"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Once More, with Feeling (2001)

User Rating:

9.6/10   

Director:

Joss Whedon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator)
Joss Whedon (written by)

TV Series:

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)

Original Air Date:

6 November 2001 (Season 6, Episode 7)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Sunnydale is alive with the sound of music as a mysterious force causes everyone in town to burst into full musical numbers...

Plot Keywords:

Dancing | Song And Dance | Singing | Forbidden Love | Lesbian

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Emma Caulfield	...	Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg	...	Dawn Summers
James Marsters	...	Spike
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (as Anthony Stewart Head)
Hinton Battle	...	Sweet
Amber Benson	...	Tara Maclay
David Fury	...	Mustard Man
Marti Noxon	...	Parking Ticket Woman
Daniel Weaver	...	Handsome Young Man
Scot Zeller	...	Henchman / Tap Dancing Victim
Zachary Woodlee	...	Demon / Henchman
Timothy Anderson	...	Henchman

Runtime:

50 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Trivia:

During the "I'll Never Tell" number, Xander picks up the news paper and the back page shows an ad for the San Fernando Valley College of Law. Although the toll-free number has changed, this is an actual college in SoCal.

Goofs:

Continuity: Anya's arms change position in each shot after the trio dance break in the "Life's a Show" number.

Quotes:

[In song]
Xander: Will our lives become too stressful if I'm never that successful?
Anya: When I get so worn and wrinkly that I look like David Brinkley?

Movie Connections:

References Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Soundtrack:

If We're Together

Proof that Joss Whedon is a genius...if you still need convincing

OK, I'll admit I was really sceptical about this episode. I first caught the last 10 minutes of this episode and thought "Oh no, a musical episode, this has got to be it, Buffy has jumped the shark" but having since seen the whole episode in the context of the rest of the series, this episode is pure genius. The songs really moves the story on. Through-out the first few episodes of the 6th season a number of tensions are built up between the characters, feelings and events occur which the characters keep to themselves. All the musical numbers are used as ways for the cast to reveal to each other things they didn't, couldn't, or wouldn't say. Joss wrote all the lyrics and music, with his usual depth, intelligence, and character development, plus the tunes are catch. This is not just a filler episode, its a turning point in the season. Pure class!!