Stephen: "Quality force of Evil"

This is classic, inspired Buffy. Very much in the spirit of Tim Burton, it really doesn�t get any better than this.

They say the best stories come from tight plot constraints, and this proves the rule. For a show famed for its ultra-hip dialogue, it's a brave move to do a silent episode. It pays off in spades.

The Gentlemen are a quality force of evil. Gliding silently through town, their genteel gesticulations and murderous intent are about as sinister as it gets. Very, very creepy villains indeed.

The inability to verbalise also allows the characters to communicate with total honesty. Xander and Anya for the better. Riley and Buffy perhaps for the worst.

Exceptional story-telling.

Dan: "Spine-Tingly Creepy"

An instant classic. Reminiscent of such seminal horrors as Salem's Lot and The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hush features some genuinely spooky villains, ace special effects and - above all else - excellent acting. The Gentlemen are spine-tingling creepy, and the evident production effort involved in their floating motion is well rewarded. The overall BtVS plot is well advanced when Buffy and Riley both unintentionally reveal their alter egos in the best case of superhero entanglement since Michael Keaton and Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns. What more could you ask for?

Another thing to note about Hush - the score is quite superb. Clearly inspired by Danny Elfman, the former Oingo Boingo and long-time musical collaborator in Tim Burton's gothic movie masterpieces, Chris Beck's music evokes a nasty sort of whimsy that's perfect for circus sideshow villains like the Gentlemen.

Kim: "Brothers Grimm"

Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by...

Die Weisse Engel from Marathon Man meets Sweeney Todd for the best Buffy baddies in ages. The gliding, smiling Gentlemen and their loping straightjacketed assistants were just fantastic: menacing, chilling, and lots of other shivers-down-the-spine words. This was a real archetypal fairytale episode - it felt like a story lifted from the Brothers Grimm, or even the ancient folktales they plundered for their stories. The idea that only a princess� scream could restore the silenced population is pure fairytale.

Apparently, to dream of losing your voice is a warning not to take unnecessary risks - let�s hope this isn�t a sign that Buffy will get a bit pedestrian over the next few episodes!

Sarah: "Teen Embarrassment"

Another classic weaving of preternatural power and painful teen embarrassment. The only time that Riley and Buffy can physically speak to each other in this episode, they can't find a word to say. Even the voice-stealing demons were more devilish than usual.

Into the middle of this sublime terror steps Anya, who really wouldn't be out of place in Sex and the City. Xander has his work cut out silencing her indiscretions, but Spike delivers the killer line:

Xander (to Anya): 'Remember how we talked about private conversations, and how they're less private when they're in front of my friends?'
Spike: 'Oh, we're not your friends, go on!'

James: