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

After Xander removes his bleeding hand from the drywall, he is asked if it hurts and replies "It doesn't matter. The Avengers have to get to the assembly." Joss Whedon wrote and directed this episode and would go on to write and direct the live action adaptation of The Avengers.

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Goofs

Paramedics in the state of California are not allowed to pronounce death. Joyce would have been taken to the hospital where it is likely she would have been pronounced DOA. Also, once paramedics begin CPR, it is usually not allowed to be stopped until someone with a higher degree of medical training takes over.

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Quotes

Tara: [to Willow] Oh, baby. Want me to rub your tummy?
[to group]
Tara: She likes it when I, uh... S-stop explaining things.

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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 Powerpuff Girls (1998)

User Reviews

what lajabless said

What lajabless said is on the money. I too had lost my mother just weeks before this episode was broadcast. It was eerie how what I saw on the screen expressed how I was feeling at the time. I don't know if my appreciation of this episode is a reflection of what I was going through, or of just how good a show it actually was. I'm almost afraid to rewatch this episode. If it really is that good, will I relive that emotional turmoil? It's been nearly seven years. Maybe I can rewatch it objectively now. I have to put this in the Buffy top ten, maybe top five episodes. One of my best friends at the time was also a Buffy fan. Sadly, I wasn't able to talk with him about this episode as he had died suddenly only days earlier....