Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Teacher's Pet...

[fajrdrako]

I watched this a week ago, but haven't got around to posting about it yet. And now... looking at my notes...

1. I like the title. Very much. Best thing about the episode, probably.



2. On the whole, didn't much like the episode. It reminded me very much of the Smallville episode "Heat", where Clark Kent had a sexy-seductive teacher who used her wiles (and her pheromone superpower) to trick Lex Luthor into marrying her, so she could kill him for his money. She didn't intend to eat him, but that's the main difference in the story. Clark, of course, saved him. Probably the Smallville writers stole from Buffy, but I don't think it's a new plot anyway.
   
   As Smallville episodes go, "Heat" was redeemed by its slashiness. This episode of Buffy didn't have that to recommend it.



3. So what did it have? Lots of Xander - not my favourite character. I did like his dream at the beginning, where he cast himself as the hero saving and winning the girl. I think I liked dream-Xander better than real-Xander. He was at least more creative.



4. Doctor Gregory was really, really nice. This made me certain he wouldn't survive the episode. He didn't.



5. Actually, I think that was my main problem with the episode. It was very, very predictable. Xander's dream had to be a dream. Buffy's relationship with a really nice teacher who understands her has to be doomed. The too-sexy-to-be-true teacher has to be man-eater and since she's giving lessons about praying mantises, well, that's what she has to be. She has to prey on one of Buffy's friends, of course - I might enjoy it more if she preyed on Buffy, but that isn't likely here. So. Xander, the fall guy. And of course Buffy has to save him. If i Look over the show - were there any surprised? (Considers.) No.



6. Good line. Buffy: "You mean, 'great' in a bad way?" Followed by:

   Doctor Gregory: Imagine what you could accomplish if you actually did the...
   Buffy: ...the homework thing.



7. Blayne looked like a red-shirt in Star Trek too. He was too annoying to survive unscathed.



8. I really liked Angel here. The bit about his coat? Wonderful. Fork Guy was more interesting (if that's the right word) than Miss French. Maybe 'intriguing' is a better word.



9. I liked it when Buffy and Willow called Xander "young" and "so terribly innocent".



10. I like it that Giles calls Doctor Gregory "civilized".



11. I liked Claw Guy being afraid of Miss French. Reminded me of the Weevil seeing Beth in the Torchwood episode "Sleeper".



12. "Heal" was funny. I sitll find Mr. Flutey sinister, but amusing,



13. Eating crickets. Ugh.



14. Wonderful Giles moment: "Wasn't here, didn't see it, couldn't have stopped you."



15. I like the stuff on Giles' desk.



16. I like the hints of Buffy's attraction to Angel, and Xander's jealousy. "What kind of a girlie name is 'Angel', anyway?

All in all, this is another episode that was so silly and shallow that I'd have stopped watching if people weren't assuring me about how good it gets. I surprised myself by liking Angel this time round; Zander slipped in my estimation; Giles remains adorable and Willow is about the same.

Comments

[sizequeen.livejournal.com]

I think you're really going to change your mind about Xander by the end of season 1.

[littleblueghost.livejournal.com]

Not my favourite episode :(

Keep watching :) It does improve...

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Criminy, I'm not sure what to say about your Xander thing at this point, because there's an episode coming up very soon where, if you don't kind of love him, you're really going to hate him, if that makes sense. I wish you didn't dislike him so tremendously, but there's nothing I can do about it, obviously *g*.

[beccaelizabeth]

I found the episode more interesting once I noticed that Angel and the teacher lady were wearing similar clothes and considered the possibility it was meant to be a comparison thing. Older predator monster apparently falls for high school student and everyone else wonders why they can't see it's freaky? But I haven't rewatched it in ages. Season 1, not my favourite.

And I'm realising how incredibly difficult it is to watch / think about these shows as if I didn't know everything that happens after. Huh.
I was going to invite you to a discussion board but I just reread our discuss on this episode and it's all "reminds me of" and "We know that coming up" and suchlike.

[star-momma.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this one was... okay. But not one I've watched over and over or anything.

One of my favorite Xander episodes is "The Pack" - it's essentially Red Kryptonite Xander, to use your Smallville association :) And I'm of an opinion that Clark should ALWAYS wear Red Kryptonite. Screw regular Clark. He's boring. Regular Xander I love, but I can't say I mind something different every now and again.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Zander slipped in my estimation

Really? I didn't get why from your other comments. I thought he did okay - he at least gets himself a weapon and tries to fight Ms Preying Mantis off (twice actually because he goes after her with the bug spray when she's knocked Buffy down), and he does apologise to Buffy for not listening.

I really liked Angel here.

Woohoo! We have progress!

I liked the line about "her fashion sense screams predator" "it's the shoulder pads".

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

Angel is a poodle's name.

But then, so is Buffy.

At least Spike is the name of a bigger, slightly cooler dog.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

Oh, you'd like this (http://listverse.com/history/top-10-badass-ancient-weapons/).