The Wish (8 Dec. 1998)

Cordelia's wish for a Buffy-free Sunnydale comes true, plunging her into a world where vampires have control of the town.

Director:

David Greenwalt

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)
Mark Metcalf	...	The Master
Emma Caulfield	...	Anya
Larry Bagby	...	Larry Blaisdell (as Larry Bagby III)
Mercedes McNab	...	Harmony Kendall
Danny Strong	...	Jonathan Levinson
Nicole Bilderback	...	Cordette
Nathan Anderson	...	John Lee
Mariah O'Brien	...	Nancy

Storyline

Wanting to be rid of Xander for good, Cordelia comes to the conclusion that Buffy is the cause of all her problems and makes a wish to the new transfer student, Anya, that Buffy had never come to Sunnydale. Anya, being the evil and powerful vengeance demon Anyanka, grants that that wish and in a heartbeat... the entire world changes... and everything Cordelia knows is completely different. In this alternate reality of 'It's a Wonderful Life gone to Hell': the Master is alive and rules the town after dark from the Bronze; both Xander and Willow are vampires; and Giles with a small group of brave students, called The White Hats, are fighting a losing war of attrition against the vampires on their own. Then in a shocking turn, Cordelia gets killed by the vamps, leaving the alternate reality Giles to figure out on his own what has happened to this world they currently live in, leading to a meeting with the alternate reality Buffy.

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Plot Keywords:

wish | vampire | demon | vengeance | library | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 December 1998 (USA)

Filming Locations:

1800 Stewart St., Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mutant Enemy, Kuzui Enterprises, Sandollar Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The top worn by Alyson Hannigan as Vampire Willow was reused as a costume for Lindsey Stoddart, who played Katie Ney (the Mayor's wife) in Bones: The Man with the Bone. Both shows starred David Boreanaz.

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Goofs

At 17:10, as Harmony says, "Is that a joke?" the tip of the boom microphone dips into the frame.

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Quotes

Xander: But you know what really bugs me? Okay, we kissed. It was a mistake, but I know that was positively the last time we were ever gonna kiss.
Willow: Darn tootin'.
Xander: And they burst in rescuing us, without even knocking? I mean this is really all their fault.
Buffy: Your logic does not resemble our earth logic.
Xander: Mine is much more advanced.

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Connections

References Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Prophecy Girl (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Tired Of Being Alone"
(uncredited)
Performed by The Spies

User Reviews

One of the best episodes of the series

I'm watching this again years after the first viewing, and it's as good as I remember it. It is sad, yet hopeful. It is serious, but with humor, dark humor. It is poignant, and shows what could have been. And it is joyous.

Some shows aren't as good years later when you watch them again. Some episodes of Buffy, like many in the second season (besides the obviously pivotal ones, aren't as good as I remember them. But this episode shows two worlds without rushing through either. It is fast-paced, yet deliberate.

It is perfect.