The Best Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episodes

TVs Frank
Updated June 15, 2019 81.7K votes 3.9K voters 83.1K views

The best Buffy episodes, as ranked by you, Buffy fans. All Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes are listed below and your votes affect the order of the list, which will provide the best ranking of Buffy episodes. With your votes, the best Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes will rise to the top. So have at it, Buffy fans. Which episode was the funniest, the saddest, the most exciting?

This list of Buffy episodes has nothing to do with ratings. It's all about which episodes of Joss Whedon's influential series were the best, ranked by fans. Is it "Hush," "The Body," "The Zeppo," or even "Once More With Feeling?" We know you've seen them all, so it's time to rank the best of them. The Buffy episodes are featured below with photos and even episode synopses (if you click on the name of the episode) when available. What are the best Buffy episodes? Take a look here and you'll get that answer.
Ranked by
  • Once More, With Feeling
    1

    Once More, With Feeling

    November 06, 2001
    2,560 votes
    • Season: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 6
    • Episode Number: 7
    • Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    A mysterious force causes everyone in Sunnydale to reveal all of their innermost thoughts and feelings in song. Tara sings a love song to Willow professing all her love, but does Willow feel the same way? Finally, Giles reveals his belief that Buffy is never going to learn to survive on her own with him around and decides to return to England for good.
  • Hush
    2

    Hush

    December 14, 1999
    2,288 votes
    • Season: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 4
    • Episode Number: 10
    • Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    "Hush" is the tenth episode in the fourth season of the supernatural drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was written and directed by series creator Joss Whedon and originally aired in the United States on December 14, 1999 on The WB Television Network. After reading critical response to the series in which the dialogue was praised as the most successful aspect of the show, Whedon set out to write an episode almost completely devoid of speech. Only about 17 minutes of dialogue is presented in the entire 44 minutes of "Hush".
  • The Body
    3

    The Body

    February 27, 2001
    2,112 votes
    • Season: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5
    • Episode Number: 16
    • Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    After finding Joyce on the couch, a terrified slayer calls 911. Unfortunately, it's too late to do anything. We see Dawn at school for the first time, and she's just getting over the freakout she had after finding out she was the key. Rumors were spread and Dawn was hurt by them, but she feels better after talking about it with a nice boy in her art class. Buffy interrupts this conversation though to tell her sister the bad news.
  • The Gift
    4

    The Gift

    May 22, 2001
    1,754 votes
    • Season: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5
    • Episode Number: 22
    • Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    Another imminent apocalypse is at hand in Sunnydale. Buffy must square off against a true God when Glory prepares to use Dawn to break down the walls between the dimensions and unleash all Hell on Earth but she needs Dawn's blood before her home dimension portal can be opened. Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Anya, Tara and Spike go to battle with the knowledge that they may not all survive.
  • Becoming, Part Two
    5

    Becoming, Part Two

    May 19, 1998
    1,757 votes
    • Season: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2
    • Episode Number: 22
    • Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    After Drusilla's attack on her friends which resulted in the death of Kendra and Giles' abduction, Buffy is arrested for the murder but escapes from the police. She heads to the hospital where she learns that Xander has a broken arm and Willow is left in a coma. They all realize that Giles was taken by Drusilla and Buffy prepares herself to face Angelus. After being stopped by another cop, Spike comes to her aid and convinces her that he wants to be rid of Angelus too and they form an unusual alliance. Buffy is forced to slay a vampire in front of her mother and tells her the truth but she does not want to accept it. When Buffy tries to leave to fight Angelus, Joyce tells her that if she goes she better not bother coming back. After retrieving Kendra's sword from the library she heads toward Angelus' mansion. Meanwhile, Willow wakes up and decides to try the spell again and Xander runs to Buffy's aid. Drusilla uses her psychic powers to make Giles reveal the secret of the ritual to
  • Doppelgangland
    6

    Doppelgangland

    February 23, 1999
    1,662 votes
    • Season: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3
    • Episode Number: 16
    • Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    While unknowingly participating in a spell with the wish-granting demon Anyanka in order for her to get her powers back, Willow accidentally brings forth the vampire Willow from Cordelia's alternate universe. The vampire Willow sets her sights on turning Sunnydale into the vampire-ruled world she knows but when she learns of her counterpart, she decides to make Willow send her back. After trying to seduce Willow and freaking her out a bit, the vampire Willow is captured. The real Willow, dressed in her doppelganger's outfit, attempts to stop the ensuing slaughter at the Bronze and is almost killed by the vampire Willow before Buffy saves her. Giles and Anya successfully send the vampire back to her world but she arrives at the exact same moment she left, right before she is staked by Oz.