenes which still makes me laugh to this day where the characters open the door to the Magic Shop, find a gang of Vampires and all scream – priceless.
Lists are for sharing and comparing so please feel free to share your top tens, Charles and Lea (and anybody else).
Episodes I can watch over and over…
1. Family
The last scene absolutely kills me every time I see it.
2. Restless
The cinematography and score are beautiful. For some reason I find the slow-motion scene of miss kitty fantastico so artistic. Overall I love Willow’s dream and feel like a lot of it was a metaphore for being a lesbian.
3. New Moon Rising
Who could resist the infamous coming out episode and OMG she chose Tara! My heart melted.
4. Once More with Feeling
My partner and I are getting ready to attend a Buffy Singalong event in our town – we are so geeked! I listen to the soundtrack almost every day at work.
5. Hush
While this is a total play on Dark City I think it was well executed and it is amazing how an episode with little dialogue can still be humorous and show an amazing display of the writing skills of the Buffy staff.
6. Doppelgangland
Alyson Hannigan is such an incredible actress in this episode. I love the good willow playing evil willow scenes – they crack me up.
7. Entropy
Tara’s speech gets me every time:
Tara: “Things fall apart… fall apart so hard… You can’t ever put ‘em back the way they were… You know it takes time… You can’t just… have coffee and expect… There’s so much to work through… Trust has to be built again, on both sides… You have to learn if we’re even the same people we were… If you can fit in each other’s lives, it’s a long and important process and… Can we just skip it? Can you just be kissing me now?”
8. Triangle
Olaf the troll, a look into Anya’s past, and “Hello, gay now!”
9. What’s My Line 1 & 2
There are a lot of willow-isms in these episodes that will stick with you forever.
10. Flooded
Great lines: “M’Fashnik, like mmm cookies”, Mr. Drippy, and “plus, fire, pretty” and I love the part where Tara tries not to let Dawn do research only to look at her in such a motherly way, hand her a book, and say something like knock yourself out. I think this really starts pointing out that Willow and Tara are the actual “parents” and that Buffy isn’t really providing Dawn with much guidance. AND we see the beginnings of evil Willow starting to form.
Ok, that’s my ten
1. Restless
2. Once More, With Feeling
3. Prophecy Girl
4. Surprise and Innocence
5. The Wish
6. Doppelgangland
7. Tabula Rasa
8. Halloween
9. Something Blue
10. Graduation Day parts I and II
(in no particular order)
D’oh. Remove Halloween, replace with The Body.
(I’m a sucker for humor)
Firstly – doing a list when you’ve only reviewed (and re-watched) to the end of S5 is a cheat – you’ll have to do it again at the end!
Nextly – I started thinking about this and found it really hard, partly I think because I’m not that I seem to end up thinking too small (moments) or too big (arcs) and partly because I can’t remember (or don’t know!) titles.
I did a list…and deleted it…it was too hard – but a few that aren’t on your list that might be on mine…Fear Itself, Band Candy, Something Blue, I Was Made to Love You, Graduation Day, Halloween – mostly funny ones…
Even though I posted my list I agree with Andy, there are specific moments and arcs which tend to make me call an episode a favorite if only for that one specific moment. I think that every episode of Buffy is good and each has its own special and unique qualities so moment by moment, day by day, any and every episode could potentially be a favorite…
Fair point, but
whenif I compile a list at the end of “Chosen” and there are any further episodes from season six and any from season seven on it, I will give you ten pounds – which is is entirely generous of meok my top 10 in no order whatsoever:
1. OMWF
2. NMR
3. Tabula Rasa
4. Hush
5. Family
6. Doppelgangland
7. The Killer in Me
8. Who Are you
9. The Body
10. Bargaining 1 & 2 / Chosen
Tried to post my top 10 a couple times and it doesn’t seem to want to go through. Will try one last time:
1. Hush
2. Doppelgangland
3. Once More With Feeling
4. Becoming Part II
5. New Moon Rising
6. Innocence
7. Tabula Rasa
8. Lovers Walk
9. The Body
10. Earshot
Most of these need no explanation. I’m perfectly fine with picking most of the canonical ones – there’s a reason they’re canon.
The slightly less obvious choices might be New Moon Rising and Tabula Rasa, which both make the list almost entirely because of Tara. Amber Benson absolutely stole my heart at the end of New Moon Rising (I didn’t even like her character all that much in the first few episodes she showed up – how things change!). And Tabula Rasa is both hilarious and incredibly touching. Plus, I really like “Goodbye to You” and it’s used to perfection there.
Also, Lover’s Walk and Earshot are probably less common. Lover’s Walk makes the list mostly because I absolutely love Spike in the episode. I feel like it is such a perfect (and hilarious) insight into his character when he’s sitting there commiserating with Joyce.
Earshot is admittedly not one of the “best” episodes, but I think the trick of getting to hear people’s thoughts is done very well. The revelation about Joyce and Giles, what it reveals about Willow’s insecurities, and very funny stuff from Xander and Cordelia. But it is definitely Oz that is the winner. “We think, therefore she is” had me laughing for days.