"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" The Body (2001)

Director:

Joss Whedon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator)
Joss Whedon (written by)

TV Series:

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)

Original Air Date:

27 February 2001 (Season 5, Episode 16)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Buffy sees Joyce lying on the couch, calls 911 and unsuccessfully follows emergency procedures. When the paramedics arrive...

Plot Keywords:

Heroine | Sister Sister Relationship | Lesbian Kiss | Female Protagonist | Lesbian

Cast

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

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Trivia:

When Joyce is being zipped into a body bag, Kristine Sutherland blinked, but the blink was removed digitally.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Corpses are stripped in morgues but in several shots the underwear of the vampire attacking Dawn and Buffy is visible.

Quotes:

Dawn: You know, my big sister could really beat the crap out of her. I mean, really, really.

Movie Connections:

References "The Powerpuff Girls" (1998)

Buffy at its best

This episode ranks among my favorites of Buffy(Even without Spike) alongside School Hard,Becoming(Parts one and two),Amends,Hush,Restless,Tabula Rasa,Grave, and Conversations With Dead People.The simplicity is amazing.The Acting,especially from Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan,is very impressive.There is no music and events unfold in real time.Whedon doesn't pull any punches.Its all here,The failed CPR,The realization which is like a dream and a punch in the gut at the same time,The uncomfortable silences,The comedown and the aftermath.Buffy,although known for supernatural themes,is dealing with everyday events.Which is the whole idea and what makes it especially devastating.You can save the world all you want but you can't save one person who meant the world to you.Losing a parent is always horrible.They're the ones who know everything about you but love you anyway.They'll stand by you and protect you,even when you've grown up.When we lose that,we can feel like children,unsafe and unprotected.As Tara said "its always sudden".

This issue is especially devastating for the Scooby Gang.Joyce was a maternal figure to all of them.Unlike Willow's neglectful family,Tara's abusive family,Buffy's deadbeat dad and Xander's bitter parents,Joyce actually cared about them.Each character reacts in their own way.Buffy keeps an almost eerie level head before being shocked,Dawn breaks down in agony,Willow and Tara turn to each other for support,Giles tries to keep his reserved attitude but is only just managing,Xander just wants someone to blame, and Anya just can't fathom why Joyce isn't coming back.And no one can answer her.

This is a major part of this episodes unique tone.When someone dies,e.g Angel,it can be justified or they can return.But it isn't going to happen this time.Joyce is gone and nothing can make things right again.Dawn asks "Where did She go?".Nobody knows.