The Body

My thoughts on "The Body"

I took a peek at this episode before I actually got to it offically.

I can see why some people think it's boring, but also there are some great scenes and speeches involved as well.

The scenes are indeed a bit lengthy, but the scene with Willow trying to figure out what to wear, followed by Anya's "I don't understand" speech was the highlight of show. Truly good stuff there.

I will say that even though this was good, it didn't quite move me as much as the situation when Buff ran away from home and dealt with lonliness.

Lonliness is something we don't have to face (as opposed to death--which we all face) and that's why Buff facing something she didn't have to go through was much more emotional for me.
 
People find this episode boring? whats wrong with you people! (just kidding, I'm not an angry person lol)

I thought this episode was amazing not only in writing but it was superbly acted by ALL members of the cast and thought it was dealt with in a realistic and relateable way. I've never lost a close relative or experienced finding a dead body but I dont think it was over-acted or anything it was perfect.

I loved that Joyces corpse was refered to as the body so many times, and that the paramedics had to leave because they had other people to save showing buffys helplessness and her inability to beat the bad guy, which is her usual sloution. and I knind of thought it was shown that joyces death wasnt really that important to other people. Not the main cast but the staff and stuff.

Anya's scene like you said was the highlight, and willow, and dawn being told, and everything! I loved it and found it to be one of the most memorable episodes of the show.
 
I'm not sure how someone could find this episode boring!! In my opinion is stands out as one of the better episodes in the series.

I thought the acting was well done.

I also thought that the absence of ANY background music made it seem so much more raw and real.

I thought this episode was very well done. :clap:
 
A boring episode! I don't think so!!!

I loved this episode because it was so different to all the other episodes. There was no music, it was so quiet. Buffy's reaction, even the sickness she felt was so real. I have never seen a dead body but I found myself relating to her, I could imagine myself doing that down to cleaning it up.

I loved the scene in where Willow and the gang where preparing to go to the hospital, especially when Xander hit the wall. I just found it great. It was one of those moments where you wanted to laugh but it seemed wrong to do so.

Also when Buffy told Dawn, I just wanted to jump through the TV and hug them both. Personally my opinion is that this was a great episode! I loved it as I thought it was dealt with brilliantly.
 
I didn't know people found it boring either.. It's one of my favourite episodes.. Not at all boring.. hm..

(Merged this thread with the The Body-thread..)
 
S
Summers Blood
I wondered what had happened! I entered it and there were 4 replys suddenley 44!
^ Yeah, through this three-page thread alone, only one person said it wasn't his favorite, but didn't say it was boring. :[

Anywho, I, too, love the show for all the above reasons (acting, various but purposeful camera shots, different reactions for each character, no music, real time, etc.).

I cried nearly in every scene, but the few scenes that get me the most are Anya's monologue, Buffy's beginning scene (especially when she catches herself calling her mom "the body" for the first time), Willow's indecisiveness over such a petty thing (which is obviously blown out of proportion due to the cirumstances), and when Dawn doesn't touch her mother.

This is definitely up there in top three BTVS episodes.
 
A good episode, but not a great one, as the rest of you would have me believe. One thing I've noticed about this show is that it does not excel at sentimentality. I sense the reason behind this is that SMG and Co., in these situations, are inclined to overplay the roles to the point of self-parody. The directors needed to mute the acting just the right amount to keep their respective episodes out of maudlin territory.

When I saw that Whedon not only wrote the script but also called the shots, I had hoped that his directorial control would keep the performances in line. Wrong again.

As for the absence of music, you could say I'm ambivalent on that issue. Generally, hour-long episodes of any show need music to keep up the pace; otherwise, they turn out duller than they otherwise might be. Here, though, there's supposedly a purpose behind it that I'm still in the dark about.

To summarize: Eminently watchable, but something of a disappointment.
 
I have to defend one of the best buffy episodes here! Iron dreamer wtf! Your entitled to your opinion on it , but I disagree entirely with your negative comments about the episode.

The acting in my opinion was spot on, not at all to the point of self parody as you put it. In fact the oposite. I found ALL actors portrayals of their characters reaction to death of someone close to be realistic and full of emotion that was clear to me as an audience member. I believed their performance, and felt they acted to a standard that surpased the quality I'd expect from even the best television.

I thought the lack of music was VERY effective in setting the mood for the episode. I think Joss should be commended for his risk in not using music. I think your comment about hour long tv shows 'needing' music otherwise they're dull and slow paced as a criticism was absurd. It wasnt meant to be fast paced or particularly bright and cheerful(or whatever the oposote of dull is) I felt that it put me as an audience member into the buffys confused and distraught state of mind.

Personally I thought it was a work of art and tv genius. Joss and all involved in the creation of this memorable episode should be congratulated on their achievment and not critised in such a way!


(I apoligise for the above post. I feel passionately about the episode and feel obliged to defend criticism. This is my opinion, and you're entitled to yours)
 
Iron Dreamer said:
A good episode, but not a great one, as the rest of you would have me believe. One thing I've noticed about this show is that it does not excel at sentimentality. I sense the reason behind this is that SMG and Co., in these situations, are inclined to overplay the roles to the point of self-parody. The directors needed to mute the acting just the right amount to keep their respective episodes out of maudlin territory.

When I saw that Whedon not only wrote the script but also called the shots, I had hoped that his directorial control would keep the performances in line. Wrong again.

As for the absence of music, you could say I'm ambivalent on that issue. Generally, hour-long episodes of any show need music to keep up the pace; otherwise, they turn out duller than they otherwise might be. Here, though, there's supposedly a purpose behind it that I'm still in the dark about.

To summarize: Eminently watchable, but something of a disappointment.
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Wow, this post really surprises me, how people can have such different opinions about something like this. Do you really think that the acting wasn't good at all? I'd agree about Emma's famous speech (sorry Anya fans), but the rest of them did an awesome job in my opinion. And the absence of music really really works for me. First time I saw The Body I thought it was almost unbarable to watch, because I felt like I couldn't breathe.. I think Joss really succeeded there. This is one of my two all time favourite TV episodes ever, completely genious to me.
 
Iron Dreamer said:
A good episode, but not a great one, as the rest of you would have me believe. One thing I've noticed about this show is that it does not excel at sentimentality. I sense the reason behind this is that SMG and Co., in these situations, are inclined to overplay the roles to the point of self-parody. The directors needed to mute the acting just the right amount to keep their respective episodes out of maudlin territory.

When I saw that Whedon not only wrote the script but also called the shots, I had hoped that his directorial control would keep the performances in line. Wrong again.

As for the absence of music, you could say I'm ambivalent on that issue. Generally, hour-long episodes of any show need music to keep up the pace; otherwise, they turn out duller than they otherwise might be. Here, though, there's supposedly a purpose behind it that I'm still in the dark about.

To summarize: Eminently watchable, but something of a disappointment.
Click to expand...

This episode is a bit of a paradox really. Essentially the episode is about boredom and nothingness...No wait, that was that book...or was that being and nothingness..ack same thing!

There is no music because music is a comfort to the audience. The Body is not about helping people understand death or deal with it better. It's simply about capturing the lack of anything. The vacuum that comes with grief in its early state.

As for the overacting..not sure I agree. I actually thought most of them were right on the money with this one. 'Cept Joyce...she overplayed it.
 
Yeah, I kinda anticipated some of you guys would come after me. :tank:

Remember, I did not say this episode was a turkey! FAR from it. "Beer Bad" or "Go Fish", this ain't. Out of a possible 10 points, I'd probably give "The Body" a "7", which is nothing to sneeze at. 🙂

As I watched the episode, I desperately fought all urges to compare it with an episode from another series, one where the main characters aren't coping with someone else's demise, but rather, their own.

You never know. This one might grow on me with repeated viewings. :biggrin:
 
Actually, when I quite recently watched an episode of The L Word that reminded me of The Body, I couldn't help comparing it to this episode.. And I think I would have loved the L Word ep a lot more if I hadn't, cause to me The Body just works so awesomely great.. compared to many other similar episodes from other shows...
 
Can't watch this eppisode, it makes my heart hurt.

Seriously though, i can't really thim of another eppisode of TV that has been as real as the body. That's including 60 minuts, the news, u get the picture. I was watching it when my 7 year old brother walked in, when buffy was giving her mum CPR, and he sat down, and watched the rest of the eppisode, as if it was actualy better than the cartoons he usually watches. When I think about it, it's not that spectacular, it's just a guy with a camera and a bunch of actors crying or looking at the floor, but that's probably one of the things that makes it so real.
 
I honestly cant believe that anyone believes the acting was terrible! I mean the acting of SMG was incredible, very real and effective on the viewer, also Alyson Hannigan did an amazing job, she looked truly upset!
 
This one has gone up in my estimation. 🙂

I no longer have any quarrel with the acting--it is fine and unobtrusive. Saying it will find me going through a whole box of Kleenex is a still a bit of a stretch, though.

The only real quibble I have is with the inclusion of a vampire--the fewer fantasy pills an episode forces the viewer to swallow, the better.

My rating: 8 :happy30:
 
W
What happened to good TV?
I'm glad you realised your mistake :p
I have to agree with Iron dreamer about the quibble of the in my opinion unnecessary inclusion of the vampire in this episode. I think its great in other episodes, but I felt the episode would've been more powerful if there wasnt one. I watched it today and was once again amazed at the episode. There was a bit i had to remind and rewatch that I didnt remember. When the pathologist guy tells buffy and the gang the cause of Joyces death and buffy asks if there was any pain the doctor says 'I'm sure there was none' and then 'I'm have to lie to make you feel better' as a voice over(cos you can see the lips are out of sync with the voice. I gotta say I didnt remember this and thought it was brilliant!! really put you in buffys state of mind. I love it. I loved watching the Willow obsessing over what clothes to wear, and Anyas memorable speech, but most of all this time around I realy appreciated the quality of Buffy-tara interactions and most of all buffy telling dawn. That is now my favourite bit of the episode.
 
The Body has so many good things about it, the acting is superbly done but also...the whole storyline of it all. It's so real, and it was so sudden. It's a horrible way to find your mother, but don't horrible things always happen in the Jossverse anyhow? We just had to adjust, as did the characters. It was one of the best episodes, actors/actresses as well as the writers at their best.
 
I watched this episode once, and then was forced to watch it again for a lesson at school that I can't remember the name of where the subject was dealing with death, but I will never watch it again. It brings me down so much. It just upsets me to think that that kind of thing really does happen in life and it is freaking scary.
 
I watched this episode again last night... so it is fresh on my mind. I wouldn't say that I like watching the episode...I find it VERY difficult to watch. However, I think it IS an EXCELLENT episode, quite possibly the most powerful of the series, if not TV shows in general.

It all seems so real and I can't hold back the waterworks.
 
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