BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING (TV)
Summary
One in this series about a teenage vampire slayer named Buffy and her colleagues, who fight an unending battle against the undead.
In this episode, residents of Sunnydale suddenly find themselves bursting into song, and disclosing their innermost thoughts, for no apparent reason. As the narrative opens, Buffy wanders through the graveyard, singing "Going Through the Motions," about her life after returning to Earth, even as she slays song-spouting demons. The next day, Buffy's friends admit to also breaking into spontaneous production numbers. Willow, Tara, Xander, and Giles then harmonize on "I've Got a Theory," after which Anya warbles her own explanation about the music's source: "Bunnies." Buffy retorts that the group can combat the musical malady "If We're Together." Buffy soon discovers that everyone in Sunnydale is infected as a chorus of locals offers a serenade about "The Mustard." Later, Tara sings in the park about being "Under the Spell" of Willow's love. As Dawn comments that the singing sickness is harmless, a demon, Sweet, watches as a tap dancing man bursts into flame. The group soon realizes that the release of pent-up emotions is intended to make individuals combust.
The next morning, lovers Xander and Anya wake up and sing "I'll Never Tell," in which they musically disclose their pet peeves about each other. After passing a woman singing about "The Parking Ticket," Buffy goes to see the lovelorn Spike to ask what's behind the madness. Spike retorts that Buffy should let him "Rest in Peace," after which she runs away. Meanwhile, Dawn inadvertently tells Tara that Willow cast a spell to erase their recent argument. As Dawn sings her "Lament," she's kidnapped by Sweet's minions. Waking up in The Bronze, Dawn enacts a ballet in which she tries, and fails, to escape from Sweet's clutches. Sweet then sings "What You Feel," explaining that he has responded to a summons from Dawn, symbolized by the amulet around her neck. He reveals that he intends to take Dawn to the underworld and make her his queen.
At the Magic Box, Giles sings "Standing" upon realizing that he has kept Buffy from emotional development, resulting in his decision to move back to England. Elsewhere, Tara confronts Willow about the forgetting spell and decides that they should break up. Giles and Willow harmonize while reprising "Standing/Under Your Spell." Spike then shows up with Sweet's henchman, who tells Buffy that Sweet is holding Dawn hostage. Giles insists that Buffy should rescue Dawn on her own, causing Buffy to send Spike away. Buffy expresses that she must "Walk Through the Fire," followed by choruses from Spike, Sweet, Giles, Xander, Anya, Willow, and Tara.
At the Bronze, Buffy confronts Sweet, warbling "Something to Sing About" as she's joined by Giles, Xander, Anya, Willow, and Tara. She then reveals that her friends recently pulled her from heaven rather than hell, breaking into a suicide-inducing dance until Spike saves her. Dawn denies having summoned Sweet, at which point Xander admits to being the culprit, not having realized the repercussions of the talisman he left for Dawn. As Sweet opts not to choose his queen at the time, he returns to hell while reprising "What You Feel." The gang then questions "Where Do We Go From Here?" as they consider their now-fractured relationships. Finally, as Buffy tries to apologize to Spike, their "Coda" ends in a passionate kiss. Commercials deleted.
(Network varies; this series was telecast on The WB from 1997 to 2001, then on UPN from 2001 to 2003.)
Details
- NETWORK: UPN
- DATE: November 6, 2001 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:92507
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science ficiton; Vampires - Drama; LGBT Collection
- SERIES RUN: The WB - TV series, 1997-2001; UPN - 2001-2003
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Joss Whedon … Executive Producer, Director, Created by, Writer, Music by
- Marti Noxon … Executive Producer
- Sandy Gallin … Executive Producer
- Gail Berman … Executive Producer
- Fran Rubel Kuzui … Executive Producer
- Kaz Kuzui … Executive Producer
- David Fury … Co-Executive Producer
- Jane Espenson … Supervising Producer
- Douglas Petrie … Producer
- David Solomon … Producer
- Gareth Davies … Producer
- John F. Perry … Co-Producer
- Marc David Alpert … Co-Producer
- Brian Wankum … Associate Producer
- David Greenwalt … Consulting Producer
- Christophe Beck … Music Producer, Music by
- Jesse Tobias … Music Producer
- Douglas Stevens … Assistant Music Producer
- Adam Shankman … Choreographer
- Nerf Herder … Theme Music by
- Sarah Michelle Gellar … Cast, Buffy Summers
- Nicholas Brendon … Cast, Xander Harris
- Emma Caulfield … Cast, Anya Jenkins
- Michelle Trachtenberg … Cast, Dawn Summers
- James Marsters … Cast, Spike
- Alyson Hannigan … Cast, Willow Rosenberg
- Anthony Stewart Head … Cast, Rupert Giles
- Hinton Battle … Cast, Sweet
- Amber Benson … Cast, Tara Maclay
- David Fury … Cast, Mustard Man
- Marti Noxon … Cast, Parking Ticket Woman
- Daniel Weaver … Cast, Handsome Young Man
- Scot Zeller … Cast, Tap Dancing Victim
- Zachary Woodlee … Cast, Demon/Henchman
- Timothy Anderson … Cast, Henchman
- Alex Estronel … Cast, Henchman
- Matt Sims … Cast, College Guy #1
- Hunter Cochran … Cast, College Guy #2