"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Teacher's Pet (1997)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Bruce Seth Green

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator)
David Greenwalt (written by)

TV Series:

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)

Original Air Date:

24 March 1997 (Season 1, Episode 4)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Xander dreams of greatness- in biology class; the teacher, Dr. Gregory, is eaten afterward and declared missing...

Plot Keywords:

Library | Heroine | Female Protagonist | Demon | High School

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Charisma Carpenter	...	Cordelia Chase
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (as Anthony Stewart Head)
David Boreanaz	...	Angel
Ken Lerner	...	Principal Bob Flutie
Musetta Vander	...	Natalie French
Price Jackson	...	Blayne Moll (as Jackson Price)
Jean Speegle Howard	...	Real Natalie French
William Monaghan	...	Dr. Gregory
Jack Knight	...	Homeless Guy
Michael Ross Verona	...	Teacher
Karim Oliver	...	Bud #1

Runtime:

45 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Trivia:

During the dream sequence at the beginning of this episode we see Xander playing a guitar, the significance being that this happens to be a "Warlock" model guitar made by B.C. Rich guitars.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Cordelia opens the refrigerator in the cafeteria and sees the teacher, she screams "His head! Where's his head?" however, when they show her face right before she finishes speaking, her mouth isn't moving.

Quotes:

Xander: This is a question that no one particularly wants to hear, but, where did they put his head?
Willow Rosenberg: Good point. I didn't wanna hear that.

Movie Connections:

References The Exorcist (1973)

Soundtrack:

Already Met You

Xander's first demon love interest

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Demon women love Xander. It's a fact of the Buffy-verse. In this episode it's Miss French, the praying mantis lady, who sets her sights on him. She arrives at Sunnydale High to breed with and devour teenage virgin males. Honestly, this isn't the best episode, it's dialog and plot lag in places and the Scoobies spend a lot of time separated or in Biology class. But as Cordy would say, we need to look on the bright side. After all, even used Mercedes have leather seats. It does contain an interesting message about the double standard that exists for male sexuality, with Xander horrified that people now know that he's a virgin, even though Willow and Buffy are virgins, too. And I like the bat sonar sounds audio taped over one of Giles dry library lectures. Instead of terrifying the Bug Lady with the sounds of the praying mantis' natural predator, Buffy accidentally plays it a monologue on the importance of alphabetical filing. "Other side of the tape!" Giles shrieks.

The episode has some downsides. Angel shows up briefly to warn Buffy about a vampire with forks for hands that is terrorizing the town. With all the build up he got, I expected the clawed vampire to be a greater threat. But he was kind of a dud. It seems like he should have done more than just run from the Bug Lady. The FX are a little bit rubbery in this episode,as well.

My favorite part of the episode: Xander blanking on the location of the science room when the sultry Miss French asks him for directions. "Oh, God, I go there every day. Where is it? Where is it?" I swear I've had that moment.