BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: Season One

In the nine year history of this blog I don't think I've ever wrote a post about television? Well, that's about to change. This year my favorite hour long television series BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER turns twenty! To celebrate, the least I could do is say a few words about each Season. I'm sure the professionals will have a better tribute next month? Until then, you're stuck with me.

My fandom doesn't start with Season One, I started watching BUFFY during Season 3. It wasn't until 2002 thanks to DVD that I finally saw all of the first season. That being said, the first episode I ever saw of the show was from Season One titled THE PACK. I'll get back to that in a minute. First, let's do a little history.

For those that know me it would seem natural that I'd love a show like BUFFY? A bad ass girl in high school kicking vampire and monster butt! What's not to like? Well back in 1992 I saw the movie and didn't think much of it. When the show debuted in 1997 I took a pass for three reasons, I didn't like television that much, it was on The WB which was a network for teens, and I thought the movie was lame.

One evening probably late 1997 or early '98, I was watching television flipping channels and I came across an image of a cute blonde bashing a skeleton to dust. Grabbing the channel guide I quickly looked to see what I the heck this show was! Lo and behold, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER! Curiosity started to get the best of me but I still was highly suspect.

A few weeks later I sat and watched a full episode. Buffy and her classmates were taking a field trip to the zoo. Some students go off the beaten path and get possessed by a pack of hyenas. The next day at school 'the pack' start acting like bloodthirsty animals!

The episode was fantastic, and still to this day THE PACK is one of my all time favorites! Unbeknownst to me THE PACK was a rerun because the episode I saw next was from Season Two, TED. Turns out the episodes that followed were all reruns, I tuned in while the show was on a season break. Season Two had just ended.

All this BUFFY nostalgia is keeping me off track, for now let's focus on Season One.

The first season of BUFFY is a mixed bag for me. The show was ahead of it's time. While procedural storytelling was the standard back then, BUFFY was breaking the mold with serialized episodes. A format that hit the ground running in Season Two and the rest of the series. Season One was serialized but with only 12 episodes it was difficult to pull off. To compensate the season relied heavily on monsters of the week. I'll talk more about the 'Monster of the Week' in the next post.

While I'd love to give you a summery of every episode, I just don't have it in me. After awhile I would just be a rambling mess of hyperbole. So instead, I'll just give an overview of the season arc and say a few words about favorite episodes or episodes that stood out.

Episode 1 & 2:Wellcome To The Hellmouth and The Harvest

This two-parter is basically a pilot episode that gets right into the action! Buffy Summers transfers to Sunnydale High to make a fresh start, but can't escape her destiny as a Slayer. On her first day she meets Rupert Giles, the new school Librarian. He also just so happens to be Buffy's new Watcher, a teacher in all things Slayer related. She tells Giles she no longer wants to be the Chosen One, but when her new friends Willow and Jesse get captured by vampires duty calls.

It turns out that Buffy's first day of school coincides with the ascension of The Master, a powerful vampire intent on making a meal out of her friends and re-opening the mouth of hell.

It was nice to finally see how-it-all began. And watching these episodes I really started paying attention to creator Joss Whedon's writing and craft!

Episode 6:The Pack

As I mentioned before this episode was the first one I watched. And it is still one of my favorites! For network T.V. back in the late 90's this was some dark stuff! The possessed students straight up kill people, I couldn't believe it! It was risky making one of the main characters part of the 'Pack', a risk that paid off extremely well. Bold moves like this became a mantra for the rest of the show.

Episode 12 :Prophecy Girl

Here we are at the Season One finale and Buffy's future is looking bleak. Giles discovers an ancient book that foretells her death and the end of the world!

Having already seen Season Three and some of Season Two, I knew Buffy was going to kill The Master and save the world. But this episode still kicked my butt! I had no idea that she died and came back stronger than ever! And to be honest it is a pretty good finale if the show only lasted one season.

In conclusion, the first season of BUFFY is strong on it's own but gets forgotten due how amazing future seasons became.

That's it for now, stay tuned for Season Two!