The episode parodies the show's own melodrama. In the background of Xander’s antics, the "main" plot (the apocalypse) is treated with over-the-top, cheesy seriousness, including dramatic orchestral music and slow-motion scenes between Buffy and Angel.
This was one of the first times a major genre show did a "lower decks" style episode, focusing on a supporting character while the main action happened off-screen. Watch Order Context [S3E13] The Zeppo
is the thirteenth episode of the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer . It is widely considered one of the show's most unique and beloved "experimental" episodes because it shifts the focus away from the main hero to the group's "ordinary" guy, Xander Harris . Quick Facts Original Air Date: January 26, 1999. Writer: Dan Vebber. Director: James Whitmore, Jr. The episode parodies the show's own melodrama