The Body (27 Feb. 2001)

Buffy, Dawn, and their friends deal with the aftermath of Joyce's death.

Director:

Joss Whedon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator), Joss Whedon

Stars:

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Emma Caulfield	...	Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg	...	Dawn Summers
James Marsters	...	Spike (credit only)
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (as Anthony Stewart Head)
Randy Thompson	...	Dr. Kriegel
Amber Benson	...	Tara Maclay
Kristine Sutherland	...	Joyce Summers
Kevin Cristaldi	...	First Paramedic
Stefan Umstead	...	Second Paramedic
Loanne Bishop	...	911 Operator (voice)
J. Evan Bonifant	...	Kevin
Kelli Garner	...	Kirstie

Storyline

Buffy sees Joyce lying on the couch, calls 911 and unsuccessfully follows emergency procedures. When the paramedics arrive, they realize that Joyce is dead. Buffy calls Giles and goes to the school to tell Dawn. Along the day, the Scooby gang grieves the death of Joyce and sympathizes with Buffy.

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Plot Keywords:

dead woman | grief | heroine | dead mother | loss of mother | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 February 2001 (USA)

Filming Locations:

1800 Stewart St., Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mutant Enemy, Kuzui Enterprises, Sandollar Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This episode features only diegetic sound - sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film (such as doors closing, footsteps, birds outside, etc). There is no mood music in the background.

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Goofs

(at around 30 mins) When Xander and Anya are walking along the hallway to Willow's dorm room, as they pass an open door, the viewer can see that there is no room and the scaffolding of another set through the doorway.

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Quotes

Joyce: I think we're just about ready for pie.
Xander: Then I'll be pretty much ready for barf.
Buffy: Xander!
Dawn: Gross
Xander: No, no, barf from the eating. 'Cause all was good, and too much goodness...
Joyce: I'm taking it as a compliment.

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Crazy Credits

Instead of the regular opening credits, a flashback scene was created that consisted of the whole cast having Christmas dinner at the Summers' house. It was created so as not to have written credits appearing over the dramatic opening scenes.

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Connections

References The Marvel Super Heroes (1966)

User Reviews

The best hour of television ever produced is from a teen vampire fantasy drama ?

My father passed away not too long ago. I started watching Buffy to pass the time when I visited my mother during a difficult time (it was streaming on Netflix, and I had really enjoyed Firefly). For those that have experienced the loss of a love one, especially a parent, this episode will be a shockingly realistic portrayal of it.

If art is the attempt to perfectly capture an emotion or an idea through a medium (whether it's music, prose, visual, etc.), then it would not be an exaggeration to say that this episode is a masterpiece. If art, and not entertainment, is the measure of quality television then I could, with certainty, say that this is the best hour of television ever produced. It may be the best thing ever filmed.

As a rather critical person, I realize how silly the praise above sounds. I think many people who haven't experienced the loss of a parent won't "get it." But those that have should come away with similar praise.