What can you say about The Body that hasn't been said already? It's emotionally ravaging from start to finish and anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one (especially a parent) will likely be reduced to a puddle of tears by the end of the episode. In The Body, Buffy comes home to find her mother dead on the living room couch. And everything that follows is so painfully real. Buffy's not a superhero in this episode, she's just a girl who is losing her mother far too early. It's sort of funny, on a show that is filled with death, this is one of the only ones that feels final. There are so many little details included in the episode that make Joyce's death ring true, and the decision to air the show without any non-diegetic sound was remarkably astute. Each of the character's reaction to losing Joyce is relatable and the exact opposite of melodramatic. Willow is weepy, Xander is angry, Anya is confused, Tara is mature and thoughtful, and Buffy is just in shock.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
