Discussion: What was Sarah's finest BtVS moment?
 

We haven't had a discussion thread in a while, so I thought it was about time for a new one. I guess the title kind of speaks for itself. Which moment/s (I realise it will be hard to narrow it down to just one... but by all means do if you can) of BtVS were you most impressed by Sarah's acting and why?

Man, this is a hard task and I know the moment that I press "submit" I'll think of a whole new batch of scenes that I adored. But I'm always curious as to what moments really made you sit up and pay attention or really moved you or really impressed you.

Here are some of mine:

The Body - I think that this episode kind of goes without saying. The acting by the entire cast, but IMO especially Sarah was just outstanding. The emotion and physicality of that scene and the fact that the vast majority of the first act was a one take shot from Sarah, to me is just mind blowing. She did so many of the little things so perfectly in this episode. The look on her face when she see's that her mums skirt has ridden up, that bit where she screams "We're not supposed to move the body" and then it really dawns on Buffy that her mum is dead just kills me. Whenever I watch this first act I'm always so in awe of it. I think it was just superb, both the direction, the writing and most impressively Sarah's acting. I've said this more times than I can remember; but the fact that she didn't receive an Emmy nomination for that is freaking absurd.

Forever - The breakdown scene at the end. Holy freaking crap! No matter how many times I see it, it never fails to make me cry. I could go on for days about her acting here. "I have to do these things, because when I stop... then she's really gone" OMG the emotion in her voice here and the way her voice cracks I just can't do it justice. I love how it starts of deep and forceful and then by the end her voice is so tiny. Oh man, and when there is that knock at the door and she turns around, she is instantly a kid again. It absolutely kills me, the way all her rationalising to Dawn is just thrown out and she just wants her mum back. Then when she gets to the door and Dawn cancels the spell and that hope is gone, the look on her face? Oh lord, I feel teary just thinking about it. And the way she sobs here? Seriously. So freaking realistic.

Phrophecy Girl - The scene in the library with Giles and Angel when she realises that she is going to die. Wow. I am always so impressed by her in that scene. She was so freaking awesome. And of course that is the episode where the now infamous "Giles, I'm sixteen years old - I don't want to die" speech came from. Oh lord and the way she says "Did they say how he was going to kill me? Do you think it will hurt" and her voice just breaks. Again, I really can't do justice to how awesome she is in this scene. Her and Anthony just killed it.

Becoming Part Two - Well, she is totally awesome this entire episode IMO, but for me, a real stand out scene that I always rewind and watch over is the scene with Joyce where she tells her to open her eyes. I know it's not one that people point out too often, but I think she is absolutely kick ass here. I just adore her delivery of "Do you have any idea how lonely it is? How dangerous? I would love to be upstairs watching TV, gossiping about boys or god even studying... but I have to save the world - AGAIN". Such a fantastic scene. So well acted by SMG. (And do not even get me started on when she realises that she has to kill Angel and the last kiss she gives to him she is blubbering as she does it. So ****ing awesome and sad.

Innocence - Well again, another awesome SMG episode. But if I had to choose one scene that killed me (and there were a lot - trust me) I think I'd go for the scene where she encounters Angelus for the first time. Dude! "Was it me, was I not... good?" so painful. Her last ditch attempt with the "Angel!... I love you" and then Angelus is all "Love you too" with a wink and a nod out the door. Again, most of this scene is just about her reaction and christ, I really, really felt for her in this scene. So well done!

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So yes, I think I'll stop at five. Believe me, I could go on - but I'm interested to see what other scenes people were really impressed by.

Great topic! :) It's been awhile since we have discussed it

You named a lot of my favorites but here are some more that I loved from her:

Amends - The fight with Angel at the end, the desperation in her voice when she knew he was going to kill himself. It was all the tension from when he returned just bottling up and exploding into one big, emotional moment. "You're weak, everybody is. Everybody fails ... Angel, you have the power to do real good, to make amends. But if you die now, then all that you ever were was a monster." That's one of the scenes that gets me every single time.

After Life - The scene where she tells Spike that she was in heaven was so heart-breaking. For the audience as well to realize she wasn't in a hell dimension makes it so much more horrible and makes us wonder how the others are going to find out. "Everything here is... hard, and bright, and violent. Everything I feel, everything I touch... this is Hell. Just getting through the next moment, and the one after that... knowing what I've lost... ".

Passion - When Giles goes after Angel for killing Jenny and Buffy goes after him to stop him. That whole scene was emotional.

Giles: Why did you come here?! This wasn't your fight!
Buffy: Are you trying to get yourself killed?! You can't leave me. I can't do this alone

Faith, Hope, and Trick - When Buffy tells the gang that Angel was cured in their final moments. It was an emotional scene because it gave the Scoobies more insight on why she took off from Sunnydale in the S2 finale. And SMG was just amazing in that scene. She really nailed it on the head: " He
just held me. Um, but i-it was... it was too late, and I, I had to. So I, I told him that I loved him... and I kissed him... and I killed him."

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I'll try to think of more, but I want to give other people a chance too. :lol:

Ooh yeah, those are great ones. I particularly love the Passion's one. That was one of my faves. I bawl like a baby in that scene. And yes, that scene in Amends is awesome "I hate it! I hate that it's so hard and that you can hurt me so much. I know everything you did because you did it to me". She absolutely hit that scene across the park. And wow, that scene in Faith, Hope and Trick is exceptionally well acted by all of them. The cross current of emotions is just so well done. It's so subtle and just so on the money. And yes, the scene at the end of Afterlife was good too. She just seemed so defeated. Sniffle.

Definitely, definitely ALL of the moments you guys mentioned above. Sarah has done a stellar job over the years as Buffy and she always came through with an amazing reality to the character. I'd have to add the end of The Gift. Maybe that is more of a Buffy moment but I always loved the look on her face in the moment that she realizes that she is going to take Dawn's place and the whole speech, the tone in her voice, it was all amazing.

Another scene that also always touched me was the one, I think in The Prom, when Willow and Buffy are talking in Buffy's room and they are discussing Angel and Buffy says:

Buffy: I think horrible is still coming. Right now, it's worse. Right now, I'm just trying to keep from dying.
Willow: Oh Buffy.
Buffy: I can't breathe Will. I feel like I can't breathe.

That whole thing just broke by heart and when she starts to cry, GAH, you just feel her pain so much right there.

Oh my lord! How could I forget that scene from The Prom? Slap me people. Hell, that whole episode. That crying scene with Willow is one of my all time favourites. Everytime I watch it I'll sniffle.

And yes, The Gift was really good too. I particularly loved the speech at the beginning with Giles, the "this is how many apocolypses for us now". She just did such a good job with that speech. SO well done.

My top 3:

The Prom - The scene with Buffy and Willow after the breakup remains my top SMG moment and was the one that first came to mind when I saw this thread. The way her voice breaks when she says "I can't breathe Will, I feel like I can't breathe" and then heart wrenching tears gets me EVERY TIME. I get shivers up my arms and I cry a little with her, and I'm not a big crier in general so that shows you how powerful I find it.

Prophecy Girl - The scene here is of course "Does it say how he kills me? Do you think it'll hurt?" with Buffy, Angel and Giles. The expression, tone of voice, everything from Sarah was just perfect. In that moment she wasn't the Slayer, she was just a normal and very scared 16 year old girl, and SMG nailed it beautifully. She rocks in the entire scene but that particular moment stands out for me.

The Body - The "Mom? Mom? Mommy?" scene remains one of the most heartbreaking scenes I've ever seen on TV. No words I have can do it justice. The look on her face when she realises Joyce really is dead is so haunting and perfectly done by Sarah, she made it so believable and realistic and should have gotten an Emmy for it hands down.

I forgot about "The Prom" scene. It broke my heart completely.

Cat, I agree about the body scene. So incredibly haunting because of how real it is. And yes, I am still bitter she was snubbed too.

you guys got all the great sarah moments

i think she does a good job in the one where she got poked by that demon and was seeing things that werent real sarah did a really good job in that one.


i think she does good job in the gift .

when xanders talking to her in out of mind and sarahs eyes got all watery and she runs for riley.

the end of grave when she in the hole with dawn i like sarah in that scene too.

After Life - Buffy's monologue at the end of the episode, where she reveals to Spike that she was ripped out of heaven. Very powerful and effective scene without resorting to over-the-top theatrics. One of the most beautiful pieces of dialog ever written on the show.

Chosen - Showing my schmoopy Spuffy shipper underbelly, the teary look in her eyes when she finally tells Spike that she loves him in that small, fragile tone of voice. SMG done good - she said it like she meant it.

When She Was Bad - Do I really have to choose one scene? From the ****ty dance with Xander, smackdown from Cordy, to Buffy taunting Angel to kick her ass but he won't touch her coughpansycough, and the final scene where she smashes the Master's bones and breaks down in Angel's arms, I love her whole performance through out. Everything people came to hate about her in the later seasons was all right there to see as plain as day. No wonder it's one of my favorite Buffy-centric episodes from the earlier years. :lol: Buffy rocks so much harder in the later seasons - doesn't hurt that she became so very Spike-centric. My kind of girl. :P :D *ducks rotten tomatoes*

i love when she was bad sarah does a good job in that one .....

I love those and I think she did an amazing job in Becoming.:nod:

OMWF She did pretty good for someone who isn't a singer.:lol:

SMG does comedy really well too. I love her Joan in Tabularas.:lmao: As the Buffybot!

After Life where she talks about being in Heaven to Spike.:(

The Gift where she talks about everything being stripped away to Giles.:(

Of course The Body Forever breaking down finally with Dawn.:bawl:

its hard to pick one scene cause sarah was good in alot of her scenes...

That's very true.:nod:

I enjoyed seeing her do comedy too. Episodes like Living Conditions Beer Bad Something Blue and Tabularasa really showed she can be funny.

loved her in livining conditions fighting with kathy.

she is the only thing i liked about beer bad i also liked life serial the kitten poker and her drunk .......

I am a bad Spuffy for forgetting that.:lol: