Buffy 1.01
- Know your losers
- Cordelia Chase
Sometimes I wonder what on Earth attracted me to Buffy.
I love the premise of this episode. The petite blonde being scared of sneaking into school at night with her crush because… she’s a killer vampire! Run!!! (let me just say I only like Darla in this episode)
The character design for the first season of Buffy was so cliché it makes you cringe. Buffy, big blonde puffy hair, wonderbra, in miniskirt wide belt and knee high boots, just your average tease. Dumb as a brick. Xander, clumsy, overacting in silliness to hide his low self esteem. Willow, white tights, curtain dress, centre parting. Nuff said. Cordelia, one of those characters that look 30, are 30 and as much as they try, can’t look 16 (see Dylan McKay and Judd Nelson circa Breakfast Club).
sidenote – Willow/Xander’s first conversation referring to the “shiny nickel”. Watch “The Real Me” (season 5)
It’s strange how the very first episode contains some of the most memorable quotes of the whole series “don’t you have an elsewhere to be” “what’s the stitch” “could you vague that up for me”, “it’s carbon dated” etc. I get the feeling that from moment numero uno, Whedon and his team of writers set for an inner outcast achievement. Buffy is a cult series, yet a tremendously one at that.
That first encounter between Buffy and Angel has a bite that few first encounters have. Minus that shiny coat he’s wearing. Anyway, one thing that does not apply is the “I thought you’d be taller, stronger” chat. Later on we learn Angel has been watching over Buffy since she became a slayer, so it’s one of those things. That cross he gives her looks fit for BA Baracus as well, jeez. The first and second season of Buffy display the best example of a man at his prime. Never was David Boreanaz as drop dead gorgeous as in these 2 years. My mother is attracted to him in Bones. Just as wrong as me being attracted to Hugh Laurie in House.
While Welcome to the Hellmouth gives us a pretty good insight into the Buffyverse, and we had to learn to love the characters, I wish they had taken Jesse out of the picture earlier, or not introduced him at all. I mean, as a toesucker in Six Feet Under he was SO good I wish they had studied him further. In here, best to leave him. Willow’s total helpless moment with Darla and her minion made me shake to the core, but the one who went to town on this ep is Xander. Willow, Buffy, Angel… even Darla change throughout the series. Xander started like he ended, same personality, evolving towards maturity but keeping the same emotion.
People always knock Xander but he’s my favorite. He (like he comes to terms with in the final season) is the average man. What makes him so special is that he is a real hero. He has no super powers, he isn’t especially smart but he is unconditionally loyal and willing to risk his life in a heartbeat for any of his friends. He never thinks of his own mortality, just rushes into help. Even in the first episode you get to see that.
Cordelia is my 2nd fave. She had awesome lines throughout both series and I actually screamed at the TV all through season 4 of Angel and cried when she died.
justanotherjen
July 21, 2008 at 6:49 pm