Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Jane Espenson's Best And Worst Episodes

By Kimberly Roots
buffy 3x06

buffy 3x06

Courtesy of 20th Television

BEST

"Band Candy"

Season 3, Episode 6

"The first one I wrote," Espenson says. "I was so thrilled to be on the staff."

buffy 3x11-b

Courtesy of 20th Television

WORST

"Gingerbread"

Season 3, Episode 11

"I missed the tone on my first pass, had to redo it all."

buffy 4x03

Courtesy of 20th Television

BEST

"The Harsh Light of Day"

Season 4, Episode 3

"Every single scene had something special: funny or emotional."

buffy 4x08

Courtesy of 20th Television

BEST

"Pangs"

Season 4, Episode 8

"Thanksgiving leant itself to lots of seasonal wordplay. I laughed a lot while writing... I was very lucky to be handed many great scenes to write. I very much like the big Thanksgiving attack in 'Pangs,' with the bear and everything. 'You made a bear!'"

buffy 4x17

Courtesy of 20th Television

BEST

"Superstar"

Season 4, Episode 17

"I love a big concept episode like this one."

buffy 6x12

Courtesy of 20th Television

WORST

"Doublemeat Palace"

Season 6, Episode 12

"Same problem as 'Gingerbread,' but years later. I had to completely rewrite it, to achieve the tone we were going for."

buffy 7x16-c

Courtesy of 20th Television

BEST

"Storyteller"

Season 7, Episode 16

"Oh, man. Writing for Tom Lenk. This isn't work. This is play."

buffy-20-band-candy-2

Courtesy of 20th TV

BEST, BUT...

"Band Candy" (cont'd.)

Season 3, Episode 6

Espenson says she'd go back to the Season 3 hour "and replace some jokes.  The stoned teacher's little rant at Willow ("You're a tree,") is very obvious, and there's a joke about the Hellmouth's fingerprints that's just forced and unclear.  When I watch this episode now I feel the effort behind the joke writing. This is one of those occasions where applying a bit more work to it would make it look easier."

 

buffy-20-conversations-dead-people

Courtesy of 20th TV

BEST, BUT...

"Conversations With Dead People"

Season 7, Episode 7

"I should mention that there are a number of great scenes attributed to me that were actually written by Joss [Whedon]. This is common in TV, where the showrunner polishes all the episodes — the clock tower scene in 'Earshot' is the biggest example. And the entire Buffy/Vampire interaction in 'Conversations with Dead People' is Joss, although Drew Goddard and I got the credit."

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