7 most memorable musical TV episodes

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: “Once More With Feeling”

No list of musical TV episodes would be complete without a mention of Buffy‘s “Once More With Feeling.” Broadcast during the show’s sixth season in 2001, the episode is still regarded as one of the series’ best.

When a demon puts a curse on the town of Sunnydale, its citizens are forced to express themselves through song. This causes each character to finally sing something they haven’t been able to speak, and by the end of the episode, major revelations are made that impact everyone.

The music of “Once More With Feeling” was written by show creator Joss Whedon and each character has a moment to shine. James Marsters’s vampire Spike rocked out on “Rest in Peace,” Amber Benson’s Tara crooned the ballad “Under Your Spell” to girlfriend Willow (Alyson Hannigan), and Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy confessed she was just “Going Through the Motions.”

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While Buffy‘s musical TV episode is now considered iconic, when the cast originally found out they were going to be singing and dancing, many were less than thrilled. Ultimately, the gamble was worth it. Fans love everything about the episode, even the filler songs (Man singing as he comes out of dry cleaners: “They got the mustard OUT!”).

Nowadays, “Once More With Feeling” continues to be the touchstone by which all other TV musical episodes are measured. And over 20 years after it first aired it’s still one of the most beloved hours of TV ever filmed, and continues to be discussed and celebrated in panels and sing-alongs at fan conventions.