One thing I think makes the Gentlemen so creepy is that the main performer was Doug Jones. He’s basically the actor you call if you want to make a full body makeup compelling. He’s known for roles like Abe Sapien in Hellboy, the Baron in What We Do in the Shadows, and the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water.
This episode is definetly about communication and how words generate misunderstandings and incomprehensions all the time. I've heard that this episode was born after some comments about how the only strenght of BTVS was it's banter and that without it the series would have struggled. Well, what a genius middle finger.
My daughter is now in her early 30's, but I let both her and her older brother watched this series when they were youngsters. This is the one that, after she had grown and left home, she always wanted to watch with me again when she visited while home from college (or "university", if you prefer.) This is indeed a wonderful episode on so many levels. First, the fan lore (and it is confirmed on the commentary on the DVD releases) is that critics kept harping on Joss only being successful because of the witty dialogue that he penned. So he wrote an episode that had as little dialogue as possible, while still advancing the series arc, while also being an entertaining episode. This is definitely top-5 of all episodes for me. And obviously for my daughter. Alas, my son never became a BtVS fan, but I've learned to accept that! 🙂 There are so many wonderful things done here without dialogue. But the best for me is the final scene, with Buffy and Reilly able to talk, and still somehow unable to communicate. Will this be resolved? I eagerly await your next reaction! Thank you as always for the reactions, and I hope you had a very merry Christmas, and that the new year is a great one for you!
"Grading what papers." Riley almost blew his cover. He is the TA of her class, so she was asking what paper he was supposed to be grading because she hadn't turned in a paper.
This episode was nominated for an Emmy. The Gentlemen are creepy as hell (definitely nightmare fuel), but the clapping scene was hilarious. This episode had humor, suspense, romance, etc, what a great combination. Poor Spike took a beating for nothing! Buffy and Riley lose their voices and once they get them back, they have nothing to say to each other! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year. See you in the next reaction, Jules. 😀
I absolutely adore this episode - for me, this is the best one they ever did. Truly original concept, the lack of dialogue showcases the cinematography, the style of the Gentlemen is iconic, the awkwardness of Giles' lecture, and of course the ironic "We need to talk" line at the end - something they needed forced silence to get to. I'm so pleased you finally got to see this!
This is my favorite episode of season 4. The Gentlemen are such creepy monsters, Willow makes a new friend, Anya is completely inappropriate, Giles does his Giles thing, and Buffy and Riley finally make some progress.
@@christianschoff2490 Agreed. I feel S4 is one of the weakest(partially because I dislike Riley and Adam, partially because I hate Oz leaving), but this one is great.
@@christianschoff2490 Season 4 is my least favorite season overall, but it also has some of my favorite individual episodes. Hush, Fear Itself, Something Blue, Superstar, and Restless Reaction are all in my top 10 BtVS episodes.
Yes, this is a very special episode, one which I’ve been anticipating you getting to for quite a while. The whole scene with Giles and the projector kills me every time. And the Gentlemen are amongst the series’ most creative and spooky monsters, for sure. And then there’s the terrific soundtrack filling the episode when there’s no dialogue … it’s just a fantastic episode all around.
You nailed the entire theme of the episode on first watch! It really is about communication and about how words can actually sometimes be a hindrance. When you take away the words, you have to communicate through body language and action. Xander can talk about how much he cares about Anya all day, what’s more effective is punching Spike when he thought he killed her. Or how Buffy and Riley were just in complete rhythm in the fight in the clock tower (Riley smashing the wrong item notwithstanding) but when they have to talk the next day they have nothing to say to each other. The episode really is quite an achievement. So much character development, exposition , and emotional connection is usually handled through dialogue. Characters explain so much of what is going on, what they’re feeling, or establish relationships with other characters using words. This episode strips all that away, and so the acting, music, cinematography, and especially the script really has to be on point. It’s the script that has to find other ways for characters to communicate with each other without the use of spoken language.
One of my favorite episodes! The Gentlemen are so creepy! The silent interactions with the Scoobies are hysterical! Glad you enjoyed it also! Happy New Year!🎉
Hush is a legendary episode. The only one to be nominated for an Emmy. Whedon & Co. said they decided to do the episode because they sometimes got the criticism that "Buffy" is only good because of the clever dialogue. So they decided to do an episode without any dialogue.
Re The Gentlemen reminding you of doctors 11:25 if you've ever seen pictures of surgeons from the 1800's, that's exactly how they dressed for operations, not in sterile white gowns but in formal black suits.
So remember how I said The Zeppo in season 3 (the episode where we follow Xander while the others handle some sort of apocalypse) was the show runners playing with the format? Well, here's another exampler. When it was on the air, Buffy (the show) was almost always nominated for its scripts. It had a huge reputation as a show with clever writing. So the show runners went "So you think we're just witty repartee, huh? How about an episode with almost no dialogue in it?"
When this episode first aired it scared the pants off me! My parent's were out and it was just me and my sister, and I kept making little vocalizations to prove to myself that I still could. :)
I love this episode. Half of it is without any dialogue, but each person finds a way to communicate what they need to, whether it's Buffy and Riley, Willow and her new magical friend, Xander and Anya, etc. All without words. (And the comedy of Buffy and Riley unable to find the words, even with their voices back, I really love that.) I'm with you about the Gentlemen. They are probably some of the scariest, most disturbing villains of the series. They're terrifying! They don't say a single thing, but what they do is horrific. What they did to that poor college kid, and he didn't even have a voice to scream for help... it makes me shudder. But I give the showrunners credit because the entire concept for the story is so interesting, and the actors who played the Gentlemen characters made them so memorable with their silent, deadly yet disturbingly graceful movements... it's a top notch episode, even if it scares the heck out of me. 😳😭😄
I was really looking forward to your reaction to this one, as it is one of my 2 top favorite episodes (you haven't seen my second favorite yet). I was so impressed how they were able to keep the episode "on the edge of your seat" exiting despite the very little dialogue involved, not to mention that The Gentlemen are one of the more terrifying villains in the entire BTVS series. I did some checking and for what it's worth I found out that The Gentlemen are NOT an actual fairy tale. They only exist in this Buffy episode.
'Hush' was the episode that made me a die-hard fan of BTVS. I had been watching the second and third seasons without committing somehow (I know.. impossible, right?). This was before streaming services and even before DVD box sets. I had to wait for re-runs to get caught up on all the little Buffy details I had missed while watching so passively. Thank you, 'Hush'!
@@julesreacts I think the two lead Gentlemen were professional mimes, probably why they were so creepy yet elegant! There's an awesome podcast called Buffering the Vampire Slayer that has an interview with the main Gentleman (though I wouldn't listen until you've watched it all - I'm pretty sure they avoid spoilers as one of the hosts doesn't really know the show, but can't guarantee it!)
@@TheMacerica One of the lead Gentlemen is Doug Jones. He's a very famous prosthetics actor. He was Billy in Hocus Pocus, Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies, in Pan's Labyrinth, and is currently on Star Trek: Discovery as Saru. Yes, he's a contortionist and mime. I got to meet him at the Calgary Expo years ago and had him sign my season 4 Buffy DVD box set. lol
The Gentlemen are definitely one of the creepiest/scariest Buffy monsters. It's scary enough that they float around, steal you're voice and render you mute and unable to scream as they cut out you're heart when you're alive. But the absolute worst is that throughout the entirety of it they NEVER STOP GRINNING 😁. They're in my top 5 scariest along with Der Kindestod (S2:Killed By Death), the other 3 are later in the series, I'll let you know after you see them 😉.
Love the Gentlemen's polite applause for the Leader's collection and him holding up his hands like "Oh, stop..." Lol, the drawings that Giles does and Buffy's reaction to the huge hips, XD!
One of my favorite episodes of the series. I nearly got kicked out of a Christian-ran art camp when I was 10 for making a Buffy puppet with a banner of the lyrics the little girl was singing. ;) Some fun facts: - This episode was filmed on the same lot as the famous Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives (fantastic show). You can see the Gentlemen go to Susan's house. - The "lead" Gentleman (the tall one) is the same actor (Doug Jones) as Billy Butcherson from Hocus Pocus. But he's super famous for other roles now in Hellboy and The Shape of Water.
A truly great episode. No surprise that you enjoyed it so much. It's interesting, intense, has extremely funny moments, it does a great job of progressing the Buffy/Riley story, and has possibly the creepiest villains the show has ever had. 10/10 episode for sure.
I've read that Whedon wote this episode due to criticism that the show was only successful because of the witty dialogue, or something to the affect. Funny though this episode was the only one to be nominated for an Emmy. Also fun fact: Sarah was supposed to scream at the end, but had trouble pulling off the the length of the screen wanted, so they dubbed over it with another another voice.
Well, the problem is Buffy, among other things, is the dialogue and how it delivered. Everyone's playing lead guitar when it comes to wittiness and sarcasm. No one's dumb or average when they talk. JW's like a third-rate Aaron Sorkin, to be fair.
Spike admits he would bite Willow and in her depression over Oz leaving she was touched and flattered, but Xander is offended and in denial when Spike states he wouldn't bite him. 🤣 The episode would definitely be written differently with texting as an invention since.
@@grife3000 But they weren't a way of communicating so much as a way of saying someone needed to communicate with you. It was a step in-between process that disappeared with the invention of the answering machine, which became the invention of the voicemail, which people don't use as often since texting and social media. Pagers were worthless for what I was talking about.
@@grife3000 Just a number for a callback, unfortunately. At best a message saying things like call me, but never anything long enough to be substantive in communicating. 🤷🤷♂🤷♀🤦🤦♂🤦♀
@@julesreacts I think it also has a great connection with most people because it is the thing of our dreams/nightmares, feeling like your trapped and unable to call out for help - thats why some people wake up screaming because they couldnt in their nightmares to scare the bad things away.
Definitely one of my favorites of season 4. The gentlemen are very creepy villians. And all the characters being mute for half the story was a pretty genius idea.
My Absolute favourite Buffy Episode Ever. Great Creepy episode. She is a prophetic dreamer. Love Giles' presentation with the overhead projector. Ending is very funny. We have to talk.......Silence. Couldn't talk but were suddenly better at communicating. Willow and Tara. The Gentleman were the creepiest and a lot of nice jump scars.
My favorite episode of BTVS! It's become an annual tradition in my house to watch "Hush" every Halloween, it's just so creepy and so well done. Plus, we get introduced to one of my favorite characters.. Excited to watch you react to the rest of the series.
The Gentleman are arguably the creepiest monsters in the entire series. Other contenders for the top spot are the Kinderstod (in Season 2) and one other in a later season. The actors for the main Gentlemen were professional mimes, which was how they got the fingers moving so perfectly. And one of the zombies following them was Joss Whedon, who gave himself a cameo in this fantastic episode.
The lead Gentleman was played by Doug Jones. You probably don't recognise his name, or his face, but he's been in so many films and TV shows, where he's nearly always buried beneath layers of prosthetics.
RIP Camden Toy (one of The Gentlemen and plays different creatures in future episodes of BTVS...although don't look him up incase spoilers lol). Xander thinking Spike bit Anya is my fave scene 😂
Great job, you caught a few things I missed. The ducklings knew right away that only Tara weighs the same as a duck, and they welcome her to the realms of duckhood. The alpacas were extremely creeped out by The Gentlemen, since voices come from the throat and they have rather long ones. They are a bit touchy about throats. The Gentlemen are my favorite monsters of the week. Hope you have a wonderful weekend and new years eve, I hope to spend another year watching your reactions.
I had to go back and find your last comment as I wanted to make sure I reply ☺️ thank you, Cat. I hope your 2024 is off to a lovely start so far! I wish you and your loved ones all the best 🥰
According to Joss Whedon (from an interview): "They (the Gentlemen) came from many storybooks and many silent movies and many horror movies and many nightmares and Mr. Burns (from The Simpsons). There's a little bit of Mr. Burns." This kills me because I can see Mr. Burns, especially in the way they gesture. 😂
@@julesreacts Mr. Burns: "We'll take the Spruce Moose Smithers, hop in!" Smithers: "Umm... sir." *Mr. Burns holds a gun up to Smithers* Mr. Burns: "... I said, hop in."
This is such an iconic episode and the idea that it's only when they stop talking that they start communicating is brilliant. I agree, Jules, the Xander, Spike scene is priceless, second only to the other Spike, Xander scene in Xander's basement. :) And oh, boy the Gentlemen still freak me out even after all these years.
Funny thing is that if this happened nowadays, it wouldn't nearly be as big a deal as it was back in the early 2000s. So many people prefer texting now that everybody losing their voices would be less of a problem and more of an inconvenience...at least, till the murders and stuff.
My favourite Buffy episode! I love everything about this one. Joss did a great job writing and directing here. It's very smart, and also original. I love that we get a brand new monster, and the Gentlemen are in my top 3 creepiest Buffyverse monsters. Plus, I love the atmosphere and the music. And because I'm always interested in language and communication, I particulary enjoy this episode. Also, Xander beats up Spike! Yay!
Here we are, one of the show's most famous episodes with one of its most iconic villains. The story goes that Joss Whedon wrote and directed this episode as a challenge to himself, since so many people praised Buffy for its snappy dialogue, so he wanted to see if he could successfully write a mostly dialogue-free episode. He definitely rose to the challenge and this episode is typically held in very high regard. It's up there with a future episode in terms of shaking up the typical American TV format. It's a pretty important episode in a few ways too, mainly with Buffy and Riley, but also with the introduction of Tara. It's nice that Willow finally has another magic-user she can form a friendship with and learn from. The way they work together here is a wonderful moment. The comedy with Spike continues to be top-tier and it's just so much fun seeing him in an 'odd couple' scenario with Giles, then Xander. Lastly, the Gentlemen themselves are so incredibly creepy and effective and there's a reason why they're so iconic. Word is that Joss based them on a nightmare he had as a kid, which I'd totally buy. The actors who play them did an incredible job and sadly one of them, Camden Toy, passed away just a few weeks ago. He played a lot of monsters in Buffy and Angel, but this is definitely one of his most famous roles. Another one of the Gentlemen was played by Doug Jones, who's a pretty big name in the right circles. He's another actor who's made a career playing monsters, most notably starring in the Hellboy movies, and playing the lead fish-man character in the Oscar-winning movie, The Shape of Water. Happy New Year Jules! Thanks for giving me so much to look forward to every week, here's to 2024!
Ashley! Thank you for being here and always leaving great comments. You never stray into spoilers, always just talking about the episode at hand. That is soooo appreciated, thank you so much! This was such a great episode. So unique and well done! I love that Buffy is so diverse and every episode is such a treat. Have a wonderful New Year, stay safe and stay awesome 💜 all the best to you and your loved ones!
Jules, Jules, Jules ❣ There are episodes in Buffy that completely, over the top, transcend your average television show and this is the first one they pulled off imo. It is also my favorite episode of the series. It was so fun watching you sort it out : ) Oh! And thank you for editing this scene in 15:04, it's so BRILLIANT with how it is led up to, and the music, and the visuals. LOVE ~~~
Sorry, been out of the loop for a while... THIS episode was the very first BTVS episode that I watched the whole way through. I had rejected it for years because it did not go exactly with movie cannon (my own personal issues...) ANYWAYS, I saw this one, because it was on a friends TV, and I was waiting for them to get ready for us to go somewhere. Its been so long ago, that I dont remember what specifically caught my attention, but this episode got me completely hooked on BTVS. It might have been just the humor, or it might have been Willow since I myself was a nerdy outcast. I knew from the start that Tara was going to be a thing, knew that her and Willow would "connect". So much great about this episode. Definitely one of my favorites. I still go back to this episode when I am telling others about BTVS as one they should watch.
Hush is almost universally considered a Top-5 Buffy episode, and The Gentlemen are easily one of Top-3 scariest monsters on BtVS. The themes of talking without communicating, and communicating without talking are fascinating.
I think The best episode of S4 by far. Brilliant innovative writing, The Gentlemen were among the scariest of BTVS monsters. The cast recalled it was actually exhausting to film with the effort that had to be put in talk but stay silent. The nightmare of being cut into and not being able to scream shown when the student is being held down while The Gentlemen extract his heart, really frightening. The comedy between Xander and Spike brings a little light relief, and also our introduction to Tara. A great stand alone episode. This is a brilliant episode but, I feel there are more in S5 and and in S6 that even eclipse this. This was a fantastic stand alone episode and fan favourite.
Happy New year Jules! Really enjoyed the reaction to one of my favourite episodes of television. Amazing how most of the episode has no dialogue, yet we're still able to follow the story and it's still so much fun to watch. The writing and score music is amazing in this one. The Gentleman are definitely the creepiest villains so far. I hope you have a happy 2024
One thing I think makes the Gentlemen so creepy is that the main performer was Doug Jones. He’s basically the actor you call if you want to make a full body makeup compelling. He’s known for roles like Abe Sapien in Hellboy, the Baron in What We Do in the Shadows, and the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water.
All these years I never knew it was Doug Jones! He's awesome in so many roles.
This episode is definetly about communication and how words generate misunderstandings and incomprehensions all the time. I've heard that this episode was born after some comments about how the only strenght of BTVS was it's banter and that without it the series would have struggled. Well, what a genius middle finger.
i have heard that too
Especially with how highly rated this episode is.
"The Gentlemen are stopping by"...RUN...=))
My daughter is now in her early 30's, but I let both her and her older brother watched this series when they were youngsters. This is the one that, after she had grown and left home, she always wanted to watch with me again when she visited while home from college (or "university", if you prefer.) This is indeed a wonderful episode on so many levels. First, the fan lore (and it is confirmed on the commentary on the DVD releases) is that critics kept harping on Joss only being successful because of the witty dialogue that he penned. So he wrote an episode that had as little dialogue as possible, while still advancing the series arc, while also being an entertaining episode.
This is definitely top-5 of all episodes for me. And obviously for my daughter. Alas, my son never became a BtVS fan, but I've learned to accept that! 🙂
There are so many wonderful things done here without dialogue. But the best for me is the final scene, with Buffy and Reilly able to talk, and still somehow unable to communicate.
Will this be resolved? I eagerly await your next reaction!
Thank you as always for the reactions, and I hope you had a very merry Christmas, and that the new year is a great one for you!
Ken, thank you so much for your kind words and well wishes! All the best to you and yours for the new year 💜
I feel most sorry for that poor dude in the dorm...phew, what a grisly fate.
You ignored how Anya was just sitting eating crisps during Giles' presentation as if it was a movie
Nom nom
"Grading what papers." Riley almost blew his cover. He is the TA of her class, so she was asking what paper he was supposed to be grading because she hadn't turned in a paper.
This episode was nominated for an Emmy. The Gentlemen are creepy as hell (definitely nightmare fuel), but the clapping scene was hilarious. This episode had humor, suspense, romance, etc, what a great combination. Poor Spike took a beating for nothing! Buffy and Riley lose their voices and once they get them back, they have nothing to say to each other! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year. See you in the next reaction, Jules. 😀
Thank you so much, Muir 😊 have a very happy new year 💜
One of the best episodes of television ever made. The script and directing and score and performances are all just flawless.
I would absolutely watch a Xander/spike roommate spinoff.
Same 🤣
I absolutely adore this episode - for me, this is the best one they ever did. Truly original concept, the lack of dialogue showcases the cinematography, the style of the Gentlemen is iconic, the awkwardness of Giles' lecture, and of course the ironic "We need to talk" line at the end - something they needed forced silence to get to. I'm so pleased you finally got to see this!
This one and Once More With Feeling... but we will get to that later... LOL.
This is my favorite episode of season 4. The Gentlemen are such creepy monsters, Willow makes a new friend, Anya is completely inappropriate, Giles does his Giles thing, and Buffy and Riley finally make some progress.
I don't like S4 much but I adore this episode.
@@christianschoff2490 Agreed. I feel S4 is one of the weakest(partially because I dislike Riley and Adam, partially because I hate Oz leaving), but this one is great.
@@christianschoff2490 Season 4 is my least favorite season overall, but it also has some of my favorite individual episodes.
Hush, Fear Itself, Something Blue, Superstar, and Restless Reaction are all in my top 10 BtVS episodes.
@@jasonmeade955 I agree with you one hundred percent. Once Adam appears I skip the rest.
As for irony. A show that received awards for it's excellent dialog. Proceeds to make a episode with almost none. And still makes it astounding :)
“What is she, an orgasm friend?” I love Anya…
Rip Camden Toy who played one of the gentlemen and other mosters on the show. Just died this December on the 11th.
Ooh, Hush is one of my all time favorite episodes! I met one of the actors that played the main "Gentleman" at a Comic Con. 🙂
Ahhh that's so awesome!!
Yes, this is a very special episode, one which I’ve been anticipating you getting to for quite a while. The whole scene with Giles and the projector kills me every time. And the Gentlemen are amongst the series’ most creative and spooky monsters, for sure. And then there’s the terrific soundtrack filling the episode when there’s no dialogue … it’s just a fantastic episode all around.
You nailed the entire theme of the episode on first watch! It really is about communication and about how words can actually sometimes be a hindrance. When you take away the words, you have to communicate through body language and action. Xander can talk about how much he cares about Anya all day, what’s more effective is punching Spike when he thought he killed her. Or how Buffy and Riley were just in complete rhythm in the fight in the clock tower (Riley smashing the wrong item notwithstanding) but when they have to talk the next day they have nothing to say to each other.
The episode really is quite an achievement. So much character development, exposition , and emotional connection is usually handled through dialogue. Characters explain so much of what is going on, what they’re feeling, or establish relationships with other characters using words. This episode strips all that away, and so the acting, music, cinematography, and especially the script really has to be on point. It’s the script that has to find other ways for characters to communicate with each other without the use of spoken language.
An iconic episode of Buffy! That Slayer dream in the beginning was trippy
One of my favorite episodes! The Gentlemen are so creepy! The silent interactions with the Scoobies are hysterical!
Glad you enjoyed it also!
Happy New Year!🎉
Thank you, Matthew! It was awesome! Happy new year 🎉 ✨️
Hush is a legendary episode. The only one to be nominated for an Emmy. Whedon & Co. said they decided to do the episode because they sometimes got the criticism that "Buffy" is only good because of the clever dialogue. So they decided to do an episode without any dialogue.
I always forget that this is the first appearance of Tara, such an iconic episode for so many reasons.
I can't wait to learn more about her!
This is one of the iconic episodes.
one of the best episodes it says a lot about communication. The editing, track, actors, really important and well done
Talking is not the same as communicating. Love the message.
85% is non-verbal...
The first episode of Buffy I ever watched and I was instantly, utterly hooked.
What a beautiful episode to begin with!!
Re The Gentlemen reminding you of doctors 11:25 if you've ever seen pictures of surgeons from the 1800's, that's exactly how they dressed for operations, not in sterile white gowns but in formal black suits.
Mmmmm yes!! Love the likeness of the old fashioned surgeons!
Everyone lost their voice but still told their secrets
So remember how I said The Zeppo in season 3 (the episode where we follow Xander while the others handle some sort of apocalypse) was the show runners playing with the format? Well, here's another exampler. When it was on the air, Buffy (the show) was almost always nominated for its scripts. It had a huge reputation as a show with clever writing. So the show runners went "So you think we're just witty repartee, huh? How about an episode with almost no dialogue in it?"
When this episode first aired it scared the pants off me! My parent's were out and it was just me and my sister, and I kept making little vocalizations to prove to myself that I still could. :)
If I remember correctly this episode was considered the best one of the season and I think it even won an award
"We need to talk" means so much more in the context of an episode where nobody could talk
HA! Yes!!
I just love Xander's face when Buffy is er...stabbing..
I didn't pick up on what Buffy was doing right away 🤣
@Jules, well you are not a teenage boy.
@@migmitBut Giles *was* a teenage boy at one point…
Great episode. You never know where the show will go. So consistently inventive and amusing.
I love this episode. Half of it is without any dialogue, but each person finds a way to communicate what they need to, whether it's Buffy and Riley, Willow and her new magical friend, Xander and Anya, etc. All without words. (And the comedy of Buffy and Riley unable to find the words, even with their voices back, I really love that.)
I'm with you about the Gentlemen. They are probably some of the scariest, most disturbing villains of the series. They're terrifying! They don't say a single thing, but what they do is horrific. What they did to that poor college kid, and he didn't even have a voice to scream for help... it makes me shudder.
But I give the showrunners credit because the entire concept for the story is so interesting, and the actors who played the Gentlemen characters made them so memorable with their silent, deadly yet disturbingly graceful movements... it's a top notch episode, even if it scares the heck out of me. 😳😭😄
the gentlemen are very original monsters.i have always argued that they deserve their own movie.too bad it will never happen!
Buffy did not appreciate the artistic licence Giles took when representing her hips in his little theatre piece.
One of the greatest TV episodes ever
I absolutely love this episode! It always leaves me speechless!
I was really looking forward to your reaction to this one, as it is one of my 2 top favorite episodes (you haven't seen my second favorite yet). I was so impressed how they were able to keep the episode "on the edge of your seat" exiting despite the very little dialogue involved, not to mention that The Gentlemen are one of the more terrifying villains in the entire BTVS series. I did some checking and for what it's worth I found out that The Gentlemen are NOT an actual fairy tale. They only exist in this Buffy episode.
'Hush' was the episode that made me a die-hard fan of BTVS. I had been watching the second and third seasons without committing somehow (I know.. impossible, right?). This was before streaming services and even before DVD box sets. I had to wait for re-runs to get caught up on all the little Buffy details I had missed while watching so passively. Thank you, 'Hush'!
I love how scary the Gentlemen are. Truly terrified me when I saw this the first time around.
I loved them!! They are scary but elegant?! Such a weird combination 😅
@@julesreacts I think the two lead Gentlemen were professional mimes, probably why they were so creepy yet elegant! There's an awesome podcast called Buffering the Vampire Slayer that has an interview with the main Gentleman (though I wouldn't listen until you've watched it all - I'm pretty sure they avoid spoilers as one of the hosts doesn't really know the show, but can't guarantee it!)
@@TheMacerica One of the lead Gentlemen is Doug Jones. He's a very famous prosthetics actor. He was Billy in Hocus Pocus, Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies, in Pan's Labyrinth, and is currently on Star Trek: Discovery as Saru. Yes, he's a contortionist and mime. I got to meet him at the Calgary Expo years ago and had him sign my season 4 Buffy DVD box set. lol
@@deirdrestatham5730 Another one was Camden Toy, who recently passed away this year. He did six episodes of Buffy and a fifth season episode of Angel.
My gosh, this SCORE! It is so GOOD. But then, so is everything else in this episode.
The Buffy/Riley music theme is my favorite, there’s just something so beautiful about it
It really is!!
The Gentlemen are definitely one of the creepiest/scariest Buffy monsters. It's scary enough that they float around, steal you're voice and render you mute and unable to scream as they cut out you're heart when you're alive. But the absolute worst is that throughout the entirety of it they NEVER STOP GRINNING 😁. They're in my top 5 scariest along with Der Kindestod (S2:Killed By Death), the other 3 are later in the series, I'll let you know after you see them 😉.
Love the Gentlemen's polite applause for the Leader's collection and him holding up his hands like "Oh, stop..."
Lol, the drawings that Giles does and Buffy's reaction to the huge hips, XD!
One of the best episodes of the show. and YAY! Tara!
I adore Tara! She's so pretty 💜
One of my favorite episodes of the series. I nearly got kicked out of a Christian-ran art camp when I was 10 for making a Buffy puppet with a banner of the lyrics the little girl was singing. ;)
Some fun facts:
- This episode was filmed on the same lot as the famous Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives (fantastic show). You can see the Gentlemen go to Susan's house.
- The "lead" Gentleman (the tall one) is the same actor (Doug Jones) as Billy Butcherson from Hocus Pocus. But he's super famous for other roles now in Hellboy and The Shape of Water.
A truly great episode. No surprise that you enjoyed it so much. It's interesting, intense, has extremely funny moments, it does a great job of progressing the Buffy/Riley story, and has possibly the creepiest villains the show has ever had. 10/10 episode for sure.
Tara's 1st Episode!
I know so little of her, but I LOVE HER!
I've read that Whedon wote this episode due to criticism that the show was only successful because of the witty dialogue, or something to the affect. Funny though this episode was the only one to be nominated for an Emmy.
Also fun fact: Sarah was supposed to scream at the end, but had trouble pulling off the the length of the screen wanted, so they dubbed over it with another another voice.
I did not like the pitch of the scream. Did not sound like Buffy's natural voice pitch.
Well, the problem is Buffy, among other things, is the dialogue and how it delivered. Everyone's playing lead guitar when it comes to wittiness and sarcasm. No one's dumb or average when they talk. JW's like a third-rate Aaron Sorkin, to be fair.
I can watch this episode over and over and over without ever getting tired of it. Your reaction is so delightful and fun!
This was one of the only two Buffy episodes that scared the mess outa me.
"Ohhh. He's pretty."
That's... one way to put it.
Spike admits he would bite Willow and in her depression over Oz leaving she was touched and flattered, but Xander is offended and in denial when Spike states he wouldn't bite him. 🤣
The episode would definitely be written differently with texting as an invention since.
Buffy had a pager in 1x05. Dunno if she kept paying for it or not, though.
@@grife3000 But they weren't a way of communicating so much as a way of saying someone needed to communicate with you. It was a step in-between process that disappeared with the invention of the answering machine, which became the invention of the voicemail, which people don't use as often since texting and social media. Pagers were worthless for what I was talking about.
@@Buffy8Fan I thought you could send simple messages via them. I never had one, was all you could do send your number for a callback?
@@grife3000 Just a number for a callback, unfortunately. At best a message saying things like call me, but never anything long enough to be substantive in communicating. 🤷🤷♂🤷♀🤦🤦♂🤦♀
This is by far one of my favourite episodes. Also this has such DARK CITY vibes. (And Doug Jones is such a great actor).
I loved this one, too!
@@julesreacts I think it also has a great connection with most people because it is the thing of our dreams/nightmares, feeling like your trapped and unable to call out for help - thats why some people wake up screaming because they couldnt in their nightmares to scare the bad things away.
Definitely one of my favorites of season 4. The gentlemen are very creepy villians. And all the characters being mute for half the story was a pretty genius idea.
One of The Gentlemeb was pkayed by Camden Toy. He became a regular at the fan parties. Nicest guy. Sadly he passed awsy on December 11th.
This was such an innovative episode I can't remember another tv show where there such little dialogue but still told such a great story.
Did you notice, that in the dream, Riley tells Buffy, "When I kiss you it will make the sun go down." And when they finally kiss, it is at night.
Awww 💜
I never realized that Graham wasn’t in this episode until now.
As for your question earlier in this episode I don't think it's because she's stronger it's just they're together
This is, in my opinion, THE episode of season 4.
It's a very good one indeed!
Joss's audio commentary for this episode is great too! All his commentaries are great!
My Absolute favourite Buffy Episode Ever. Great Creepy episode.
She is a prophetic dreamer.
Love Giles' presentation with the overhead projector.
Ending is very funny.
We have to talk.......Silence.
Couldn't talk but were suddenly better at communicating.
Willow and Tara.
The Gentleman were the creepiest and a lot of nice jump scars.
My favorite episode of BTVS! It's become an annual tradition in my house to watch "Hush" every Halloween, it's just so creepy and so well done. Plus, we get introduced to one of my favorite characters.. Excited to watch you react to the rest of the series.
Oooh I love that Halloween tradition! Sounds like a great one to keep 💜
She's my favorite. Probably because she's the Buffyverse character who is the most similar to me, but still an awesome character all the way around.
Top 5 episode of the whole series.
tara!!!
I don't know why, but there's something about Tara that I love!! She's SO SWEET!
The Gentleman are arguably the creepiest monsters in the entire series. Other contenders for the top spot are the Kinderstod (in Season 2) and one other in a later season. The actors for the main Gentlemen were professional mimes, which was how they got the fingers moving so perfectly. And one of the zombies following them was Joss Whedon, who gave himself a cameo in this fantastic episode.
The lead Gentleman was played by Doug Jones. You probably don't recognise his name, or his face, but he's been in so many films and TV shows, where he's nearly always buried beneath layers of prosthetics.
I don't think I knew Joss was in this one! Haha!
No wonder their fingers and hands were so beautifully elegant, being mimes! Wow!
Amazingly done episode. Creepy without any voices. Giles drawings are awesome. Love the reaction, have yourself a happy New Year's
RIP Camden Toy (one of The Gentlemen and plays different creatures in future episodes of BTVS...although don't look him up incase spoilers lol).
Xander thinking Spike bit Anya is my fave scene 😂
Great job, you caught a few things I missed.
The ducklings knew right away that only Tara weighs the same as a duck, and they welcome her to the realms of duckhood. The alpacas were extremely creeped out by The Gentlemen, since voices come from the throat and they have rather long ones. They are a bit touchy about throats.
The Gentlemen are my favorite monsters of the week.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend and new years eve, I hope to spend another year watching your reactions.
I had to go back and find your last comment as I wanted to make sure I reply ☺️ thank you, Cat. I hope your 2024 is off to a lovely start so far! I wish you and your loved ones all the best 🥰
Great review, Jules! Fun fact: this is the highest-rated episode of the series, on IMDB.
i love tara.
She's always been my favorite.
this is one of my absolute favourite episodes. hush, the body and once more with feeling are a beautiful trifecta.
According to Joss Whedon (from an interview): "They (the Gentlemen) came from many storybooks and many silent movies and many horror movies and many nightmares and Mr. Burns (from The Simpsons). There's a little bit of Mr. Burns."
This kills me because I can see Mr. Burns, especially in the way they gesture. 😂
Mr Burns bahahahaha! Good old Burns.
Excellent!
@@julesreacts Evil old Burns, if you really wanna be accurate.
My favourite moment was when Burns was wearing tissue boxes for shoes and he told Smithers to get inside some tiny toy plane 🤣
@@julesreacts Mr. Burns: "We'll take the Spruce Moose Smithers, hop in!"
Smithers: "Umm... sir."
*Mr. Burns holds a gun up to Smithers*
Mr. Burns: "... I said, hop in."
This is such an iconic episode and the idea that it's only when they stop talking that they start communicating is brilliant. I agree, Jules, the Xander, Spike scene is priceless, second only to the other Spike, Xander scene in Xander's basement. :) And oh, boy the Gentlemen still freak me out even after all these years.
Xander and Spike are my new favourite duo 🤣
@@julesreacts Spike and Xander were my first big non-canon ship - commonly known as Spander in fandom. :)
SPANDER!!! I've never heard of that! I LOVE IT!
Funny thing is that if this happened nowadays, it wouldn't nearly be as big a deal as it was back in the early 2000s. So many people prefer texting now that everybody losing their voices would be less of a problem and more of an inconvenience...at least, till the murders and stuff.
One thing this episode did was making people communicate without actually speaking. It just shows that communicating is more than just words.
Absolutely is!
Man, there's a lot to love in this episode. It stands out even in a series this good. Have a good week!
It was so wonderfully done! Enjoy your weekend 😊
My favourite Buffy episode! I love everything about this one. Joss did a great job writing and directing here. It's very smart, and also original. I love that we get a brand new monster, and the Gentlemen are in my top 3 creepiest Buffyverse monsters. Plus, I love the atmosphere and the music. And because I'm always interested in language and communication, I particulary enjoy this episode. Also, Xander beats up Spike! Yay!
Here we are, one of the show's most famous episodes with one of its most iconic villains. The story goes that Joss Whedon wrote and directed this episode as a challenge to himself, since so many people praised Buffy for its snappy dialogue, so he wanted to see if he could successfully write a mostly dialogue-free episode. He definitely rose to the challenge and this episode is typically held in very high regard. It's up there with a future episode in terms of shaking up the typical American TV format.
It's a pretty important episode in a few ways too, mainly with Buffy and Riley, but also with the introduction of Tara. It's nice that Willow finally has another magic-user she can form a friendship with and learn from. The way they work together here is a wonderful moment. The comedy with Spike continues to be top-tier and it's just so much fun seeing him in an 'odd couple' scenario with Giles, then Xander.
Lastly, the Gentlemen themselves are so incredibly creepy and effective and there's a reason why they're so iconic. Word is that Joss based them on a nightmare he had as a kid, which I'd totally buy. The actors who play them did an incredible job and sadly one of them, Camden Toy, passed away just a few weeks ago. He played a lot of monsters in Buffy and Angel, but this is definitely one of his most famous roles. Another one of the Gentlemen was played by Doug Jones, who's a pretty big name in the right circles. He's another actor who's made a career playing monsters, most notably starring in the Hellboy movies, and playing the lead fish-man character in the Oscar-winning movie, The Shape of Water.
Happy New Year Jules! Thanks for giving me so much to look forward to every week, here's to 2024!
Ashley! Thank you for being here and always leaving great comments. You never stray into spoilers, always just talking about the episode at hand. That is soooo appreciated, thank you so much!
This was such a great episode. So unique and well done! I love that Buffy is so diverse and every episode is such a treat.
Have a wonderful New Year, stay safe and stay awesome 💜 all the best to you and your loved ones!
Jules, Jules, Jules ❣ There are episodes in Buffy that completely, over the top, transcend your average television show and this is the first one they pulled off imo. It is also my favorite episode of the series. It was so fun watching you sort it out : ) Oh! And thank you for editing this scene in 15:04, it's so BRILLIANT with how it is led up to, and the music, and the visuals. LOVE ~~~
78 pages left in the book of Buffy and a classic episode has been shared. One thing we can all agree on is we will never ask Jules to Hush.🤫🥰
You'd be surprised haha! I get the odd comment telling me to shut up 🤣 Of course, they aren't a very nice person like you, though 💜
Never let the odd comment get to your heart. You are LOVED Juliette and never forget that.@@julesreacts
Sorry, been out of the loop for a while... THIS episode was the very first BTVS episode that I watched the whole way through. I had rejected it for years because it did not go exactly with movie cannon (my own personal issues...) ANYWAYS, I saw this one, because it was on a friends TV, and I was waiting for them to get ready for us to go somewhere. Its been so long ago, that I dont remember what specifically caught my attention, but this episode got me completely hooked on BTVS. It might have been just the humor, or it might have been Willow since I myself was a nerdy outcast. I knew from the start that Tara was going to be a thing, knew that her and Willow would "connect". So much great about this episode. Definitely one of my favorites. I still go back to this episode when I am telling others about BTVS as one they should watch.
It's such a great episode! Hope you've been well 😊
One of the best - if not THE - of this series. A perfect achievement
My all-time FAVORITE episode!
T T Tara (my heart jumped two beats) big LOVE
Hush is a top 10 episode for sure, and is probably a top 3 for most fans. Also a very important episode.
I love how you're narrating everything!! So perfect :)
Oh thank you! Glad you liked watching this episode ☺️☺️
Easily one of the best episodes in tv history. So great, so story driving, so funny and scary.
Hush is almost universally considered a Top-5 Buffy episode, and The Gentlemen are easily one of Top-3 scariest monsters on BtVS. The themes of talking without communicating, and communicating without talking are fascinating.
I think The best episode of S4 by far. Brilliant innovative writing, The Gentlemen were among the scariest of BTVS monsters. The cast recalled it was actually exhausting to film with the effort that had to be put in talk but stay silent. The nightmare of being cut into and not being able to scream shown when the student is being held down while The Gentlemen extract his heart, really frightening. The comedy between Xander and Spike brings a little light relief, and also our introduction to Tara. A great stand alone episode. This is a brilliant episode but, I feel there are more in S5 and and in S6 that even eclipse this. This was a fantastic stand alone episode and fan favourite.
One of the top 3 Buffy episodes. Can't even hint what the other two are, but you're in for some treats!
The masterpiece.
OH MY GOD! You drop this legendary episode on my birthday!
Happy birthday 🎂 I hope you have an awesome day!!
@@julesreacts not today but tomorrow seems promising.
this is a favorite episode. the gentlemen are scary and cool at the same time.
Absolutely! Very cool indeed!
My personal favourite episode. Made the wait during the 16 year Doctor Who break more bearable.
Happy New year Jules!
Really enjoyed the reaction to one of my favourite episodes of television.
Amazing how most of the episode has no dialogue, yet we're still able to follow the story and it's still so much fun to watch. The writing and score music is amazing in this one.
The Gentleman are definitely the creepiest villains so far.
I hope you have a happy 2024
Graham, thank you so much! All the best for 2024 💜
17:10 , at this point, Tara is much stronger than Willow, is just that she is more cautious about it cause Tara has had more training from her mother.