ONCE MORE WITH FEELING

CAST
Sarah Michelle Gellar............Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon.................Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan...............Willow Rosenberg
Emma Caulfield............................Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg.............Dawn Summers
James Marsters...........................Spike

GUEST STARS
Anthony Stewart Head..............Rupert Giles
Amber Benson..............................Tara

ONCE MORE WITH FEELING

The episode opens with a musical style intro credits, all smiling faces and all that stuff, very "Happy Days"!

The actual episode kicks off with Buffy's opening number "Going through the motions." She sings that her life is false, a put on, she is indeed just going through the motions for everyone else. As her song carries on she reveals that all she wants to do is to get that feel for life back because at the moment she is all alone and doesn't see anything to live for.

The next day Buffy goes to the Magic Box and asks why there is no research going on. Giles tells her that there is no current evil. Ok she says, so did anyone else burst into song last night? Of course they did. They all discuss that they were just talking normally and suddenly it was like they were in a musical. Xander says it was very disturbing and they have to research it before it happens…
"I've got a theory that's a demon, a dancing demon no something isn't right here" comes from Giles and a big group song begins of whom they suspect, Willow thinks it's a kid dreaming Xander think it's witches until he sees Tara and Willow and in a show stopping moment Anya thinks Bunnies are responsible and goes off into a get rock solo about what's the deal with Bunnies.
Buffy takes over the song though and tells them it doesn't matter, "What can't we face if were together." Yet again it turns into a big group song about how close they are.

After that little number they begin to think of what is causing it. Anya asks is it just them or are others effected?
Buffy pops her head around the Magic Box door to see the ending of a mans song rejoicing about the wonders of dry cleaning "They got…the mustard…ouuttttt!!!!"

Dawn comes back from school and steals a necklace on the counter while no one is looking.
As they are starting to research, Tara and Willow leave to go and "Look" at some books at home. It's just a diversion to get out of the shop. As they go home Tara begins to sing of what people see in her…Willow.
It's a really good song and she sings about how lucky she is to have Willow and that's the only reason why people even notice that she is there. As they dance during the song they suddenly appear in their bedroom where Tara continues to sing to Willow while Willow… well you know, nudge nudge wink wink say no more. You do know don't you?
The song cuts back to the Magic Box with Xander saying I bet they aren't even working. Dawn says its all kind of romantic, what could be wrong with singing and dancing?

That night, a man can't stop dancing. He is dancing so much that he gets set on fire and falls to the floor dead.

The next morning Xander and Anya wake up and get ready to start the day with a little cosy number of their own. It's a very 50's style song with the two of them singing about their worries about their future but they "will never tell."
They both sing that they fear it could just be a temporary relationship. Xander says she clings, she's needy she also really greedy and Anya thinks he has beady eyes.
However even with the faults with each other they "will never tell" at the end of the day they both love each other, even though they are both petrified about the upcoming wedding day.

They walk with Giles telling him to figure out what is going on they are sick of this.
Giles tells them that people are burning up literally. While this is going on a woman (One Marti Noxon) sings to a traffic warden not to give her a ticket.

Buffy goes to Spike to pump him for information, I mean what else would she pump him for.
He say's he doesn't know anything and wants he to go. He wants her to go NOW. Then he begins to sing to her. The song is called "Rest in Peace." He tells her that unless she starts to feel something for him them she has to stay away from him so he can rest in peace. He tells her she has got a willing slave and she just loves to play the thought that she might misbehave. He knows the feelings are wrong but when love in concerned there are no right and wrongs.
He goes vamp and destroys a funeral going on, Buffy protects them and they fall into the open grave with her landing on top of him. She looks at him for a while then gets up and runs off.

Back at the house Dawn tells Tara she is glad that willow and Tara made up. Tara hasn't got a clue because Willow changed her memories. Tara goes to the shop leaving Dawn alone.
Dawn sings that her stealing is a way to try and get attention because she isn't getting it any other way. She only manages to get through three lines when, she is kidnapped by three dummy looking guys.

She has been taken to the Bronze where she meets the demon responsible for all the singing and dancing. (His name is Sweet by the way.)
He sings a really cool jazz number about what he is doing in Sunnydale. Dawn has summoned him and at midnight he will take her to the underworld to be his Queen. She tries to protest saying that it wouldn't be regal, it wouldn't even be legal but he is having none of it. However Dawn mentions that her sister is the Slayer and Sweet sends his lackeys out to bring Buffy to the Bronze.

At the training room in the Magic Box Buffy and Giles are training. Buffy is afraid that they could get stuck in an 80's training montage video if they are not careful. Giles tells her that if they hear power cords lie down!
He asks her if she spoke to Dawn about the Halloween incident. Buffy says no because Giles was meant to deal with it.
He goes into a song saying that Buffy should be strong, but he is standing in the way. She should be standing tall but while he is around she will always be lying down. In a sad number he reveals that he loves her dearly and really wants to be her father but as long as he is here he will hold her back and she will always look to him first. The song goes into a brilliant duet with Tara who now knows what Willow has done to her. The two of them sing about how they love Buffy / Willow but Tara can't trust Willow now and Giles loves Buffy too much. They both end singing about how they are going to have to leave the one they love. Yes folks Giles will be going back to England and Tara will leave Willow. They both wish they could stay but this is for the best.

Spike comes in with one of Sweet's men and he tells Buffy that Dawn is being held at the Bronze. As the others get ready to go to the Bronze Giles say's no, Buffy is going alone. Buffy doesn't understand and asks what is she meant to do and he tells her to do her best.

As she goes to the Bronze she starts to sing about the lack of feeling in her life. She looks into the fire and sees black she touches it and its black. That's it she wants the fire back!
In yet another huge number Giles sings that he is being selfish letting Buffy go alone so that he will not have to leave. He realises his mistake and they kit up to go after her.
Spike and Sweet sing that she is drawn to the fire, some people will never learn.
As they all head to the Bronze, each person sings a line until Buffy gets to the Bronze and kicks the door down.
Sweet: "Showtime!"

Buffy tells Sweet that Dawn is going nowhere. If she cannot defeat Sweet then he will take Buffy instead of Dawn.
Sweet asks why is she so gloomy towards life. This prompts Buffy into a solo number about life.
It starts off a little sweet number saying that life's a show and we all play our parts.
However its speeds up and slows down quickly as she continues to sings. All she wants is something to sing about. Her friends don't know why she ignores the million things or more she should be living for. She then goes onto sing that they didn't let her go she bowed out from the crowd but they didn't except it.
Then she tells all.
"There was no pain. No Fear no doubt, till they pulled my out of heaven."
Willow just can't believe it. She continues to sing, just give her something to sing about.
Then Sweet puts the mojo on her and she begins to dance so fast that she almost bursts, that is until Spike stops her. He tells her that the only way to live is to live.
Dawn stand up and reminds Buffy "The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it."
Sweet prepares to take Dawn to hell, until Dawn tells him she did not summon him she only found the necklace.
Giles says that if it was in the shop one of them would have brought it in.
Xander puts his hand up.
Big smiles all, they beat the bad guy. In a final little jazzy number he says that the damages has already been done, see you all in hell.

The gang stand around looking at their feet until Dawn starts up the final song "Where do we go from here."
They have won so the begin they victory cheer. They want to know why the path is unclear when home is near and why the continue to walk alone in fear.

Buffy and Spike go outside. Spike just wants her to go back inside until she begins to sing to him

They kiss and the curtains close…

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