i came into buffy in the final season of the of the initial run (even though i knew it was a great show) so i knew at some point her mother died and was expecting it (i had read the episode summary of the one before and this one before viewing) but it still didn't prepare me for how incredible this was absolutely everyone was on top of their game acting writing staging all of it was brilliant i cried many times which i hope is a testament to how well this episode still stands up all these many years later i think this is one of the best dramatic episodes i've ever seen in television (regardless of genre) and hope the cast and crew maybe run across these testamonials at some point and realize how much we fans (old and new) appreciate their talent and of course goes without saying one of the best episodes of the entire series as well
bravo!

Having lost my mother in a very sudden way and having been the one to find her I can relate to this episode extremely well. I can't watch it without it bringing me to tears which is a testament to the actors and the writers and everyone else involved in this episode. For a show that bases every episode on some unspeakable evil that must be fought and beaten it was nice for them to take a step out of the Hellmouth, looking at the this serious family issue of loss with great respect and tact. I can't praise the cast and writer's enough on how well they portray the issues of loss and how everyone deals with it differently.

I stopped watching Buffy once Angel had his spin off, and recently was really wanting to get back into the show. After watching this episode, I couldn't believe how much everyone in the show had grown as characters. Everyone had a different reaction to the situation at hand and brought me to tears more often than I could count. Anytime Joss Whedon directs an episode, he injects such mastery of his craft...and it showed big time here. Heartbreaking...amazing...and so sad. One of the best episodes throughout the Buffy series.

By far the most emotionally captivating episode of the entire series. Each character's reaction to the situation portrays the differing emotional states when dealing with the loss of a loved one eloquently. Buffy's numbness, Dawn's denial, Xander's anger, Willow's doubts, Tara's understanding, Giles' support, and even Anya's lack of understanding are all equally real. The fact that there is no soundtrack or music during the entire episode makes it even more real.Whether it's having these same feelings from my own experiences or I'm getting softer as I get older, I was brought to tears several times during this episode that is one of Joss Whedon's absolute best.