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.

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!

Fair point, but when if 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 me

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...

(I'm a sucker for humor)

(in no particular order)

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

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.