What was in that gallery? We knew that the wonderful Joyce Summers, mother of the Slayer and the Key, ex-wife of Hank, and almost-love of Rupert Giles, ran or owned a gallery in Sunnydale, but of the gallery itself we knew little. Perhaps it contained erotic African art, perhaps Mapplethorpe nudes lined the wall, or perhaps there were landscapes of 'Sunnydale in the Evening' by local artists. In any case, it was most definitely an oversight on the part of the scriptwriters. We here at JOYFFA had entertained hopes that they could be saving it as the focal point of some future season finale, with Buffy battling an army of zombies in amongst the Greek urns decorated with naked dancing nymphs, with her glorious mother at her side hitting the undead creatures with that Cubist sculpture she had never much liked anyway - but we guess that won't happen now.
Our point (and we do have one) is that the gallery, like Joyce, was full of unexplored possibilities. We know much more about Joyce than we do the gallery, of course, and she certainly played her part in more than a few episodes. Indeed, when she had the chance to take centre stage, the true Joyce shines through, and to the credit of both the writers and Kristine Sutherland, she became so much more than just the flighty, kooky mother stereotype that was Joyce at first.
Not that her first appearance on Buffy was by any means a bad thing. Our first sight of Joyce with her graceful aquiline neck, elegant profile, and frizzy bouffant, that awful top - we knew we would love her. For even then early character traits were apparent - the dry sense of humour, the love for Buffy, the silver jewellery. And, of course, her no nonsense determination.
For Joyce is not a woman to cross: Buffy was often the subject of her displeasure for her Slayer duties, or choice of boyfriend, or seeming lack of direction. The times when mother clashed with daughter are legendary: the instruction in that first episode to not burn down the school (not one which Buffy was able to comply with, as it turned out -although killing the Mayor-demon surely counts as mitigating circumstances.); the emotional intensity of 'The Talk' about Buffy having sex with Angel; the angry fight when Joyce discovered her daughter was the Slayer; and, of course, the angry fight at the party to celebrate Buffy's return. Under the influence of evil demons, Joyce was even resourceful enough to nearly burn her daughter at the stake! Of course, Joyce was otherwise a loving mom, and fiercely protective of her daughter too - as those who threatened her daughter found out - Spike felt the wrath of an axe-wielding Joyce when he tried to kill Buffy, Angel got a lecture for not ending what Joyce perceived (not without reason) as a doomed relationship, and Giles a hauling over the coals for his inability to track Buffy down during the summer she had run away from Sunnydale. Plus Joyce always gave as good as she got in fights as Faith or the Quellar demon could testify.
However, much as Joyce loved Buffy (and Dawn) above all else, the occasional glimpses of Joyce as she was before motherhood were even more fabulous. Joyce the woman was an even greater character than Joyce the mother. Seeing 'Joycie' at her flirty best getting her first beau in a homicidal Ted, attempting to seduce Xander twice, having her wicked way (twice again!) with Giles on the hood of a police car, and losing her bra on her last date was awe-inspiring. Especially when she was in that red nightdress - grrrr….
But as much as Joyce made us cheer and laugh, she made us cry. Her final illness and death provided the series' most emotional and painful episode ever in 'The Body', and the sight of Joyce's limp body on the morgue table was truly distressing. It is tribute to the writers and especially to Kristine Sutherland that it provoked such an emotional reaction amongst the fans, and her character will be sorely missed.
But we will never forget.
In this site we celebrate all those parts of Joyce. We allow our imaginations to give full rein to mom Joyce, flirt Joyce, old Joyce and young Joyce, happy Joyce, sad Joyce, angry Joyce, and loving Joyce, Joyce the seducer, Joyce the seducee, Joyce the vamp, Joyce the tramp, Joyce the goddess. It is truly no more than she deserves.
