Joss Whedon Thinks This One Buffy Episode Is The Greatest Factor He is Ever Executed

Loving “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” has turn into difficult of late, however there isn’t any taking away from the emotional affect of some episodes. Initially airing again in 2001, season 5 episode 16 “The Physique” stays probably the most emotionally affecting 45 minutes of TV ever aired — and the one “Buffy” episode star Sarah Michelle Gellar nonetheless cannot carry herself to observe. Your entire season had hinted at Buffy’s mother, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland), doubtlessly being killed off, together with her being identified with a mind tumor in episode 8, earlier than seemingly recovering. However when episode 16 rolled round, audiences had been in for a shock.

Joss Whedon, who wrote the episode, wasted no time hitting viewers within the intestine as Buffy arrives dwelling to seek out her mom’s physique on the sofa, having suffered an aneurysm. There was no eldritch beast for Buffy and the Scoobies to deal with on this episode — other than a run-of-the-mill vampire look in the direction of the top — simply the horror of abject grief.

And in keeping with Whedon, the entire thing was private. Talking to Metro, he stated, “My mom died once I was 27 in a automobile crash. However I did not actually take into consideration mining [the experience] till round season 3. That is the second [Buffy] says ‘I do not know,’ she hasn’t [dealt with this] earlier than. There’s a good type of ache created from her scenario that was significantly private.”

Exploring grief from a private place arguably resulted in probably the most memorable episodes of “Buffy” ever made. However for Whedon, it goes past the present itself. He added: “I believe [‘The Body’] might be one of the best factor I’ve performed and one of the best factor I’ll ever do. And I am okay with that. You realize, there are worse epitaphs.”