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"They got...the mustard...OUT!!!"

The televisions show Buffy The Vampire Slayer (aired in March 10^th, 1997 and ended in May 20^th, 2003) is a fan-favourite. To say it is a "cult-classic" like I usually do would be an understatement. Because this is not a small or large group of specific people that love this show, it appears there are thousands, maybe millions who flock to watch the whole chronicle. Now, I'd usually talk about such things like cast and characters, but I think many people are familiar with them by now that I don't need to do that. Besides, since I am only doing an Episode Review and not the entire show itself, I think it is best to just talk about the episode in question.

Once More, With Feeling (Season 6, Episode 7) was aired on television for the first time on November 6^th, 2001. In this episode we instantly know something is up when Buffy is patrolling when she suddenly bursts into song! Now, I was slightly sceptical at this but once I got past the singing demons (yes, SINGING demons) and the one-off hunky guy without a shirt I found that Buffy could sing and quite well too. This leads one to think as the musical opening credits are rolling (Hey! Where the fuck is the cool rock riff?) that we are on an even stranger and cheesier ride then before in the Buffy Universe. Needless to say it plays as a usual Buffy episode but with musical numbers throughout it. And the funny thing is, the creators don't mind making fun of it themselves! Now, that is pretty good, since it already has that quirky and unique humour we know and love. The main plot is straightforward and has a main bad guy who I think is the coolest Buffy Villain ever, also because he is one of those few that Buffy doesn't kill in the end of the episode. His name is Sweet. Just Sweet, no elongated or confusing names here! Now, you may be wondering just how bad can this guy be, right? Well, I'll tell you. Not only does he have freaky human-sized puppet men as his minions but he also has Dawn kidnapped to make her be his Queen and his musical spell is very powerful on (not only Buffy and her friends) but the entire community of Sunnydale as well! And we also later find out that people self combust if they sing and dance too much. Though Sweet sings this is not really his doing because people fuel their own inner fire when "life is but a song". There is a nice scene I like where one of Sweet's minions goes to The Magic Shop and delivers a message to Buffy. She orders him to sing and after a build-up of music he just speaks normally. Apparently they are wooden but not complete dummies (DUMMIES! GET IT?) because if they sing they would explode. There is an earlier scene with these giant puppets where they dance with Dawn. It really is a good dance number. Buffy ultimately comes to her senses (with the help of Spike) before she is able to burn and at the near ending of the finale we find out who summoned the demon.

But for now I will go over the songs in this episode. There are quite a lot and I include ALL songs, not just the ones the main characters sing.

Going Through The Motions: Sung mainly by Buffy as she sings about how her life is the usual stuff "every night the same engagement, nothing here is real, nothing here is right" and feels like she is "Going Through The Motions". The demons have a small snippet but Buffy kills them all. I especially like the last line from the demon as Buffy stabs him and he sings, "She's not even half the girl she...Owwww!" to rhyme with the last line from the vampire before Buffy dusted him. The he-hunk has one line (" How can I repay...?") before Buffy cuts him off and he just goes off-screen, not to be seen again.

I've Got A Theory: This is sung by Giles, Willow, Xander, Anya, Tara and Buffy. It starts off with them suggesting theories of what could be causing them to sing like this. This song is interesting because Giles gets the right answer at the beginning but throws it away, Willow makes a call-back to an episode in the First Season called Nightmares that "some kid is dreaming and we're all stuck in his wacky Broadway nightmare" while Xander suggests they get to the bottom of it quickly and afterwards sings "it could be witches, some evil witches" and off the dirty look from Willow and Tara quickly checks himself and responds to his own theory before anybody can say anything. This is one of the best moments in the song because Xander has to sing quite a  long line in one breath and it is a stand-alone segment of the song with no follow up rhyme. Anya has a theory it could be Bunnies...or midgets. Nobody takes her seriously and Giles and Willow sing that they have to "work this fast" because "it could get serious before it's passed". Buffy sings that "it doesn't matter" and "what can't we face if we are together?". It leads off from there into another song.

Bunnies: During the "I've Got A Theory" song, Anya suggests it could be bunnies and then goes out of control with her own rock and roll over-dramatic solo of how she hates bunnies and that "bunnies! Bunnies! It must be bunnies!" and finishes off after calming down "Or maybe midgets..." This last line is left hanging in the air and nobody responds to it (of course!) and that is the end of the "Bunnies" song.

If We're Together: This song melds with "I've Got A Theory" and comes after Buffy sings her theory that "it doesn't matter" and the others eventually join in the song, not knowing Buffy meant it in a different way. Just think of this one as the (friends stick together) song of the episode.

The Mustard: After all three songs, the gang wonders if it is only they that are affected and Buffy checks outside where we see a man holding a dry-cleaned shirt and singing "They got the mustard out!!!" and the other civilians providing as chorus with the same line. Buffy goes back inside and states, "It's not just us". Though this is a small snippet of a song it is a great moment of musical comedy, which we see a lot of in this episode.

Under Your Spell: This devilishly delightful song is sung only by Tara, singing of how Willow makes her "feel complete" and at the end there is a heavily sexual over tone as she sings "you make me complete, you make me complete, you make me com..." and we cut from their bedroom and the song ends abruptly.

I'll Never Tell: This is an old 30's adaptation song sung by Xander and Anya of their worries and troubles. It has the classic feel of husband against wife (or at least soon to be) and they bicker about their fears and shortcomings. Despite the fact they promise, "I'll never tell" it is obvious these two are unable to do anything but tell! There are many jokes to comment on, but I feel the song justifies itself so have no need to talk about the jokes.

The Parking Ticket: This is the only song sung by one civilian and a big kudos to her especially when Xander, Giles and Anya are walking along the street. She continues singing until we are out of earshot, her last line sung to the policeman as he is giving her a parking ticket is "Hey, I'm not wearing underwear..." before the song fades out.

Rest In Peace: The only song sung fully by Spike and it is a justified rock and roll ballad song that fits Spike perfectly, who sings of mixed emotions to Buffy about "let me rest in peace" and also he can't seem to let her go away, following her throughout the graveyard. He ultimately sings, "Why won't you let me rest in peace?" and Buffy leaves, Spike saying, "So, you're not staying, then?"

Dawn's Lament: Though only two lines "Does anybody even notice? Does anybody even care?" this song is slightly touching before Dawn is kidnapped by one of the puppet minions, thus ending the song abruptly.

What You Feel: Sung mostly by the main villain Sweet and with Dawn singing at some points near the end of this song, I got to say that this song is the greatest song I have ever heard that introduced a villain! Especially when it starts with Sweet tap-dancing and he has a smooth and silky voice for a demon. He explains his position clearly that his being is "I come from the Imagination" and he  "I'm the how to swing, I'm the twist and shout" and how he understand Dawn "I know what you feel girl" and that Dawn "brought me down and doomed this town" and how he will make Dawn his Queen, despite the fact she is fifteen. But Sweet does not seem to care nor listen to Dawn's pleas, because once he gets going with a tune he is unable to stop until Dawn says "she'll get pissed if I'm missed you see my sister's the Slayer" and that makes Sweet pay attention to her. He tells his minions "I wanna see the Slayer burn" and finishes his song with "Now we're parting, that's what it's all about".

Standing: This song is a solo sung by Giles. Of how he understands he must let her go because he is standing in her way unintentionally and holding her back from her full potential. It is a lovely piece of music, especially when Giles is walking in normal time and Buffy is in slow motion. It is the perfect song for Giles to sing upon this dramatic revelation to himself.

Under Your Spell/Standing (reprise): These two reprises are perfect for Giles and Tara to sing as a duet, Tara coming to realize Willow had been using witchcraft to make Tara forget a fight they had. And the continuation of Giles knowing he has to leave for the greater good of his Slayer. Sung well by both actors, this song itself should win an award.

Walk Through The Fire: Sung by Buffy mostly, the other cast members (namely Spike, Sweet, Xander, Anya, Tara, Willow and Giles) fade into it and the song in its entirety blends well. It has Buffy announcing she can't feel the fire "I touch the fire and it freezes me, I look into it and it's black. Why can't I feel? My skin should crack and peel...I want the fire back." With this song Sweet sings "she will come to me" and Spike at first deliberates with himself if he should help Buffy by singing "I hope she fries, I'm free if that bitch dies," but ultimately straight after that sing, "I'd better help her out". The Scooby Gang sing slightly of "If We're Together" rhythm in this song but they ultimately sing the same wave-length of "Walk Through The Fire" and all the main characters in the play end up at The Bronze, where Sweet is hiding out.

Something To Sing About: One of my favourites because of the tempo and beats, this song is sung by Buffy with Anya and Tara giving her vocal backup (singing "ahh ahh ahh") while Buffy sings a "and you can sing along" style song until she is faced with the puppet minions and the beat changes to fast paced as she beats them up. The song ultimately leads to her announcing her secret that she was in Heaven "now I live in Hell because I've been expelled from Heaven", which I'm sorry but has a discord I just don't like. And Buffy starts dancing madly, unable to stop as Sweet looks on in fascination as Buffy begins to smoke. But Spike comes in and stops her and sings, "you have to go on living, so one of us is living".

What You Feel (Reprise): With Sweet finally discovering who really summoned him, he waives the clause and decides to leave. But before he does, he mocks our heroes at "all those secrets you've been concealing, say you're happy now", which of course they are not happy at all. He disappears in a puff of musical notes.

Where Do We Go From Here?: This is the second final song of the whole episode with the characters announcing, "where do we go from here?" because they ultimately don't know what to do. Spike and Buffy leave and it is left to the final song.

Coda: The final song is between Buffy and Spike, a small reprise (two lines of each song) of "Walk Through The Fire" and "Rest In Peace", the finale where Spike and Buffy kiss and a curtain closes on them kissing.

This episode is more like a miniature musical then anything else and is one of the most popular Buffy The Vampire Slayer episodes ever, having also released a music CD with the songs. Anybody who is a fan of musicals and of Buffy shall enjoy this two-in-one musical extravaganza! So, on that note, I shall let Sweet sign me off in the only way I know how...IN SONG!

"Now I gotta run, see you all...in HELL!!!"

SimonW.

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