The Best Episodes Written By Jane Espenson

Every TV Episode Written by Jane Espenson Ranked from Best to Worst by Thousands of Voters

Jane Espenson Ratings Summary

The best episode written by Jane Espenson is "Variations on a Theme Park", rated 9/10 from 1 user votes. It was "directed by Jeff McCracken". "Variations on a Theme Park" aired on 11/6/1995 and is rated 0.7 point(s) higher than their second highest rated, "Intervention".

  • Variations on a Theme Park
    9.0/10 1 votes

    #1 - Variations on a Theme Park

    Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 11/6/1995

    When too many overworked employees drop dead from exhaustion, businesses give dinosaurs two weeks off for a vacation; B.P. Richfield advises Earl to bring his family to WeSaySo Land, which is supposed to be a fun amusement park for the family. What the Sinclairs find is an overpriced, cow themed park that is newly under construction, and they have to stay for 14 days.

    Director: Jeff McCracken

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Intervention
    8.3/10 15 votes

    #2 - Intervention

    Season 5 Episode 18 - Aired 4/24/2001

    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

  • Skin Deep
    8.3/10 25 votes

    #3 - Skin Deep

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 2/12/2012

    After Mr. Gold's house is robbed, Emma keeps a close eye on him when it looks like he wants to track down the criminal and dole out some vigilante justice as payback, and Valentine's Day finds Mary Margaret, Ruby and Ashley having a girls' night out. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, Belle agrees to a fateful deal to give up her freedom in order to save her town from the horrors of the Ogre war.

    Director: Milan Cheylov

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • White Out
    8.3/10 12 votes

    #4 - White Out

    Season 4 Episode 2 - Aired 10/5/2014

    While desperately trying to find her sister Anna, Elsa accidentally traps them both inside an ice cave. Regina secludes herself from the town and Henry. With the townspeople considering Mary Margaret their leader, she faces her first leadership task in trying to re-start a generator and restore the town’s electricity after Elsa freezes and damages the power lines. Anna tries to teach a meek David to fight Bo Peep.

    Director: Ron Underwood

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • The Hub
    8.2/10 18 votes

    #5 - The Hub

    Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 6/6/2008

    Colonial Viper pilots plan an attack on the Resurrection Hub with their Cylon rebel allies.

    Director: Paul A. Edwards

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Desperate Souls
    8.2/10 20 votes

    #6 - Desperate Souls

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 1/8/2012

    Regina and Mr. Gold play dirty politics and take opposite sides when Emma runs for a coveted Storybrooke public office against Sidney. Meanwhile, back in the fairytale world that was, Rumplestiltskin tries to track down the ultimate power source in order to help his son avert the horrors of a meaningless war.

    Director: Michael Waxman

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Earshot
    8.1/10 15 votes

    #7 - Earshot

    Season 3 Episode 22 - Aired 9/21/1999

    A mouthless demon infects Buffy with the ability to hear everyone's thoughts, but what starts out as a useful power soon turns into a curse.

    Director: Regis Kimble

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Conversations with Dead People
    8.1/10 15 votes

    #8 - Conversations with Dead People

    Season 7 Episode 7 - Aired 11/12/2002

    Buffy strikes up a conversation with a vampire who was once an acquaintance in high school. Dawn defends Joyce from a menacing creature.

    Director: Nick Marck

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Long Ago, Not Far Away
    8.1/10 22 votes

    #9 - Long Ago, Not Far Away

    Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 9/7/2023

    Dusk and Enjoiner Rue learn Demerzel's origin and true purpose. Tellem's plans for Gaal take a dark turn. On Terminus, Day confronts Dr. Seldon.

    Director: Roxann Dawson

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Band Candy
    8.0/10 15 votes

    #10 - Band Candy

    Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 11/10/1998

    Mr Trick enlists Giles' old buddy Ethan Rayne to manufacture and distribute boxes of candy which turn the adult population into uninhibited, irresponsible teenagers to keep them out of the way while the mysterious Mayor Wilkins pays a tribute to a demon.

    Director: Michael Lange

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • The Replacement
    8.0/10 15 votes

    #11 - The Replacement

    Season 5 Episode 3 - Aired 10/10/2000

    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

  • Checkpoint
    8.0/10 15 votes

    #12 - Checkpoint

    Season 5 Episode 12 - Aired 1/23/2001

    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

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • End of Days
    8.0/10 13 votes

    #13 - End of Days

    Season 7 Episode 21 - Aired 5/13/2003

    Buffy has a powerful new weapon, but the gang cannot find any information about the origins of the mysterious scythe. Eventually the Slayer goes herself in search of knowledge, and finds a new ally, an old friend, and great danger.

    Director: Marita Grabiak

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • The Blood Line
    8.0/10 5 votes

    #14 - The Blood Line

    Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 9/15/2011

    As the Torchwood team launch a final, desperate mission against the seemingly undefeatable Three Families, they realize it may come down to the ultimate sacrifice.

    Director: Billy Gierhart

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Zero Minus Ten
    8.0/10 1 votes

    #15 - Zero Minus Ten

    Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 5/6/1996

    Tom Veil wakes from a coma to hear the unsettling news that he was in a bad car accident months earlier and his ordeal of identity erasure was just a terrible nightmare. At his bedside is his ever-loving wife Alyson and his best friend Larry Levy, a man Veil swears he once saw dead and stuffed in a closet. Larry, who insists that he's been alive and well living in South America for the past nine months, tries to assure Veil that everything the doctors and Alyson told him about his hospitalization is true. Eventually trusing his old buddy, Veil pleads with Larry to believe his story and help protect him from the enemy. Meanwhile, his lab assistant plans for another showing of Veil's photographic art—with the centerpiece photo entitled "Displaced."

    Director: James Whitmore Jr.

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Haunted
    8.0/10 3 votes

    #16 - Haunted

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 4/24/2009

    When Adelle’s wealthy friend is murdered, Adelle imprints Echo with the woman’s memories and personality to solve the case. Ballard looks into Mellie’s past, and Topher secretly programs Sierra for an engagement.

    Director: Elodie Keene

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Bad Blood
    8.0/10 1 votes

    #17 - Bad Blood

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 12/5/2013

    When Alice discovers that her father is in Wonderland, they begin healing their broken relationship, which leads to her having to make a difficult decision. In flashback, a young Jafar is emotionally distraught after his mother dies and we find out what drove him to become the unforgiving villain he is today.

    Director: Ciaran Donnelly

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Pangs
    7.9/10 16 votes

    #18 - Pangs

    Season 4 Episode 8 - Aired 11/23/1999

    On Thanksgiving, Buffy encounters the spirit of a Native American warrior whose people were wiped out by settlers.

    Director: Michael Lange

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Apotheosis
    7.9/10 9 votes

    #19 - Apotheosis

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 11/30/2010

    Daniel, Amanda, and Zoe race to stop Clarice's master plan and save thousands of lives before Caprica is changed forever.

    Director: Jonas Pate

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Fall
    7.9/10 10 votes

    #20 - Fall

    Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 11/30/2014

    The Snow Queen attempts to pit Anna and Elsa against each other; with her powers out of control, Emma seeks assistance from Gold; Regina's quest takes a surprising turn.

    Director: Mario Van Peebles

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • The Harsh Light of Day
    7.8/10 16 votes

    #21 - The Harsh Light of Day

    Season 4 Episode 3 - Aired 10/19/1999

    As Buffy gets to know a charming student named Parker, Spike searches for a ring that, according to legend, makes the wearer invincible.

    Director: James A. Contner

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Guise Will Be Guise
    7.8/10 6 votes

    #22 - Guise Will Be Guise

    Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 11/7/2000

    Angel meets with a swami in hopes of ending his obsession with Darla; meanwhile, Wesley assumes Angel's identity and plays bodyguard to a wealthy business man's daughter.

    Director: Krishna Rao

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • Witch Hunt
    7.8/10 11 votes

    #23 - Witch Hunt

    Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 3/16/2014

    In New York, Hook tries to make Emma remember by something very powerful: true love. In the Enchanted Forest, Regina, Snow, and Charming all team up to defeat a very powerful witch. In another world's past, a young girl learns how to use wizardry only to be hunted by a mob.

    Director: Guy Ferland

    Writer: Jane Espenson

  • I Was Made to Love You
    7.7/10 15 votes

    #24 - I Was Made to Love You

    Season 5 Episode 15 - Aired 2/20/2001

    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

  • After Life
    7.7/10 13 votes

    #25 - After Life

    Season 6 Episode 3 - Aired 10/9/2001

    Buffy and her friends battle a demon that may have hitched a ride with Buffy as she crossed into the world from another dimension.

    Director: David Solomon

    Writer: Jane Espenson