Season Five

The episode reviews on this page are from the official Buffy page and do not belong to me

"Buffy vs. Dracula" -
THE LAST SEDUCTION - Still searching for a normal life, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is shaken by the awesome power - and more than a little star-struck - when she and her friends come face to face with the greatest vampire of all time, Dracula (guest star Rudolf Martin, "Bedazzled"). While Buffy is powerless under Dracula's thrall, Xander (Nicholas Brendon) becomes the dark one's emissary and leads his friends into peril. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Buffy, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) is seriously contemplating returning to England as he feels she no longer needs his help. Alyson Hannigan, Marc Blucas, Amber Benson, James Marsters, Emma Caulfield and Michelle Trachtenberg also star. David Solomon directed the episode written by Marti Noxon.



"Real Me" -
SLAY, SISTER, SLAY - While Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) heat up the training, Buffy and Dawn's (Michelle Trachtenberg) sibling rivalry gets them into trouble when a new gang of vampires target the slayer. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Marc Blucas, Amber Benson, James Marsters and Emma Caulfield also star. David Grossman directed the episode written by David Fury.


"The Replacement" -
NICHOLAS BRENDON'S IDENTICAL TWIN BROTHER GUEST-STARS - When a crafty demon out Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) hunting accidentally catches Xander (Nicholas Brendon) in his sights, a mysterious Xander double (guest star Kelly Donovan) is born. Two Xanders aren't better than one as the evil double quickly takes over Xander's identity, fooling everyone including Buffy, and starts living Xander's life with a flourish. Anthony Stewart Head, Alyson Hannigan, James Marsters, Emma Caulfield, Marc Blucas, Amber Benson and Michelle Trachtenberg also star. James A. Contner directed the episode written by Jane Espenson.


"Out of My Mind" -
STAND BY YOUR MAN - Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is in a race against time when the physical aftereffects of Riley's (Marc Blucas) being used as a lab rat by The Initiative threatens his very life. When Riley stubbornly refuses help and goes into hiding, Buffy reluctantly turns to Spike (James Marsters) for help, but he takes advantage of her situation for his own plot to rid his life of the slayer once and for all. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, Emma Caulfield, Kristine Sutherland, Amber Benson and Michelle Trachtenberg also star. David Grossman directed the episode written by


"No Place Like Home" -
ALL IN THE FAMILY - An unseen evil comes to Sunnydale that that helps Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) discover more about her little sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) and the girls are distressed and confused when their mom (Kristine Sutherland) suddenly becomes ill without any clear explanation, medical or supernatural. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, Marc Blucas, James Marsters and Emma Caulfield also star. David Solomon directed the episode written by Douglas Petrie.


"Family" -
LOVE DOES CRAZY THINGS - Willow (Alyson Hannigan) feels betrayed when Tara's (Amber Benson) family makes a surprise visit to Sunnydale for her birthday threatening to reveal a shocking secret that could endanger all of their lives. Meanwhile, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) secretly try to learn more about the new evil that is hunting her and her family. Nicholas Brendon, Emma Caulfield, Marc Blucas, Kristine Sutherland and Michelle Trachtenberg also star. Joss Whedon wrote and directed the episode.


"Fool For Love" -
ANGEL, DRUSILLA AND DARLA HAUNT SPIKE'S MEMORY - In an effort to learn about slayers' final battles, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) forces Spike (James Marsters) to recount how he was able to kill two slayers. His flashbacks reveal his first meeting with his one true love, Drusilla (guest star Juliet Landau), and how lovers Angel (guest star David Boreanaz) and Darla (guest star Julie Benz) joined them. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Emma Caulfield, Marc Blucas, Anthony Stewart Head, Kristine Sutherland and Michelle Trachtenberg also star. Nick Marck directed the episode written Douglas Petrie.


"Shadow" -
BUFFY MAY HAVE MET HER MATCH - In order to protect her sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg), Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) must face a horrible beast that has been conjured by the powerful demon Glory (guest star Clare Kramer) to help seek out "The Key." Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Kristine Sutherland and Emma Caulfield also star. Dan Attias directed the episode written by David Fury.


"Listening to Fear" -
SOMETHING FROM ANOTHER PLANET TARGETS BUFFY'S MOM - As Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) help their mother (Kristine Sutherland) prepare for brain surgery, a creepy extra-terrestrial demon becomes fixated on an increasingly disoriented Joyce and infiltrates the Summers' home. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas and Emma Caulfield also star. David Solomon directed the episode written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner.

"Into the Woods" -
ONCE BITTEN - Spike (James Marsters) disrupts Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) one moment of peace after her mom's (Kristine Sutherland) successful operation to expose Riley's (Marc Blucas) late nights spent in the arms of a vampire, sending an upset and bewildered Buffy into a tailspin and putting their relationship in turmoil. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head and Emma Caulfield also star. Marti Noxon wrote and directed the episode.

"Triangle" -
XANDER IN THE MIDDLE - While Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) recovers from losing Riley, emotions are charged between Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Anya (Emma Caulfield) when they are left in charge of the magic shop and Willow accidentally conjures an enormous troll (guest star Abraham Benrubi, "ER") that will force them to deal with their less than perfect friendship and their feelings towards Xander (Nicholas Brendon). Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Kristine Sutherland, Amber Benson and Michelle Trachtenberg also star also star. Christopher Hibler directed the episode written by Jane Espenson.


"Checkpoint" -
BUFFY vs. WATCHER'S COUNCIL - The Watcher's Council arrives in Sunnydale demanding Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) pass an exhaustive review of her slaying skills or they will withhold critical information about Glory (guest star Clare Kramer) and have Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) deported back to England. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, James Marsters, Emma Caulfield, Kristine Sutherland, Amber Benson and Michelle Trachtenberg also star. Nick Marck directed the episode written by Jane Espenson & Douglas Petrie.


"Blood Ties" -
DAWN IS UNVEILED AS THE KEY - As Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and friends celebrate her 20th birthday, Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) is traumatized to learn she is the Key and runs away but Buffy and the Scooby gang must find her before Glory (guest star Clare Kramer) does. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Emma Caulfield, Kristine Sutherland and Amber Benson also star. Michael Gershman directed the episode written by Steven S. DeKnight.


"Crush" -
SPIKE CONFESSES HIS LOVE TO THE SLAYER - Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) confronts Spike (James Marsters) about his suspected crush and is appalled by his admission of love, but her brutal rejection sends him back into the clutches of Drusilla (guest star Juliet Landau) who has returned to Sunnydale intent on returning Spike to his killer ways. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Emma Caulfield, Kristine Sutherland, Amber Benson and Michelle Trachtenberg also star. Dan Attias directed the episode written by David Fury.


"I Was Made to Love You" -
THE PERFECT WOMAN - Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) must stop a heartbroken young woman (guest star Shonda Farr) who was manufactured to be the perfect girlfriend from destroying the city and then finds herself comforting the creation over the loss of love in both of their lives. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Emma Caulfield, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Amber Benson also star. James A. Contner directed the episode written by Jane Espenson.



"The Body" -
TRAGEDY SHATTERS BUFFY'S WORLD - Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her friends are overwhelmed with grief and their lives are changed forever when they must deal with the loss of someone close to all of them. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Emma Caulfield, Kristine Sutherland, Michelle Trachtenberg and Amber Benson also star. Joss Whedon wrote and directed the episode.