Topic: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

[Jimmy]

1.4. Teacher's Pet

Xander falls for a beautiful substitute teacher who is actually a She-Mantis intent on mating with, then decapitating, virginal boys.

They sure spoil that one right in the synopsis... But it's kind of fun to see Xander get some luck with a woman (of course luck is a relative term in that case) and to see a case resolve with what they learned in school. BTW the counselling discussions sure aren't a private affair at Sunnydale High...

[Jimmy]

1.5. Never Kill a Boy on the First Date

While awaiting the arrival of the warrior vampire called the Annointed One, Buffy's big date at the Bronze ends with an assault on a funeral home.

After two unrelated episodes we are back at the main story of this season : The Master works to free himself of his captivity and his return on earth. That one is another dark episode I like, a good story that isn't as simple at it seems at first. I must say that Mark Metcalf do a really good job at playing The Master and that he is an interesting bad guy. This time as the synopsis said we see again how it's hard to deal with the slayer life and the normal life.

[Jimmy]

1.6. The Pack

A field trip to the zoo turns deadly after Xander and a clique of mean-spirited kids become possesed by the spirit of a demonic breed of hyena.

They really did a good job on that one as it could had turned as a very silly episode. The Hyenas are the cowards of the animal world and that behavior switching to the human pack is near perfect (just one thing doesn't make sense to me, one of the pack member goes alone against Buffy and a real hyena would never go after a strong opponent alone). The end is kind of rushed a little, but I can live with that. One of the "principal" character of the show meets a gruesome end in that episode.

Maybe I've missed something but why Xander become the leader of the pack?

[Jimmy]

1.7. Angel

A moment of passion turns to terror as Buffy discovers Angel's true identity and learns about the Gypsy curse that has haunted him for almost 100 years.

Finally we find who is really Angel in that episode, not that it was a big surprise because I've seen the first season of Angel before but I wonder if it was for those with no previous knowledge at all. Another good story and the beginning of an "happy/sad" love story between Buffy and Angel. Also we can see the beginning of the transfer of leadership between The Master and the Annointed One, not that evident but check the last moment of the episode.

[Jimmy]

1.8. I, Robot... You, Jane

Willow unwittingly unleashes a powerfull demon named Moloch onto the internet where he turns Sunnydale's computer crowd into his helpless pawns.

I don't know why but each time they made an episode centered arround the internet in the nineties the result was disastrous (remember Kill Switch in the X-Files?). No exception here, this is the worst episode of that season with a lot of non-sense in bonus. Not a complete waste of time since it's the first episode of Jenny Calendar, but a skip worthy episode.

[Jimmy]

1.9. The Puppet Show

Buffy suspects that a ventriloquist's dummy may be harvesting organs from classmates performing in a school talent show.

Mostly a filler but it had is good moment. The problem is the basic idea who is too silly even for that serie, but you got a "good" singing performance by Cordelia, the appearance of the new principal (that guy is sure not friendly as Flutie was) and a wooden performance if you wait the end credit. Not an important episode but it does the job while we wait for the principal story to resume.

[addicted2dvd]

While everything you said about The Puppet Show is right... I always enjoyed it a lot. One of my favorite of the filler episodes in the entire series. Don't ask why... really don't know. 

[Kathy]

I watched this series long ago and while I'm sure I'd remember the episodes if I saw them, I have no idea which ones they are just reading about them. Can I blame old age?!? 

It might be time to watch it again but I have too many other things I've never seen that I prefer to see first.

[Jimmy]

Can I blame old age?!? 

Not at all birthday girl
We don't write a lot in the part where we talk about the episode itself because it's easy to reveal the spoilers, so it doesn't help to remember wich episode is wich (unless this is a memorable episode).

[Jimmy]

1.10. Nightmares

The nightmare world of a comatose child sends Buffy and her friends into a realm where their worst nightmares become reality.

The first time I watched that one I was confuse for a while as I tought the child following Buffy was the Annointed One helping her, common they look alike... This being said I must say it's a very good episode because you have no real idea about what will happen next. One of the fear is sure cruel, I would have flipped too if the same thing would have happen to me after my parents divorce. The best not main story theme episode of the first season.

[addicted2dvd]

I bet you can guess what part I didn't like!  Otherwise an excellent episode!

[Jimmy]

If it isn't fear related I think I know, but it's not long

But I know what part Brittany was scared of

[addicted2dvd]

It is fear related... in the beginning when Buffy's classmate falls asleep in class. 

[Jimmy]

This is not scary
I don't share that fear, but I would flip too if that would happen to me.

Good thing they pass mine, bats they are scary in real life... at least for me they are

[Jimmy]

1.11. Out of Mind, Out of Sight

As Cordelia prepares for Sunnydale High's May Queen competition, an invisible force starts attacking her closest friends.

Finally a Cordelia episode, I know we aren't suppose to like her but I like her. I just love how she is mean with everybody arround her without noticing it (most of the time), she sure ask help the worst way I've ever seen it. I can be wrong, but I'm sure this is the moment when she finally rejoins the gang. But thank God that non-sense ending was never brought back in the show...