Top 25 Episodes: MikeJer's Favorites

MikeJer's Buffy Reviews

An article by Mikelangelo "MikeJer" Marinaro,
October 14, 2005 @ 7:36pm PDT
(Updated: December 8, 2009)

Top 25 Episodes
Top 10 Episodes (Air Date)
#1: My Favorite Episode

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#25.....4x08 - Pangs
An episode with a notably hokey plot, but also stuffed (pun intended) with hilarious dialogue! This is the funniest episode in the entire series for me. Anya's frankness, Buffy's cooking obsession, Willow's over-reaction, Xander the butt-monkey, and Spike showing up laughably lonely but offering up some common sense and amusement. Simply put: rofl.
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#24.....3x18 - Earshot
"Earshot" does a great job at juggling meaningful commentary on school shootings, depression, and suicide while remaining extremely fun. Buffy gets telepathy and it's not all fun and games (although there's plenty of that too). The scene in the tower is powerful and moving, and represents the point: loneliness is something inside all of us.
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#23.....3x09 - The Wish
An extremely well done look at what Sunnydale would be like if Buffy had never arrived. This episode is dripping in darkness which leads to a downright chilling conclusion with all the main characters killing each other while the Master snaps Buffy's neck. Brave new world indeed.
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#22.....6x20 - Villains
This is my favorite of the Dark Willow episodes. With Buffy badly wounded from a bullet and Tara dead, Willow, with dark magic fueling her pure rage, goes on a downright scary vengeance trip after Warren. Highlights include her icy cold detatchment to the world around her (including her friends) and the brutal flaying of Warren Mears.
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#21.....2x19 - I Only Have Eyes for You
A powerful episode about the difficulty and importance of forgiveness. Beautifully constructed, it has one the the most awe-inspiring scenes in the series when Buffy gets possessed by the spirit of a man who killed his older lover, while Angel gets possessed by the victim, which perfectly parallels Buffy's guilt over accidentally setting Angelus loose.
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#20.....3x16 - Doppelgangland
Willow's self-confidence is the focus and it manages to be hilarious, witty, fun, exciting, and fascinating. There's significant character development and foreshadowing going on and the entertaining Vampire Willow is the reason why it all gets forced out. Plot threads from the season are also seamlessly woven into the story. This is simply wonderful.
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#19.....4x10 - Hush
This episode's reputation for being creepy is well earned as this is arguably the creepiest of Buffy in its entire run. The metaphor is simply communication; how sometimes words can get in the way more than they can help. There are also some genuinely funny moments like the classroom overhead scene. This is a fantastic stand-alone episode for the uninitiated.
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#18.....7x17 - Lies My Parents Told Me
An episode almost entirely about Spike! The flashbacks are very effective here and instead of Spike teaching Buffy a lesson about her nature, he learns something profound about his own nature. Buffy, in Spike's defense, is also quickly learning that so no longer requires Giles' approval of her actions -- she's the leader now.
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#17.....6x03 - After Life
This is a highly underrated episode. It is dark, creepy, ominous, and is oozing in atmosphere. Buffy's confession to Spike that they didn't tear her out of a hell dimension, but actually out of heaven, is devastating to hear. I find this episode thought provoking and haunting, and is one of Jane Espenson's bests.
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#16.....5x05 - No Place Like Home
A personal favorite of mine which combines action, comedy, and drama and is what I consider to be an unsung masterpiece in intelligent writing, misleads, introductions, and foreboding atmosphere. After finding out that Dawn more closely resembles an adopted daughter than a sister, Buffy comes to accept the daunting responsibility forced upon her.
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#15.....7x22 - Chosen
From a metaphorical standpoint this episode is not only flawless but the perfect note for the series to end on. Buffy finally being freed from this obligation forced onto her is beautiful, especially after everything she's been though and lost. A very poignant end for the series.
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#14.....4x16 - Who Are You?
An entire episode about identity from Faith's perspective while in Buffy's body. The actresses handled each others' parts perfectly. Faith got a taste of what Buffy's life is like and her conclusion after all is said and done seems to be even more confusion.
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#13.....6x17 - Normal Again
This is a fantastic episode not because of the question of whether or not Sunnydale is real, but solely because of Buffy's insanely difficult deep emotional struggle and pitch-perfect acting by the wonderful Sarah Michelle Gellar. Tears all around. Takes a common genre plot and twists it into something incredibly unique.
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#12.....7x07 - Conversations With Dead People
A character tour de force. The only people left out are Xander and Anya. Nevertheless, the creepiness and foreshadowing of Willow's and Dawn's segments are top notch. The insights into Buffy's character, though, are beyond measure. This episode adopts a unique structure which really separates it from the standard episode.
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#11.....3x22 - Graduation Day Pt. 2
Buffy forces Angel to drink her blood, nearly killing her, to save his life. The Mayor tries to choke Buffy while unconcious in a hospital bed. Vampires get killed by flaming arrows. Principal Snyder gets eaten. The high school gets blown up. Angel heads off to L.A. and, oh yeah, "counting down from 7-3-0." Enough said.
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2x14 - Innocence
"Innocence" defined the direction the series was to take. This is the first time that emotions exploded out into the open. Angelus tears Buffy apart emotionally by abusing his position as her first lover. While all this is happening, Willow discovers Xander's relationship with Cordelia and gains a ton of respect for Oz. To top it all off, Buffy uses a rocket launcher!
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2x17 - Passion
An episode that left me literally numb afterwards. Angelus is brutal and sick here. His voiceovers are meaningful but are coming from a guy who just did unspeakable things and is gleeful about it. He gets pure pleasure from seeing Buffy and Willow sobbing in sorrow and fright. The way he sets up Jenny Calendar's body for Giles is shocking and perverted.
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4x22 - Restless
Entirely character driven and cryptically composed of foreshadowing. Everyone discovers something about themselves: Willow's in 'costume,' Xander doesn't know where he's going, Giles needs to remember that he's a watcher, and Buffy gets the message, "You think you know what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun." Intelligent and complex.
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5x07 - Fool for Love
"Death is your art. You make it with your hands, day after day. That final gasp. That look of peace. Part of you is desperate to know: What's it like? Where does it lead you? Every Slayer has a death wish. Even you." Also fascinating is seeing the layers of Spike being put on a piece at a time: the name, the scar, the hair, then the coat.
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5x16 - The Body
Quite possibly the best episode in the entire series, but not my favorite. Its greatest strength is also its only weakness. This episode is simply too painful to watch and is easily the most realistic depiction of the aftermath of a sudden death I've ever seen put to screen. It channels simply pure pain and raw emotion.
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5x22 - The Gift
The countdown from 7-3-0 is over. Buffy's sacrifice brought me to tears, and that's an extremely impressive feat. Season 5 was built from the ground up for this. The action is great and Glory's demise is very satisfying. Whedon said that this was almost the series finale. If that had happened, this would have been a beautifully tragic end.
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6x07 - Once More, with Feeling
The musical episode where everyone sings away their deepest secrets. The actors get it done here; it sounds wonderful and there is a ton of character development camoflauged in song. Most of the songs sound happy and upbeat but there's a disturbing subtext underneath it all. Also, Buffy's painful secret is exposed to her closest friends.
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6x13 - Dead Things
An incredibly ambitious episode that ends on an admission of undiluted guilt, but thankfully offers absolutely no reprieve, easy solutions, or light at the end of the tunnel. It's true to the troubles of real life in a way few TV shows are capable of providing. Represents quite possibly Buffy's finest example of intensely complex psychological development.
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7x05 - Selfless
A wonderfully textured episode that focuses almost entirely on Anya. We find out that Anya has always 'been' whatever she grabbed onto, whether that was being a vengeance demon or being Xander's Mrs. She finally realizes she must find out who 'she' is. The juxtaposition of Anya singing about Xander and the abrupt cut to the sword in her chest is jarring.
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2x22 - Becoming Pt. 2
So why is this my favorite episode of Buffy? Because it is the most perfectly balanced episode of the series. It's got massive laughs, kick-ass action, and heart-breaking, gut-wrenching drama. Most of the other episodes on this list succeed mostly in one of those categories; this one succeeds in all three, perfectly. For me, this is television at its finest.
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1.	AdamFeb 10, 2009 (Tue)View This Person's Comments \| Link
	I like your list a lot. While in particular I don't agree with Lies My Parents Told Me and Dead Things ranked as high as they are, the rest makes a lot of sense. Personally, however, OMWF is my all time favorite episode (followed by Becoming and The Gift). By the way, I can't wait for your season seven reviews!

2.	JakeJul 4, 2009 (Sat)View This Person's Comments \| Link
	Personally, I love "Dead Things" and "No Place Like Home", so I'm glad they're on here. "Passion" is my all-time favourite.

3.	CWSep 8, 2009 (Tue)View This Person's Comments \| Link
	I'm still in the relatively early stages of rewatching the entire series after what was essentially a three-year hiatus from BtVS. Thus far, I've only rewatched Season 6 and the first half of Season 3, so I can only vaguely remember the finer pints a lot of the episodes mentioned above. Nonetheless, I must say this is a very intelligenty compiled Top 25 Eps - even if I don't necessarily agree with all of them or with their ordering. Gotta say I disagree with you listing "After Life" in the Top 25. It's a well-written and acted episode all right, but there are more deserving entries - especially considering the fact that it is practically the concluding segment of "Bargaining Parts 1 and 2", the Season 6 opener.

4.	KateOct 8, 2009 (Thu) @ 5:09pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	Excellent list- aside from the fact Pangs is on here- I didn't find it that funny at all. Tabula Rasa, something Blue and even Him are funnier than Pangs. However...I would find it better if you actually ranked the top 10. It is slightly annoying how you left it open to interpret. I would have it 10.Dead Things 9.The Body 8.Passion 7.Fool for Love 6.Selfless 5.Restless 4.Innocence 3.The Gift 2.Becoming, part 2 1.Once More, With Feeling But more than that, Congrats for having Innocence on there! Innocence is one of my all time favourites and most people completly forget about it.

5.	MikeJerOct 8, 2009 (Thu) @ 6:31pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	@Kate: At one point I did have the top 10 ranked, but as I reviewed the show they got shuffled around so frequently that I couldn't take it anymore, and stripped them of their ranks. All of those episodes are so sublime that I don't have it in me to pit them against each other. I know it's kind of a lame cop-out, but it's how I feel. :)

6.	KateOct 10, 2009 (Sat) @ 12:59amView This Person's Comments \| Link
	I shouldn't berate you, I do exactly the same, when I watch those episodes. It is nice to see some finality though. :)

7.	RayNov 22, 2009 (Sun) @ 6:35pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	Though my top 25 would look pretty different. (Only 13 or 14 from yours) I like the list. I love lists like this and its always nice to read the perspective of another fan of this excellent tv series, which I have been re-acclimating myself to for the last few months.

8.	katieJDec 9, 2009 (Wed) @ 4:34pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	Very nice. Good explanations for all your choices. Your list compelled me to look more closely at "No place like home" and Becoming 2" With a few changes, this looks a lot like my list. I share your affection for Fool for Love, Restless and Selfless, but I would forcefully include more Xander-centered episodes. This is probably since I weight strong comedy more heavily alongside character development and plot. I include The Pack in my top ten and Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered and Superstar in top 25 (I heart Danny Strong). After watching Firefly, and even some Roseanne, I think that Joss Whedon's sincere, subtle and kind humor style deserves recognition within the context of harsh and mean hahas in contemporary comedy-drama on television.

9.	BrendanApr 9, 2010 (Fri) @ 10:57pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	The only additions I'd make are both from season 2: Halloween, which I still say is the most fun and funny, and Lie to Me, which I swear is the best pre-Angelus episode.

10.	Josh AApr 13, 2010 (Tue) @ 9:40pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	Nice list! I'm a newbie to the site. But here's my top 15, as I'm out of time (I'm kind of indifferent to the first three seasons, if you can't tell)! 1) Selfless (7.5) 2) Once More With Feeling (6.7) 3) Lies my Parents Told Me (7.17) 4) Restless (4.22) 5) Tabula Rasa (6.7) 6) Fool for Love (5.7) 7) Storyteller (7.16) 8) Hush (4.10) 9) Conversations w/ Dead People (7.7) 10) The Body (5.16) 11) Dead Things (6.13) 12) Villains (6.20) 13) Two to Go (6.21) 14) Something Blue (4.9) 15) Him (7.6)

11.	OllieMay 24, 2010 (Mon) @ 12:39pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	I enjoy your reviews, but you just put "Lies My Parents Told Me" above "Hush", so I just lost all respect for you. ;)

12.	G1000Jun 4, 2010 (Fri) @ 11:35amView This Person's Comments \| Link
	Okay, here's my list. First, the 10 worst: 1. Out of Mind, Out of Sight 2. Nightmares 3. The Pack 4. Teacher's Pet 5. Doublemeat Palace 6. Inca Mummy Girl 7. Reptile Boy 8. I Robot, You Jane 9. Bad Eggs 10. Go Fish And my top 25: 1. The Gift 2. Restless 3. Once More, with Feeling 4. Passion 5. Normal Again 6. Helpless 7. Fool for Love 8. Lies My Parents Told Me 9. Becoming (I and II) 10. Tough Love 11. Selfless 12. After Life 13. The Prom 14. Innocence 15. No Place Like Home 16. Hush 17. Seeing Red/Villains 18. Something Blue 19. Sleeper 20. Conversations with Dead People 21. Intervention 22. Blood Ties 23. New Moon Rising 24. Graduation Day (I and II) 25. Lover's Walk

13.	Allegory87Dec 29, 2010 (Wed) @ 2:28pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	I'm pretty new, both to this site and to Buffy, but I think I'm ready to share my top 10: 10.Graduation Day Part 2 9.Passion 8.Conversations with Dead People 7.Selfless 6.Hush 5.Fool For Love 4.Once More, With Feeling 3.The Gift 2.The Body 1.Restless

14.	AApr 27, 2011 (Wed) @ 9:55pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	I'd add Lovers Walk, but other than that... your list looks a lot like mine. I'm not sure if I'd have listed Selfless as high, though. Touched was also good.

15.	BenAug 15, 2011 (Mon) @ 8:38pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	Very good list (I'm also particularly fond of Pangs). My top 10: 1)Becoming Pt. 1 and 2 2)The Gift 3)Hush 4)Once More With Feeling 5)The Body 6)Passion 7)Graduation Day Pt. 1 and 2 8)Selfless 9)Villians 10)Prophecy Girl

16.	Gemma Dec 7, 2011 (Wed) @ 9:29amView This Person's Comments \| Link
	Mike, i love reading your reviews. I'm new to the site but i'm like i stumbled upon it. I have endeavoured to discuss BtVS with friends who watched the show but i think you get the most balanced perception from strangers. For me i would have to say that my favourite episode is The WIsh. I love the idea of this alternative universe within a fictional world. Giles and Buffy's lives are clearly inexorably linked with him having called her to Sunnydale but its fun to see their relationship in a different context. This is a great episode to watch because it covers the what if The Master did succeed in his release from his prison within the earth. Other episode i consider to be amongst my favourites include Welcome to the Hellmouth because to be honest without this episode we wouldn't have Buffy and its sweet to see the characters as kids with an innocent outlook before all the complex challenges they will face in the future. My list would run; 1. The Wish 2. Becoming part 2 3. Welcome to the Hellmouth 4.Graduation Day part 1 5.Pangs 6.Halloween 7. The GIft 8.Chosen 9.Earshot 10.School Hard. I have so many favourites, episodes i would watch over and over (you know if i wan't to watch the complete series from ep 1 to ep 22 or 12 in the case of season 1. If i had to do compile a top 25 episodes such as Once more with Feeling, Lie to me, Band Candy, Choices, After life and The puppet show would be amongst them. I may not have the most conventional list but i guess that manifests how BtVS affects so many people and what fans take from the show.

17.	MikeJerDec 7, 2011 (Wed) @ 10:52amView This Person's Comments \| Link
	I'm glad you're enjoying the site, Gemma. It's definitely true that the show strikes different people in different ways. How a person evaluates an episode also very much depends on what they're expecting out of it. Everyone has at least a slightly different definition of what constitutes a great episode. My system (and, to an extent, Critically Touched as a network) is obviously a reflection of what I want out of television. Naturally not everyone will agree, and that's half the fun. :)

18.	NobodyDec 17, 2011 (Sat) @ 5:55pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	Seeing the episode "Pangs" on the list was a pleasant surprise; I also find this to be one of Buffy's funniest episodes ever. While "Graduation Day, Part 2" was a wonderful episode, I definitely think it's somewhat overrated. I have the same problem for "Becoming, Part 2"; I personally found "Innocence to be much more exhilarating. I also thought that both "The Gift" and "Chosen" were much more powerful and emotionally resonant. Still, wonderful list, and I absolutely adore your site and your wonderful reviews!

19.	JadeJan 6, 2012 (Fri) @ 6:27pmView This Person's Comments \| Link
	I'll be honest here, I've only seen Buffy all the way through once. So when I looked through a list of episodes, I found that there were a lot I liked in retrospect, especially after reading your reviews, but I did manage to come up with a top five that I remembered liking from the first second I saw it. #1. Fool for Love (5x07) While watching Buffy, I hadn't ever thought about picking a favorite episode. It had simply never occurred to me. However, once I saw this episode, I knew in a heartbeat that it was my favorite and I hadn't even finished the series yet. It was the first episode I watched that kept me sucked in for every second. There was never a time where I would look at the clock and wonder how much longer it was. I was surprised when it ended and I loved it so much that I wanted to see someone reviewing it and analyzing it, which is actually how I found this website. #2. Becoming Pt. 2 (2x22) Yep. It's up there. This episode was the starting point for so many things involving me and Buffy. I realized Spike was my favorite character. I realized I liked Spike and Buffy together. I realized this show was freaking amazing. #3. Hush (4x10) I watched the series through with my dad when I saw it. He had already seen it like five times, and when we got to the disc with Hush on it he had a fit of joy and told me how the majority of the episode didn't have any dialogue and it was amazing. We saw it and I was not disappointed. The Gentlemen were creepy and the scene with the projector was priceless. #4. The Body (5x16) I didn't think I was going to cry when the episode started. My dad had warned me beforehand that it was tear-jerking, but I didn't believe him. I had only cried once before during Buffy and that was during Passion. I had never gotten really attached to Joyce so I didn't think it would affect me as much, but my eyes were moist throughout most of the episode and Anya's speech sent me over the edge. #5. Lies My Parents Told Me (7x17) Wow, it took me forever to decide on number five. It was between this, Restless, Something Blue, OWMF, and Selfless-- but ultimately I had to pick the one that focused on my favorite character, and the more I think about it, the more I realize it has to be this. I adore this episode for a few reasons-- we get the last of Spike's past, we get to see him overcome himself, we get to see Buffy race to Spike's rescue, before giving Wood and Giles some telling off that has me cheering. And it was funny-- in the early seasons I loved Giles. But this episode made me hate him without even feeling sorry about it. Buffy can do that to you. So, those are my top five favorite episodes. I'd have to watch the show again to make anything near a top 25, but I do have some favorite moments. Some funny, some serious. In no particular order: 1. Giles walking into a tree (Earshot) 2. Giles in his wizard robe (No Place Like Home) 3. Drunk Giles saying "Bloody Hell!" from off-screen right after Xander realizes Willow's gay (The Yoko Factor) 4. Buffy with a bazooka outside Wood's office (Him) 5. Spike beating Angel with a crowbar (Becoming Pt. 2) 6. Buffy kissing Spike for the first time (Intervention) 7. The famous Spike speech (Touched) 8. The huge simultaneous scream when the group sees a vampire (Tabula Rasa) There's more, but those are my favorites. The end.

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