I was hoping to establish a pattern here with writing a drabble or some cute little story - or at least having an old one on hand - for each episode. I haven't done that this time, because when I sat down and scrolled through the script with the episode playing in a miniature window beside it, I realized I had absolutely no inspiration to write. So I decided to skip that part, and then I realized I had absolutely nothing to say about the episode.

Noel Murray can explain it better than me: 'That said, here's the real problem with "Puppet Show:" It has nothing to offer beyond a few laughs and a few shocks. Even the relatively weak monster-of-the-week episodes from earlier in the season sported themes worth exploring. "Puppet Show" really doesn't--it's pretty straightforward.' 

On the other hand, there are a lot of goodies in the shooting script - it's very different from the episode as it ran - so I'm just going to pick them out and reply to them instead of coming up with a review of my own. Good thing I never promised you anything!

          They get up and see that PRINCIPAL MILLER is there. In years and schools past, he has ruled with unwavering                        confidence and was able, despite his size and appearance, to strike fear and respect into his students. But that was            then and this is Sunnydale.

Hey, that's not Snyder! More importantly, that's not Snyder. Much like Owen from "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date", revisions have given him a real personality, and it's not what you see here. I love that. Who knows what the story of it was, but I like to think it had something to do with the casting, because Armin Whatshisname owned this role.

          Cordelia stands on stage, holding a mic, passionately but quietly selling her song.

          CORDELIA
          ‘Isn't it ironic, don't you think?
          A little too ironic. Oh, yeah, I really do think.'

          GILES
          (cutting her off)
          Okay, thank you.

          CORDELIA
          Wait, I'm about to
          scream about the rain.

GET OUT. Okay, was anyone else old enough and geographically situated to remember when this song came out? It wasn't Alanis Morrisette's first hit, but for some reason it saturated the airwaves until it was playing in your head the moment you woke up every morning. Apparently, everyone loved it or something, which makes little sense because it was a terrible song that has become no less annoying with age. (I'm not anti-Alanis, either! She's actually a really great singer! I don't know what happened with this one!)

But I personally never met the people who apparently loved it, because whenever the song played or was mentioned in any way, the only thing anyone could ever talk about was how pissed they were that she was misusing the word "ironic". This was understandable, since she was, and she repeated it over, and over, and over again, which oodles of incorrect examples. Being pissed once or twice wasn't enough, though. You had to prove that you knew the correct definition of the word, and that meant a lot of complaining. It wasn't long before "none of those things are even ironic!" became the new "Ironic"...which is a little...wait for it...hey, does someone else want to say it? I don't think I can.

Years after the radio took mercy on us and decreased the frequency of Morrisette airtime, I reunited with my friends of those days to celebrate a wedding. As we prepared at the bride's house that morning, it was raining. "Some would call this ironic," I said, "but we know better." Nobody had to ask what I meant.

Whoever decided to replace that with "The Greatest Love of All" for Cordy was a total spoilsport. 

          MR MILLER
          By the way, thanks for steering this
          talent show ship. I owe you a debt of gratitude.

          He flips Giles a quarter.

          MR MILLER
          Debt paid.
          (laughing)
          I love that gag.
          (then)
          But seriously, thanks.

They're both jerks - I think the big difference between Miller and Snyder is a sense of humor.

          BUFFY
          Who found the body?

          GILES
          The custodian. She was cleaning the locker room--

          BUFFY
          They clean this place?

Hehe.

          XANDER
          How jaded has our school become when
          you don't even get the day off after a brutal
          murder? I bet most other places, that's an
          automatic. But no! We forge on.

I'd like to see someone figure out how many days off that would have been for the three years we watched Sunnydale High. Oh, wait. Did "The Wish" do that?

          GILES
          Unfortunately, Morgan may have gone
          one step further into the harvesting of
          human organs under the misguided belief
          that this will bring his puppet to life.
          The Geppeto Complex, if you will.

          XANDER
          Do you actually know this stuff,
          or do you make it up as you go along?

          GILES
          It is fun, isn't it?

Every time I think I can't love Giles any more...

          A stream of water DRIBBLES onto her arm. She looks up and realizes her weapon is a mop and her victim is a                      JANITOR.

          BUFFY
          You're not following me.
          You're mopping. And I'm sorry.

          He is speechless (and paid as such). Buffy helps him up and cowers away.

I gather that a single line of dialogue will boost an actor's paycheck to an entirely different field of budget. It's interesting to notice the moments when you expect someone to speak and they don't - also to see the reasoning for it stated so openly by the writers. A lot of these scripts have a streak of mischief in the stage directions, occasionally even a little bit of spite. Behold:

          EXT. SUNNYDALE HIGH - THE NEXT MORNING

          Another day begins at our favorite school.

          SHERYL CROW walks by. Buffy kills her.

I'm not kidding. That's what it says. 

Of course this is before we had Edward for Buffy to kill in our daydreams...

          BUFFY
          Hey, Mr. Producer. How goes the talent biz?

          GILES
          You know, a few days ago,
          I would have rather bathed
          with a Gila monster than taken
          on this task.

          BUFFY
          Then you should speak up next time.

          GILES
          But it's become refreshing.
          You and I deal with so much
          darkness and death. The stage
          is an escape. It's like another world.

This looks like a theme that was more or less cut out of the final draft, but I like the idea of Giles gradually warming to his task, and already seeking an escape from the violence of his real job.

Oh, another pop culture tidbit: one of the talent show extras is designated as CARROT-TOP WANNABE. Remember Carrot Top? No? Thank your lucky stars.

          GILES
          Cordelia, there's no ‘I' in ‘talent show.'

          CORDELIA
          There's a big one in ‘Cordelia.'

:)

          XANDER
          Things did seem pretty written on Morgan's shirt.

          BUFFY
          Or maybe suspecting him
          was just the easiest thing to do.

          WILLOW
          Buffy, we all thought he was psycho.
          Everyone in the talent show told us a
          different story about how weird he was.

          XANDER
          Yeah. You see a kid, you see a dummy,
          you see the dummy whisper in the kid's
          ear, you think crazy kid

          BUFFY
          Maybe so, but... you know how
          people look at the three of us?

         WILLOW
         Oh, yeah.

         BUFFY
         That look that says they're seeing
         someone who's different, not like
         them, and it scares them? I could
         live forever without seeing that
         again. But I think it's the exact same
         look we used to give Morgan. We never
         even gave him a chance.

Another abandoned theme. Granted, this doesn't blend into the characterization of the Scoobies that easily. When Buffy feels like an outcast, it's usually fairly subtle, and there isn't a lot of "us" about the three of them yet - they're just three individuals who happen to hang out a lot. 

But it's all too real for one misfit to treat another misfit like a misfit. People get comfortable in one aspect of life and lose their ability to see other people struggling with the same aspect. Especially at this age.

         GILES
         I never thought I'd say these
         words, but Xander may be right.

         XANDER
         I'll expect a formal letter
         of apology in the morning.

         GILES
         The dummy has a mind of its own.

         XANDER
         Hey!

         BUFFY
         He means Sid.

         XANDER
         He means Sid.

If this had stayed in the dialogue, I would make a Xander icon that said "The dummy has a mind of its own."

          BUFFY
          Yeah, well, I kind of played the
          stereotype against you, too.

          SID
          You thought I was an evil puppet.

          BUFFY
          No, I thought you were a lifeless piece of wood.

See, the jokes are pretty good. It's a decent piece of writing. It's just got no heart, if you know what I mean.

          Xander and Willow are there looking for some props. Willow sees something on a shelf and reaches for it.

          WILLOW
          Hey, that scarf would be perfect.

          The lights go out and the door SLAMS shut. It's PITCH BLACK.

           WILLOW
           Okay. Ha-ha, Xander. You got me. Turn on the light.

           No response.

           WILLOW
           You know, jokes like this aren't very
           funny, what with this school being on
           a Hellmouth and all.

          Again nothing.

          WILLOW
          Xander?

          Suddenly, A FACE APPEARS an inch from Willow's, illuminated from below by a beam of light. She SCREAMS--

          WILLOW
          Ahhh!

          --then sees it's Xander, holding a flashlight to his face.

          XANDER
          Actually, being on a Hellmouth and
          all makes this kind of thing even funnier.

This totally would have gotten me.

          GILES
          I must say to all of you, your timing
          is impeccable. Xander, I could kiss you.

          XANDER
          Unnecessary. And kind of icky.

Icky?

A couple other differences - the Scoobies performed "A Streetcar Named Desire" instead of "Oedipus Rex" (and without the awesome timing), and Buffy kept the Sid dummy. 

          BUFFY
          I don't know. It's just, after everything
          we've been through, I thought I'd hang
          on to him for a while. As sort of a reminder.

          XANDER
          Of what?

          Buffy puts Sid in her locker.

          BUFFY
          That I'm not the only one.

Dummies freak me out too. Buffy may have shed her bias through this experience; mine remains, and I am sincerely glad that Sid in Buffy's locker is not canon.

Random notes:

• Snyder vs. Giles is fascinating. For the other main characters he's just an antagonist, but with Giles it's Adult vs. Adult, possibly the first time we've seen that dichotomy in this show.
• Sid is another MotW who has a lot in common with Ultron. No strings!
  
• As I explained up top, I didn't write a drabble or anything for this one. In fact, I wrote this review a few years ago and still don't have anything to add to it. What a crap episode, huh.
• Come to think of it, I'm probably missing a couple of good Giles and Objects moments, but I just can't do it.

Links:

• The Watcher's Diary
• Read this post on LiveJournal

Random notes:

• The first scene is the same as the first scene in Jumanji.
• The rest of the episode has the same plot as Age of Ultron.
  

​Links:

• The Watcher's Diary
• Read this post on LiveJournal
• ​Fic - First Try Turning It On

​

For this episode and the next few, I'll be breaking my standard format for the review (because these were actually written before I established it). No arrangement by character and alas, no Giles and Objects. However, "Angel" is close to my heart for reasons which are probably obvious, and there's only one category that really matters anyway:

The Buffy and Angel Show: Most of my attention has been going toward analysis of the characters as they are in their formative days, and here's the first thing I really noticed this time around: Angel's disobedient. When her mother came home while Angel was in the kitchen, Buffy didn't actually tell him to stay where he was, but it was obvious that her plan was to shoo her mother upstairs and not let her know that there was a strange man in the house. Even if for some dumb reason he couldn't hear what she was saying, that much was pretty clear. But Angel decides he has a better plan and reveals himself as soon as his shirt's back on.

How very annoying, from Buffy's point of view, and yet. This isn't blind love and Angel doesn't go with the flow. He makes his own choices and does his own thing.

Buffy gets another dose of that during the conversation about why Angel fights vampires...it kind of casts a light on the entirety of both characters through both series, doesn't it? Buffy believes she fights vampires because it's her job - she's not getting paid, but it's a responsibility that she has personally, due to being uniquely suited for it. Angel fights because "someone has to". It's irrelevant at this juncture that Buffy doesn't know he's a vampire or that there's a guilt factor; he's still telling the truth as well as he can. She asks if it's about vengeance and he dodges the question (it really isn't).

The difference between the two sources of motivation is subtle, but it's there. Buffy wouldn't give up slaying if it was no longer her "destiny", but she also wouldn't have looked into it if her superpowers didn't come with a title and a mentor. Angel might feel that he's been steered onto this path by the PTBs, but he sees first that there's a need for someone to fight and second that the someone could be him.

And to Buffy this line of reasoning is so foreign that she immediately inquires about how a career in slaying could possibly jive with having a family. She must have wondered how she's going to hold onto this secret once she gets older and can't have the real job that Joyce expects her to. Angel's answer to it is probably the only one that would make sense to her.

Not bad for a quick exchange that served mostly to set up romantic tension and taunt us with Angel's mystery.

Everyone Else: Darla is a straightforward villain at this point and not a terribly interesting one. I found her annoying on my first watch, and I think she already looks way too old to be a student. I like the way an intriguing and multifaceted character emerged from these beginnings, though - she's like Angel in a microcosm. They could have just ditched the character after her death and the show would have carried on without her absence being felt, but instead they found a way for her to offer so much more.

Alongside Darla we get to see the first evolutionary steps of the vampire "family" that the show's mythology gradually builds up (although never nearly as much as I wanted it to). The Master's boring speeches do lead somewhere if you view them through the lens of later revelations about the Fanged Four. "We all work together for the common good": the vampires take care of each other, and at least some of them believe that taking the life of another is a big deal. Why? It could be just an animal hierarchy, but the Master has such affection for certain among his children that he may just be the first vampire to look at if you're exploring the idea of love without a soul - Spike and Dru simply refined it.

The bigger piece of world-building that comes up in this episode, though, is in that one little bit of exposition courtesy of Exposition Librarian: "A vampire isn't a person at all. It may have the movements, the memories, even the personality of the person it takes over, but it is a demon at the core. There's no halfway." I'm on board with this, always have been. No matter how much the show played with the possibility of good vampires, they never crossed the line that they established here - any good tendency could always be explained by the movements, memories, or personality of the former person, or by the demon's desires. It's an impressive thread of internal consistency.

Things get dodgier when they revisit the question after Giles has researched Angelus. There's no record of him killing after he comes to America and Giles can't figure out why. We know that vampires like Spike and Harmony can suppress their need to hunt if they see a good reason for it, like a crush on a human or a well-paying desk job. Giles doesn't consider that. Of course, in the early seasons (hell, all the way through), the Watchers seem to be without key information fairly often if the plot needs it, but this is still a glaring omission; he could have at least theorized.

I think Xander actually presents the issue most accurately: "Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly." Vampires gotta kill because they're vampires and vampires kill. The expression fits even better than he thinks it does, though. Fish don't have to swim; they just won't get anywhere if they don't. Birds can evolve so that flight is not only unnecessary but quite impossible. Vampires, thus, only kill because it's in their nature and they have no good reason not to. The internal consistency holds up after all.

Why they kept the canon rules about the soul (rather than crafting a retcon for it) is hinted at in Buffy and Angel's conversation during their fight. Angel talks about his guilt, but he also probes Buffy on her new found hatred: "Feels good, doesn't it? Feels simple." That was what his life used to be, and it's why Angelus could never be a main character, quite aside from his villain status - he has no internal conflict. Things aren't so simple for Angel anymore, and now that Buffy can't hate Angel, things won't be simple for her either. (Just wait 'til it gets really personal.)

I love this episode, in spite of its fumblings, in spite of ol' pre-skillz DB. This is where the show truly started. Everything that made Buffy special is in here: Giles, the Scoobies, Joyce, high school, flashy action sequences, big emotion, big twists, lots of vampires, and the real, unbreakable foundation of B/A. It's not just a joyride of shipper moments; it's good television. 

         MASTER 
         Zackery didn't return from the hunt 
         last night.

...Is that really the spelling we're going with? Zackery? 

         Almost as if she can sense him, she turns, looks up.

The Angel-sense actually started even earlier than I thought. 

         He has a WINGED LION tattoo behind his left shoulder.

They really didn't have any kind of plan regarding the tattoo, did they? 

         BUFFY 
         Was it vampires? 

          ANGEL 
         (turns also) 
         It was.

To me it's always sounded like his stutter at the beginning of this line sounds like he was about to say "I" instead of "it" - but I might be imagining that. 

         XANDER 
         And what if he doesn't take their 
         lives? 

         GILES 
         Oh right, I forgot, the Master's 
         such a kind and forgiving sort of 
         chap. 

I would pay Giles a salary to be sarcastic at me full-time. 

This is an entire scene that was left out - it doesn't seem particularly necessary, but I thought it was neat to see what Joyce might have said about Angel. 

Again, left out and unnecessary, but I giggled. Here comes a theme! 

         BUFFY 
         (softly) 
         Angel? 

        He appears out of the dark, startling her. 

         BUFFY 
         Don't do that.

See, he doesn't obey that, either. 

         JOYCE 
        Buffy, what happened? 

        BUFFY 
        Nothing . . . I saw a shadow.

I always thought at this point it would be clever of Buffy to fabricate a bad case of arachnaphobia. It could cover her whenever her mom heard her screaming or thumping around over something supernatural that happened in her room. 

Yet another scene that was left out entirely... ​

This one I think was unnecessary because it made everything a bit too clear. Also it makes me feel I've already had enough of Xander. 

Willow's line about Buffy not liking Angel because he's a vampire was interesting, though. I know Willow's opinion doesn't necessarily constitute evidence, but the question of why Buffy digs vampires gets to be pretty major, especially within shipper wars, and I like it that there's this one small lost moment that spells out the conflict. 

          Xander jumps about a foot out of his chair as Giles suddenly appears out of the stacks. 

          XANDER 
         Can you please warn us before you 
          do that?

Giles and Angel, already with the having stuff in common... 

          INT. HOSPITAL - HALL - NIGHT 

         A NURSE moves past. Giles leans against the wall, thinking. Xander stands next to him in a bit of a daze, staring at               Giles' coat for a long moment. 

         GILES 
         What? 

         XANDER 
         Why do they call it tweed? 

         Willow emerges from Joyce's room. 

         WILLOW 
         (to Giles) 
         Buffy's mom is asking for you. 

          Giles disappears into Joyce's room.

Hey cool, now we see how this joke was cut and evolved into "Why do they call it a mace?" 

          GILES 
          We have to stop her before it's too 
          late. 

          XANDER 
          You couldn't just give her a cell 
          phone for Christmas, could you.

Hahahaha oh no, if the characters had owned cell phones, think of how much missing-key-information drama we would have missed. 

        Giles spies a LIGHT MIXING BOARD near him. Giles scrambles to the light board, starts pounding and punching                    buttons like crazy. Spotlights go on, off and then a STROBE. 

         XANDER 
         I don't think we can save her with 
         Disco Fever . . . 
         (entranced by:) 
         Oooo, strobes . . .

Trivia: the character of Xander was originally written to be played by Homer Simpson. (Although actually? It would have been cool to have the strobe lights part in the fight scene.) ​

Awwwwww. 

          XANDER 
          Much heartier cockroaches. 

HARDIER. Geez. Unless you're eating them. 

Random notes:

• See Angel smirking after he says he doesn't snore? He knows it's the right answer. He might not be trying to manipulate Buffy but he's so damn good at it that he can't help congratulate himself when he's on a roll.
• ...And, forget what I said before. Actually the first thing I noticed in my rewatch is that Buffy sleeps on a crocheted pillow. WTF. Does the daily imprint on her cheeks fade off immediately thanks to her Slayer healing?
• Hey so Giles has been researching the Three all night, which is awfully kind of him especially considering that Buffy couldn't have told him about them until this morning. WHAT'S UP PLOT HOLE HOW YA DOIN'.
• My theory is that "The Three" is a title, and that as soon as one dies, another is trained to take his place. There should be more by now. What do you think they're up to?
• Angel always looks confused when he looks at things.
• Angel senses someone's presence before he knows it's Darla. I call that a continuity nod.
• Hey, here's some wicked foreshadowing: "If you care about somebody, you can't change that just by killing them." This is also good times taken out of context. Gosh, I never even thought about that option! Thanks for the tip, Buffy. 

​
Links:

• The Watcher's Diary
• Read this post on LiveJournal
• Fanfic - Our True History
• Drabble - Penetrating to Say the Least!

   
Kairos's Official List of Hyena Facts Showing That the Writers Totally Did Not Do the Research

1.) Hyenas are matriarchal; i.e., males are submissive to females. If Xander recognized Buffy as a potential mate, he should have also recognized her as an alpha, and accordingly groveled for her attention - if he even thought he had that much status. 

2.) Hyenas eat anything. They'd tear apart a piglet, sure, but they also wouldn't turn down a croissant or a hotdog. 

3.) Forming a group and being together wouldn't at all make them stupider. Hyenas have a complex, sophisticated social hierarchy, and are altogether intelligent creatures who cooperatively use their numbers as their greatest advantage. 

4.) They prey on the weak, sure, but that's true of all predators aside from man (and vampire). 

5.) The zookeeper claims that they're dealing with a "very rare breed". I'm pretty sure there's a reason he didn't specify which one - wild animals are divided into subspecies, not breeds, and all evidence points to our culprits being the most common type, the spotted hyena. 

6.) And here's my favorite: check out the documentary footage that Willow's watching twice in the episode. The very first shot is of a spotted hyena. Everything else is African Wild Dogs - not even in the same family! 

7.) NEW! A group of hyenas is a cackle, not a pack. I checked this with several different sources (okay fine, several different websites that list names for groups of animals).

All it needed was for the hyenas to try to overthrow the noble lion monarchy, and the stereotyping would be complete. But basically the theme of my review here today is going to be: I like hyenas. I know and accept that the episode is about a generic animal predator and not about hyenas, but I’m going to be talking about hyenas anyway, because I like them.

For instance, sometimes the hyena laughter sounds somewhat accurate. Sometimes it just sounds like human laughter. Most times, it sounds like monkeys. The hyena kids kind of act like monkeys, too. Wouldn't it be cool if there was an episode where people were possessed by monkeys, so we could compare them and see if there's any behavioral difference to speak of?

Hey it was just a random thought, man. Here, have some quotes from the shooting script. 

         Finally, in the rear of the bus sit FIVE KIDS - KYLE, RHONDA, TOR, MICK and HEIDI, each in their own seat. They're                 attractive, supremely confident and dressed to kill.

Yeah...I didn't so much get that vibe. I certainly didn't get their names, beyond Kyle. In the script, Buffy and Willow discuss them in a mostly superfluous conversation that was deservedly cut down. Most of it's covered with the "here are four mean teenagers" shot we got in the aired version.

Although I do like this atypical look at self-confidence: 

          BUFFY 
          Oh -- sort of our version of the Royal Family. 

          WILLOW 
          Worse. They have self-confidence. It's like they know 
          they're in, and anyone who's not them is, by 
          definition, out.

It’s not just how you feel about yourselves, kids; it’s whether your feelings match reality.

          BUFFY 
          (pushes him away) 
          Have you been drinking your cologne?

Hee!

          HERBERT the PIG paces happily back and forth in a metal cage filled with shredded newspaper, as CAMERA CREEPS            toward him.

Just had to include this because - "paces happily"? Have those two words ever been paired before? 

          Giles sheepishly points to an aisle of Library books. 

          GILES 
          The Hyena section is this way --

Wait, time out. The library has a hyena section? And still nobody brings up matriarchal cackle structure? 

          BUFFY 
          Wow. Apparently, Noah rejected Hyenas 
          from the Ark because he thought they 
          were an evil, impure mixture of dogs and cats. 
          (turns a page) 
          Just another reason not to date out of species.

Whoa, I almost missed this at first glance, but...reference to someone?? I hope so, because he wasn't mentioned by name in the shooting script. Also, this is the most accurate look at hyenas in the episode: they’re neither dogs nor cats, but they look more like dogs and are taxonomically closer to cats. (What, you didn’t think I meant the bits about the Ark and evil and impure, did you?)

          ANGLE: THE ENGRAVING 

          of an ANIMAL making eye contact with a human. Horrible SQUIGGLES connect their eyes.

Again, could not let this line go by. Horrible squiggles. WHO IS COMING UP WITH THESE WORDS.

          BUFFY 
          What part of "NO" don't you understand! 

          XANDER 
          The "N."

That's...that's actually a pretty good comeback for that question. Huh.
​
All in all, I get a real kick out of this episode, when it's not inducing my nerd fury. The trick of S1 Buffy is enjoying the campy factor instead of letting it irk you, and I haven’t really been in the mood for that so it’s a difficult part of the series for me to be at, but I’m going to try to take an objective look at the characters anyway.

The Buffy Show: Every time I watch the opening scene of this episode it makes me feel bitter toward Buffy, because I love going to the zoo and she makes me feel like I should be embarrassed about it. If Buffy likes Herbert the pig, why does she have to be a snob about watching zebras mate?

This is from the shooting script:

           Willow begins to cry and Buffy hugs her, confused. She's a Slayer, not a psychiatrist.

Preference for the aired version notwithstanding, I think this was a fairly astute observation about Buffy. She did get better at emotional support as time went on, but she's not an instant empath. 

         GILES 
         --Buffy, there's an old saying -- If you're a hammer, 
         everything looks like a nail.

Same for this one. Buffy wants the problems to be ones that she can fix, and that means supernatural monsters. She is definitely a hammer in that sense. 

We do get a nod to the Buffy and Angel Show, but it's actually more of a Xander moment than a B/A moment. Buffy seems surprised that hyena!Xander even brings Angel up: why is he thinking about him?

Xander and Boyhood: Well, it’s Xander’s episode, isn’t it. And while it doesn’t seem to do much for his personal growth (just admit you remember it all, coward), it does put a nice spotlight on his greatest strength.

Xander’s good. He’s not always useful, he’s sometimes a jerk, but you know he’s never going to be corrupted by power or betray his friends because he found something he thinks is better. Unless, of course, magic is involved, and then we have:

          XANDER 
         (soft) 
         Welcome to the jungle.

I actually got a chill just from imagining him saying this line (also doesn't hurt that it was paired with the stage direction that we see his ripped biceps for the first time). Nobody does "temporary evil" like Nick Brendan. 

Or more accurately, nobody does it like Xander. He may not be much of a physical threat even under the hyena spell, but he can hurt his loved ones, badly, just by acting like he doesn't care about them. Note that Giles has a pretty good point when he says that Xander's behavior is typical of a teenage boy, but Buffy and Willow, who know him better, don't need any further evidence to see that something supernatural is to blame. Bad Boy Xander just plain isn't Xander. He could go insane, yes, but being Firmly on the Side of Good is the one thing that he's has always had and never lost, and he's probably the only one who that can be said for. It's his thing.

Willow and Feelings: I like the part where she's guarding him in the cage and he starts sweet-talking her and you think she's going to get duped, because he sounds like her Xander and she's so upset by all this, but nope. She's Willow and she can be emotional and smart at the same time.

Also she's adorable; help me out here, shooting script:

          GILES 
          And I thought I'd found such a distinctly 
          American solution to the problem. Well, 
          I honestly don't know where else to look -- 
          (an idea) 
          Malleus Maleficarum! 

          WILLOW 
          Swearing is never appropriate in any language.

Another lost opportunity. Would have loved to hear her say that. 

Giles and Objects: 

​Since I know there's a sombrero and a wizard hat in his future, maybe the "Giles and Objects" section should encompass his wardrobe as well.

Hey shooting script, have you got one of those great deleted lines for Giles?

          ZOOKEEPER 
          You have a copy? That book's been out of 
          print since 1486... Who are you, anyway? 

Giles proudly removes some notes from his pocket. 

          GILES 
          (proud) 
          I, sir, am a High School Librarian.

Thanks, shooting script. That will be all.

Random notes:

• The shooting script says the zookeeper is dressed like Marlin Perkins. I just want you all to know that I have no idea who Marlin Perkins is. 
• I can't think of any other notes, I don't have the episode open anymore.
• Hyenas, right? Lol hyenas.

Links:

• Diary of the Watcher
• Read this post on LiveJournal
• Drabble - Even the Zookeeper Was Fooled

   
Hey, it's that S1 episode for which I have a strange and largely unique fondness. There's some Angel bits, and Giles and the Scoobies being comically competent on their own. I'm not sure why I like it so much, aside from the B/A factor. It's just really neat seeing the first instance of focus on Buffy's need to live a fulfilling normal life, and the complications in store for her. 

There's also some boring vampire stuff again. I liked its contribution to the season arc, but man, that Master does start to grate pretty quickly. Also, I do like Owen as a character, but the one-shot kids tend to come across pretty awkwardly, which makes me squirm as a viewer and wish we could lose them.

This episode comes with a shooting script that changes so much it's like a bonus episode, and I clipped out a bunch of quotes when I first reviewed it to analyze them. That's kind of a pain to format here, but I saved a few anyway, because I don't have much commentary without them. :)

For instance!:

          GILES 
          This isn't about me, it's about you. 
          It is about how there are traditions that a slayer needs to follow. 

          BUFFY 
          Tradition is yesterday's news. I'm an improv gal. 
          How about when I offed the first couple of V's with a single stake? 
          It was, 'Slay one, kill one free.' 

         GILES 
         Ah, yes. Showing off. Yet another example of 
         how you're not going by the book. 

          BUFFY 
         The book. You mean that old dusty thing that's 
         been out of print for two thousand years? 

          GILES 
          The old ways have much to teach us. 
          If you insist on ignoring the fundamentals handed down 
          through history, you could find yourself in serious danger.

There's just so much going on here. The Slayer's Handbook! Buffy being all proud of herself! Giles being all Wesley-ish and insisting on tradition, except actually having safety reasons to back it up! 

          WILLOW 
          (babbling) 
          I took algebra last year because I'm a year ahead, 
          so now I'm taking pre-calculus which is really hard, 
          but I'm in the gifted class, well, my parents signed 
          me up for it, how embarrassing is that, and maybe 
          I should get a janitor to take care of this mess. 
          (as she goes off) 
          Clean up on aisle seven!

So freaking cute. 

         BUFFY 
         Willow, it's not that big a deal. 
         It's just a bunch of people getting together. 
         I mean, sure, Chambers asked me specifically 
         right in front of Cordelia. And, yeah, he gave 
         me the marshmallows from his Jell-o during lunch. 
          And then he walked me to History class 
          and said 'I can't wait to see you tonight.'

SO FREAKING CUTE. Marshmallows?! 

        BUFFY 
        If you listen real close, I'm starting to sound like 
         a regular teenager. I've got friends. I've got a date. 
        All I need now are zits and an eating disorder.

Friends and a date are positive things that teenagers want. Zits and an eating disorder are not. Is this showing us how Buffy's lot is both better and worse than the usual teenage life, or am I reading too much into it? 

          GILES 
          I'm under the impression there's some sort of ironic tone in 
          that statement, but as an Englishman I'm incapable of discerning it. 

          BUFFY 
          Yeah? Well, that makes us even, because I don't get Benny Hill.

I have such a huge weakness for Buffy and Giles bantering about cultural differences. Especially when Giles initiates it. 

          BUFFY 
          Giles should come with a Surgeon General's warning: 
          may be hazardous to Buffy's social life. He's completely 
          not cognizant. It's as if he's never even been on a date.

So, I'm gathering from this script that the episode was originally meant to have much more of a "Buffy vs. Giles" theme to it. Does that have anything to do with Angel's absence? 

         CHAMBERS 
         Hey, guys. 
         (re: Giles) 
         What's Dewey Decimal doing here? 

         BUFFY 
         Oh. He's, uh, out promoting Bookmobile awareness. 
         We call him gruff but lovable Giles. But enough about him. 
         What's the plan?

We do. We do call him that. (Anyone else kinda miss the Bookmobile?) 

         GILES 
         All right, then. I don't need you. This is a subject 
         on which I am well versed. I've spent night after 
         night in that library reading book after book after book-- 

         BUFFY 
         On the plus side, you've missed the career of Sheryl Crow. 

          GILES 
          One of us has to take your obligation seriously, 
          and if it's not going to be you, then I'll go do it alone. 

          BUFFY 
          Fine. It should be very exciting for you 
          doing absolutely nothing all by yourself. 

          GILES 
          Ha! What you fail to realize is that that's what I do best!

Actually I would have thought that Sheryl Crow was right up Buffy's alley. Would have loved to see Giles delivering these lines - except I hate thinking of him as sad and lonely with his books! 

         GILES 
         No, no. I won't bask in the glory and rub your nose 
         in the fact that old Giles was right and that young, 
         inexperienced Buffy was one-hundred percent wrong. 

         BUFFY 
         Thank you. 

         GILES 
          It would only further heighten the 
          current embarrassment you must be-- 

          BUFFY 
          Annoyance factor dangerously high. 

          GILES 
          I'm done.

Awww. Kinda odd that this one wasn't the "making up" scene. 

          GILES 
          Buffy, you can not ignore who you are. 

          BUFFY 
          Hey, I never wanted this. I like who I was before just fine. 
          And you know what I liked best about then? I didn't know you!

OUCH! Like I said, way more with the Giles resentment in this version. She really seems to blame her 'destiny' on him. 


          BUFFY 
          But I'm sure there will be other gorgeous guys 
          who would do anything for me and are perfect 
          in every way. Oh, wait, no there won't. Because I'm a freak.

YES THERE WILL. 

Now, back to canon.

The Buffy and Angel Show: 

          WILLOW
         Wow! He hardly talks to anyone. He's solitary, mysterious... He can brood for forty minutes straight, I've clocked him.

And she really did, didn't she? Anyway, this is the first time in the show that anyone uses the word 'brood', and it's not about Angel. It's about the oft-overlooked B/A nod that is Owen, the boy that Buffy succeeds in not killing on the first date. He's the first guy in Sunnydale that she actively wants and attempts to go out with. Why him? Well, he's smart...likes poetry...keen on danger and even a bit morbid...and come on, he's brooding.

Buffy has a type.

The shooting script disagrees: 

         BUFFY 
         Okay, so as a type, he's not exactly my proto. 
          I just think maybe someone should sit by him.

Maybe that idea was discarded along with the differences between Chambers and Owen, but I'm curious. Chambers isn't really brooding, solitary, or mysterious either - is that why he's not exactly her proto? 

One way or another, I'm certain that the parallels between Owen and Angel are there on purpose. Even Riley shares a couple of them, though we're not really accustomed to seeing him as similar to Angel at all. It's just interesting that Buffy isn't drawn to guys who are peppy and outgoing like she is. 

On a more shippery note, that look of Angel's that follows her "Bite me"? I cannot get enough of that. And the male posturing! Angel is well aware that he has neither the right nor a good reason to compete with Buffy's dates, but he just can't help it. I am so glad he never grows out of that. He's never been too old for her and never will be. 

At the end, Buffy ditches Owen for his own safety, just like Angel will later do for her. It shows her good heart, and it shows that she really does like Owen and wants what's right for him. It's also kind of interesting that Angel's life is as much freakier than Buffy's than Buffy's is freakier than Owen's. (Does that sentence makes sense?) What would happen if Angel fell for a girl who really was as 'normal' as Owen is? 

Xander and Boyhood: I never really thought about exactly why Buffy isn't into Xander, but maybe that's because the show did a good job with it - to the viewer it's immediately plain that they're not a good match. The lipstick comments...yeah, he knows that's not going to get him anywhere. He's just being a pest, like immature guys do when they're trying to flirt. 

Giles and Objects: Next to Buffy, it's really his episode. 

Random notes: 

• I wonder if Buffy's slaying style, allegedly wasting too much time and energy, is just her trying to make her job more fun. She has to do it anyway, so she might as well make the most of it, right? 
• I'll be honest, Dickinson was never my favorite poet. She had some great thoughts, but I don't see Buffy relating too much to an introspective recluse. ​

Links:

• The Watcher's Diary
• Read this post on LiveJournal
• Drabble - Fighter Pilot Is a Safer Career

 ​Teacher's Pet: silly episode, pulls at a few heartstrings, gives me the back-home-to-early-Buffy glow. The cheesy monster stuff this time is really cheesy, both the effects and the concepts. And the seduction dialogue is a big cringe too. And pretty much everything about Xander and Blayne and how they want to have sex with women. 

The hatching egg at the end doesn't bug me (no pun intended). Part of the Season 1 horror cliche theme, and I really wouldn't have wanted another praying mantis episode. Oh, and here's Noel Murray's thoughts on it: "But I don't think the menace has anything to do with the prospect of the monster returning. It has to do with the looming subtext of teen sexuality." 

Gotta mention that I liked the (Bronze band) music much better than I did in the previous episodes. 

The Buffy Show: Buffy gets a heartbreaking scene with Dr. Gregory that I'd pretty much forgotten about completely, but it's also uplifting. There are still good people at the edges of Buffy's life, who have the potential to see her as she really is even if they don't know her secret identity. Okay, so, most of them get killed off for the sake of the heartbreak factor, but the point is that they can exist. Knowing that has to help her keep going when it's getting hard to remember why she does it. 

Also, Dr. Gregory illustrates something that I think even most of the fanbase forgets, let alone the other characters: Buffy is brilliant. If she didn't have a huge responsibility devouring her time and attention, she'd be at the top of her class and headed toward an impressive career. Yeah, Willow and Giles are still the genius minds of the operation, but their intelligence has been nurtured all their lives through study. Buffy is propelled by an innate understanding of facts and ideas as they're presented to her. It's a huge pity that Dr. Gregory was seemingly the last of her teachers to notice this. 

The Buffy and Angel Show: Happily, this episode gives us one of the Season 1 B/A gems. A guy who gives you his jacket because he wants to get on your good side is a charmer. A guy who gives you his jacket because you're cold is irresistible. A guy who doesn't want to get on your good side but gives you his jacket anyway because you're cold is Angel. 

Given much later developments to Willow's lovelife, I thought it was funny that she didn't necessarily see how attractive Angel is. Xander's reaction had some precognition in it, too. Of course he's threatened; this is the first time Buffy has shown any interest in a guy in his presence.

Willow and My Feelings: I don't have much to say on her this time, but she killed me dead with this line:

          WILLOW
          No, no see, Xander is, I really like his head, that's where you 
          find his eyes and hair, his adorable smile...

Cordelia and Lunch: Same for her, but this line:

          CORDELIA
          ...medically prescribed lunch, my doctor ships it daily, I'll only be here as long as I can hold my breath...

Xander and Boyhood: Hoo boy, where to start. In the two-part premier I admired the way Xander wanted Buffy to be her real heroic self - this is the exact opposite. Now he wants her to be weak and frightened so that he can be the hero (and it's not the last time we'll see him hiding that kind of fantasy). What's going on? Why the duality? Xander respects and cares about his female friends, like Willow. He objectifies and fantasizes about women he finds attractive, like Ms. French. Buffy, to him, is both. He can't reconcile his respect for her free will with his fantasy of 'having' her, so he pretends that something else is the problem - in this case, Angel. 

It's interesting to note, though, that it's only in these earliest of episodes that Xander dreams of being the super-powered action guy. He still wants to be suave and popular as the series goes on, but he's content with his relative normality (maybe because he begins to understand that Buffy really seriously just like she says isn't interested in a man with super powers). Altogether I'm just glad he grows out of this. It's very, very childish, and while understandable for a male of his age, these characters aren't meant to be just typical examples of people their age. Xander's better than this; he just doesn't know it yet, and he hasn't realized that if Buffy turned into what he thinks he wants, she'd lose everything that he loves about her. 

However! I forgive him for the moment in the header I chose above, entirely. Xander is best friends with two beautiful, fun, good-hearted girls who like him for who he is. In this case, I'd say he has the right to brag a little bit. 

Giles and Objects: Probably the best scene in the episode was Giles comforting Buffy after Dr. Gregoy's death...guh, the way Buffy was acting so controlled even with tears rolling down her face, and Giles was so attentive to her without showing any disrespect for her feelings...I'm already so glad she has him in her life. 

I giggled like an idiot when Giles perked up at the mention of Ms. French and then caught himself and tried to play it down. He's a boy too! 

Also Giles pretending that anything illicit that the kids do is something he didn't know about. Also, just Giles in general in this episode. 

This episode is a little bit of a drag after the first two. Maybe because it's the first one with an episodic plot format, maybe because it's the first one without Angel, but most likely because watching cheerleading scenes is so damn annoying. Seriously, how am I going to sanitize my brain after those chants? 

Other than that, though, which comes with the territory anyway, I like the episode. There's even some compensation for the cheers in the introduction of magic (and also, I should say, the conclusion, in which we find out Buffy will not continue on as a cheerleader). 

For full transparency, I've probably said myself that the first season is childish and lacks the depth of later seasons, but I was wrong. What I should have said, and still believe, is that the first season is much simpler than the others. It hands us a scenario and then it's up to the viewer to find the darkness or ambiguity in the theme. If you choose to view "Witch" as a silly story about a witch who wants to be a cheerleader, that option is open, which I don't think is the case for certain other subplots. 

There's also a kind of lightheartedness that comes from knowing that each difficulty the characters face is going to be over by the end of the episode. Even on the first watch, you know a monster of the week when you see one, so it's hard to care too much about the theme it carries. Again, might be just me, but I think we all agree that there's something separating this season from the others, right?

My favorite part was the big reveal, and the use of magic following and preceding it. It was honestly almost nerve-wracking to think about Amy's mom committing an act so obscenely selfish against her own daughter. Not to mention, the idea that her soul is trapped in the statue is far more disturbing than any gruesome death that a MOTW might meet. Here's hoping she at least got out once Sunnydale blew up.

The Buffy Show: I watched the first couple seasons of Heroes shortly before I watched Buffy for the first time, and I immediately started comparing Buffy to the invulnerable cheerleader character, especially after seeing this episode. I'm still feeling fairly sure that the latter was inspired by the former, but it’s odd that anyone even remembers Buffy for being a cheerleader. It’s just one episode.

A better thing to remember her for is being the one who figures out what's going on with the witch ambiguity. Slayers might be chosen for being remarkable girls, but what Buffy shows here isn't a superpower, it's empathy - she understands what's going on with Amy because she paid attention to Amy's story.

Willow and My Feelings: Even though nothing points directly at her interest in magic, I could totally believe that this was where she started wondering about it. On a somewhat related note, I also liked hearing about her friendship with Amy, considering that she becomes a nemesis in later seasons. It's sort of the same deal as Giles and Ethan, or even Buffy and Faith, which is something I'd like to think about some more in the future, because Xander totally doesn't have one.

Xander and Boyhood: His thing with the bracelet is cute - eh, maybe - but it makes me cringe too because it's so hopeless. I wouldn't be creeped out by a guy putting that much effort into attracting me, but I'd be upset. He's putting a lot of pressure on her. 

And as for the girl in the equation, she knows the truth when she sees it. Xander might think he means it when he says always, but he's only known her for a few weeks at this point, and he's a horny teenage guy - not known for being reliable in this area. 

That said, this line is great and goes some ways toward patching up the weirdness he created with the bracelet: “No more i.d. bracelets, subtle innuendo, or Polaroids outside her bedroom window late at night --that last is a joke to relieve the tension because here she comes.”

Cordelia and Boyfriends: Charisma Carpenter just nails this role. I still can't get over it. Just listen to her saying the line, “We have to achieve our dreams, Amy, otherwise we wither and die.”

Giles and Objects: I think there's always room to notice a little Ripper in him, even in the earliest episodes. Most of the characters end up having something of a morbid streak, but it's more pronounced in him. Maybe he's just an expert who enjoys knowing his stuff, but I betcha he likes the thrill, too.

The Buffy&Giles dynamic gets some nice development in this one. You can really see their affection for each other growing along with their mutual respect. Especially when Giles is casting the spell, you start to get the sense that he'll move mountains for her and she'll trust him to do it.


​







​

I completely melt when one of the guys has to carry Buffy in his arms. Is this just a weird me thing?

Everyone Else: Joyce is a mom. She does mom things, good and bad. Must remember, though, that she was starting a new job, moving a couple hours away, and buying a house, right after her only daughter got kicked out of school for reasons she completely didn't understand. She's not going to be at her best. 

(You know when she jokes about "great parenting form" right after Buffy storms off? That really sounded like something Xander would say, you know, if he were a parent. Joyce is just a little Scoobyish herself.) 

I’ve heard the opinion that Amy’s character arc doesn't make any sense based on her first appearances, but don't forget that we hardly see her. Lots of things could have happened in Seasons 1-3 that we never heard about, so it's hard to say what shaped her or didn't. You know what I never realize on my first watch, though? The rat incident was the second time Amy had been trapped in the wrong body. We don't know how long her mother's switch went on for, but it seemed like a while - couldn't that mess with her head?

Also I want to know if she still craved brownies before she began craving cheese instead. 

Here's some fun stuff from the shooting script: 

     A SENIOR CHEERLEADER (Cordelia two years hence) moves to the judge's table with two other SENIOR CHEERLEADERS.

Cordelia two years hence? Well, that was prescient, wasn't it? 

     Willow spots AMY MADISON (in cheerleader outfit), nice girl, a little tightly wound today.

I always try to pay attention to the new character introductions, but I guess this one's a mislead, since it's actually describing how Willow reacts to who she thinks is Amy...still, not much warning for future badness, huh? 

     Morgan is okay. Lishanne is great. Cordelia is surprisingly good, as is Buffy, still a little rusty but impressive.

Oh, so Buffy is good at this? It wasn't quite clear, and I’d prefer that she is. Her Slayer skills should give her a one up. 

Some good lines that apparently got cut out: 

     XANDER 
     (to Cordelia) 
     Morning your Highness, beheadings at noon as usual?

     GILES 
     We'll need a conclusive test anyway. There should be one - yes! 
     The ducking stool. We throw her in the pond. If she floats, she's a 
     witch; if she drowns, she's innocent. 
     (off their looks) 
     ... some of my texts are a bit 
     outdated.

What else floats upon the water? 

     And Catherine FLIES into frame, SCREAMING and tackling Buffy. The woman has gone completely apeshit.

     BUFFY 
     Giles, stop being so proper. 
     You're in America. Brag.

Random notes:

• Buffy loves her buds! She loves her Xander-shaped friend!
• Xander didn't like it when Buffy said he was completely one of the girls, but he has no problem with Willow being his guy friend who knows about girls. I know, typical enough it's not worth the mention, but still.
• I need more people in the real world to start saying “Get down with your bad self”. Can we all collectively work on this?
• I loved the way the world was expanded by our first exposure to witches and magic. The rules were vague, but seemed to remain fairly consistent, which was cool.

Links:

• The Watcher's Diary
• Read this post on LiveJournal​
• ​Drabble - He's Comfortable With It

​

​The second episode continues with series set-up, but this time it’s world-building rather than character paths. I'll be honest: the Christian in me still groans at the "popular mythology" line. It's the kind of Jossism that you just have to shrug off for love of the show. The bit about the Old Ones is intriguing, though. It's been confirmed that Illyria is of the selfsame race, nay? Do we have anything else on that? 

There's also the comics to consider; specifically, the climax of Season 8 and its “cork in a bottle.” Does the exposition in this episode allow for the mythology of the Seed to fit in, or was that totally pulled from whole cloth? Does the Master seem like he's protecting anything? 

Since the set-up of "Welcome to the Hellmouth" dealt with the formation of the Scoobies, here we get to see them as a team for the first time - and they’re pretty awesome. I know that their friendship basically had to be accelerated so that the cast could be established, but it was done very believably - they liked each other, they bonded through a crisis, and they all displayed their respective talents. (Mind, Heart, Spirit, Hand...or is it two Minds and no Spirit at this point?) 

The Buffy and Angel Show: I think it was totally true that Angel didn’t accompany Buffy into the sewers because he was afraid. Absolute best case scenario would still mean his secret was revealed, and it was too soon - she could easily kill him offhand. Worst case scenario, he dies and gets her killed as well, as he's still very weak at the beginning of the series. (Somewhat of an assumption on my part, but I think it's a fair one, given his pre-series condition.) He knew she'd handle herself. 

I love it that he was unwilling to wish her luck out loud, but felt like he had to say it anyway once she couldn't hear - it was like he couldn't resist using the words, just in case they actually made a difference to how much luck she was going to have. And it was clear that she took offense; all she wanted was a word of encouragement! If she'd gotten it, though...she'd start feeling differently about him, wouldn't she? 

Although--

          ANGEL 
          Because I'm afraid. 

          The unashamed openness of the statement catches her a bit off guard. She looks at him a moment.

I'm not sure DB played that quite right - I didn't see the unashamed openness, and I wanted to. Maybe that's just me though. 

Willow and My Feelings: Willow’s creds as a world-class hacker make me smile. She’s so sweet and innocent, but has been quietly breaking the law just because she needs an outlet for her extreme intelligence. Also, "Deliver!" Hey, a computer reference that's not entirely dated yet. 

Xander and Boyhood: Xander’s development, for once, is actually a highlight of this episode. Key quote: "I find it oddly comforting." He likes that Buffy is strong, and he knows he can count on her to protect him - even right after he found out what she is! Also, "It's cool! Buffy's a superhero!" Wonderful line.

Cordelia and Boyfriends: Charisma Carpenter’s acting really stands out at this point in the show: Cordy’s scenes are almost always funny, totally committed, and can even have some hidden depth. When she’s talking about "senior boys", we see an indication that she’s tired of everyone fawning over her, but can't yet admit it. The new rude assertive Jesse passes her secret test instantly by showing that he's not putting up with her BS. Of course, that’s not a healthy attraction and it doesn’t have a fortunate result, but it’s part of her journey.

Giles and Objects:























​
​Isn't it weird how you can watch a scene like this and then six seasons later be surprised to find the character is left-handed? 

Everyone Else: I'm impressed by the way Jesse was used here, making you look back at the preceding scene and realize that he was just faking his human self. It's surprisingly consistent with the mythology that becomes so integral for Angel and the other vamp characters. Plus, gut punch! You lose, your friend's a vamp! 

Other than that, though, the vamp scenes are unfortunately yawnworthy. Nothing original about these villains yet: they live underground, make threatening noises, and eat people. The Master poking a minion's eye out is something I could have done without. Even though it was off-screen, I shuddered - can't stand retinal injuries, they freak me out hardcore. 

Fortunately, there's also another villain introduced in this episode who isn't a vampire...

 This episode seems to suggest that no, it's not possible for Buffy to get a fresh start no matter how she tries to leave her past behind. On the other hand, this is the real beginning of her story and the beginning of the show we love, so it looks like she is starting over, just not in the way that she expected. 

The Buffy and Angel Show: It would have been nice if ol' DB had started the game with at least a little bit of acting ability, but he makes up for it in smolder. I love it that Buffy so easily admits how gorgeous he is. If she had any idea what she was getting into, I bet she'd be a little more close-lipped about it. 

Angel says that he thought Buffy would be taller, as if he’s seeing her for the first time. We know he isn’t, but I don’t think he was faking, either. He probably did have those thoughts when he first saw her; he was just reviewing them out loud. 

Does Buffy show a special Angel-sense in this episode (as opposed to her usual vamp-sense)? She noticed Angel before she saw him, but wasn’t able to hone in on the vamp in the Bronze...and she didn't recognize Angel as a vampire, so we know it wasn't quite the same vamp-sense that she developed as the series went on. Maybe what Slayers feel from vampires has to do with their soullessness, so Angel affects them differently.

The idea of him affecting Buffy specifically is interesting, but I'm not totally sure I believe it, because it points a little too much toward "destined love" for my tastes. I believe that the two of them are right for each other, but not destined for each other. Destiny only has a meaning if you're thinking about it on a timeline. Right is right.

Willow and My Feelings: Buffy connected with Willow right away. They really didn't have anything in common except that they both needed a friend, and Buffy understood that and took the initiative to fix it. It wasn't just "take pity on the poor social outcast", either -- Buffy can identify a good heart, and she was genuinely interested in everything Willow had to say. 

Sadly, and I do mean it makes me sad, Willow doesn't seem to realize that. She, alone of the outcasts we meet, speaks to Buffy as if accepting a personal favor which she didn't particularly deserve, cheerfully assuring her that she doesn't "have to" hang out with her. It took me a long time to notice how significant this is, probably because it's so damn real. Have you ever had someone thank you for sitting with them in a cafeteria? I have, and it stuck with me, since as far as I knew at the time, I was the outcast and she was the one doing me a favor by letting me sit there. 

Willow isn't suspicious of Buffy's true intentions; she just thinks that someone so pretty, so cool, and so nice wouldn't have any reason to want her company. Ouch.

Question: I feel like I read an interview long ago that said Alyson Hannigan got the part because of the way she played this scene: 

     BUFFY: Did you ever get your Barbie back? 
     WILLOW: *optimistically* Most of it!
​
Obviously, that scene is not in the episode, and now I'm wondering where I heard about it, since I’m pretty sure I didn’t write those lines myself. Does it sound familiar to anyone else? 

Xander and His Other Friends: Willow/Xander at this stage feels a lot like Xander/Buffy -- if they got together, it would be no more than your standard "nice guy gets the girl" story, and I don't want that. "Nice girl gets the guy" is maybe a tier above, but while Xander's crush on Buffy was still in play, Willow deserved better, even if she didn't know it. 

Jesse seems to be an extension of Xander: no noticeable personality traits of his own, except for a crush on Cordelia. Still, I'll never be okay with the way he was just erased out of canon when he and Xander and Willow were obviously so close. They were kind of like the original Scoobies, but without any superpowers. 

Cordelia and Cordelia: Odd thing about Cordelia that I don't often hear mentioned - she not only seems nice at first, she is nice. Buffy needed a book and some sign of welcome, and Cordy was there for her. I can't quite see that scene as just high school politics, trying to rope in the new girl because she was wearing fashionable enough clothes. Cordy acts on the impulse of her heart, not on hidden machinations. 

Giles and Objects: I remember during my first watch, when I was in the later seasons, I noted that Giles is the only character to progressively get cooler in every single episode. This is probably not empirically true. However, he's one of the show's best constants, and it starts right here at the beginning: his set-up is perfect. He's appealing, dashing, funny, unique, and hints at hidden depths. He also sets up the Watchers' Council, and we don't even know that there is a Watchers' Council yet. 

Oh, and bringing up Buffy's nightmares in a faux-innocent remark? BRILLIANT. This is classic Giles -- using his wisdom and knowledge to manipulate people he cares about for extremely good reasons. Recall the "binding spell" for Acathla. This is why he's the brains of the operation. 

Giles and Willow have already met! They must have talked a while; she knew all about him. I wonder how that conversation went? 

By the way, I've been trying to pinpoint the first time that Buffy calls him "Giles", and haven't found it. He introduces himself as Mr. Giles (in the shooting script, anyway), and most people don't just drop the title off of last names for no reason. How do you think the Scoobies ended up dubbing him like that? 
​


​






















​Here are some goodies I scooped out of the shooting script for this episode at BuffyWorld:

On Xander:
     He is bright, funny, and will one day be suave and handsome. Till that day arrives, he'll do the best he can with bright and funny.

On Willow:
     The intelligence in her eyes and the sweetness of her smile belie a genuine charm that is lost on the unsubtle high school mind.

On Jesse: 
     He is a little more awkward than Xander, a little less likely to become a lady killer in his later years.

On Flutie: 
     He is middle aged, a tad officious. Caught between the old school of strict discipline and the new school of sensitivity.

On Cordelia: 
     The girl next to her, CORDELIA, leans over. She is pretty, self assured. Killer outfit.

On Giles: 
     He is British, of middle age, with a quiet intensity.

On Angel: 
     ANGEL is strikingly handsome, with intelligence and a kind of distance in his eyes. Moves with a fighter's grace.

On the Master: 
     Born Heinrich Joseph Nest (some six hundred years ago,) he wears a vaguely SS-like outfit.

On the school: 
     Students pour in before first bell, talking, laughing. They could be from anywhere in America, but for the extremity of their dress and the esoteric mania of their slang. This is definitely So Cal.

On the library: 
     It's elegant, full of dark wood, streaming sunlight, and (duhh) books.

On the Bronze: 
     The place has an appealingly dive-y earthiness; no waiting in line for the bouncer to decide whether you're cool or not. Those that are in line wait only to pay the four bucks to get their hands stamped if they're old enough to drink.

And here's Joss setting up the now-notorious locker room scene, and this is why I love reading his shooting scripts: 
     Two GIRLS approach their lockers, talking. They begin undressing (just shoes and coats and stuff. Get your mind out of the gutter.)

And that cliffhanger with Luke: 
     She tries to fight him off but she's well pinned. He contemplates her a moment with gleeful animal hunger. Teeth dripping. (Hand written: "Not").


Random notes:

• "All the students here are free to call me Bob. But they don't." 
• The music doesn't really do anything for me, but it doesn't bother me, either. It just fits into the background, like, "I am watching Buffy so this is the music that's playing." Very appropriate to the Bronze setting, I think. 
• I didn't believe a word of the two ultra-chic locker room girls and their slang, and I'm glad it didn't stick around. 
• I was also kind of bored by the fight scenes, which is unusual for me. Maybe because they got so much better as the budget grew? 
• It seems at this point that there was probably no deeper plan for Darla. But by the grace of fanwank I could see the whole schoolgirl persona as a deliberate ruse or even a game. I think the power was always there; she just preferred playing sidekick to the Master or lover to Angelus when those roles were available. ​

Links:

• The Watcher's Diary
• Read this post on LiveJournal
• Drabble - NPCs Are Expendable Anyway​

Okay, this is Stage 1 of the experiment. Our first goal is to have a place to talk about 1) the Buffyverse fandom, 2) B/A, and 3) anything, and to have it be a resource that people actually use.

To that end, I'll be making regular posts in this blog about the Buffyverse fandom, B/A, and anything, and anyone is free to comment whenever they like, as often as they like. You do not have to stay on topic. Challenge what I'm saying, add a few random observations on it, tell us what you'd like to hear about instead, post a selfie, examine the sociopolitical ramifications of breeding dusky conures, whatever.

The idea is that active discussions will be inspired by having a talking point to start off with, and can evolve or wither naturally. Just be aware that nobody is obliged to be interested in the same things that you are, and that loud and angry disagreements will be permitted though not fostered, and self-govern accordingly.

More rules may be developed as they become necessary, but for now, I have the final word on whether your comment is objectionable or otherwise not contributing to a healthy community, and I don't have to explain myself before I delete it.

Since this site is going to be my fanfiction archive as well as a hangout for everyone, I'll start out by posting to the blog every time I update it with a story. You can reply to the posts with "I loved/hated this story because", or you can say something else entirely, or nothing at all. Eventually I may expand to hosting B/A fanfiction from other writers, and use the blog to encourage public discussion about it.

So here we are. Go ahead and introduce yourself, throw around some suggestions, or just jump right into the chit-chat. Nothing to lose!