Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon believes that less is more when it comes to depicting same-gender romances. To wit, in last week's episode, Alyson Hannigan's sexually ambiguous character, Willow, proclaimed her love for fellow witch Tara (Amber Benson). But the screen went blank just as the duo were about to kiss!

"On a [bigger] network, you don't have an opportunity with a same-sex relationship to show the kind of graphic coupling that you do with, say, Buffy and [boyfriend] Riley," Whedon tells TV Guide Online. "So you have to use your imagination, and to me it's the best thing that could have happened to us. It forces you to come up with something that is a little more primal and I think much sexier than if we were allowed to do anything we wanted."

Whedon initially put this titillating strategy to work in February when Willow and Tara cast a spell. The sexually-charged ceremony featured candles, hand-holding, moaning and an orgasmic climax to rival Meg Ryan's famous When Harry Met Sally... diner scene.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Whedon says with a laugh, adding, "It was sensual and physical, but, by necessity, tasteful. It made me very happy that we were able to do that."

The unconventional love potion hasn't been to every viewer's taste, Whedon concedes. "But generally speaking, people are dealing with this as a romantic relationship. And because all of the relationships on Buffy are kind of romantic, it doesn't feel unnatural or out of place." And he hints that the good witches will continue to enchant each other for a spell longer. "That's the plan...."

-Michael Ausiello