Buffy the Vampire Slayer/The Zeppo
From The TV IV
| The Zeppo | |
| Season 3, Episode 13 | |
| Airdate | January 26, 1999 |
| Production Number | 3ABB13 |
| Writer(s) | Dan Vebber |
| Director(s) | James Whitmore Jr. |
| Helpless | Bad Girls |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Season Three | |
| Please help out by editing it. |
The Zeppo is the thirteenth episode of the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the forty-seventh episode overall.
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), David Boreanaz (Angel), Seth Green (Oz)
And: Anthony Stewart Head (Giles)
Guest Starring: Saverio Guerra (Willy), Channon Roe (Jack O'Toole), Michael Cudlitz (Bob), Eliza Dushku (Faith)
Co-Starring: Darin Heames (Parker), Scott Torrence (Dickie), Whitney Dylan (Lysette), Vaughn Armstrong (Cop)
Contents |
[edit] Plot Overview
[edit] Notes
[edit] Monster of the Week
Xander finds himself mixed up with some surprisingly spry zombies that, the school psycho, Jack O'Toole raises from the dead. One was thrown off a bridge and another was shot in the head, although they spend the night raising hell and causing crimes. Aside from not showing signs of rigor mortis and being far more intelligent than usual, they are more or less like traditional zombies.
Meanwhile, Buffy and the others spend their time off-screen averting the apocalypse, which The Sisterhood of Jhe attempts to bring about. The Sisterhood of Jhe is a cult that is dedicated to opening the Hellmouth. They succeed in raising the three-headed demon that nearly killed Willow when the Master ascended, but eventually the gang defeat it and save the day—all off screen.
[edit] Body Count
| # | Whom | By Whom | How | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Demon | Faith | Stabbed | Demon Nest |
| 2 | Parker | Xander | Decapitated | Street |
| 3 | Bob | Xander | Crushed | School |
| 4 | Dickie | Demon | Torn Apart | School |
| 5 | Jack | Oz | Mauled | School |
[edit] Music
- "Easy 09" by Tricky Woo: The song playing at The Bronze when Xander's ear is being talked off by Lysette is "Easy 09" by Tricky Woo, a Canadian indie rock band based in Montreal. The song first appeared on their 1999 album Sometimes I Cry, for which they were nominated for a Juno Award.
[edit] Arc Advancement
[edit] Happenings
[edit] Characters
- Xander: Xander loses his virginity to Faith and finally finds some comfort in his identity, such as it is.
[edit] Referbacks
[edit] Trivia
[edit] The Show
[edit] Behind the Scenes
- Emmy Award: This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Makeup in a Series in 1999. It lost to the ER episode The Storm (2).
- International: Buffy the Vampire Slayer has been dubbed into many different languages and the title translated for each different international version. Some international translations of this episode's title are:
- French: "Le zéro pointé" ("The Total Zero")
- Italian: "Il giorno dell'Apocalisse" ("The Day of the Apocalypse")
- German: "Die Nacht der lebenden Leichen" ("The Night of the Living Corpses")
- Japanese: "ツェッポ" ("Tseppo" - "Zeppo")
- Spanish: "Falta de carácter" ("Lack of Character")
[edit] Allusions and References
- Zeppo Marx: The episode title, which is said by Cordelia after Xander is threatened by Jack O'Toole, is a reference to Zeppo Marx, brother to Harpo, Chico and Groucho Marx. Zeppo was involved in the first five of the Marx Brothers feature films and traditionally played the straight-man until he left the group to become an agent. Supporters of Zeppo consider him to be a necessary translator between the more absurd Marx brothers and the worlds they invade, although many believe he was simply superfluous.
- Jimmy Olsen: When Giles tells Xander that he should hang back from leaping into battle, Xander calls him "Mr. White." Xander is referring to Perry White, the editor of the Daily Planet in the Superman comic books. Jimmy Olsen is also employed by the newspaper as a cub reporter/photographer who always seems to be getting into trouble.
- Xander: Jimmy Olsen jokes are pretty much gonna be lost on you, aren't they?
- Wanna Be Startin' Somethin: When Xander is babbling to Jack at school, he reference a Michael Jackson song, specifically "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" from Jackson's 1982 album Thriller. It is the longest song on the album and was the fourth song from the album to be released as a single.
- Xander: Starting something? You mean like that Michael Jackson song?


