Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Ranking Every Season Finale From Worst To Best

Restless is an outlier. Rather than focusing on the Big Bad, the finale of season 4 is a forty-five-minute trip through the minds of the four central characters. And despite the quiet tone and the lack of action scenes, the episode is still gripping from the outset.

One of the most unique aspects of this episode is the way it’s filmed. Whedon uses a variety of techniques such as tracking shots and Steadicam to give the episode a seamless flow. And many of the outside scenes are overexposed to create a dream-like atmosphere.

Given Restless involves exploring the minds of Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles, it’s also a very character-focused episode. Each sequence of dreams explores the respective character’s subconscious, touching upon their deepest fears and insecurities. And there are also a couple of nods to future episodes as well. (Buffy’s dream includes a reference to Dawn, who first makes an appearance during the opener of season 5.)

When the cast, the script, and the direction is this good, you can’t really go wrong. The only legitimate criticism of this finale is that it doesn’t really feel like a finale. But it’s a terrific standalone episode all the same.