The Prom (11 May 1999)

After Angel breaks off their relationship, Buffy single-handedly battles three fearsome hell hounds so that her classmates can enjoy their senior prom.

Director:

David Solomon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator), Marti Noxon

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
Charisma Carpenter	...	Cordelia Chase
David Boreanaz	...	Angel
Seth Green	...	Oz
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (as Anthony Stewart Head)
Kristine Sutherland	...	Joyce Summers
Alexis Denisof	...	Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Brad Kane	...	Tucker Wells
Emma Caulfield	...	Anya
Danny Strong	...	Jonathan Levinson
Bonita Friedericy	...	Mrs. Finkle
Andrea Baker	...	Sales Girl (as Andrea E. Taylor)
Mike Kimmel	...	Harv

Storyline

The gang insists the watchers should at least allow them a glorious prom night before fighting the mayor's ascension. Mother Joyce Summer's speech it's up to mature lover Angel to make hard choices her teenage daughter is incapable of gives Angel nightmares about a wedding in an empty church after which Buffy burns in sunlight, so he decides to give her a normal love-life by breaking up, he'll leave Sunnydal after the ascension. Xander finds out spoiled Cordy has to work in a fashion shop now the IRS has taken her dad's last dime, they are attacked by a hell-hound which seems trained to target formal dressers and is electronically brainwashed by Buffy's scorned admirer, chemistry student Tucker Wells. Buffy decides to slay-chaperon the prom for the others, hunts the hell-hounds and gets surprising bonuses...

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Plot Keywords:

library | female protagonist | heroine

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 May 1999 (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

Buffy's prom dress was designed by couturier Pamela Dennis, by request from Sarah Michelle Gellar. Gellar could not sit down in the dress once it was on her.

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Quotes

Giles: I had no idea that children, en masse, could be gracious.

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Connections

References Pretty in Pink (1986)

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Soundtracks

"Wild Horses"
Performed by The Sundays

User Reviews

Great Ending

I have watched basically all of the Buffy episodes. Most of them are depressing and dark. Buffy (Sarah Gellar) appears to add some lightheartedness to these, but, they are generally sad. However, the ending of this episode would have been a great ending to a Buffy movie.

Most of this story is the same dark Buffy story. However, in this one, we get deeper into Buffy's ugly world, than usual and see the effect that it has on her. Also, in the ending of this episode, there are some great scenes combined with terrific music. I have watched this ending many many times. I turn the volume up when Buffy enters the prom, to get the full impact here. From the time that Buffy enters the prom, this one contains a very touching scene followed by a somewhat romantic ending.

Marti Noxon did a terrific job writing this one.