Season 1 - The Pack: Watch & Discuss!

[CowboyGuy]

"Into every generation there is a chosen one, she alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness...she is the slayer."

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: While awaiting the arrival of the warrior vampire called the Anointed One, Buffy's big date at the Bronze ended with an assault on a funeral home...

It's Buffy Tuesday! Here we go, with Season 1, Episode 6...

"The Pack"

:CLICK HERE TO STREAM EPISODE:

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**Using Hulu is great, as it allows you to make the video a pop-up...so you can still view the forum if you want to while watching!**

Next episode will take place on February 3rd, 2009!

Buffy Tuesdays are back on SlayAlive! Enjoy Buffy in all her Season One era glory. Watch. Discuss, here.

[Saturn 5]

The Good;
Love Buffy and Giles training, you get a genuine sense of menace when Willow is taken hostage for the first time. You' don't see the twist of the zookeeper, he seems so rational although I'm baffled as to what exact power he hoped to gain from the hyena spirits (then again I don't really understand why the Mayor wished to be this big snake?). Great acting from Nic Brendon showing the first of his range (in truth neither Nic nor David are that good actors in season 1 but they grow better)

The Bad;
The story is pretty stupid, reminds me of an obscure old series called 'Big Wolf on Campus'

Best Line;
Giles; Xander is becoming a teenage boy, you'll have to kill him of course

Questions and observations;
The first time someone is imprisoned in the library book cage but by no means the last. Giles knocked out for the first time, Willow tied up. Xander trying to force himself on Buffy is unusually disturbing, for a feminist symbol she seems to get sexually assaulted a lot (but maybe that's the point?). Another Buffy cliche is a Scooby going evil (by the end of season 7 I think the only characters never to have gone bad were Tara and Giles?). Jennifer Sky plays one of the pack and she was very good as Amarice in Xena (so you can link Buffy to Xena in one if you're ever playing 'Six degrees of Bufferation'). No Cordy (there really isn't room for her) and no Angel. At this point of course he's not a fighter, he really is just cryptic warning guy but of course that really kicks in during the next ep
And goodbye principal Flutie, the second recurring character to die during the course of the show, a nice guy and a funny character but the show works better with an authority figure to challenge, Joyce and Giles just too likeable. I remember how shocked I was that they killed him, you realised at this point you weren't watching Sabrina or whatever that characters would die in the course of the show
2/5 the weakest ep of season 1

[batboy99]

This is one of my least favorite episodes out of all 7 seasons. But the training was cool.

[BlueJay]

I hate all Xander-centric episodes, this one being my least favorite.
The story... stupid.
The acting... not that great
The only good thing is that it made way for Snyder and there was a good Buffy/Giles scene.

[Whedon Fan]

Oh come on I love this episode. It's one of the strongest ones of season one along with Prophecy Girl, The Harvest, Welcome To The Hellmouth and The Witch.

Good:
Good story
Interesting new charatcer direction for Xander
Dark episode
Hurting Willow and those pouty eyes is always sad and makes for good tv
Buffy and Xander confrontation
Funny ending
Good Music- Far Jobs Eyes for anyone who wants to know
Eating the principal

Bad:
The Hyienas just happen to go for Xander
Why did Buffy just not hit Xander and take him to Giles in the first place
Evil Zoo Keeper....oh scary lol
Giles really should have man'd up in this episode considering his dark past he should have been able to put up a better fight than he actualy did in this episode.

Thats about it. I can't really complain about this episode as I qite like it sorry. There's always the next one though I think it's "Angel" and I like that one aswell.

[Just Willow]

i actually really enjoyed this episode. though Xander really isn't one of my favorite characters, it's really cool to get to see his plain mean side. we never get to see that because he's such a nice guy, and for one episode it's like he's someone else.

the whole concept is a little gross, i mean, actually eating raw pig or, y'know...raw human. it always surprised me that the death of Principal Flutie wasn't investigated much. when you find someone eaten alive in their office, it's a little odder than the average murder.

but overall, good ep!

[Saturn 5]

Jan 28, 2009 0:11:36 GMT -5 Just Willow said:

i actually really enjoyed this episode. though Xander really isn't one of my favorite characters, it's really cool to get to see his plain mean side. we never get to see that because he's such a nice guy, and for one episode it's like he's someone else.

the whole concept is a little gross, i mean, actually eating raw pig or, y'know...raw human. it always surprised me that the death of Principal Flutie wasn't investigated much. when you find someone eaten alive in their office, it's a little odder than the average murder.

but overall, good ep!

Not in Sunnydale!

But yes, put Willow in peril/emotional pain and the audience's hearts just melt

[Whedon Fan]

Yeah the death was probably covered up to be something like a ravage dog or other animal....stupid Sunnydale Police

Just remembered a line from What" My Line Part 2"

BUFFY:
You know I didn't do it, the police will figure it out

SNYDER:
Encase you haven't noticed the police in this town are deeply stupid

My guess is that Snyer or the Mayor covered up the death of Principal Flutie. We've kind of already seen them do it anyway. In "School Hard" when a police man asks if they should tell the truth about the vampire attack and Snyder just says "Gang related on PCP"

[Nicholas]

I really like this episode. Yes, I do think that the concept of it is kinda of odd when you think about it. I mean of all things to be possessed by...a hyena?

But yeah. I really felt that the dodgeball scene was a very powerful one for this episode and the scene where Xander belittles Willow in the hallway and Buffy comes to her defense.

I think this episode was there to look into a little darker impulses of teenage boys and to see the women rise against it. Again with the woman power!

I felt that it was a very good choice for Xander to keep the fact that he remembered everything he did a secret. It added depth to his character.

I miss Flutie. I liked him.

[buffyverseforever]

From what i understand,we were going to get a whole lot of Sunnydale principals but Snyder just clicked so well they changed their minds about that....
Anyway,fine episode. It's particularly interesting seeing Giles keep Xander's secret now that we know he has some pretty bad bahvior in his own past-and he doesn't have the excuse of being possessed...


Best wishes,

Scott

[randygiles]

This happens to be my favorite S1 episode. I love the metaphor of teenage boys as unpredictable, violent animals. I also just love hyenas. And I love thay zookeepr. He's just so creepy. Great episode.

The hyenas kids kind of remind me of the Cullens. Their movements and creepiness and all

...and how awesome is that scene in the Bronze with Buffy's pastry:

Xander: You took a bath.

Buffy: Yeah I'm actually known that that.

Xander: What's ok.

Buffy: And the wierd behavior award goes too?

*laughs

[Saturn 5]

Before we get all misandrist let me point out that there are also 2 women amongst the pack

[Nicholas]

Yeah, but I think that the main point was to cover mens dark sides with the obvious Xander as the main antagonist.

[Saturn 5]

I'm not sure that is so much the theme (if there was one in such early days of the series). I think it was more a question of social dynamics, of the strong picking on the weak no matter what gender

[Whedon Fan]

The theme for seasons 1-3 was that being in high school can be like hell and in Buffy it litterally was hell. Demons, vampires, giant snakes, evil everywhere. That was the theme,

[deathisyourgift]

I have always and will forever love this episode.

[amuk]

Terrific S1 episode. One of the purest explications of the Buffy 'high school is hell and the demons associated with it are made manifest' metaphor the show ever did. Even though it's only episode 6, you can start to see the greatness inherent in the show's premise already.

Another favourite line: Buffy: I cannot believe that you, of all people, are trying to Scully me.

[Saturn 5]

Good call, you forget how huge the X-files was at the time (I'm currently rewatching it on Virgin 1)

[Nicholas]

Yeah, the strong picking on the weak was a theme expressed in the episode but so was the animalistic sides of men, which was recalled later on in the series.

[Midnight Butterfly]

I like this episode alot but its my least favourite season one episode.
I like the way it focused on bullying because at the end of the day, superpowers or not, its still high school.
I really like the music in this episode.
I nearly cried when Xander said he didnt want to see Willows pasty face again.
One thing alot of people forget about this episode is that it is the last episode we see Princaple Flutie in. He is a cool principle and is really funny haha. (Too bad he was eaten)
Another theme to the episode is ofcourse people changing and being mean to fit into high school. Even though Xander was possessed by a Hiena it still targets this theme because when Buffy is telling Giles about the changes Xander is going through Giles replies 'he has become a teenage boy, we must kill him' lol.

Xander: You took a bath.

Buffy: Yeah I'm actually known that that.

Xander: What's ok.

Buffy: And the wierd behavior award goes too?

lol i love that quote to aha