 Joss Whedon had wanted to make a musical episode since the start of the series . This was heightened during the fifth season when he hosted a Shakespeare reading at his house , to which the cast was invited . They began drinking and singing , demonstrating to Whedon that certain cast members had musical talents . Whedon knew he would have to write an entire score , which would take weeks or months . During the first three seasons of Buffy , he was unable to take more than two weeks off at a time , and the constraints of writing and directing the show precluded him from putting forth the effort of preparing a musical . Whedon spoke to the show 's producer , Gareth Davies , about his idea ; they agreed that a musical episode would be written . 
