- Welcome to the Hellmouth - The pilot. Every show has one, not every show does it as well as this one. The thing about this episode that sticks out to me, aside from the slightly over-the-top dialogue between the two girls in the beginning, is the fact that it isn't all that dated. Sure, the film stock is a little grainy, and yes the outfits are very clearly nineties, but as a story it holds up. Which is pretty impressive considering that just a year or two before the X-Files pilot was filmed and that episode is dated like whoa. Also, in what can only be described as the purest form of serendipity, it's the first episode that I saw. Two seasons later on FX. I mean come on. What are the odds of that?
- The Harvest - Also technically the pilot. WTTHM was originally two parts, this being the second. It's been split into two episodes for syndication and later airings. Buffy fights the Master's chosen vampire disciple. She knows he's the disciple because he has a symbol on his head that looks curiously similar to the Mercedes logo, but I digress. It's just as good as the first episode because, well, it technically is the first episode. It is the first time however that Buffy gets downright badass.
- The Witch - The first non-vampire centric episode. Instead of vampires the main villain is the 1996 Sunnydale High Cheerleading tryouts. Buffy and her new friend Amy try out but find that weird things keep happening to other candidates. Eventually they find that Amy is the culprit, and also a witch. Turns out it wasn't Amy but her mom in her body. It's a great metaphor for parents forcing their dreams on their children. Great metaphors are one of Buffy's hallmarks.
- Teacher's Pet - Xander is one of my favorite television characters of all time. And this is the first episode that he really shines in. A praying mantis-lady seduces him into going back to her house where she drugs and cages him. I feel I should mention that she doesn't look like a mantis when the actual seducing takes place. Anyway, the teacher that's killed as the inciting incident reminds me of my favorite teacher (Mr. Grant "G-Love" Love). He inspires Buffy to not listen to the negativity of all the other faculty. That was a great moment.
- Never Kill A Boy On The First Date - The title is misinformative. No boys die on the aforementioned first date. But one almost does. This is a bittersweet episode because at first we're happy that Buffy gets a date with the boy she's had her eyes on but then she sees what dating her has done to him she breaks it off. Then there's a good moment with Buffy and Giles that has the first real instance of Giles stepping up to be Buffy's father-figure.
- The Pack - Things get real in this episode. It's return of the metaphor as Xander gets possessed by Hyena spirit-demons. He gets new friends, starts picking on the weak, and even makes fun of Willow. Basically, he becomes a sixteen year old boy. He even assaults Buffy, and tries to force himself on her. I got to say though, the worst thing that happens is when the other possessed teens eat Principal Flutie. It's a very gruesome end.
- Angel - It's finally here: the big reveal. Angel is a Vampire and Buffy, the slayer, loves him. They kiss and his gameface slips out. What's a girl to do? This girl tries to kill him. Fortunately for him she finds out that he has a soul. This is one of those exposition heavy episodes but it's doesn't feel like it. We get a lot of Angel's backstory, as the title would suggest. Not so much actual showing but there's going to be plenty of that next season.
- I, Robot... You Jane - It's weird to think that the internet was around back in 1997. It's weird to think that there was a primitive form of internet dating then too. That's what this episode is about, Willow dating a boy online. Turns out he's a kidnapping demon trapped in the internet. Happens all the time. This is why I love this show: things that everyone goes through in real life are translated into monsters for Buffy and her friends to fight.
- Puppet Show - The talent show is frightening. All those people watching you try to do something you're sort of good at. It's nerve-wracking. I've been in a few and I always get flu-like symptoms. Now imagine if not only were you forced to be in said talent show but someone was killing students and taking their hearts and brains to hide for another X amount of years. Also there's a talking ventriloquist's dummy. Not as much metaphor but it's still a good episode.
- Nightmares - This is in my top ten favorite episodes of the entire series. Nightmares become reality, which, granted isn't the most original episode idea, but the execution is perfect. Buffy fears three things: letting the Master out, becoming a vampire and her dad not wanting to spend time with her. That last one is heart wrenching. He flat out tells her that she's the reason that he and her mom split up and that she's a terrible child. Sarah Michelle Gellar gives me chills with her reaction.
- Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight - This episode is about a girl that everyone ignores until she turns invisible. That is rough. And there's some good phelbotinum for the next episode in the form of a lost codex.
- Prophecy Girl - In the final episode of the season Buffy finds out that she's supposed to face the Master and die. As someone who's seen television you know deep down that she can't die because she's the title character. But then she dies, even if only for a minute, and you are shocked. But the crux of this episode is when she finds out that she's supposed to die. SMG shows pain like no one else. But when the Master's minions kill some students and Willow finds their bodies Buffy decide that she has to stop him. And that's Buffy in a nutshell; she a regular girl until her friends are involved and then she's a superhero.
So that's season one. I'll be doing one of these for each season. It should take a few weeks but it'll happen.
Best!
