'The Body' was an incredible hour of television. It was stark, poignant, unflinching, brilliantly executed... and I hate it.

Of course, as a fan of Joyce Summers, I'm not gonna enjoy her death. And I don't think there's a single person who saw this episode who'd describe it as 'fun'. So I'm not saying I hated it because it was painful. No, I hated it because from that episode on, Buffy the Vampire Slayer would spend the rest of its days mired neck-deep in that pain and never crawl out again.

Far be it from me to suggest BtVS was supposed to be the happy-happy sunshine hour. Jenny's death was sudden, harsh, and intensely painful. It had a lasting effect on Giles and the others and haunted the rest of the season and beyond. I grieved for Jenny, and watching Giles struggling to cope with her death just broke my heart. But I wouldn't undo 'Passion' for the world. Because as painful as it was, it raised the bar for the entire season (and the show as well). It showed us all that no one was safe. That even if/when they got Angel back, things wouldn't ever be the same again. And that was fine. Hell, it was incredible! It was amazing storytelling, and painful as it is to watch Jenny running down the hallway again, knowing what's about to happen to her - or to watch Giles climbing his stairs, champagne in hand, knowing what's waiting for him at the top - I absolutely love that episode.

I was crushed when Oz left. And his departure left Willow grieving and in pain for a long time. But she met Tara and moved on. Doyle's death on Angel was devastating. But Angel and Cordelia found the strength to continue their mission and occasionally enjoy themselves in the process. Wesley joined the group, and life went on. So I'm not saying 'The Body' was bad because it hurt. After all, Angelus knew what he was talking about when he referred to the ecstasy of grief. It's powerful, it's moving, and when an hour of television can make thousands of people feel that same grief together, then it has accomplished something incredible. Joss Whedon is a master at that. He's got a real gift, and I admire him for it. Where I fault him, however, is in how he chose to put that gift to use.

Brilliant as 'The Body' was, it marks the moment for me when BtVS became all. about. the pain. Things change, people grow up, and stakes get higher. All well and good. Buffy's life was always chaotic and painful, even in her happiest moments, long before 'The Body'. Also well and good. But once Joyce died, Buffy did too. Her spirit was broken beyond repair, making her physical death in 'The Gift' all but a formality. And true, Buffy's body was brought back to life, but her spirit was long gone. Her spunk and resilience, previously such a defining part of Buffy's character, never returned after Joyce's death, and all we were left with was a hollow shell of a woman who was happier when her body was in the ground.

I should probably also mention that despite my love for Joyce, I'm not arguing that she shouldn't have died. I was nuts about Jenny too, but her death served a purpose in the greater scheme. Had Joyce's been handled differently too, then it might also have been the impetus for some real character or plot development. But the only development in either area was raw, sucking misery. Not the kind you overcome. Not the kind you learn and grow from. Just the kind that takes over the series and never lets go again.

After 'The Body', after we heard Joyce's ribs break and Buffy vomited on the rug... after Joss created so powerful a tribute to the gut-wrenching pain of such a loss... the very premise of the show was altered. Where it once used monsters and other supernatural threats as metaphors for real life, real life itself took center stage. Buffy's hands were so full of Child Welfare, paying the bills, and an abusive relationship with her stalker that any actual vampire slaying that happened was almost an afterthought. It changed my favourite show forever, and I don't think that change was for the better. Not by a longshot.

'The Body' may have been an incredible hour of television, but I really freaking hate it.

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