I turned on the TV one morning to watch Buffy before work, and The Body was on. I LEPT for the remote. I just didn't want to go through that again.

Oh yeah. It zoomed right past "moving story dealing realistically with death" into I'm-only-supposed-to-feel-this-sad-at relatives'-funerals territory.

We have a standing argument about whether Buffy cracks Joyce's ribs when applying CPR in "The Body." Unfortunately, neither of us are psychologically ready to watch the episode again, so the argument remains ongoing while the DVD remains on the shelf.

I'm not sure what else it could have been.

Well, here's the script:

She drops the phone on the table, appalled that she didn't do this sooner -- rushing to Joyce and tilting her head back, she puts her mouth to hers and blows, twice. Then pressing her palms to the middle of Joyce's chest she pumps, rapidly 15 times. She breathes again, then pumps, more powerfully.

ANGLE: HER HANDS ON JOYCE'S CHEST

We hear something CRACK.

Mind you, CPR and resuscitation efforts often result in patients' ribs cracking, so it's not as comparatively terrible as it sounds - I don't think Buffy let her strength get away from her in the panic or anything.

This really should be a novelization: [link]

Hmm. But really, Buffy only opened the door to the Gay World. It was Angel that was set there.

I'm still not familiar enough with the full body of Buffy to be able to name episodes I would use to lift me out of specific moods, generally, though i have found myself itching to watch Tabula Rasa on more than one occasion. Something about the sheer funny of it most of the way through followed by the total, if melodramatic, downer of the end really works for me, but I couldn't really put a finger on what moods inspire the desire.

Heh, I remember when that aired originally, some of the buffistas loved it and others hated it with the fiery passion of 1000% suns. Also, it was the first ep after OMwF, so I think that contributed to some not liking it much.

That said, what Gris said above is how I feel about SOMETHING BLUE and PANGS (those aren't so much with the downer ending, though).

I'm with FrankenBuddha-Something Blue and Pangs, while they don't restore my faith in humanity or anything, are guarenteed mood-lifters for me. Add in Intervention, and I'm good to go.

I am an fan of Espensodes, though. I am always so surprised that she didn't write Something Blue.

I don't so much turn to whole specific episodes as to assorted Cordelia bits from Season 3 when I need a pick-me-up. Like her utter insensitivity to the Buffy/Angel relationship angst, or the way she repeats everything she thinks almost word-for-word in "Earshot."

Which brings up something about my enjoyment of television in general. Usually I can't stand obnoxious self-absorbed characters, but on rare occasions (like Cordelia, and Jane from the BBC Coupling) they're over-the-top enough to hit me the exact opposite way and make me love them dearly.