The Zeppo

"The Zeppo" is episode 13 of season 3 on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Feeling left out by the gang, Xander embarks on a personal quest to be cool by making new friends. One of them, a psychotic student named Jack O'Toole, has the ability to raise the dead, resurrecting three of his former buddies. Xander then finds himself in danger when he learns of a plot by Jack and his gang of zombies to blow up Sunnydale High at midnight, and tries to prevent it.

Meanwhile, Buffy, Faith, and the rest of the gang, oblivious to Xander's dangerous adventure, try to prevent an apocalyptic demon cult, called the Sisterhood of Jhe, from reopening the Hellmouth under the Sunnydale High library.

All through this episode, Xander is just yards away from his unknowing friends while running from Sisterhood demons, getting seduced by Faith, and having a final one-on-one confrontation of wits with Jack.

Eventually, the Hellmouth is closed, while Xander single-handedly defeats Jack and his gang of zombies, thus saving the school. But in the end, Xander decides not to tell anyone about his "very strange night", knowing that no one will believe him anyway. He goes back to being seen as the hapless sidekick, but with renewed confidence in himself.

Quotes and trivia
Zeppo Mar] is the straight man among the Marx Brothers and long considered to be the most unexceptional member of the act. Xander is treated in the same way in this episode.

The Executive Producer of Doctor Who; Russell T Davies, mentions the Buffy episode "The Zeppo" as a possible influence on the Doctor Who episode "Love and Monsters".


 * Faith: She got me really wound up. A fight like that and, no kill. I'm about ready to pop!
 * Xander: Really? Pop?!
 * Faith: You up for it?
 * Xander: Oh, I'm up. I'm suddenly very up. It's just, um, I've never been up with people before.
 * Faith: Just relax. And take your pants off.
 * Xander: Those two... concepts are... antithetical.
 * Faith: Don't worry. I'll steer you around the curves.
 * Xander: Did I mention that I'm having a very strange night?