Welcome to the Hellmouth
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For the first time, Whedon has provided us with all the terrors of high school (remember those?) in a horror genre setting. Not only that, but he provides a confident, cool FEMALE character to trounce the bad guys. Whether you're a fan of the genre or a teenage feminist, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) provides a niche for the unpopular misfits in high school, but looks upon them as heroes. Were you as uncomfortable as Xander (Nicholas Brendon)? As geeky as Willow (Alyson Hannigan)? As quick with an aphorism as Oz (Seth Green)? The series proves that high school is indeed survivable no matter who you are, even if you're cliquish Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter). And in the end, the more unpopular you were - possibly the more important you were to your teenage community.
Mix in your favorite teacher (or librarian) played by Anthony Stewart Head (who should play "Doctor Who" after he's done with "Buffy") to be the requisite horror genre British pseudo-scientist, and Buffy's single mom (Kristine Sutherland) and you're all set to go with the most intelligent sci-fi TV series possibly written for this age group. (The next closest thing being the intelligent, yet non-sf "Freaks & Geeks".)
I'm not kidding. It's amazing how quickly these characters grow in the first season and their responses remain true to life despite the extraordinary situations they're thrown into.
... Read more ›The set begins with the two-part series premiere, "Welcome to the Hellmouth" and "The Harvest." These episodes introduce Buffy, a sophomore in high school and the Slayer chosen to fight the forces of darkness; Willow, the shy technology-savvy redhead; Xander, the goofy regular guy who happens to have a serious crush on the Buffster; Cordelia, the shallow queen always ready with an acerbic comment; and Giles, the staid school librarian and Buffy's watcher. Some important secondary characters are also introduced, like Angel, Buffy's future boyfriend, and Darla, Angel's vampiric ex-flame. The storyline involves the plans of the Master, a vampire, to escape his prison and wreak havoc at the same time that Buffy has just transferred to a new school (after being kicked out of her old one for burning down the gym). Naturally, she and her friends avert the catastrophe.
"The Witch" is a great episode, looking at both mother/daughter relationships and being pressured by parents to succeed. When the cheerleading squad meets various mystical "accidents," one-by-one, Buffy has to investigate. The trail apparently leads to Amy Madison, a gawky girl turned second-string cheerleader. She's moving up the ranks as her competitors go down... One of the best episodes in the set.
"Teacher's Pet" features Xander, as he and all the other guys go gaga for a new substitute teacher.
... Read more ›(1) The most important factor that gives the television series more depth than the movie is clearly the character of Angel (David Boreanaz), although the creation of the Scooby Gang is huge as well. But even more impressive than the fact that a vampire with a soul is in love with the Slayer is the fact that Joss Whedon holds off on this revelation until the seventh episode ("Angel"). For the first six episodes Angel was Mystery Guy, Stealth Guy, Cryptic Guy, and then in the first truly memorable moment of the series, Buffy learns the truth as Angel's face morphs in her bedroom. Creating these star-crossed lovers is where this television series start an operatic story arc that culminates in "Becoming: Part II," the show's zenith. (2) Related to this is the Master (Mark Metcalf) story arc that defines the first season. Each subsequent season of Buffy has similarly been defined by a pair of story arcs, usually dividing the season in half: Season 2 starts with Spike & Dru and then Angelus takes over in the second half. Of course, this helps set up the thrilling season finales each year as the Master/Angelus/Mayor/Adam/Glory meets their fate.
... Read more ›| Get photos, fun facts, and filmographies for Buffy The Vampire Slayer from The Internet Movie Database, the biggest and best movie and TV site on the planet. |