I don't get the love for "The Body"

[King of Hell]

I don't get the love for this episode, Btvs isn't a soap opera, & I felt Joyce's death was dragged on for too long, if this episode was combined with forever, I would've liked it, usually when I rewatch Btvs, I skip this episode, it doesn't add anything to the plot, & it takes away too much momentum.
every character's death in the Buffyverse felt sad & tragic to me, except Joyce, it felt like they were forcing emotions through me during the whole episode. I actually classify it as one of the worst episodes.

I don't mean to sound heartless or anything, but the Inca Mummy had more genuine emotions than this, it doesn't feel genuine at all.

 

[Bungle Jerry]

With all due respect, I couldn't disagree more. I'm not sure if I've ever seen those confused emotions that occur immediately after death portrayed as well as here. I would say that part of the episode's beauty is that fidelity to those emotions is maintained even at the expense of traditional storytelling. Moments that gut me:

* Buffy's absolute blankness after the 911 call
* Buffy's dialogue with Giles, also at the beginning
* Willow's semi-hysterical fixation on her clothing
* That simple little embrace between Willow and Xander at her dorm
* Anya's AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING monologue - being newly human can make her more human than the rest of us at times
* Dawn's reaction at school to the news - so voyeuristic I can hardly watch

So many others I can barely think of. The tone is incredibly different, but that's what makes it so special. It's a real slice-of-life documentary, and if it makes for uncomfortable watching, that's because it's supposed to.

I will agree, though, that Joyce's death throws the season a bit too far into sadness - which is why bringing in the Buffyboy on "Intervention" is a genius move.

 

[Washburne]

So many others I can barely think of. The tone is incredibly different, but that's what makes it so special. It's a real slice-of-life documentary, and if it makes for uncomfortable watching, that's because it's supposed to.

Totally agree. I hate to watch it but since that's the point (more or less) I know it's a very well made episode. I'm glad we just got one of those. I doubt I could have stand more than this.

which is why bringing in the Buffyboy on "Intervention" is a genius move.

I'm sorry. I know it's a typo and I don't mean to make fun of it but now I can't get the image of a Buffy boy out of my head. 😉

 

[BuffyElevated]

With all due respect, I couldn't disagree more. I'm not sure if I've ever seen those confused emotions that occur immediately after death portrayed as well as here. I would say that part of the episode's beauty is that fidelity to those emotions is maintained even at the expense of traditional storytelling. Moments that gut me:

* Buffy's absolute blankness after the 911 call
* Buffy's dialogue with Giles, also at the beginning
* Willow's semi-hysterical fixation on her clothing
* That simple little embrace between Willow and Xander at her dorm
* Anya's AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING monologue - being newly human can make her more human than the rest of us at times
* Dawn's reaction at school to the news - so voyeuristic I can hardly watch

So many others I can barely think of. The tone is incredibly different, but that's what makes it so special. It's a real slice-of-life documentary, and if it makes for uncomfortable watching, that's because it's supposed to.

I will agree, though, that Joyce's death throws the season a bit too far into sadness - which is why bringing in the Buffyboy on "Intervention" is a genius move.

You totally stole the words right out of my mouth for the most part.... I don't understand how people can NOT be moved by "The Body". It's such a gutwrenching, emotional episode and a beautiful tribute to a character who had been with us from the start. I love how they showed how Joyce was a mother figure to ALL of the Scoobies, and how Giles obviously thought of her as more than a one-night-stand and "Buffy's Mom". It was beautiful.

 

[TheVoid68]

With all due respect, I couldn't disagree more. I'm not sure if I've ever seen those confused emotions that occur immediately after death portrayed as well as here. I would say that part of the episode's beauty is that fidelity to those emotions is maintained even at the expense of traditional storytelling. Moments that gut me:

* Buffy's absolute blankness after the 911 call
* Buffy's dialogue with Giles, also at the beginning
* Willow's semi-hysterical fixation on her clothing
* That simple little embrace between Willow and Xander at her dorm
* Anya's AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING monologue - being newly human can make her more human than the rest of us at times
* Dawn's reaction at school to the news - so voyeuristic I can hardly watch

So many others I can barely think of. The tone is incredibly different, but that's what makes it so special. It's a real slice-of-life documentary, and if it makes for uncomfortable watching, that's because it's supposed to.

I will agree, though, that Joyce's death throws the season a bit too far into sadness - which is why bringing in the Buffyboy on "Intervention" is a genius move.

You're completely right. The episode is just so real. Buffy throws up on seeing Joyce and cracks her rib attempted to ressucitate her (which is common even with non-superpowered people). Dawn cries over inconsequential teenage stuff, Willow can't decide what to wear and Xander gets a parking ticket. It gets right to the heart of the sheer mundanity of death.

 

[ElmoHasAGun]

For me it seems pretty impossible to put down exactly what makes The Body amazing but I'll try. It's awkward and hard to watch and just the opposite of what death is potrayed as on TV, which is not really genuine at all, filled with big speeches and people angry and sad but never as confused as you'd really be. Every part of it is exactly what people feel in that situation. The tinniest stupidest parts of it are the ones that hurt the most. Willow can't find the shirt, Xander blaming the doctors and Glory because you need someone to blame, Tara and Buffy share an awkward and silent moment, because Tara is the only one who could understand, Buffy referring to her mom as "The Body" and Dawn's "Where'd she go?" line actually hurt me a little. Maybe I'm a little too much into this show but it did.

 

[white avenger]

I think that Joyce's death and everyone's reaction to it, especially when, as far as was known. the surgery had been completely successful, was pretty believable. It wasn't one of my favorite episodes, but it was certainly a powerful one. The only thing that I would have changed if I had written it would have been to put a scene in there somewhere where Spike said his final goodbyes. As we all know, they were friends, far more than Joyce and Angel ever were. I have no objection whatsoever for Angel being there, but let's be honest. He wasn't there for Joyce, he was there to give comfort and support for Buffy. All well and good. But Spike wasn't even allowed to leave flowers for her or express his sympathies to Buffy or Dawn, either then or later. That was just wrong.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I really don't agree with you. This episode is so powerful, and I would never say they force their emotions. I think they showed it very realistic, especially the begining when Buffy is trying to help her. Telling that to her little sister. Anya not understanding why she died. Willow's too emotional reaction. I mean, we saw how sad Willow was when Jenny died, just one professor. Now mother of her best friend died, the woman who was nice and caring to her, and her reaction was obvious. Xander tried to stay calm, and as a typical man he burried his feelings and blamed the wall. Tara was in that situation before and knew how to handle it. I don't usually use the word "bad" when I talk about Buffy, but I would never say this is one of the worst episodes.

 

[dan k]

For me its a great episode. I wouldn't put it in the favourite category but its still an oustanding episode. Anya shines in this episode as another person previously mentioned. Her monologue is really moving and its fantastic acting from Emma.

The Spike scene with the flowers is a really nice moment which if possible makes you love and appreciate Spike even more.

The whole episode creatively is just a masterpiece also. Dawn's reaction in school is so well shot, i don't usually notice these things but the tone and mood reflected makes great television and delivers a real sense of realism.

Angel returning is a nice touch also.

 

[Natasha1988]

This is a great episode as eventually this kind of thing had to be dealt with but I personally dont choose to watch it because its a bit close to home!

Anya is the best thing about this episode its the first time shes shown to have human emotions or to even register that people hurt. You cant fault this ep its just very diffiult to watch

 

[MandaMeena]

I love this episode. Not just for the story, but also the way it was shot. Very well done.

 

[Bungle Jerry]

Angel is in "Forever", isn't he? Which makes sense, I think. It's best that they don't spoil "The Body" with 'special guest appearance'.

I've said it before, but I think the vampire in the episode is gratuitous and unnecessary. I get why they included it, but it brings the episode away from the stark reality it otherwise has.

I respect that people might not like this episode. My wife for one always insists we skip it. And certainly it doesn't function as background semi-entertainment (which is something I like to use by Buffy DVDs for). But I still think it's an incredible episode.

 

[King of Hell]

if it was a soap opera or a Drama I know I'd love the episode, but it slows the pace of the season A LOT, & the episode isn't the style of Btvs at all, its like you've been watching this 3 hours horror movie, & by the second hour you see the killer about to rip someone's throat, then all of a sudden the killer stops looks at the camera, makes a joke then leaves...the movie resumes where it left off right after that scene, & you know perfectly well if you skip that scene you'd get the right experience & pace of the movie, because that scene adds nothing to the plot at all, especially since the next scene would resume the throat ripping part.

if it was days of our lives, am sure i'd like it, but as a Buffy episode, I can't get it.

 

[Kelsey]

if it was a soap opera or a Drama I know I'd love the episode, but it slows the pace of the season A LOT, & the episode isn't the style of Btvs at all, its like you've been watching this 3 hours horror movie, & by the second hour you see the killer about to rip someone's throat, then all of a sudden the killer stops looks at the camera, makes a joke then leaves...the movie resumes where it left off right after that scene, & you know perfectly well if you skip that scene you'd get the right experience & pace of the movie, because that scene adds nothing to the plot at all, especially since the next scene would resume the throat ripping part.

if it was days of our lives, am sure i'd like it, but as a Buffy episode, I can't get it.

Didn't that happen in a horror movie? I seem to recall one...

Anyway, I think it was intentional. This episode was very different from the standard Buffy MO, but that's part of what makes it powerful. Buffy wasn't a Slayer in that moment; she was a girl who lost her mother for a stupid, inexplicable, and completely human reason. It had nothing at all to do with Buffy's calling or the current Big Bad; it was just something that happened. In other words, it was normal.

If they had done episodes like this all of the time, I wouldn't have liked it, but taking one episode to really capture the terrible, mundane effects of death really added something special to the season, in my opinion. Now, if I'm in the mood to watch a Buffy episode, it's not usually the first one my list, but it is fantastic for what it was trying to acheive.

 

[King of Hell]

Didn't that happen in a horror movie? I seem to recall one...

Anyway, I think it was intentional. This episode was very different from the standard Buffy MO, but that's part of what makes it powerful. Buffy wasn't a Slayer in that moment; she was a girl who lost her mother for a stupid, inexplicable, and completely human reason. It had nothing at all to do with Buffy's calling or the current Big Bad; it was just something that happened. In other words, it was normal.

If they had done episodes like this all of the time, I wouldn't have liked it, but taking one episode to really capture the terrible, mundane effects of death really added something special to the season, in my opinion. Now, if I'm in the mood to watch a Buffy episode, it's not usually the first one my list, but it is fantastic for what it was trying to acheive.

it happens in "Scary Movie" & those comedic horror movies, which are comedy movies with a theme of horror, but it would be different if it happens in, lets say "Saw", by the end, when one of the twists is revealed, something like this happens, which changes everything.

maybe am different, but I don't like it when things get mixed up, when am sitting with my family, its "family time", & I feel weird when a friend is with me during that time. the same goes here, am watching Buffy "the vampire slayer", each episode is cut in half, a half for Buffy Summers & her friends, & a half for Buffy the vampire slayer, but this episode is all about Buffy Summers, which-to me anyway-slows down the pace.

 

[MandaMeena]

I'll wager that there are plenty of great television shows that have had similar episodes that caused things to stutter to a halt. And not just tv, but good novels and other forms of entertainment that involves a plot-line. It's like real life. Not everything runs smoothly. Sometimes you have to take a time out from certain aspects of your life in order to focus on one particularly important one. I'd say a death in the family is something that would cause most people's lives to feel awkward and surreal. That's life.

 

[King of Hell]

I know this happens in real life, but they don't have to show us every single detail in their life. show us those details, but match them with the pace of the program (eg. mix this episode with forever), even though forever carried on a lot of the previous episode, but I still felt like watching Btvs not days of our lives, & the episode is better if I skip "the body".
I guess the episode was a success if people liked it, skipping it solves my problem, I just wanted to hear other people's opinion, & maybe find someone that agrees with me.

 

[Thursday]

I think The Body is amazing, but I can understand why you don't like the episode. Not every episode is for everybody.

I've heard others saying how they do not like this episode because they hate Joyce--- they just aren't moved by her death. As I have never liked Joyce, I can understand this, but the reason this episode moves me is its portrayal of the effects of death. I've never seen any other televison show that's shown it so realistically.

I also don't agree with your soap opera comment. Buffy may not exactly be Young and the Restless, but it's always had elements of teen soap opera and melodrama.

 

[BuffyHead]

Didn't that happen in a horror movie? I seem to recall one...

Anyway, I think it was intentional. This episode was very different from the standard Buffy MO, but that's part of what makes it powerful. Buffy wasn't a Slayer in that moment; she was a girl who lost her mother for a stupid, inexplicable, and completely human reason. It had nothing at all to do with Buffy's calling or the current Big Bad; it was just something that happened. In other words, it was normal.

If they had done episodes like this all of the time, I wouldn't have liked it, but taking one episode to really capture the terrible, mundane effects of death really added something special to the season, in my opinion. Now, if I'm in the mood to watch a Buffy episode, it's not usually the first one my list, but it is fantastic for what it was trying to acheive.

very well said.... that is exactly why it's so powerful.

 

[TheVoid68]

I don't think this episode is even about Joyce anyway. I care way more for Anya than I do for Joyce, but I cried my eyes out on both viewing of The Body, but my eyes were dry watching Chosen. It's not about Joyce, it's about death and its effects on the people closest.

"Remember, we're not drawing the object. We're drawing the negative space around the object."