This epic seven season long show begins with a couple of mischievous teens, obviously on a date, breaking into Sunnydale High school, probably so the boy can impress the girl with his daring vandalism. The innocent Catholic school girl, terrified of the possible danger, suddenly turns the tables on the sleazbag boyfriend and her face changes instantly as she sinks her teeth into his neck.
We meet our heroine, Buffy Summers, having terrible nightmares about vampires the morning of her first day of school. "Buffy, try not to get kicked out," her mother warns as the sixteen-year-old Slayer makes her way to the school. Sidekick comedic relief Xander Harris, skates by, falling over at first glimpse of Buffy; and so the crush begins. Xander rushes to tell his stereotypical guy-friend Jesse about the hot new girl as Willow Rosenberg, the brainy, but adorable nerd joins them.
"Uh, you forgot your...stake."
After Buffy goes to history class (after bumping into Xander and accidentally leaving her stake behind) and meets the stereotypically vapid superficial hobag (upon first glance, of course) Cordelia Chase, who decides she's cool and wants to be her best friend, she heads to library wanting books for class. Rupert Giles, the librarian, sets down a big fat book with 'VAMPYR' on it.
"Ew, morbid much?"
After sort of befriending Willow, Xander, and Jesse, Cordelia announces that a dead guy was found in a girl's locker. Further investigation (and the first exertion of Buffy's supreme physical strength) reveals that a vampire killed the guy. Gasp!
"So, what, you, like, sent away for the time life series?"
Giles explains to Buffy that he was sent there for her, to be her Watcher, the Slayer's guide in training her and preparing her for the coming battles. After a long--and unnecessarily loud--discussion about vampires, which Xander, of course, overhears, we see a horribly ugly vampire decked out in leather rising out of a pool of dark liquid we can only assume is blood.
"I'm sorry that's incorrect, but you do get this lovely supply of turtle wax!"
Buffy runs into the dreamy Angel on her way to the only cool place in town, The Bronze, who warns her about the coming darkness and yadda yadda. He gives her the famous cross necklace and disappears.
"Seize the day, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead."
After giving Willow this stellar advice, she decides to get friendly with a vampire, who lures her into a mausoleum. Buffy sees this after honing in on her fashion sense, running into Xander on the way. Both decide to go save them and eventually the Catholic school vampire from the beginning shows up with Jesse. Buffy finally stakes her first vampire, while Xander tries to escort Willow and Jesse to safety only to have their way blocked by numerous vamps. While Buffy fights for her life against a particularily nasty vampire named Luke, she gets pinned downin a coffin as he leaps upon her ready to strike....
TO BE CONTINUED!
Man, I was so upset about that the first time. So, I love this episode because it is adorably and deliciously cheezy. It makes me so nostalgic after knowing everything that happens in the future. The clothes alone are even nostalic, the super short dresses, mid-riff shirts, and Willow's overalls. But, Buffy is at her best, quip-wise. Also, knowing how old Darla is, I find her actions extremely naive, as though she was made a vampire only a few days ago. Of course, I chalk this up to the fact that everyone's history hadn't been completely worked out yet. Also, Willow, I thought you were a genius! What are you doing walking down dark alleys and in graveyards with some creepy older dude with bad clothes? Come on, now. Also, my favorite Cordelia line EVER is in this episode. After Buffy attacks her with the stake in the alley, and she opens her purse, gets out her clunky 1990s cell phone and says, "Excuse me, I have to call everyone I have ever met, right now." That cracks me up everytime.
'The Harvest'
Well, Buffy obviously kicks this Luke guy's ass enough to get away and save Xander and Willow. Guess Jesse got left behind. Woops! The next day, Giles gives his enjoyable vampires, demons, and apocalypses speech to Willow and Xander, who are taking it pretty well.
"I need to sit down."
"You are sitting."
"Oh. Well, good."
After some vampire scolding by the creepy vampire, who we learn is 'The Master,' we find out there's no hope for poor best friend Jesse. They begin to prepare for the harvest and want to lure the Slayer down to kill her before she can ruin it for them. After literally escaping school grounds, she makes it back to the mausoleum, where Angel is there to make more creepy speeches to her. But, us viewers don't really care because he is quite dreamy in his velvet jacket and mysterious ironic phrases. *dreamy sigh*
Back at school, Cordelia and her BFF Harmony are making fun of crazy Buffy and her attacking with a pointy stick, while Willow researches apocalypses. After ripping on Willow as per usual, while attempting to finish a project in Computer Science? class, Willow pretty much pwns them. While wondering how to save their work, she tells Cordelia to push 'Deliver'. Cordelia presses the 'del' button and deleted everything. Ha! Go Willow.
Xander comes to 'help' Buffy in the sewers because he already feels useless, even though he's known about vampires for about 10 hours. Jesse lures them into a trap, shows he's a vampire, and they escape through a manhole, where Buffy is apparently too weak to pull her leg out of the weakening vampire's grasp.
"I don't like vampires. I'm gonna take a stand and say they're not good."
Xander and Buffy spill the bad news about Jesse to Willow and neither seem too broken up about it. Guess they weren't that close? Giles spills the beans about 'The Harvest' and so the four of them go into battle mode as vampires take over the Bronze, as Luke starts feasting upon the teenage populous to release the Master from his underground church forcefield. When it's time for Cordelia to die, Buffy pops in and saves the day, slaying a few vampires on the way before she gets to Luke. Xander faces off with Jesse, not wanting to stake him and hoping that his BFF is still in there somewhere. Xanders gets off pretty easy as someone bumps into Jesse, causing him to literally fall on Xander's stake. Woops! Giles and Willow face off against Darla, causing her to run away screaming after throwing holy water in her face. And Buffy bests Luke by tricking him into thinking it's daylight after some bright light pours onto the stage. The rest of the vampires run away. The foursome have a pleasant day at school the next day as the recover from the previous night, while no one else seems to have realized that vampires killed a bunch of people. Just another gang on PCP.
"The earth is definitely doomed." :)
That last line gives me a slight tear because of the final episode, but it'll be a while before I get there. Anyway, this two parter is a great way to kick off the show and really thrusts us into the Buffy world. Some people don't really like Season 1 or 2 the first time around, but after watching these episodes as much as I have, you really come to appreciate it the simpler times and innocence of the show and characters.
But, don't worry, the earth isn't doomed.
Some people don't really like Season 1 or 2 the first time around, but after watching these episodes as much as I have, you really come to appreciate it the simpler times and innocence of the show and characters.Perhaps. I have fond memories of those early seasons. But I don't like the idea of a TV series remaining stagnant. Perhaps that is the reason I am not as sentimental about the early years as other fans are.
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