Buffy the Vampire Slayeris a groundbreaking television series, consistently pushing the boundaries of its format and taking creative risks, and Spike actor James Marsters' favorite episode reflects that.Buffyepisodes like the nearly dialogue-free “Hush"are prime examples of the show’s willingness to defy conventional TV norms. As discussions of theupcomingBuffyrebootcirculate, it faces the challenge of living up to the original’s innovative spirit and lasting influence. The bar is exceptionally high, particularly inBuffy’s capacity to deliver episodes that not only entertained but also advanced the medium.
One episode that epitomizesBuffy’s audacious approach and enduring legacy is the season 6 musical episode.“Once More with Feeling” is full of catchy songs, and although James Marsters typically dislikes musicals, he revealed that there’s a special place in his heart for thisBuffyepisode. Ultimately, “Once More with Feeling” a testament to the show’s ability to transcend genre expectations and impact television forever.
James Marsters' Favorite Buffy Episode Is “Once More With Feeling”
Speaking toViceabout his favoriteBuffy the Vampire Slayerepisode,Spike actor James Marstersrevealed he loves “Once More With Feeling”, the musical episode.He said he usually doesn’t favor the musical genre, andthe whole company was apprehensive about Joss Whedon’s unconventional idea— although he and Anthony Head are musicians, so they didn’t have nearly the reservations of the rest of the cast. Marsters said:
It became apparent very quickly that Joss was not going to be deterred at all and that we were gonna do this whether we liked it or not. As a company we stopped complaining and got to work hiring our own vocal coaches and dance instructors. As a companywe decided, in the face of certain failure, guaranteed doom, we were going to go out swinging and try our best. I was proud of us. It was a huge risk. I think the only one that thought it wasn’t was Joss, because he knew he could pull it off. He actually rolled out a television on the soundstage because he needed to do a quick edit on the first scene that he shot, which was the Xander and Anya dance. He showed that to us to allay our fears. After that we knew it was going to be brilliant; we went from the depth of depression to the height of fun during that episode.
ThoughJoss Whedon’s abuse and misconduct allegationssomewhat mar the legacy of his creative projects, there’s no denying Marsters' words, thatBuffy’s “Once More with Feeling” is a brilliant piece of television. Every actor has a chance to shine, and the cast had so much fun that they were disappointed to go back to filming regular non-musical episodes.“Once More with Feeling” forever changed the medium, with shows likeGrey’s AnatomyandLuciferhavingmemorable TV musical episodes.
Why “Once More With Feeling” Is One Of Buffy’s All-Time Greats
The Iconic Buffy Episode Also Progressed Season 6’s Story
“Once More With Feeling” is a much-needed uplift in a dark season ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer.Even viewers who don’t usually like musicals surely must admit the songs are really good — and aside from some comic relief, like the guy on the street singing about how the dry cleaner“got the mustard out”with the help of a chorus, and a woman protesting a parking ticket, all the songs are plot relevant. The episode also cannot be written off as mere filler, as there arekey moments in the episode’s story that progress the overall season.
Mustard Man and Parking Ticket Woman are played byBuffyseries writers and producers David Fury and Marti Noxon, respectively.
For example, Tara discovers how Willow has been violating her boundaries with magic,foreshadowing the Dark Willow storyline, and that has a real impact on their relationship that extends past the episode. Buffy finallyconfesses to the Scoobies that they pulled her out of heaven, and her revelation being in the form of song makes the moment even more explosive. These moments make the episode impossible to miss. The writing is also brilliant, as it plays with well-establishedBuffyconventions like sending in backup, switching combat reinforcements to backup singers.
The musical format allows tensions that have been building since the beginning of season 6 to find an unconventional release.
What makes “Once More With Feeling” shine particularly brightly compared to other TV series’ musical episode efforts is that the characters are so well developed by season 6. This makes the narrative of the songs anything but frivolous, packing an emotional punch with the themes explored through music. The musical formatallows tensions that have been building since the beginning of season 6 to find an unconventional release.
Another way the execution was so good is that it made the best of the whole cast’s talents. For example, Michelle Trachtenberg was a trained dancer, so they gave her Dawn’s contemporary ballet scene with Sweet and his goons. Those with the strongest singing voices are given more to sing, resulting in the best numbers, like Tara and Giles’ duet. Even though James Marsters’ comments describe a cast made to do a musical whether they liked it or not, it sounds like their fears were allayed because it played to all their strengths.
“Once More With Feeling” Took On A Life Of Its Own
OMWF Was Made For The Stage
“Once More with Feeling” genuinely works as a musical, with the help of a Tony-winning Broadway actor (Hinton Battle as Sweet). It also helped to have Anthony Head in the cast, as he had stage musical experience playingThe Rocky Horror Picture Show’sDr. Frank-N-Furter at Picadilly Circus in the early 1990s. Plus, Joss Whedon, who had never before written a musical, wrote a solid set of numbers in a range of styles while havingshockingBuffymomentsthroughout. For these reasons, it seems natural that it would inspire tribute works for the stage.
The episode hasinspired several campy and vampy drag showsinBuffy the Vampire Slayertribute cabarets. One upcoming example is the brilliantly named “Once More With Even More Feeling” atPleasance Londonthis October. This tribute looks to be a particularly impressive achievement, with the drag artists Crayola & Crusty playing“literally everyone”. Another excellent tribute in the past was a 2018 performance by Footbridge in New York City (viaYouTube). The Scoobies dancing to theBuffytheme song at the beginning, and Giles with tea mug in hand, sets the tone for a spectacular performance.
“Once More With Feeling” is also a favorite for public screenings ofBuffy,having plenty of jokes and lines of songs for audiences to join in with. Overall, the musical episode was an impactful moment of television. Based on James Marsters' recollection of a panicking cast, it could have been a disaster. Instead, it emerged as one of many worthwhile risksBuffy the Vampire Slayertook throughout its run, solidifying its status as a true innovator in the television landscape, a legacy that continues to resonate and inspire both then and now.
