btvs - the body

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER - THE BODY (SEASON 5)

I know this is a bit out of the ordinary. I mean, writing a review for a particular episode of BTVS instead of a review about the series itself. But I felt that this episode deserved a mention all on its own. It is, in my opinion, probably the best Buffy episode I've ever watched (so far) in terms of story-telling and acting. And, it also showcases the brilliance of Josh Whedon, the creator of BTVS. Unlike other episodes which Josh normally leaves to his team of BTVS writers, The Body was entirely written and directed by the guru himself.

If I'm not mistaken, Buffy is now into its 7th season. But if you're in Malaysia and watching StarTV on Astro, you'd know that you're way behind the rest of the world and stuck in season 5. But that aside, if you've been following Buffy up until now, you would have had the pleasure of being introduce to each of the characters on the show, grow with them, love them, hate them. So it's never easy when something devastating happens to a character you've grown so familiar with.

Death is not unfamiliar territory to Buffy, her friends or even us viewers. There's always the occasional slaying of demons or vampires. After all, that's what the series is all about. But when death happens to a loved one, it's a different ball game altogether.

The scene could easily have ruffled anyone of us: It's an ordinary day and Buffy comes home...to find her mother lying lifeless on the living room sofa.

If it was any other series or movie, the protagonist would very likely have gone hysterical at the sight - a flood of screams and tears. But not this series.

You know how it is sometimes when you're so scared out of your wits that you lose your mind, your voice, your sense of everything? To find your mother lying there, unresponsive, eyes drained of life, when just yesterday everything was apple and peaches. The shock hits you like a sledgehammer. It's staring at you in the face yet you don't want to believe it. You can't believe it. Questions riddle your mind. What if, you ask yourself. What if you had only been there a second or a minute earlier? Would she have been saved? Would she be alive?

Josh takes us through all these emotions in those few minutes. The sudden flashes of Joyce in her hospital bed, telling her daughter that she was glad she made it back in time to save her - those surreal scenes threw everything off track (was Joyce dead or alive?) - it showed the confusion and denial Buffy was experiencing. The viewers were also made privy to Buffy's disorientation through the clever use of camera framing. The paramedics were speaking to her yet her eyes were elsewhere. The gamut of emotions, from shock to helplessness to denial were brilliantly acted out by Sarah Michelle Gellar, and brilliantly made extremely real by Josh Whedon.

Sarah Michelle Gellar wasn't the only one to shine here though. The rest of the gang turned in stellar performances too.

Dawn's breakdown in school when Buffy breaks the news to her. Willow's frantic and irrational behaviour. Anya's anguish as she grapples to understand the frailities of mortal life. Xander's display of frustration. As you watch how each of Buffy's friends react to the situation, you can almost hear yourself say, "I can really relate." The helplessness of not knowing what to do, the grief, the struggle to understand why it is bad things happen to good people - Joyce's death could have easily degenerated into a contrived subject. But Josh nor any of the cast allowed that to happen.

Another distinct feature of this particular episode was the lack of music - background, ambience, whatever. And it was this silence that made it even more real. There's no music accompaniment in real life. Even much less so when you lose a loved one.

The Body is one powerful, compelling and true to life episode - in the way the story was told and in the way emotions were captured and portrayed. For all it was worth, it made me re-look my relationship with my own mother and how thankful I am to have her around.

Agree/disagree with my review? Drop a note in the guestbook.

Written by: Josh Whedon Directed by: Josh Whedon Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy Summers Michelle Trachtenberg - Dawn Summers Nicholas Brendon - Xander Harris Alyson Hannigan - Willow Rosenberg Emma Caulfield - Anya Anthony Stewart Head - Rupert Giles Amber Benson - Tara Kristine Sutherland - Joyce Summers	BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER - THE BODY (SEASON 5) I know this is a bit out of the ordinary. I mean, writing a review for a particular episode of BTVS instead of a review about the series itself. But I felt that this episode deserved a mention all on its own. It is, in my opinion, probably the best Buffy episode I've ever watched (so far) in terms of story-telling and acting. And, it also showcases the brilliance of Josh Whedon, the creator of BTVS. Unlike other episodes which Josh normally leaves to his team of BTVS writers, The Body was entirely written and directed by the guru himself. If I'm not mistaken, Buffy is now into its 7th season. But if you're in Malaysia and watching StarTV on Astro, you'd know that you're way behind the rest of the world and stuck in season 5. But that aside, if you've been following Buffy up until now, you would have had the pleasure of being introduce to each of the characters on the show, grow with them, love them, hate them. So it's never easy when something devastating happens to a character you've grown so familiar with. Death is not unfamiliar territory to Buffy, her friends or even us viewers. There's always the occasional slaying of demons or vampires. After all, that's what the series is all about. But when death happens to a loved one, it's a different ball game altogether. The scene could easily have ruffled anyone of us: It's an ordinary day and Buffy comes home...to find her mother lying lifeless on the living room sofa. If it was any other series or movie, the protagonist would very likely have gone hysterical at the sight - a flood of screams and tears. But not this series. You know how it is sometimes when you're so scared out of your wits that you lose your mind, your voice, your sense of everything? To find your mother lying there, unresponsive, eyes drained of life, when just yesterday everything was apple and peaches. The shock hits you like a sledgehammer. It's staring at you in the face yet you don't want to believe it. You can't believe it. Questions riddle your mind. What if, you ask yourself. What if you had only been there a second or a minute earlier? Would she have been saved? Would she be alive? Josh takes us through all these emotions in those few minutes. The sudden flashes of Joyce in her hospital bed, telling her daughter that she was glad she made it back in time to save her - those surreal scenes threw everything off track (was Joyce dead or alive?) - it showed the confusion and denial Buffy was experiencing. The viewers were also made privy to Buffy's disorientation through the clever use of camera framing. The paramedics were speaking to her yet her eyes were elsewhere. The gamut of emotions, from shock to helplessness to denial were brilliantly acted out by Sarah Michelle Gellar, and brilliantly made extremely real by Josh Whedon. Sarah Michelle Gellar wasn't the only one to shine here though. The rest of the gang turned in stellar performances too. Dawn's breakdown in school when Buffy breaks the news to her. Willow's frantic and irrational behaviour. Anya's anguish as she grapples to understand the frailities of mortal life. Xander's display of frustration. As you watch how each of Buffy's friends react to the situation, you can almost hear yourself say, "I can really relate." The helplessness of not knowing what to do, the grief, the struggle to understand why it is bad things happen to good people - Joyce's death could have easily degenerated into a contrived subject. But Josh nor any of the cast allowed that to happen. Another distinct feature of this particular episode was the lack of music - background, ambience, whatever. And it was this silence that made it even more real. There's no music accompaniment in real life. Even much less so when you lose a loved one. The Body is one powerful, compelling and true to life episode - in the way the story was told and in the way emotions were captured and portrayed. For all it was worth, it made me re-look my relationship with my own mother and how thankful I am to have her around. Agree/disagree with my review? Drop a note in the guestbook. <