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"The Body" is the 16th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For other uses, see Buffy the Vampire Slayer (disambiguation). ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Buffy516. ...
Joss Hill Whedon (born Joseph Hill Whedon[3] on June 23, 1964 in New York) is an American writer, director, executive producer, and creator of the well-known television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. ...
Joss Hill Whedon (born Joseph Hill Whedon[3] on June 23, 1964 in New York) is an American writer, director, executive producer, and creator of the well-known television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. ...
is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...
I Was Made to Love You is the 15th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Forever is the 17th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
The Chosen Collection of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (seasons 1 - 7). ...
TV Show Reference Episode is the word usually used to refer to a part of a serial television or radio program. ...
For other uses, see Buffy the Vampire Slayer (disambiguation). ...
Plot synopsis
Summary Buffy and the gang are crushed by the death of Joyce Summers.
Expanded overview
First act The episode begins with the last few moments of the previous episode, as Buffy comes home to find her mother Joyce lying on the couch, unresponsive. A quick flashback scene is shown featuring all of the Scoobies at the Summers' household for Christmas dinner. We rejoin the shocking events of the present as Buffy calls 911, and eventually proceeds to perform CPR on her mother, despite noticing that the body is cold. The paramedics are equally unsuccessful in their attempts at reviving her, calling the time of death shortly afterwards. Buffy calls Giles, who is the closest thing she now has to a living parent. She asks him to come over but doesn't tell him why. The paramedics inform Buffy that the coroner has been contacted and she should try not to disturb the body, and then they leave on another call. Buffy wanders the house aimlessly for a few moments. She collapses and vomits on the rug in the dining room and starts to clean it up just before Rupert Giles arrives. Giles sees Joyce and runs to her side, but stops when Buffy cries out, "We're not supposed to move the body!" The scene ends as she realizes what she has said and covers her mouth in horror. Buffy Anne Summers is the eponymous fictional character in the film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the television program of the same name and its numerous spin-offs, such as novels, comic books, and video games. ...
Joyce Summers (born 1958, died in 2001 in Sunnydale, California of a brain aneurysm) is a fictional character played by Kristine Sutherland on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Second act Dawn is at school, in the middle of an art class. She is nervously talking to a boy whom she obviously likes. Buffy comes into the class and asks to take Dawn out. Dawn doesn't want to go but Buffy makes it clear that she is serious. Once in the hall, Dawn becomes upset, starting to realize that Buffy may have taken her out of class to tell her the news that she is most afraid of hearing, as her mother had been ill, but she was allegedly cured. As Dawn demands to be told what is happening, the entire class watches through the large interior windows, unable to hear the conversation. Dawn cries "no" repeatedly and collapses to the floor while the class watches. The scene ends with a shot of the human body drawing she'd been working on. Dawn Summers is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, portrayed by Michelle Trachtenberg. ...
Third act Willow and Tara are distressed as well, and Willow reacts by becoming hysterically worried about what would be appropriate to wear to the hospital. Tara comforts her. Xander and Anya soon arrive at Willow's place. Xander attempts to place the blame for Joyce's death on Glory, having trouble dealing with something that revenge can't be exacted on. Anya, still struggling with the concept of being a mortal human, asks inappropriate questions regarding Joyce's death, which upset Willow further. Anya responds with a short monologue expressing her observations about death, and her discomfort and confusion over the whole situation. After a short and uncomfortable silence, Xander punches his fist into the wall, injuring himself slightly and surprising everyone in the room. All four leave the room to go to Xander's car. Just a few moments after the door closes, Willow runs back in to quickly change her shirt for the fifth or sixth time. Willow Rosenberg (born either in 1980 or very early 1981 in Sunnydale, California) is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Tara Maclay (born October 16, 1980 and died May 7, 2002 in Sunnydale, California)[1] is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the cult television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Alexander LaVelle Xander Harris (born 1981 in Sunnydale, California) is a fictional character in the cult television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Spoiler warning: Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins (born 860 in Sjornjost, Sweden and died 2003 in Sunnydale, California), formerly Aud and Anyanka, Patron Saint of Scorned Women, is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the cult television program Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Fourth act At the hospital, the doctor informs Buffy that Joyce died from an aneurysm, probably almost instantly. Giles decides to help out with all the paperwork. Dawn wanders off to the washroom while the rest of the Scoobies go to fetch snacks. For a short while, Buffy and Tara are alone, and Tara tries to tell Buffy she understands her situation, since she too lost her mother. Post surgical photo of brain aneurysm survivor. ...
After leaving the washroom, Dawn, in denial, decides to go to the morgue to see her mother's body. As she approaches, she hesitates when attempting to lift the sheet placed on top of her. Just then, another body arises and it turns out to be a vampire. Buffy, looking for her sister, arrives just in time and kills the vampire. Dawn then gets to see her dead mother, having accidentally pulled the sheet away in the scuffle. Buffy tells her sister not to touch their mother, saying, "It's not her." Dawn asks, mechanically, "Where did she go?" She reaches out to touch Joyce's cheek, and the episode ends just before she does so.
Writing and acting "The Body", in presenting the death of a critical character in Buffy's life, confronts the topic of death more directly and realistically than usual in Buffy. The show's typical balance between drama, comedy (see dramedy) and action is largely abandoned in favor of a much barer style, with neither diegetic nor incidental music (other than the theme song, the only sources of music are a wind chime and a barely audible festive melody in the Christmas flashback). The scenes are extended and often single-shot, with long moments of silence and a solemn ambience and dialog style. Joss Whedon stated in the episode's commentary that he wanted to portray the sheer boredom of death that occurs within the first twelve hours of someone's passing. Dramedy, a portmanteau of drama and comedy, is a genre of movies and television in which the lines between these very different genres were blurred. ...
According to Gerald Prince in A Dictionary of Narratology, diegesis is (1) The (fictional) world in which the situations and events narrated occur; (2) Telling, recounting, as opposed to showing, enacting. ...
For the Beach Boys song, see Wind Chimes. ...
Besides becoming a fan favorite (see this thread at a popular Joss Whedon fansite), the episode received considerable critical applause [1].
Acting
Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar (born April 14, 1977) is a Golden Globe-nominated, Daytime Emmy Award-winning American actress. ...
Nicholas Brendon (born April 12, 1971 as Nicholas Brendon Schultz in Los Angeles, California), is an actor best known for his character Xander Harris in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003). ...
Alyson Hannigan (born March 24, 1974) is an American actress who plays Lily Aldrin in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. ...
Emma Caulfield is an actress best known for her role as ex-demon Anya on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Michelle Christine Trachtenberg (born October 11, 1985) is an American television and film actress. ...
Anthony Stewart Head (born 20 February 1954) is an English actor who has appeared in theatre, television and films. ...
Guest Starring Randy Thompson is a Virginia-based Americana,alt-country singer/songwriter. ...
Amber Nicole Benson, born on January 8, 1977, is an American actress, writer, film director, and film producer. ...
Kristine Sutherland is an actress best known for her role as Joyce Summers on the television show, Buffy The Vampire Slayer. ...
Co-Starring - Loanne Bishop as 911 Operator
- Kevin Cristaldi as First Paramedic
- Stefan Umstead as Second Paramedic
- J. Evan Bonifant as Kevin
- Kelli Garner as Kirstie
- Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly as Lisa
- Tia Matza as Teacher
- John Michael Herndon as Vampire
J. Evan Bonifant (born August 19, 1985), played bit parts in many television shows and starred in several films as a child. ...
Kelli Brianne Garner (born April 11, 1984) is an American actress. ...
Production details
Music The Boston Pops Orchestra was founded in 1885 as a subsection of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. ...
The First Noël (sometimes The First Nowell) is a traditional English Christmas carol, most likely from the 16th or 17th century, but possibly dating from as early as the 13th century. ...
Cultural references - The Avengers - Xander says "The Avengers gotta get with the assembling". The Avengers are a Marvel Comics group of superheroes, whose catch-phrase is "Avengers Assemble!"
- Burnt Bunboy - The name of the odd-looking toy that Anya holds as she sits down at Willow's dorm room is Kogepan, a Japanese character of whom Joss Whedon and his wife, Kai Cole, are big fans.
The Avengers is an elite fictional comic book superhero team in the Marvel Universe. ...
Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ...
For the Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode, see Super Hero (Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode). ...
Kogepan (ã“ã’ã±ã‚“) is a Japanese character from the company San-X, who, not unlike Sanrio creations Hello Kitty and Badtz Maru, can be found in books, anime, toys, stationery, and a number of other formats. ...
Quotes Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: - As mentioned earlier, there is a moment in the Second Act where the audience is not allowed to hear the dialog between Buffy and Dawn. The unheard dialog between Buffy and Dawn, at school, appears to be as follows:
- Buffy: Mom died this morning. While we were both at school, she—
- Dawn: No...
- Buffy: I don't know exactly what happened, but, she's dead...
- Dawn: No. No no no no you're lying she's fine she's fine and you're lying oh no no please no you're lying she's fine, she's fine…
- Buffy: Dawnie...
- Dawn: It's not true, it's not real, it's not real, oh no... no...
- Anya monologue on why she doesn't understand death
- Anya:I don't understand. I don't understand how this all happens. How we go through this. I mean I knew her, and then she's, there's just a body, and I don't understand why she can't just get back in it and not be dead anymore. It's stupid. It's mortal and stupid, and, and Xander crying and not talking, and I was having fruit punch and I thought, well, Joyce will never have any more fruit punch ever. And she'll never have eggs, or yawn, or brush her hair, not ever and no one will explain to me why.
Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...
Wikiquote is a sister project of Wikipedia, using the same MediaWiki software. ...
Trivia - This episode features the first on-screen kiss by Willow and Tara, a significant point in the history of lesbian characters on American television. Joss has said that he wanted their first kiss to be a non-issue and wanted it to be a seamless, ordinary thing.
- Willow is portrayed as obsessing over what to wear to meet Buffy in the hospital; according to Whedon, this was based on his friend's funeral, where he was frantically obsessed with finding a proper tie.
- Throughout the scene after Xander punches through a wall, only the left side of Willow's face can be seen, because Alyson Hannigan had an allergic reaction to the plaster dust, causing her right eye to swell.
- Creator Joss Whedon and actor Tom Lenk (Andrew), as well as a legion of fans, consider this a favorite episode.
- At one point actress Kristine Sutherland ("Joyce") blinked in an important shot which, considering she was playing a corpse, was not a good thing. Whedon later had the blink digitally removed. According to Whedon, this was the only time in eight days of playing a corpse Sutherland blinked on camera.
- James Marsters (Spike) does not appear in this episode.
- The original airing of this episode attracted 6.0 million viewers, which was typically high in Season 5.
- Joss Whedon stated in the commentary that the point of the Christmas scene after the opening credits was so that the 'Guest Starring' and producer credits did not overlap the scene where Buffy attempts to revive Joyce. Whedon has also said that he regrets not involving Joyce as much in this scene.
- This episode is the most "supernatural-lite" of the series, with the vampire at the end of the episode being the only otherworldly element of the story; in addition the supernatural Glory is mentioned but never appears.
- Kristine Sutherland knew that her character was going to die roughly a season or two before it happened as Joss mentioned it to her.
- Willow and Tara's exchange about being "Strong like an amazon" refers to the song "Amazons" by Phranc.
Glorificus, also known as Glory, The Beast, The Abomination, and That Which Cannot Be Named, is a fictional deity in the television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played by Clare Kramer. ...
Phranc Phranc (born Susan Gottlieb in 1958) is an influential singer-songwriter from California whose career has spanned several decades. ...
Continuity - Buffy's "As long as you two stay away from the band candy, I'm cool with anything" comment is a reference to season three's "Band Candy", in which Giles and Joyce had sex (twice, as Buffy markedly points out in another episode) while under the influence of candy which caused them to emotionally regress to adolescence. Buffy learned this from Joyce in "Earshot", where she temporarily became able to read minds.
List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes Band Candy is the sixth episode of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Earshot is the 18th episode of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Arc significance This episode is a significant departure from the Glory storyline, being an intense character study. However, Joyce's death has a devastating effect on Buffy that will contribute to her fall into apathy toward the end of the season. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Glory is mentioned in passing, by Giles as he enters the home, in the beginning and when a desperate Xander points to her as a possible villain to blame. Buffy also hints at Glory's possible involvement in her mother's death in her short message to Giles over the phone.
Translations - Italian title: "Un Corpo Freddo" ("A Cold Body")
- German title: "Tod einer Mutter" ("Death of a Mother")
- French title: "Orphelines" ("Orphans"; f)
- Spanish title: "Desolado" ("Grief")
Timing - Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
Location, time
(if known) | Buffyverse chronology: January 2001 - Spring 2001
(non-canon = italic) | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.12 Checkpoint | | L.A., 2001 | A2.12 Blood Money | | L.A., 2001 | A2.13 Happy Anniversary | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.13 Blood Ties | | L.A., 2001 | A2.14 The Thin Dead Line | | L.A., 2001 | A2.15 Reprise | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.14 Crush | | L.A., 2001 | A2.16 Epiphany | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Wisdom of War | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.15 I Was Made to Love You | | L.A., 2001 | A2.17 Disharmony | | L.A., 2001 | Angel book: Vengeance | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.16 The Body | | L.A., 2001 | A2.18 Dead End | | L.A., 2001 | Angel book: Haunted | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.17 Forever | | L.A., 2001 | A2.19 Belonging | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Ugly Little Monsters | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy comic: 'Chaos Bleeds' prequel | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy video game: Chaos Bleeds | | L.A., 2001 | Tales of the Slayer: Again, Sunnydale | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.18 Intervention | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Tempted Champions | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Little Things | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Crossings | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Sweet Sixteen | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.19 Tough Love | | L.A., 2001 | A2.20 Over the Rainbow | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.20 Spiral | | L.A., 2001 | A2.21 Through the Looking Glass | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.21 The Weight of the World | | Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.22 The Gift | | L.A., 2001 | A2.22 There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Death of Buffy: Lost & Found’ | | Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Death of Buffy | Checkpoint is the twelfth episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
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Happy Anniversary is episode 13 of season 2 of the television show Angel. ...
Blood Ties is the 13th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
The Thin Dead Line is episode 14 of season 2 in the television show Angel. ...
Reprise is episode 15 of season 2 in the television show Angel. ...
Crush is the 14th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...
Canonicity warning: The following is not considered canonical in the Buffyverse. ...
I Was Made to Love You is the 15th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Disharmony is the 17th episode of season 2 of the television show Angel. ...
Vengeance is an original novel based on the U.S. television series Angel. ...
Dead End is the 18th episode of season 2 of the television show Angel. ...
Canonicity warning: The following is not considered canonical in the Buffyverse. ...
Forever is the 17th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Belonging is episode 19 of season 2 in the television show Angel. ...
Ugly Little Monsters is a trade paperback collecting comic stories based on the Buffy television series. ...
Note: This is not to be confused with Tales of the Slayers Graphic Novel. ...
Intervention is the eighteenth episode in the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
// Book Information Author(s): Yvonne Navarro Substance: 240 Pages Publisher: Pocket Books Date first published: March 2002 Book Description Spoiler warning: A young, vicious and beautiful woman named Celina comes to Sunnydale and theres nothing but an uproar caused by her appearance. ...
// Book Information Author(s): Rebecca Moesta Substance: 198 pages Publisher: Pocket Books Date first published: August 2002 Book Description Spoiler warning: Ever since her mothers death, Buffy has been having problems keeping herself and Dawn living together peacefully, and the lack of money is affecting both of them. ...
// Book Information Author(s): Mel Odom Substance: 243 Pages Publisher: Pocket Books Date first published: June 2002 Book Description Spoiler warning: While at the theater for a Star Trek marathon with Anya, Xander recognizes a friend of his, from the arcade, enter the theater and begin threatening and beating humans...
Canonicity warning: The following is not considered canonical in the Buffyverse. ...
Tough Love is the 19th episode of season 5 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Over the Rainbow is episode 20 of season 2 in the television show Angel. ...
Spiral is the 20th episode of season 5 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
The Weight of the World is the 21st of season 5 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
The Gift is Episode 22 in Season 5 of the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...
Theres No Place Like Plrtz Glrb is episode 22 of season 2 of the television show Angel. ...
Cover Story by: Fabian Nicieza, Tom Fassbender, Jim Pascoe Cover Artist: Paul Lee, Brian Horton Penciller: Cliff Richards Inker: Joe Pimentel, Will Conrad Letterer: Clem Robins Colorist: Dave McCaig Comics: Buffy #43-45 and Buffy: Lost & Found Published: Dark Horse Date first published: Oct 16, 2002 Substance: Soft cover, 120...
Cover Story by: Fabian Nicieza, Tom Fassbender, Jim Pascoe Cover Artist: Paul Lee, Brian Horton Penciller: Cliff Richards Inker: Joe Pimentel, Will Conrad Letterer: Clem Robins Colorist: Dave McCaig Comics: Buffy #43-45 and Buffy: Lost & Found Published: Dark Horse Date first published: Oct 16, 2002 Substance: Soft cover, 120...
References - ^ http://archive.salon.com/ent/col/mill/2001/03/12/buffy_mom/print.html
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