Okay, some thoughts, pulled from the notes I took as I watched
Welcome to the Hellmouth:
The more I watch, the more I like this opening sequence. There’s a lingering shot on the library, foretelling what’s going to come, then a lot of creepy shots of the science lab. I like the mood, then they subvert what you expect to happen with the guy and Darla. Now, a lot of my appreciation is due to the rest of the series and especially more about Darla, so it’s really not due to this episode.
On another note, she looks really different here than she does later -- I didn’t realize how beautiful Julie Benz was until she came back in Angel.
The theme song is a lot slower and a lot of more iconic scenes in it aren’t there yet -- which is kind of unfortunate, but they hadn’t shot those yet. In season 3 it gets to the theme music I really remember.
What’s with the zombies in Buffy’s dream sequence?
The opening is so 90s that it’s really jarring -- this season aged the worst.
Xander and the skateboard reminds me of myself -- I remember when I played all the Tony Hawk games and bought a skateboard, then kind of forgot about it over time.
Alyson comes in as Willow, and suddenly there is great chemistry between everyone in the main cast -- such a great change from the pilot (which wasn’t seen by most people for the first run, so it’s not like anyone had that to compare it to).
Around this time, I’m noticing that this is a lot brighter lit and just generally better looking than I remember -- possibly because the last Buffy I watched was the pilot and there’s nowhere to go but up.
Cordy would “kill to live in LA”? Hmm...
Some of this episode ages terribly -- Cordy quizzing Buffy, and the girls in the locker room -- I don’t remember too much of the 90s, and I don’t have much nostalgia for it. I see that I am justified.
“Don’t you have an elsewhere to be?” -- I love this line, probably the best in the episode
The scene in the library is a great way to really get things going. Buffy and Giles get all of their exposition out in an argument (a technique Joss loves), and Xander gets pulled in by sheer coincidence. Something I noticed about a change from the pilot -- Xander isn’t revealed to be there until after the argument, while he was shown in the middle of the fight during the pilot, then at the very end. Just an interesting change. I love how Xander finds all of this out.
When Angel shows up, you can tell that David’s acting isn’t really good to start with, but you can see the chemistry he has with Sarah already. I’m not sure if the fact that he’s a vampire is playing tropes straight or subverting them, or what. And Angel is more upbeat than normal, which is actually when he’s the most fun to watch -- see Angelus. Also his line “I didn’t say I was yours” -- not well delivered, but an awesome line.
The Bronze is a warehouse? That’s what it looks like here. And the interior looks pretty much the exact same as it does for the rest of the series -- the staircase there looks really familiar, and it immediately makes me think of Faith (No, I can’t get one episode into this without being reminded of Faith -- I may have a problem.)
Giles and Willow are much different here than they become later -- Giles is more tightly wound, Willow is more timid. Her character changing is part of why I don’t like her as much later (I don’t hate or dislike her, but she becomes a lot less likeable, even though she remains a good character throughout). Also, Willow’s awkwardness reminds me so much of Fred (Yeah, I think WAY ahead, but I can’t ignore my favorite characters)
Cordelia’s cell phone dates this episode, though a lot of things really date this episode
Darla is obviously not fully formed -- the “real” Darla wouldn’t be afraid of Luke, and she’d know Buffy was the slayer, not being so afraid of her. And Luke is a lot of fun -- too bad he dies soon, but the actor will be back later.
Also, really good to establish that Buffy won’t always win easily -- Luke overpowers her a little too easily
Cheesy cliffhanger!
And on to The Harvest:
The resolution to the cliffhanger is a little contrived and happens too easily
I’m still not used to the credits -- too slow, and I keep expecting to see a scene that’s there for like 2.5 seasons later on (around the point where the music speeds up, involves a dancing scene that I really love)
“I need to sit down” -- Willow, this exchange is just great.
“Waiting for [...] the old ones to return” -- Well, a couple do...
When the Master calls out Darla for already feeding on Jesse, it reminds me of the line Darla had about leftovers in the pilot -- kind of odd...
A little too much exposition here -- I’d expect all of this exposition out of the first episode, not the second. But Willow starts to show her real value here.
“That was a bit, um, British, wasn’t it?” -- Did this line remind anyone else of Adelle DeWitt’s “I’m very British” line from Dollhouse?
Angel appears somewhere with a little too much daylight -- at this point, they might not have known they were going to make him a vampire, which is kind of interesting. And his acting still needs some work.
“Do you know what it’s like to have a friend? [pause] That wasn’t supposed to be a stumper.” -- probably the best line in these first two episodes.
Xander is self-aware of how stupid he’s being following Buffy into danger -- I love that fact. I love self-aware characters, and he’s the first to become self-aware, though most everyone is over time.
...so, the vessel is a Mercedes?
Buffy’s leather jacket looks like the one I wear -- just a very basic, simple jacket. And there are Communion wafers in her trunk? I... just can’t ignore that. Why does she have them, and why don’t we ever see them used?
Buffy sure loves going out the window. I wonder if she was born by C-section........ (If you don’t get it, look up Steven Wright.)
Slow-motion walk to 90s music -- no, not cheesy at all.
The bouncer is a walking stereotype? Check. Later on, they do a better job of that with seemingly bit characters -- Skip, anyone?
“You’re not looking at your friend, you’re looking at the thing that killed him.” -- there’s a lot of discussion and debate I’ve seen about what this sentence means. Probably shouldn’t get into it here.
Jesse pinning Cordelia to the ground is the first time in the series we see a scene that gets a little... rape-like... Happens a fair number of times within the series.
The exchange between Buffy and Luke and the way she defeats him is pretty good, though his reaction is a little over the top
“Nothing’s ever going to be the same” -- I think they were calling back to this line at the beginning of Season 8..
I like this ending scene -- score is a little much, but the rest of the scene really works well. And yes, blow things up. We all know how that goes. It’ll get you expelled....... right?
Okay, so overall... I’m not going to give a numerical rating, since I don’t really believe they’re that useful, if that makes sense. Honestly, there were a few places where this lost me and started to drag on a bit -- I think this could’ve been a single episode, and the season finale could’ve been split into two -- there was a lot more going on there, and this had a good number of scenes that were just pointless or dragging. It’s still a pretty good introduction to the characters, and you have a pretty good idea of what you’re in for throughout the series. But as much as I like these episodes, they just don’t stick in my head too well -- I watched one yesterday afternoon and the other this morning, and I barely remember them outside of a few quotes and scenes.
So, yeah, good introduction and one of very few essential episodes in the first season -- really, you only need to watch 1, 2, 7, and 12 to get all of the story. These episodes are fine, but it just takes too long for the series to get good.
- The scoring is a little over-dramatic
- I don't like the roughness of the theme song in season 1-2
- The asbestos line always seems a little too clunky for my tastes.
- Cordelia's cool test is corny as it is. The fact that on top of that her dialogue rhymes is even more laughable.
- I'm so glad that Joss stopped the horrible dialogue that the girls use in the locker.
- Buffy does come off as kind of unlikeable in that scene with Giles. I get where she is coming from but she didn't have to be mean to poor Giles. The calende line was pretty funny though.
- Angel looks less broody tortured guy and more play boy mansion guy. He is a bit of a cardboard cut in season one. Must be a requirement to be Buffy's boyfriend.
- The scene where Buffy almost stakes Cordelia is the highlight of this episode. People seem to say that when it comes to season 1 that Cordelia isn't a very well formed character, but I think she is the one who filled out the role the best in this episode. Along with Willow and Giles. The character of Xander and Buffy are still rough around the edges.
- There's a lot of dramatic falling and extreme gymnastic moves.
- The cliffhanger has left me shivering in my boots...not. Okay I promise i'll be less critical of season one and its a little hypocritical of me since that scene scared the living daylights out of me when I first saw it.
The score is a little too much -- the guy who did the score for the first season now does Family Guy, I believe, which makes a bizarre amount of sense.
The theme song at this point is actually a demo of the full song, I believe -- in season 3 it goes to the full version.
The asbestos line works for me because it was so clunky.
Cordelia’s dialogue rhymes? I might have to watch this again just to check that.
The terrible slang in the locker room -- let’s just forget that ever happened.
I love the calendar line. It’s such a Buffy moment.
Angel wasn’t figured out for quite a while -- also, David wasn’t really an actor before this show. He was discovered while he was out walking his dog (which is just weird).
Honestly, I disagree about characters being well formed. Cordelia, Buffy, and Xander are pretty much there when they start, to me, while Willow and Giles are a little rough. But these are opinions, so...
If you think this is too much dramatic falling and gymnastics, don’t watch the movie.
And the cliffhanger is a little cheesy, but be as critical of the season and the show in general as you’d like.
- People say that this is the weaker of the two parts but I have to disagree. there's so many good lines and moments in this episode.
-When Giles gives Willow and Xander such a short brief I can't help but laugh. I'm not even sure it was meant to be funny.
- I think that despite what people say about Cordelia in season 1, I still think she is awesome in this season. The Bronze scene was especially hilarious.
- The sunrise gag is a classic
- I could see how people could find the surpressed memory explaination annoying but I quite like it. Obviously it would have been a mistake to show all the cards so early on.
Okay, I disagree about this being the better half, but I really think these should’ve just been one episode in the first place.
Giles’s quick explanation was probably supposed to be funny in its odd way -- Joss thing to do.
Cordelia is awesome in season 1, she’s just not as likeable.
I love how Buffy uses the sunrise thing -- one of the best parts of the episode.
You have to keep up the masquerade somehow -- people doing it to themselves is just as bad as something like, say, the Men in Black. You have to take care of keeping everything secret somehow.
Wow, that was a lot. Jeez.
