Once More, With Feeling

Season 6, Episode 7, Aired
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Episode Summary

Sunnydale is alive with the sound of music as a mysterious force causes everyone in town to burst into full musical numbers, revealing their innermost secrets as they do. Add in the fact that some townsfolk dance so much that they simply burst into flame, and it becomes clear that the Gang must stop this musical menace.moreless
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  • GENIUS!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By joxerlives, Jan 20, 2012 Report Abuse
    The Good;
    All of it. My favourites would have to be Tara's song and 'Going through the motions' although Anya's solo is a belter. Always leaving them wanting more, certainly true of the Spuffers in the final scene. Also love Tara's uncontrollable jazz hands during 'I've got a theory' and the ballet of morning in the Summer's house.

    The Bad; ? I think the weakest of all the songs is Giles' which I didn't really dig. No real fan of Spike's either.

    Best line;
    Giles; "Buffy needs backup"

    Women good/men bad;
    Xander's witches theory which he rapidly recants.

    Jeez!;
    Dawn getting the sack isn't nice.

    Kinky dinky;
    Sweet wants to claim Dawn as his child bride but Buffy volunteers to go instead. She's not interested in the handsome hostage she rescues in the graveyard. Parking ticket girl isn't wearing any underwear. Anya mentions that Xander's 'penis got diseases from a Shumash tribe' which might be the best lyric in history. Dawn's superb dancing with Sweet and his minions is extremely suggestive, MT really starting to become noticeably voluptuous as well as tall. Dawn's story about giving birth to a Pterodactyl must have pleased the Got-ficcers. Love Anya's two-piece nightie, Xander loving it in the night when he's 'warm in her tight....tight embrace' which he also describes as 'firm and supple' later. Buffy goes to 'pump Spike for information'. She ends up straddling him in a grave.

    Captain Subtext;
    Tara jokes that she's cured and 'wants the boys' who eye her up (don't blame them, Tara's corset certainly helps her already formidable cleavage). The end of her song where Willow's head disappears downwards as Tara floats is the filthiest bit of Buffy for, oh at least half a season. I'm sure Joss must have been tempted to do "You make me complete. You make me com..." then cut back to the Magic Shop but even the dumbest censor must have been able to spot that. Willow says she's not 'big with the butch'. Tara sings about 'Spreading beneath her Willow tree'. Dawn thinks Willow and Tara together is romantic and that she 'does know about this stuff'. Hmmmm? Of course the Willow/Tara sex scene is arguably rape, Willow's spell has interfered with Tara's mind and without it's influence she probably wouldn't consent to having sex with her. Sweet is 'tempted' to take Xander as his 'Queen' (well you know those Broadway types!) Anya is still a little jealous of Buffy saying Xander flees to her when things get tough.

    Guantanamo Bay;
    Spike wants to make the minion "Sing"

    Apocalypses; 6

    Scoobies in bondage:
    Buffy: 8
    Giles: 4
    Cordy: 5
    Will: 3
    Jenny: 1
    Angel: 4
    Oz: 1
    Faith: 3
    Joyce: 1
    Wes: 1
    Xander; 1
    Dawn; 3

    Scoobies knocked out: Dawn comes-to on the pool table at the Bronze
    Buffy: 16
    Giles: 11
    Cordy: 6
    Xander: 9
    Will: 5
    Jenny: 2
    Angel: 6
    Oz: 3
    Faith: 1
    Joyce: 3
    Wes: 1
    Anya;2
    Dawn; 2

    Kills: one of the trio of vamps Buffy kills in the graveyard has the distinction of being her hundredth vamp (killed onscreen at least) plus their demon master
    Buffy: 101 vamps, 41 demons, 6 monsters, 3 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot
    Giles: 8 vamps, 2 demon, 1 human, 1 god.
    Cordy: 3 vamps, a demon
    Will: 6 vamps + 1 demon +1 fawn.
    Angel: 3 vamps, 1 demon, 1 human
    Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie
    Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans
    Xander: 5 vamps, 2 zombies, 1 a demon,
    Anya: 1 vamp and 1 a demon
    Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons
    Spike; 5 vamps and 2 demon
    Buffybot; 2 vamps
    Tara; 1 demon
    Dawn; 1 vamp

    Scoobies go evil:
    Giles: 1
    Cordy: 1
    Will: 2
    Jenny: 1
    Angel: 1
    Oz: 1
    Joyce: 1
    Xander: 4
    Anya; 1
    Dawn; 1

    Alternate scoobies:
    Buffy: 6
    Giles: 3
    Cordy: 1
    Will: 2
    Jenny: 2
    Angel: 3
    Oz: 2
    Joyce: 2
    Xander: 3

    Recurring characters killed: 10
    Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara, Joyce

    Sunnydale deaths; 3 burnt to death by their dancing
    93;

    Total number of scoobies: 7
    Xander, Willow, Buffy, Giles, Anya, Tara, Spike

    Xander demon magnet: 5(6?)
    Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya (arguably Buffy & Faith with their demon essences?), Dracula?

    Scoobies shot:
    Giles: 2
    Angel: 3
    Oz: 4
    Riley; 1

    Notches on Scooby bedpost:
    Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes?
    Cordy: 1?
    Buffy: 3 confirmed; Angel, Parker,Riley, 1 possible, Dracula(?)
    Angel: 1;Buffy
    Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?)
    Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca
    Faith:2 ;Xander, Riley
    Xander: 2; Faith, Anya
    Willow: 2;Oz and Tara
    Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore

    Spike; good or bad?
    Spike saves the day and earns his kiss

    Dawn in peril; 6 as Buffy says "If Dawn's in trouble it must be Tuesday"

    Dawn the bashful virgin; 5 horrified at the thought of being a demon bride.

    Questions and observations;
    Longest ever ep of Buffy. Contary to popular belief not the first musical ep for a fantasy series, Xena did it first (the terrific 'The Bitter Suite') and arguably Ally McBeal too. But altogether splendid. Note that the newspaper has the city council denying that monsters are involved, SD's open secret apparent. Again note that Buffy sings that 'Through the smoke she calls to me' as she makes her way to the Bronze, once again some sort of stronger link between Dawn and Buffy is suggested. Ironically in an ep where Tara takes Willow to task for magic abuse it's Xander who screws up everything. He is never brought to book for this, just as he's never called to account for his actions in Becoming Pt 2. In fairness it's hard to pick a Scooby who hasn't abused the supernatural and caused the deaths of innocent people? Note the look Tara gives Willow when she starts crying at Buffy's revelation, their rift forgotten.
    One question, what is Buffy drawing in her notepad when Giles summons her for training in the teaser?
    Marks out of 10; 10/10, legendary!



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  • Sing It Loud! Sing It Proud!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By lenzinoH20, Oct 18, 2011 Report Abuse
    Once More, With Feeling-Sunnydale is alive with the sound of music as a mysterious force causes everyone in town to burst into full musical numbers, revealing their innermost secrets as they do. Add in the fact that some townsfolk dance so much that they simply burst into flame, and it becomes clear that the Gang must stop this musical menace.
    Let's face it! "Once More, With Feeling" is a love it or hate it episode. Either you get it or you don't, either you love musicals or you don't! But even for those who find nothing special about this episode what so ever, one has to appreciate the vast amount of time and effort that went into the production of this episode. Sure, it's not the first musical episode to ever grace our TV screens (Xena actually had TWO musical episode prior to this one!) But the fact is, when Joss Whedon and his talented team of writers, producers, actors etc. get together for an experimental and challenging episode like this one, no other show does it better! "Once More, With Feeling" is much deeper than most people realize. Sure the plot for the most part is straight forward: another evil nasty is at work by making Sunnydale suffer his wrath but it's much more than that. Through beautifully written lyrics (written by Joss I might add, is there anything he can't do?) and lavish, wonderfully directed Broadway style performances, we once again watch our beloved characters grow and unleash their deepest, darkest secrets through song and dance. Yes, I know it sounds silly but it you've seen this episode, it's anything but. I think the only way to effectively review this whole episode is by going through each musical sequence one by one. After an already nicely directed opening sequence (with a new opening credit sequence), we see Buffy on a routine patrol:
    "Going Through The Motions" is both hilarious musical number with some very depressing lyrics. Buffy feels she has nothing that motivates her anymore in her life to the point where she "going through motions" every day. Slaying, her sister, everything is becoming meaningless to her. While she's "alive" physically, she's dead on the inside. Even after saving that hilariously good-looking man, Buffy just don't care and her line says it: "I just want to be ALIIIVE!"
    "I've Got A Theory/Bunnies/If We're Together" is the next number after Buffy goes to the magic song asking if anyone happened to busted into song the previous night like she did. To everyone's disbelief, they all did and they all begin singing their own theories about what could be behind it. The best part is without doubt Anya's rock solo about how the Bunnies being behind it. Got love the direction there with the strobs light, shaky camera work and random pyrotechnics! Lol Then it concludes with Buffy seeing about them facing whatever coming as long their together since it's always what they've done in the past. The main cast really does sound good when they sing as a collective unit and Anthony Stewart Head especially sounds awesome, which isn't surprising as we heard him sing on the series before and has done musicals before like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". Also, I love the moment of Buffy checking out to see if the rest of the town is experiencing he same thing and we see the famous "They Got The Mustard Out!" sequence. It's just so random yet remarkable.
    "Under Your Spell" is definitely my favorite number, which is a sweet serenade by Tara to Willow about her undying love for her. Not only does Amber Benson have a stunning voice and delivers the song brilliantly, but the song has some serious underlining subtext. If you think about it, Tara is literally under Willow's spell as she made her forget about their fight last episode and still doesn't know. It's kinda eerie seeing Tara so blissfully unaware of this and the end of the number seeing her...uhh...lifted in air by that bliss is a pretty sexually charged metaphor there! It's also hilarious the scene that takes place after when everyone is trying to shelter Dawn about what Willow and Tara are up, too but it's pretty obvious! It also turns out that all the singing and dancing has a consequence: you eventually burn into nothing! Uh Oh?
    "I'll Never Tell" is Xander and Anya's duet about their domestic life, all the pros and cons about their living together as well as their future. Not to mention, the "Pangs" reference was priceless! Filled with humorous lines and silly dancing, "I'll Never Tell" is definitely the most lighthearted of the all the numbers, but it's still plenty entertaining. The next scene one again shows just how excellent Joss' direction is as well as how much work went into the episode as Giles, Xander and Anya walking down a street talking about the continuing problem at hand with other people in Sunnydale are performing their everyday lives like a women getting a parking ticket, a couple dancing in bliss and street sweeper tap dancing with brooms. It's just all so amusing and nicely shot.
    "Rest In Peace" is Spike's unexpected serenade to Buffy and you just got to love him trying to get her out of his crypt before he started singing but him being too late. "Rest In Peace" is basically his feelings on his relationship or lack of one with Buffy. He just can't stand being around her and not being with her to the point where he wants her just to go away. It's pretty sad as Spike knows Buffy just spends time with him for information mostly and nothing else, she basically uses him and will do more so once they start sleeping together. Also you gotta love his last line "So your not staying then?"
    "Dawn's Ballet/What You Feel", it's funny thinking that Dawn was about to sing about her latest issues when she's suddenly kidnapped...again. Her dance piece at the bronzes was nicely choreographed introducing us to the main baddie of the episode Sweet and his henchmen. Both looking very well made and I especially love the Pinocchio-like heads and hands they have. Joss' always creates the most inventive looking creatures. Sweet's little number is cool as he plans to take Dawn as his queen in the Underworld.
    "Standing" is Giles' solo number and pretty much what you'd expect. Both the song's lyrics and Anthony Stewart's vocals are fantastic as we once again look into Giles' heart, feeling he is simply stopping Buffy from growing up and being an adult if he stays in Sunnydale, always being there for her. This leads into Tara, after finding out she had a fight with Willow from Dawn, coming into the Magic Shop searching for the truth. It's a heartbreaking moment when Tara realizes what Willow did to her, leading to "Reprise", a mixed number of Tara's song and Giles' song. Both Amber and Anthony really sound amazing together but what makes this sudden duet works is because both them realizing that both of them need to leave Buffy and Willow.
    "Walk Through The Fire" is definitely the strongest number of the episode. Not only filled with powerful, thought-provoking lyrics, but the whole ensemble sounds great here, building to an awesome showdown at the bronze.
    'Something To Sing About" is another heartfelt number with more brilliant lyrics about life and the challenges as well as complexity of it. It once again shows Buffy continuinghesitationtowards toward living life and it almost leads to her dancing to her death until Spike shows up to stop her to make her realize she has to live no matter how hard it is. Even Dawn reminds Buffy of what she once told her "The hardest thing in this world...is to live in it. You also gotta love the hilarious moment where Giles tells Anya and Tara to "back-up" Buffy, LOL.
    After we find out Xander was the one who unleashed Sweet (Seriously Xander, a demons a demons, no matter how fun it sounds), the concludes with "Where Do We Go From Here?", a strong ending number with the ensemble which Spike justwalksout of half way. But not before Buffy catches up with him and they kiss for the first time! "THE END!"
    Honestly, "Once More, With Feeling" is another achievement under Joss Whedon's belt! The main cast and the crew should be proud of thetremendouswork they did here. I swear it's a shame the Emmys have never given Buffy one award after all these ground-breaking episodes from this series. No show will ever challenge the foundations of TV again....or at least for a while.moreless

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  • A decent episode that was fun to watch but, in my opinion, not nearly all it's cracked up to be.

    5.5
    "Mediocre"
    By BrushiePenguins, Oct 17, 2011 Report Abuse
    Obviously I got into Buffy a little late in the game, having finally gotten around to watching it 14 years after it originally aired. Still, I've found the show as a whole to be very enjoyable and I've gone through the seasons pretty quickly. I've also found myself agreeing with the majority of fans on the episodes that are considered the best: "Hush", "The Body" and "Becoming pt. 2" for example. For that reason, I was excited to reach this episode, which, I was aware, is regarded by many as the absolute best of the series.

    Maybe I'm just a bit hard to please because I'm a hardcore Broadway fan. I've seen over 40 musicals in my time and I must say that by comparison this one did not really impress. It might also be because I already know and love Joss Whedon's far superior musical "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog" and was expecting this one to be on par. My main problem with this wasn't really the singing, which was mediocre at best for all but three or four of the characters. The episode as a whole just didn't work for me. The songs didn't seem to fit into the story as they do in Dr. Horrible or any other well executed musical. They felt more like diversions from the plot, merely thrown in because they could be. I didn't really find most of them particularly impressive either, though there were a couple that were enjoyable. There's just not really anything special about them. They sound generic for the most part and without significant vocal talent behind many of the numbers they just kind of fell flat.

    Overall it was an alright episode, but I really don't see in it what so many other people seem to. I'd take a more serious episode like "Passion" or "Hush" over this one any day. This episode just felt a bit campy and out of context of the overall story and I found myself disappointed by the end of it.moreless

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  • Once more, with quality.

    4.5
    "Poor"
    By DanFuchs, Oct 17, 2011 Report Abuse
    Vastly overrated, I'd say the most overrated Buffy episode there is, Once More, With Feeling sees all of Sunnydale bursting into song. Buffy and the Scoobies must find a way to stop the evil force behind it lest the citizens will burn up from dancing.

    You can hear it from the summary, can't you? This episode has something like the thinnest plot in Buffy history. The whole story screams 'Joss Whedon wanted to make a musical episode so he found the most obvious plotline possible'. The musical element does not make sense, the plot excuse is downright lame, and what could have been a masterpiece instead unfolds itself as an overlong display of poor vocal abilities. I guess that's the risk when you experiment. It's bound to happen when you are as artistic as Whedon is, a trait that made episodes like The Body phenomenal. But here it doesn't work. It could have I have no suggestions as to what to do, but I'm certain it is possible to make a brilliant musical TV drama episode but Whedon fails. The songs aren't really good and, as I mentioned, the plot is embarrassing. You could claim that the goofiness of the plot is exactly what makes it work it is all intentional but it still flops, as far as I'm concerned. I admit, Spike's Rest In Peace is a catchy song, though I don't see how a vampire would be resting in peace if it hadn't fallen in love. But there you go. There is some very nice humor, as always, though. Anya's sudden rock anti-bunny outburst made me laugh out loud, for instance. But apart from that, this episode does not lift itself out of the ordinary. Unless it's into the annoying.

    Don't get yourselves excited if you're about to see this for the first time 'cause you'll be in for a disappointment.moreless

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  • Everyone is bursting into song. But as with everything that is good there comes some consequence, like bursting into flames.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Mari452, Apr 15, 2011 Report Abuse
    This is by far one of my most favorite episodes of the entire series. It was a great, light hearted, funfilled episode. This whole season was very dark but this was great. I love the songs and the lyrics in "I'll Never Tell" were hilarious. It is such a revealing episode. I loved Tara's song to Willow. That song was so beautiful and touching. The dancing and singing was performed well by the cast. The whole episode was amazing. I do wish that Alyson Hannigan would have sung a little more. This episode is a classic that can be veiwed time and time again.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Dawn's line "the hardest thing in this world is to live in it" was the same advice that Buffy gave her before diving from the tower in the episode The Gift (5x22). Edit
    • The headline of the paper that Xander is reading in his apartment says "Mayhem Caused: Monsters Certainly Not Involved, Officials Say." Edit
    • If you look carefully, the magazine near Dawn's jewelery box (we see this when she sings Dawn's Lament) has Justin Timberlake on the front. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • While the gang is trying to figure out what is going on, Giles sings "a dancing demon, no, something isn't right there." Joss Whedon, who wrote this episode, played the demon Numfar in the Angel episode Through the Looking Glass (2x21). Numfar had no lines, but danced almost the entire time he was onscreen. Edit
    • There is an easter egg on the DVD of this episode. Select "Once More With Feeling", and then in the following screen go to the "Language Selection" and there highlight the menu entry "English for the hearing-impaired." Now press the "Left" arrow key on your remote control and the Buffy "B" will be highlighted giving you access to 3-minutes worth of footage from the soundtrack signing at Tower Records in Los Angeles. Edit
    • This episode is number two in Joss Whedon's list of his top ten favorite episodes according to The Last Sundown featurette in the season seven DVD box set. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Willow: I've got a theory we should work this fast! Giles and Willow: Because it clearly could get serious before it's passed! Edit
    • Sweet: Showtime! Edit
    • Buffy: I touch the fire and it freezes me. I look into it, and it's black. Why can't I feel? My skin should crack and peel. I want the fire back! Now through the smoke, she calls to me; to make my way across the flame. To save the day, or maybe melt away. I guess it's all the same... So I will walk, through the fire, 'cause where else can I turn? And I will walk through the fire, and let it... Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Buffy: A world of no.
      Spike offers Buffy a drink and she says 'a world of no,' a line similar to the lyric 'a world full of no' from one of Roxie Hart's songs from OMWF's fellow musical, Chicago. Edit
    • Buffy: Going Through The Motions
      At the very end of Buffy's first song "Going Through the Motions" she walks up steps to a landing in the graveyard overlooking the cemetery. As she finishes singing her last line "I just want to be alive!" she stakes a vampire whose dust explodes around her. This is based on the scene in "The Little Mermaid" when Ariel is on top of the boulder in the ocean overlooking the beach. As she is singing her last line "Part of that world" a large wave crashes behind her. Edit
    • Buffy/Giles: Training montage from an eighties movie / inspirational power chords.
      Buffy is referring to the decided trend in 80's movies to include a "training montage" (nor just Rocky and the Karate Kid--many 80's movies have that, such as the ones about dancers). Power chords are a type of simplified chord played in a lot of rock music - the types of songs that usually accompany 80's movie training montages. Edit

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