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The Best Episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5

Every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5!

Binge this in 15h 46m•Peaking at 9.7/10

Into every generation a slayer is born: one girl in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness; to

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 16 - The Body
    9.7/10(9443 votes)

    S5:E16

    Buffy, Dawn, and their friends deal with the loss of someone close to them.

    Director:Joss Whedon
    Writer:Joss Whedon

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  2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 22 - The Gift
    9.5/10(5802 votes)

    S5:E22

    As Glory prepares Dawn for a bloodletting ritual that will open a portal to another dimension, Buffy and her friends head into battle.

    Director:Joss Whedon
    Writer:Joss Whedon

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  3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 7 - Fool for Love
    9.1/10(4614 votes)

    S5:E7

    After being bested in a fight by an ordinary vampire, Buffy asks Spike to explain how he killed two Slayers many years earlier.

    Director:Nick Marck
    Writer:Doug Petrie

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  4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 18 - Intervention
    8.6/10(3590 votes)

    S5:E18

    A weary Buffy seeks to regain focus by embarking on a quest with the First Slayer; Spike cavorts with his very own "Buffybot" and Glory instructs her minions to spy on Buffy's friends in the hopes of ascertaining the Key's true identity.

    Director:Michael Gershman
    Writer:Jane Espenson

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  5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 14 - Crush
    8.4/10(3595 votes)

    S5:E14

    Buffy learns that Spike has a crush on her - a situation made all the more dangerous by Drusilla's return to Sunnydale.

    Director:Dan Attias
    Writer:David Fury

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  6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 12 - Checkpoint
    8.3/10(3490 votes)

    S5:E12

    The Watcher Council travels to Sunnydale to review Buffy's skills as a Slayer; meanwhile, Glory puts her search for the Key into high gear.

    Director:Nick Marck
    Writers:Jane Espenson, Doug Petrie

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  7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 13 - Blood Ties
    8.2/10(3369 votes)

    S5:E13

    When Dawn learns her true identity, she runs away - only to encounter Glory.

    Director:Michael Gershman
    Writer:Steven S. DeKnight

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  8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 20 - Spiral
    8.2/10(3258 votes)

    S5:E20

    Realizing they may never be able to vanquish Glory, Buffy and the gang decide to flee Sunnydale in Spike's R.V. to protect Dawn.

    Director:James A. Contner
    Writer:Steven S. DeKnight

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  9. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 5 - No Place Like Home
    8.1/10(3340 votes)

    S5:E5

    Buffy learns more about Dawn after she discovers a mysterious orb linked to a group of monks being pursued by an incredibly powerful force.

    Director:David Solomon
    Writer:Doug Petrie

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  10. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 6 - Family
    8.1/10(3611 votes)

    S5:E6

    When relatives arrive in Sunnydale, to celebrate her birthday, Tara uses a magic spell on her friends to keep them from learning her "secret." Meanwhile, Glory unleashes a hoard of demons to hunt down Buffy.

    Director:Joss Whedon
    Writer:Joss Whedon

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  11. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 19 - Tough Love
    8.1/10(3198 votes)

    S5:E19

    When Tara falls victim to Glory's incredible power, Willow embraces dark magic and launches a counterattack.

    Director:David Grossman
    Writer:Rebecca Rand Kirshner

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  12. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 3 - The Replacement
    8.0/10(3623 votes)

    S5:E3

    When a demon creates a Xander double, the real Xander must convince his friends of his true identity.

    Director:James A. Contner
    Writer:Jane Espenson

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  13. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 17 - Forever
    8.0/10(3547 votes)

    S5:E17

    With some help from Spike, Dawn attempts to bring Joyce back from the dead.

    Director:Marti Noxon
    Writer:Marti Noxon

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  14. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 21 - The Weight of the World
    7.9/10(3176 votes)

    S5:E21

    When Buffy lapses into a catatonic state, Willow uses magic to find out why; a tug-of-war erupts between Glory and Ben over Dawn's ultimate fate.

    Director:David Solomon
    Writer:Doug Petrie

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  15. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 1 - Buffy vs. Dracula
    7.6/10(4003 votes)

    S5:E1

    The one-and-only Dracula makes his way to Sunnydale and immediately has everyone enchanted. Even Buffy might not be able to resist his charms.

    Director:David Solomon
    Writer:Marti Noxon

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  16. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 4 - Out of My Mind
    7.5/10(3381 votes)

    S5:E4

    While Riley's health begins to deteriorate, Spike and Harmony force a surgeon to remove the behavior modification chip embedded in Spike's brain.

    Director:David Grossman
    Writer:Rebecca Rand Kirshner

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  17. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 11 - Triangle
    7.5/10(3343 votes)

    S5:E11

    While Giles is in England meeting with the Watcher Council, a bickering Anya and Willow mind the magic store and inadvertently conjure up a fearsome troll.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Jane Espenson

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  18. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 2 - Real Me
    7.4/10(3379 votes)

    S5:E2

    As Harmony and her vampire gang plot Buffy's demise, Dawn adjusts to life with a Slayer.

    Director:David Grossman
    Writer:David Fury

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  19. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 15 - I Was Made to Love You
    7.4/10(3310 votes)

    S5:E15

    Buffy and her friends encounter an incredibly strong female robot with only one thing on its mind - love.

    Director:James A. Contner
    Writer:Jane Espenson

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  20. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 8 - Shadow
    7.3/10(3121 votes)

    S5:E8

    Glory transforms a snake into a terrifying monster in her quest to find the Key; Joyce is hospitalized after being diagnosed with an illness.

    Director:Dan Attias
    Writer:David Fury

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  21. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 10 - Into the Woods
    7.3/10(3406 votes)

    S5:E10

    After Buffy catches Riley in the clutches of a vampire-junkie, Riley makes an important decision regarding their relationship.

    Director:Marti Noxon
    Writer:Marti Noxon

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  22. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 9 - Listening to Fear
    7.0/10(3220 votes)

    S5:E9

    As Joyce's sickness makes her begin doing odd things, a demon emerges from a meteorite and begins killing the mentally ill.

    Director:David Solomon
    Writer:Rebecca Rand Kirshner

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Season 5 Ratings Summary

"The Body" is the best rated episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" season 5. It scored 9.7/10 based on 9443 votes. Directed by Joss Whedon and written by Joss Whedon, it aired on 2/27/2001. This episode is rated 0.2 points higher than the second-best, "The Gift".