Joss Whedon's Top Ten Buffy Episodes

Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy, gave USA Today a list of his ten favorite Buffy episodes. (Via Ms.Musings). Not bothering with false modesty, eight of the ten episodes he selected were written and directed by himself. (And rightly so – Whedon is by miles the best Buffy writer. Sometimes I wonder if the show wouldn’t have been better off as one of those BBC shows, with only 8 or 12 episodes a season, but all of them written by the series creator).

Anyhow, Joss’ list:

All of these are good episodes, but not all of them would be on my personal “top ten” list. Speaking of which…

Amp’s ten favorite Buffy episodes:

(That last one I’m not sure of; I might prefer “Innocence” instead, or maybe “Family.” Or “Something Blue.”)

Why is listing things so fun?

USA today also has an article listing all the times Buffy has “saved the world” (or at least, sizable chunks of southern California). Well, sort of; because they discussed only season-enders, they missed three mid-season world-saves, Innocence, The Zeppo and the exceedingly forgettable Doomed.

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25 Responses to Joss Whedon's Top Ten Buffy Episodes

  1. 1
    Olivia Rickards says:

    My top ten episodes

    10.Forever
    09.Once More with a feeling
    08.Graduation(part1,part2)
    07.Lover’s Walk
    06.Earshot
    05.Surprise
    04.Innocence
    03.Becoming(part20
    02.The prom
    01.Chosen

  2. 2
    Olivia Rickards says:

    My top ten episodes

    10.Forever
    09.Once More with a feeling
    08.Graduation(part1,part2)
    07.Lover’s Walk
    06.Earshot
    05.Surprise
    04.Innocence
    03.Becoming(part2)
    02.The prom
    01.Chosen

  3. 3
    Thomas says:

    Buffy is the greatest show in the entire world i wish everyone knew how good it was

  4. 4
    Thomas says:

    Buffy is the greatest show in the entire world i wish everyone knew how good it was

  5. 5
    PinkDreamPoppies says:

    This is the official double-post thread!

  6. 6
    PinkDreamPoppies says:

    This is the official double-post thread!

  7. 7
    DanaX says:

    My own top ten

    1.Once More, With Feeling
    2.The Body
    3.Hush
    4.Tabula Rasa
    5.Who Are You?
    6.The Gift
    7.Graduation Day I & II
    8.Entropy
    9.Something Blue
    10.Dopplegangland

  8. 8
    Mofo Buffyfan says:

    10. Empty Places
    9. New Moon Rising
    8. Two to Go/Grave
    7. Checkpoint
    6. Tabula Rasa
    5. Hush
    4. The Body
    3. Once More With Feeling
    2. The Gift
    1. Chosen

  9. 9
    Michael Carruthers says:

    My Top 10 Episodes:

    01. “Chosen”
    02. “The Body”
    03. “Once More, With Feeling”
    04. “Becoming, Part II”
    05. “Restless”
    06. “Hush”
    07. “The Gift”
    08. “Graduation Day, Part II”
    09. “Passion”
    10. “Innocence”

  10. 10
    Bill Krause says:

    10. The Zeppo
    9. This Year’s Girl/Who Are You?
    8. Once More with Feeling
    7. Restless
    6. Passion
    5. The Prom
    4. The Wish
    3. Hush
    2. The Body
    1. The Gift

  11. 11
    Earl Ramos says:

    My top ten
    10.”Halloween”
    9.”Chosen”
    8.”Revelations”
    7.”School Hard”
    6.”Lover’s Walk”
    5.”Becoming P2″
    4.”Suprise”
    3.”Innocence”
    2.”Passion”
    1.”Amends”
    Lots of people leave off “Amends Which I think is one the best. But too amny good ones to make into a top ten.

  12. 12
    Buf-FAN says:

    10. “Parasite Kiss”
    9. “The Mysterious Window”
    8. “Death’s Apprentice”
    7. “Dance of the Red Coffin”
    6. “In the Arms of Mirth”
    5. “The Wild One”
    4. “Dangerous Election”
    3. “Laughing Boy”
    2. “Winter’s Dark Sting”
    1. “Palindrome”

  13. 13
    Matt says:

    My top ten

    10. Amends- Kind of slow thru the middle it’s
    the dialogue at the end that really makes it a
    classic

    9. Dopplegangland- A definate classic top ten but not the best.

    8. I only have eyes for you- The pure emotion
    from all the actors beggining to end, and the finale, Sarah M. Gellar and David B. are amazing.

    7. Passion- The power of writing and direction in this episode make it so outstanding, couldn’t not mention it. Especially with the Angel narration.

    6. The Body- The whole episode is shot without a stich of Background music. With the actors in my opinions, doing some of their best work.

    5. Hush- Not only is it Halarious, but ingenious, and very very spooky. Top 5 for sure.

    4. The Gift- The series of episodes leading up to the end of five, seemed to drag for me. However, the last two Minutes of this episode make it argueably the best episode ever.

    3. Once More W/ Feeling- Should have one an emmy for the ingenious writing. But did you notice, Alyson Hannigan sang for exactly two lines?

    2. Restless- The art direction, and all around theme of this episode, to me makes it the most ingenious, In all of Buffy. Those were Dreams to a T!

    1. Becoming 1/2- Whenever I want someone to start watching Buffy, I show them the season 2 Finale, and everytime, it Brings tears. it’s what ultimately made Buffy my favorite show, and
    it really can’t be argued. IT’S #1!!!!!!!!

  14. 14
    susan says:

    My top ten from season 1-4 (Sweden is only on season four, “bad, bad country” but I am buying the show on DVD´s instead, so i am a little bit longer in the show”)

    1. Hush
    2. I Only have eyes for you
    3. Amends
    4. Earshot
    5. Halloween
    6. Passion
    7. The Prom
    8. Becoming -(part 2)
    9. Innocence
    10. The Gift ( I know it´s season 5, but I have watched the end and it really effected me)

  15. 15
    olivia says:

    i just started watching a few mos. ago when the re-runs started. i started at the beginning and i’m only through half of season four (i’ll update as i go along):

    my top ten:

    10. Some Assembly Required (season 2)
    9. Graduation Day I & II (season 3)
    8. Halloween (season 2)
    7. Band Candy (season 3)
    6. Wild at Heart (season 4)
    5. Ted (season 2)
    4 1/2. Something Blue (season 4)
    4. I only have eyes for you (season 2)
    3 1/2. Enemies (season 3)
    3. Doppelgangland (season 3)
    2 1/2. Earshot (season 3)
    2. Innocence (season 2)
    1. Hush (season 4)

  16. 16
    Lena says:

    I only recently got hooked on Buffy myself, but I think I’ve managed to watch each episode at least once and Seasons 1-5 a zillion times. For my top ten I have cheated extravagantly, but I couldn’t help it, there are so many good ones….

    1. Once More, With Feeling
    2. Surprise/Innocence
    3. Becoming I and II
    4. Something Blue
    5. Fool For Love
    6. The Gift
    7. End of Days?/Chosen
    8. Graduation Day I and II
    9. Hush
    10. Prophecy Girl and Passion

  17. 17
    Damian says:

    Top ten Buffy?

    1. Once more with feeling
    2. Dopplegangland
    3. Gotta be The Wish. If you have one episode with evil vampire Willow in it, you gotta have the other
    4. Innocence
    5. Hush
    6. Chosen
    7. Becoming both episodes
    8. Halloween – season 2 – the one with Ethan Raine
    9. Bad Girls
    10.Tabula Rasa

  18. 18
    Adam says:

    My top ten are:
    1. Buffy/Faith fight (not an ep but i had to put it in), Graduation Day pt 2
    2. Becoming (end of part 1 and part 2)
    3. Enemies
    4. This Year’s Girl
    5. Earshot (because Sarah looks really hot in it)
    6. The Prom (same reason as above)
    7. Chosen
    8. Innocence
    9. Hush
    10.The Gift

  19. 19
    olivia says:

    i think buffy is the greatest show in the universe….. but i think you should add angel back into the show… because my favorite part of all the buffy series’ is when he was there….. i love all the episodes with angel in them… and i love the last two episodes too….. you should continue buffy though….. cuz itz the best thing to happen to Tv!

  20. 20
    Richard C says:

    1:) Once More With Feeling
    2:) Hush
    3:) Storyteller
    4:) Season 6 Finale all 3 eps (I am a willow freak)
    5:) Doppleganged (like I said, Willow freak)
    6:) Chosen
    7:) The Wish
    8:) Becoming (1 and 2)
    9:) Tabula Rasa (Willow/Tara freak here)
    10:) Amends

    Mentions: Only Eyes for you, Normal Again, Entropy, and most of Season 5 and 6.

  21. 21
    Ampersand says:

    Most of season six? Richard C, you are a most unusual man.

  22. 22
    Connie says:

    Top Ten:

    1) The pack
    2) Becoming part 1 & 2
    3) Prophecy Girl
    4) The prom
    5) Hush
    6) Amends
    7) Some assembly required
    8) Earshot
    9) Halloween

  23. 23
    Ja Binks says:

    mybest are

    1 once more…
    2 hush
    3 the zeppo
    4 dopplegangland
    5 him
    6 the graduation pt2
    7 the beginning pt 2
    8 tabula rasa
    9 conversations with dead people
    10 life serial

  24. 24
    kari says:

    plz plz bring back buffy and angel in a comn=bined new series called buffy and angel or something like that

    when it was all over i cryed beacause you left the thought of angel and buffy could possibly be together and you didn’t say what was to happen in new zelend with the other hell mouth or with the other slayers you didn’t say what will happen to the scoobies bring it back give it a wonderful twist i don’e care but i need to know that there is more the past 7 years were the best years on television and now they are over

    sincerly kari
    karebare16@hotmail.com
    4726820

  25. 25
    K. J. Watson says:

    I was 45 three years ago when I started watching Buffy on the FX reruns. It took me a while to find Angel to my liking, but am now a fan there too. I guess it doesn’t matter your age, good writing, stories, and shows will become popular eventually. (see Star Trek in the early 70