Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 1, Episode 3: Witch Review
Witch
Original Airdate: March 17, 1997
Writer: Dana Reston
Director: Stephen Cragg
As the show shifts beyond the introductory phase, there had to be more to face Buffy than just vampires, as that would've gotten stale quick. So this episode would be a good time to show that there's more than bloodsuckers to contend with on the Hellmouth. It's fitting to have the first episode not about vampires (or to feature any vampires) be about witchcraft, because that has a growing role in the show, especially from season two forward.
It certainly reveals a lot about Giles. Judging by his ease in performing the spell to reverse the "Freaky Friday" curse, especially as he dunks his hands in boiling water, he has some history with magic and witchcraft. He also seems a little too thrilled to know that there are other problems besides vampires facing them. There is a lot more to this supposedly proper Englishman than we initially thought.
Buffy, as is common with teenagers, is trying to live a normal life, but she has to deal with her chosen status. Becoming a cheerleader is a good example of what she would do to get that. However, as is always the case, she can't escape who she is, so there is evil activity amongst the cheerleaders, like fate intervened and used her desire to be normal to send her directly to the threat.
Some parents live vicariously through the achievements of their children. From disturbing stage and beauty pageant moms to parents who get so wrapped up in their kids' sports games that they beat each other up over little infractions. This episode is a literal example of this, as Catherine lives in her daughter's body while Amy is trapped in her mother's body at their home (wonder if there is a father anywhere or what they do for money?) It's like "Freaky Friday", only disturbing.
Amy (or Catherine) is clearly emotionally abused. It wouldn't be hard to believe Amy has an eating disorder considering how militant Catherine is over her body size and even the smallest fluctuation. In addition, her mother must constantly berate her about how she'll never come close to what she accomplished. This need to be perfect is very unsettling.
This episode focuses on parental pressure with parallels between Buffy & Joyce and Amy & Catherine. Obviously there are major problems between the witches. On the other hand, Joyce is faring better, although work and the friction over the trouble Buffy's gotten into distract her. She accepts that she won't be able to understand Buffy because she is a teenager. With Catherine, she'd rather lock her daughter away and live life as a teenager again.
Some elements of this episode got on my nerves. For example, they need more cheers, and the ones they have are lame. "Go Sunnydale Go!" repeated constantly during the re-reversal scene? Even a "2, 4, 6, 8" variation would've been an improvement. I know, they're cheers, it's not supposed to be Mozart, but they couldn't think of a couple catchy rhyming lines?
Second would be the obvious way the gang tried to out Amy as the witch. It is especially bad when Buffy gets a sample of Amy's hair. The only way Buffy could've been more obvious is if she yanked out Amy's hair. Couldn't she have done something distracting like bump into her or ask her to look elsewhere while she, Willow or Xander swiped some? Luckily, that girl's mouth disappeared or else Buffy probably wouldn't have gotten away with spilling the sample on Amy.
Buffy's behavior is rather inconsistent (was Catherine too upset to focus on that spell?) after she is bewitched. She goes from being annoyingly perky to intoxicated, but occasionally emerges from this stupor to help reveal the truth. The other curses are consistent (although Cordelia's eyes don't go white until after Buffy saves her from the truck), but it isn't clear what exactly Catherine did to Buffy's state of mind.
On the line of inconsistencies, Cordelia seems a lot chummier now than last episode, where she was rather nasty to the gang. This is likely caused by the writer not knowing the characters (which, to be fair can be a little pompous to say a few years after both Buffy and Angel went off the air). I guess her reversal of behavior, if it is explainable, is out of her gratitude, albeit reluctant, of having Buffy saving her from Luke.
For someone who has spent a year or so slaying, she is rather naïve as far as love is concerned, or at least Xander's affections. The "Yours Always" bracelet should be pretty telling to anyone about Xander's feelings. Unfortunately, Buffy sees him as a friend, and dismisses his advances as just being friendly. Of course, telling a guy he's "one of the girls" is going to crush him. This episode could've been a good place to put in Angel with the tension between them, but he is absent, much to the ladies' (and gay men's) dismay.
Many the flaws in this episode could be explained because of the novelty of the show and that the writer just wasn't as familiar with the characters or premise as the more established writers would become in the future. Dana Reston wouldn't write anymore episodes, but I doubt that is because of the episode's mediocre effort. It is early in the series, and mistakes like this can happen. It is not a bad episode, just forgetable.
It certainly reveals a lot about Giles. Judging by his ease in performing the spell to reverse the "Freaky Friday" curse, especially as he dunks his hands in boiling water, he has some history with magic and witchcraft. He also seems a little too thrilled to know that there are other problems besides vampires facing them. There is a lot more to this supposedly proper Englishman than we initially thought.
Buffy, as is common with teenagers, is trying to live a normal life, but she has to deal with her chosen status. Becoming a cheerleader is a good example of what she would do to get that. However, as is always the case, she can't escape who she is, so there is evil activity amongst the cheerleaders, like fate intervened and used her desire to be normal to send her directly to the threat.
Some parents live vicariously through the achievements of their children. From disturbing stage and beauty pageant moms to parents who get so wrapped up in their kids' sports games that they beat each other up over little infractions. This episode is a literal example of this, as Catherine lives in her daughter's body while Amy is trapped in her mother's body at their home (wonder if there is a father anywhere or what they do for money?) It's like "Freaky Friday", only disturbing.
Amy (or Catherine) is clearly emotionally abused. It wouldn't be hard to believe Amy has an eating disorder considering how militant Catherine is over her body size and even the smallest fluctuation. In addition, her mother must constantly berate her about how she'll never come close to what she accomplished. This need to be perfect is very unsettling.
This episode focuses on parental pressure with parallels between Buffy & Joyce and Amy & Catherine. Obviously there are major problems between the witches. On the other hand, Joyce is faring better, although work and the friction over the trouble Buffy's gotten into distract her. She accepts that she won't be able to understand Buffy because she is a teenager. With Catherine, she'd rather lock her daughter away and live life as a teenager again.
Some elements of this episode got on my nerves. For example, they need more cheers, and the ones they have are lame. "Go Sunnydale Go!" repeated constantly during the re-reversal scene? Even a "2, 4, 6, 8" variation would've been an improvement. I know, they're cheers, it's not supposed to be Mozart, but they couldn't think of a couple catchy rhyming lines?
Second would be the obvious way the gang tried to out Amy as the witch. It is especially bad when Buffy gets a sample of Amy's hair. The only way Buffy could've been more obvious is if she yanked out Amy's hair. Couldn't she have done something distracting like bump into her or ask her to look elsewhere while she, Willow or Xander swiped some? Luckily, that girl's mouth disappeared or else Buffy probably wouldn't have gotten away with spilling the sample on Amy.
Buffy's behavior is rather inconsistent (was Catherine too upset to focus on that spell?) after she is bewitched. She goes from being annoyingly perky to intoxicated, but occasionally emerges from this stupor to help reveal the truth. The other curses are consistent (although Cordelia's eyes don't go white until after Buffy saves her from the truck), but it isn't clear what exactly Catherine did to Buffy's state of mind.
On the line of inconsistencies, Cordelia seems a lot chummier now than last episode, where she was rather nasty to the gang. This is likely caused by the writer not knowing the characters (which, to be fair can be a little pompous to say a few years after both Buffy and Angel went off the air). I guess her reversal of behavior, if it is explainable, is out of her gratitude, albeit reluctant, of having Buffy saving her from Luke.
For someone who has spent a year or so slaying, she is rather naïve as far as love is concerned, or at least Xander's affections. The "Yours Always" bracelet should be pretty telling to anyone about Xander's feelings. Unfortunately, Buffy sees him as a friend, and dismisses his advances as just being friendly. Of course, telling a guy he's "one of the girls" is going to crush him. This episode could've been a good place to put in Angel with the tension between them, but he is absent, much to the ladies' (and gay men's) dismay.
Many the flaws in this episode could be explained because of the novelty of the show and that the writer just wasn't as familiar with the characters or premise as the more established writers would become in the future. Dana Reston wouldn't write anymore episodes, but I doubt that is because of the episode's mediocre effort. It is early in the series, and mistakes like this can happen. It is not a bad episode, just forgetable.
Score: 5/10
posted by Matt @ 11:55 PM
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