Oh internets, why do you contrive to distract me from doing something productive. This is gonna take some thought.

Leaf | July 16, 12:36 CET

okay, this is difficult. I can't even pick a top five from each season of each show! Oh dear! Plus when people start picking their top 5's and putting them here it's gonna get controversial! I can't wait to see the randomness!

BlueSkies | July 16, 12:46 CET

Not word of a lie but me and a follow Whedonesque member had this exact [indepth and intense] discussion last night at a pub...

I'm still trying to narrow it down :P

miVi3k | July 16, 12:47 CET

Oh internets, why do you contrive to distract me from doing something productive.

Yep, it's like t'innnerwebs actually want me to get the sack.

This is really hard. I know 'Out of Gas' is on there but beyond that ... on one hand I could easily fill the other four slots with Buffy and 'Angel' episodes but on the other hand that feels unfair to Dr Horrible and 'Dollhouse'. But then on the gripping hand, can I honestly say there's a full 'Dollhouse' episode (rather than just amazing scenes) that's better than some combination of the top 1-4 Buffy and the top 1-4 'Angel' (when 26 episodes are competing against 254 it seems unlikely) ?

Saje | July 16, 12:48 CET

Oh that's hard. I wanted to pick one of each, but I came up with this :

Buffy - Becoming : Part II
Buffy - Once More With Feeling
Buffy - Restless
Angel - A Hole In The World
Firefly - Out Of Gas

As much as I loved some episodes of Dollhouse, they couldn't compete with these ones.
And I almost included Dr Horrible : Part II.

Nico-Angel | July 16, 13:03 CET

This is truly perverse. Five eps from Joss's entire body of work??
But .... very helpful that you can click straight through to all the episode lists.

So back to the wall and off the top of my head:

> Buffy: Hush
> Buffy: Fool for Love
> Angel: A Hole in the World
> Firefly: Out of Gas
> Dollhouse: The Attic

I really wanted to choose at least one from each show. Out of Gas is I think, the slam-dunk. Although personally, there are three other Firefly eps that I love almlost as much... Our Mrs. Renyolds, Heart of Gold and Objects in Space.

I had no problem including Dollhouse. Having just finished a complete re-watch, I actually had trouble choosing one favorite. My other contenders were: Needs, Briar Rose, Belonging and Epitaph 2.

For Buffy, a recent conversation with my fellow Joss fan, who just finished a Buffy re-watch, swayed me toward Hush. We discussed the perfect construction of the ep, the masterful execution of the message about communication, made both in the parts with dialog and the silent parts, how the silent section allowed each actor to showcase the amazing scope of their talents, and the perfect ending .... none of the characters any closer to simple, straightforward communication, than at the beginning.

And Fool for Love has always been my #1 favorite Buffy ep, so that was easy.
Not so easy to leave out classics like OMWF and Restless or some personal favorites like Dead Things and my one early seasons fave, Passions.

De. Horrible is fun and original and wildly creative, but just not quite on the same level as the TV series', IMO.

This should be really interesting.

[ edited by Shey on 2010-07-16 13:51 ]

Shey | July 16, 13:49 CET

Oh, this is difficult. But here it is (subject to change depending on my mood though):

Buffy: Becoming Pt 2
Angel: A Hole in the World
Angel: Not Fade Away
Firefly: Out of Gas
Dollhouse: Belonging

I was conflicted between A Hole in the World and Hush, but I had to go with the former simply because it was so heartrending to watch. That said, Hush is also a mark of Buffy brilliance.

Why oh why do they conspire to torment us in this way?

cardea | July 16, 14:00 CET

I picked
Buffy: Once More With Feeling
Buffy: Restless
Angel: Not Fade Away
Angel: Smile Time
Buffy: Hush
Kind of predictable I suppose, I'd be much better at this if it were top 100. I really enjoy Firefly but I don't love any episodes enough to put them above my favorite Buffyverse episodes. If I did I would put 'Jaynestown' or 'Out of Gas'. Hmm, how many episodes are there in the Whedonverse? I know the Buffyverse is 254...

KaileeA42 | July 16, 14:18 CET

Off the top of my head and from each show/Internet Musical

Dollhouse: Epitaph One
Angel: You're Welcome
Firefly: Objects in Space
Dr Horrible: Act 3
Buffy: Restless

Course that all could change in the next 10 minutes and I could pick 5 episodes from Angel as my all time Whedonverse favs.

Simon | July 16, 14:47 CET

It's way too early for me to be thinking about this nonsense (only five episode? What?), but I can easily put a Dollhouse episode on my list. I can forgive most of its faults because it introduced me to Greg Laswell.

I'll definitely be back later to put my list together.

[ edited by Chrisham2 on 2010-07-16 15:05 ]

Chrisham2 | July 16, 15:04 CET

This is an impossible decision!!!

YouDriveLikeASpaz | July 16, 15:05 CET

A Hole in the World (Angel)
Shells (Angel)
Once More, With Feeling (Buffy)
The Body (Buffy)
Epitaph Two: Return (Dollhouse)

Fred_Sonja | July 16, 15:26 CET

I my brain was a computor it would crash right about now :P

Restless (buffy)
Becomming, part 2 (Buffy)
Objects in space (Firefly)
Out of gas (Firefly)
Needs (Dollhouse)

Now I got to stop. I have edited this list five times, most trying to decide if Out of gas or Becomming should be replaced by Hole in the world.

Satai (with Punsch) | July 16, 15:39 CET

Sooo difficult, all of my 5 could be from Angel but I spread the love around, lol. I'm actually very surprised that most people's only Angel episode in the group is "A Hole in the World". I despise that episode, heh.

Firefly: Objects in Space
Dollhouse: The Attic
Buffy: Becoming (Part II)
Angel: Reprise
Angel: Lullaby

Oh my god, I had a very tough time leaving out "Not Fade Away"...

benboy606 | July 16, 15:51 CET

"Hush"
"The Gift"
"Once More, With Feeling"
(Buffy)

"Serenity"
(Firefly)

"Part Two"
(Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog)

Screw balance, these are pretty much my five favorite episodes (i.e. the ones I find myself needing to rewatch). :-)

SoddingNancyTribe | July 16, 15:51 CET

I find it difficult that they use "finest" and "favorite" interchangeably. I can easily differentiate between what is a stand out best episode (Hush, Restless, etc.) and what would rank into my personal favs. (Graduation Day! Halloween! Life of the Party!) I'm trying to be fair and try pick one comedy/light episode, one Firefly episode, one Angel episode and then.... ?

Guess I'll try to whittle down 5 from my top 25. Not going to be easy...

LexWDaFlex | July 16, 15:52 CET

Total agreement with LWDF.

The Gift (finest and absolute favorite)
Once More With Feeling (finest--if atypical--and favorite)
Chosen (favorite (And tough to include since there are so many more finests, but I need to rewatch this ep more than many of those for some odd sense of re-closure.))
A Hole in the World (finest and favorite)
Not Fade Away (finest and favorite (Illyria cocking her head before doing her part against the COTBT is one of my favorite seconds from any Joss series.))

Only just started Firefly. Looking forward to Objects in Space now.

Brett | July 16, 16:27 CET

Off the top of my head, without too much thinking, and in no particular order...

Buffy: Restless
Buffy: Hush
Angel: You're Welcome
Dr Horrible: Act III
Dollhouse: Epitaph One

I'm posting this before I get the chance to rethink and change it all over.

ETA: I had that picked before I saw Simon's almost-clone of an answer.

[ edited by alqualond on 2010-07-16 16:33 ]

alqualond | July 16, 16:32 CET

Once More With Feeling
Innocence
Becoming Part Two
The Attic
A Hole In The World

I couldn't narrow down the Buffy choices and it killed me to not include a Firefly ep.

emmy | July 16, 16:54 CET

I've got it down to nine (yea me)--oh wait. I forgot about "Dr. Horrible." Crap. This is impossible.

ARRRRGH!

BreathesStory | July 16, 17:44 CET

Okay I've thought this through and here goes...
Innocence
Becoming Part 2
I Will Remember You
Hero
Man On the Street

Runners up:
Epitaph 1 and 2
Dirty Girls
To Shanshu In LA
Bad Girls
5 by 5
Heart of Gold
And these are just top of my head choices!
Grrr! frustrating...I wanna put all these in the top 5, make it a top 20 of each season! Please!! Maybe a top 10 of Dollhouse(including the original pilot! Favourite episode!)

BlueSkies | July 16, 17:56 CET

Firefly: Our Mrs. Reynolds
Firefly: Out of Gas
Buffy: Once More, With Feeling
Buffy: Becoming, Pt 2
Angel: Lullaby

Difficult choice.

JossIzBoss | July 16, 18:00 CET

New Moon Rising
Hush
OMWF
Objects in Space
Five by five

Dana5140 | July 16, 18:06 CET

Let's see...

Buffy: Fool for Love
Angel: You're Welcome
Dollhouse: Epitaph One
Dollhouse: Belonging
Firefly: Out of Gas

That wasn't that hard, actually. I just thought of the one moment I think of when I promote each show to a "newbie". Those are it.

Dr. Horrible deserves an honorable mention though. I think Act 3 hit us the most when we watched it roll out on the internet... because we had so much time to build up to that moment (a whole 2 days!). And then our happiness was crushed. But watching it in DVD form, one act right after the other, doesn't give me that crushing feeling like I got that one very special night.

The episodes I chose above not only give me that crushing moment every time, but they're pretty independent of what's going on around them... and yet harness the very essence of each show so well. That's why they get gold stars. :)

korkster | July 16, 18:22 CET

Buffy - The Body
Buffy - The Gift
Angel - A Hole in the World
Firefly - Out of Gas
Dollhouse - Belonging

redders | July 16, 18:37 CET

I actually put The Body in a class by itself...

Dana5140 | July 16, 19:12 CET

Ok, in the end, I just went with my gut. I'll change my mind in the next few minutes:

Objects in Space (Firefly)
Once More With Feeling (Buffy)
The Body (Buffy)
Darla (Angel)
Home (Angel)

Narrowly missing out:
Dead Things (Buffy)
Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been (Angel)

I agree that it seems wrong to list The Body with the rest of these episodes, it could never be said to be my favourite episode, but I think it is the best.

Leaf | July 16, 19:51 CET

As much as I was glad that Dollhouse was on and I enjoyed watching it, I don't think any episode would be in my top 50 favorite Whedonverse episodes. I am, of course, an admitted Buffyverse junkie, and I've woefully underwatched Firefly, so there you go.

Off the top of my head and not really in order:
OMWF
Hush
Becoming Part 2
A Hole in the World
Not Fade Away

BethS | July 16, 19:53 CET

Oh man...that was difficult, but I did my best and narrowed it down to about one episode per show, and how I did that I have no idea and know I'll have second thoughts about it later...

But here it is:
Buffy: Passion
Angel: I Will Remember You
Firefly: Out of Gas
Dr. Horrible: Part Two
Dollhouse: Briar Rose

Runnerups on the long, long, long list were:

Buffy: I Only Have Eyes For You, Band Candy, Becoming Part 2
Angel: Spin the Bottle, Smile Time, Not Fade Away
Firefly: War Stories ,Our Mrs. Reynolds, Jaynestown
Dr. Horrible: Part Three
Dollhouse: Needs, Omega, Epitaph Two: Return

Oy I hate choosing...it's like betraying someone you love when you do that! :(

xWolffspridex | July 16, 20:10 CET

Buffy: Restless
Firefly: Out of Gas
Dollhouse: Man on the Street
Buffy: Fool for Love
Buffy: The Gift (could have also gone to The Body or Once More with Feeling 10 seconds from now)

[ edited by Charmuse on 2010-07-16 21:31 ]

Charmuse | July 16, 21:28 CET

AtS: Not Fade Away
BtVS: Becoming Part II
BtVS: Once More with Feeling
Firefly: Out of Gas
Dr. Horrible: Part III
Dollhouse: Epitaph One

Yeah I know, that's six, but I just can't get myself to leave one of that list.

LaputanMachine | July 16, 22:04 CET

Don't feel qualified, havign never seen Firefly to speak of or Dollhouse S-2 or Doctor Horrible.

PS: Is there an actual list of Joss's "hat-trick casting"? (I was playign with a list of people like Persia White and Julia Lee who are 1 short and figured a list of those who'd gotten it already would help.

DaddyCatALSO | July 16, 22:06 CET

Buffy: "Band Candy"
(Best comedic episode - flawless with a brilliantly simple premise.)

Buffy: "Once More With Feeling"
(Best stand alone "gimmick" episode. Alternates would be Buffy's "Restless" or "Hush.")

Buffy: "The Body"
(Best episode dealing with a tragic death. Though I seriously considered Angel's "A Hole in the World" for this spot for obvious reasons.)

Angel: "Not Fade Away"
(Best "fight the good fight" episode, though a good alternate would be Buffy's "Graduation Day: Part 2"... and as I writing this I'm thinking if Angel's "Hero." *Sigh*)

And with that I ran out of categories to make this excruciating process simpler. I really wanted to include a Firefly episode but I find that one doesn't really stand above the rest. (And I've always said that as a series Firefly is absolutely flawless.) So I'm gonna go with my gut and throw in...

Buffy: "Becoming: Part 2"
(Best episode with a mix of all the above.)

LexWDaFlex | July 16, 22:18 CET

Ooh Passions was amazing too...see how in like a minute everything changes!! Damn you polls and your strict rules!

BlueSkies | July 16, 22:55 CET

I didn't read this carefully enough, and thought it meant five episodes from each. I was so proud when I finally, painstakingly narrowed down each show to my five favorite episodes (which would probably be different tomorrow anyway!), only to find out I had to narrow down the list further.

ftloosenfanzfree | July 16, 22:59 CET

I agree with the commenter that said Dr. Horrible should be included as one episode since it's the same overall length as a TV episode, so that's what I'm doing (although if I were to be tortured, I'd probably say Act II).

So, here's my list of favourites at this moment:

Dr. Horrible
Buffy: Chosen (OMWF & Touched close seconds)
Angel: Not Fade Away (You're Welcome a close second)
Firefly: Out of Gas (Objects in Space a close second)
Dollhouse: Epitaph Two (Epitaph One very close second)

Finest episodes would include The Body, Restless, Sanctuary, Objects in Space and Epitaph One and Two.

And probably my favourite overall work of Joss's would be Serenity, the movie, given how many times I've watched it and still laugh, cry, get emotional and tense up in the same places.

samatwitch | July 16, 23:43 CET

Oh, how difficult!!

Buffy: The Body
Angel: Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been?
Angel: Untouched
Angel: Darla
Dollhouse: Belonging

aapac | July 17, 01:08 CET

I agree w/ some of you who have pointed out that there can be a difference between "best episodes" and "favorite episodes". There are episodes I consider to be best-written that I nonetheless would skip in favor of watching a "favorite" which is the one you find yourself watching year after year on a whim while the rest sit on your DVD shelf. For me, that most often means in order to be watchable again and again, it has to be FUNNY.

Here's my list,

Anne (Buffy)
Flooded (Buffy)
Life Serial (Buffy)
Smile Time (Angel)
Our Mrs Reynolds (Firefly)

I do hate to leave Once More With Feeling off the list, but I think I've watched it too many times, to the point where it isn't quite as fun because I've just over-exposed myself.

chickenbird | July 17, 01:22 CET

Here's my choices. I'm still debating if I want to actually sign up for that site so I can cast a real vote.

Dollhouse: Epitaph One
Dollhouse: Man on the Street
Buffy: Once More With Feeling
Buffy: Hush
Angel: Smile Time

dance4days | July 17, 01:41 CET

You know it's Friday night. I wish there was an episode of Dollhouse on tonight. Oh how I miss it.

madmolly | July 17, 03:51 CET

The Gift
Once More, with Feeling
Selfless
Are You Now or Have You Ever Been
A Hole in the World

That was hard, guys! Pretty much like pulling teeth! I've a second "five" right behind it, can I tell?

Madhatter | July 17, 12:54 CET

I can't believe Destiny from Angel is not listed, that is the one I have to watch over and over...Spike IS the true champion. Anyway here is my list not in any order.

Angel: Destiny
Release
Buffy: Lover's Walk, because Spike is BACK.
Passion, Angelus is just so BAD/Good in this one.
Firefly: Out of Gas, cried many tears in this ep.

rehabber | July 17, 13:07 CET

Gosh, I didn't even consider "Firefly"!

Quite clear that five episodes are not enough.

Madhatter | July 17, 13:14 CET