Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV Series) Witch (1997) User Reviews

Our first glimpse of a non-vampire Sunnydale monster

[katierose295 · 8/10 · 13 July 2006]

A lot of BTVS episodes use monsters as metaphors for real life problems. "The Witch" confronts the issue of parental pressure with a story of black magic, cheer leading and... well... a witch. It introduces us to Amy, who will pop-up again throughout the series and her mother. The two of the have an apparently perfect "we're best friends and practice our cheer leading routines together three hours every day" relationship, which contrasts nicely with the often confused, occupationally strained atmosphere between Buffy and Joyce. It all works together nicely as the episode leads to a twist at the end. Also, Willow will develop some magic of her own in later seasons, so it's interesting to see her here, cracking broomstick and cauldron jokes. By season five, witch stereotypes offend her, but in season one she's just another mortal with a "less evil than thou" attitude.

On the downside, Angel isn't in this episode. Which is a shame because I would've liked to see his reaction to Buffy in hyper, sort of crazed, cheer leading mode. She's really cute... Well, until we learn that she's been cursed and is now dying, anyway. Also, I'm not sure why there is a mirror hanging upside down over the chemistry teacher's desk, all hinged on one side so Buffy can knock it down as a shield. But, hey!... I'm not sweating the small stuff.

My favorite part of the episode: The little cheer leading statue at the end. Watch for it in later episodes. "Its eyes follow you."

Even Witches Don't Stand A Chance Against Buffy!

[callanvass · 8/10 · 17 January 2014]

Buffy wants to lead a normal life, against advisement of Giles, Buffy decides to try out for the cheerleading squad. During a tryout Amber's hand's suddenly burst into flames, leaving Buffy to save the day. Buffy tries telling her Mom about cheerleading. Not only is her Mom in her own little world, but she doesn't want Buffy getting into any more trouble like her last school, and refuses to help. Buffy meets another Cheerleader hopeful named Amy. She seems sweet enough, but something is peculiar about her. She feels constant pressure from her mother, former cheerleader Catherine Madison. After Cordelia suffers a near-death experience, Buffy begins to wonder if witchcraft is at play. Xander tries to profess his love for Buffy, but she is too busy. Amy is revealed as the mastermind behind everything. She puts a strange hex on Buffy, which makes Buffy act overly exuberant in front of her friends. It is actually a dangerous spell that is eradicating Buffy's immune system. Giles, Xander & Willow take Buffy over to Amy's house to save Buffy's life and stop Amy's dangerous witchcraft; however. Not everything is as it seems...

This show is technically Buffy fending off Vampires, but I won't lie. Watching Buffy kick some witch ass was a lot of fun to watch as well. This episode is very eerie, believe it or not. The atmosphere doesn't go away, and you're always feeling a tad uncomfortable. This episode is very well done. It is compelling and extremely suspenseful. It explores common issues, such as parenting pressure, and hyperbole's about school life. When Buffy gets cursed with a spell, SMG provides many laughs with her OTT antics. I'm always used to her being perky and full of life, but she took it a big step further. It was hilarious to watch ("Macho, Macho, Man. I want to be a Macho Man") I also liked how Buffy didn't dominate to defeat the witch. She used believable strategy to overcome her. I thought it was a nice touch. There is a great twist at the end as well, involving Amy & her Mother. If you love this show, I don't see why you can't love this one. It is full of suspense, thrills, and even some laughs.

8.8/10

AMY..

[CastleofGlass1987 · 9/10 · 2 November 2018]

I just want to write a review that i love this episode , it has magic , it has fun and it has humour and lots of it . Best bits; Buffy and her erratic cheerleader behavior had me in fits. Xander and his bracelet gift - we all know he has the big love for Buffy Not to mention its a body switch episode which il never get tired of lol. Its a standalone episode that is enjoyable and one of the best of the first season. 9/10

Wow!'

[aura772 · 10/10 · 1 June 2007]

This episode was much more fun, much more like a teen movie, with the entire cheer leading squad and Xander's crush on Buffy... I think that is so cute...

Yet again, Buffy proves that she is girl power, she is not afraid to go anywhere and to be anything. She only fights the evil. It's her destiny. Too bad her mother doesn't know. I wonder How that was possible, but I presume I will find everything I want to know in future episodes... It's the first time I am watching this show.

Toe be pretty, to be popular, to be 16 and to be a super-hero... all in Buffy... Great episode!

To the Batmobile!

[bombersflyup · 10/10 · 28 June 2019]

Witch is a fun vibrant episode, with some serious and dark stuff included.

Xander and Willow come to the fore here alongside Buffy, with their roles more defined. Providing comedy and heart. The series expands out of the vampire box, here a witch wanting to re-live her glory days. Some weaker moments too, like why didn't that truck driver slow down...

Welcome Amy

[kleen_edge · 6/10 · 14 May 2010]

This episode is nice because we get to "know" the characters a bit more. The episodes in the first season of Buffy are unique because its fun to see the characters sort of "figure out" who they are. I enjoy this episode because it has a nice twist that I *wont* give away towards the end.

As far as action wise / pacing wise, this episode is a little bit on the slow side. The action really doesn't start until the last few minutes *BUT* the episodes pacing is unique because it slowly builds throughout.

The ending is well...they do only have 45 minutes....all in all a slow average episode with a good twist.

6 out of 10

Witch

[BenTramerLives78 · 10/10 · 12 October 2020]

The third episode of the series involves cheerleading and witches. Buffy and Cordelia try out for the cheer team as does a girl named Amy. Amy's mother was a star cheerleader in her day, so it's important that Amy follow in her footsteps.... at all costs.

A string of odd occurrences leads Buffy and the gang to believe there is a witch trying to sabotage the cheer squad. They believe Amy is involved since she didn't make the squad.

This is a great episode with a nice twist and the story is really interesting.

A finely paced episode with some interesting themes at play, "The Witch" introduces the Monster of the Week format

[SLionsCricketreviews · 7/10 · 30 May 2017]

In a season that could modestly be described as low key, "The Witch" is perhaps one of the standout episodes. It introduces the Monster- of-the-Week format into "Buffy's" structure with relative ease. It is at once, less serious than the previous episodes but equally engaging much of which is the result of watching these endearing and charismatic characters engaged in a story that is far simpler in scope. It further defines the personalities of the lead characters and helps seal Buffy's fate as one in which she cannot avoid the responsibilities of her role as a vampire/demon slayer.

In a very amusing moment that is utterly characteristic to both "Buffy's" sense of humour and Giles's no-nonsense attitude, Buffy announces her desire to enter into cheerleading tryouts. There she meets Amy, a fellow contestant, whose mother is a famed former cheerleader seemingly attempting to mould her daughter into her former image and a tale of witchcraft ensues in which slowly the contestants are attacked and incapacitated from tryouts.

To constantly mention the excellent performances of the leads is useless so it is more worthwhile simply mentioning the guest stars. Elizabeth Anne Allen as the recurring Amy and Ron Riker as her mother are both stellar and create an interesting dynamic of a mother- daughter duo that seem so vastly different from that of Buffy and Joyce and in it lies one of the episodes central themes.

The episode continually contrasts the parenting techniques of Joyce to Buffy and Catherine (Amy's mother) to Amy. One mother is concerned and confounded by her lack of understanding of her own daughter while the other driven to hysteria through a faded past image that her daughter does not resemble, begins to force the same image of her daughter. There is a point in the episode where Buffy longs for more attention from her mother, the way Catherine seems to be concerned with Amy. There is a satisfying catharsis to the theme here where Joyce is open minded to her daughter's desires, while stressing the importance of moving forward. Catherine is very much locked in a time and place, her character attempting to recapture fleeting glory through her daughter. There is an element of Norma Desmond in Catherine Madison and the final moments of the episode are suitably chilling, her spirit locked within a gold statue in the school's trophy cabinet, as her voice desperately wails for assistance.

As with almost any episode of "Buffy", there are quotable lines (such as Willow's line about smoking or Giles's opening condemnation of Buffy joining a "cult") that are amusing and clever and help give the episode a certain rhythm, whereby the pacing and mood is elevated. The direction is impressive and while the low budget had notable and drastic restraints upon the opening episodes, here that effect is not felt as strongly. The lighting is an improvement if only because there are fewer scenes photographed at night.

"The Witch" does a respectable job in introducing the show to the standalone episodes and provides just enough quirks and twists in its script to prevent it from tiring. A fantastically talented cast of actors are up to the challenge and deliver by all means (although Anthony Stewart Head's performance during the incantation is a bit of a question mark), really highlighting their compelling personalities. "The Witch" is a solid hour (close to) of television, perhaps the best paced of the episodes thus far and contains some interesting thematic elements.

Buffy the Witch Slayer.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 14 June 2015]

It's try-out time for the Sunnydale High cheer-leading squad, so Buffy decides to give it a shot, along with bitchy Cordelia Chase and pretty blonde Amy (Elizabeth Anne Allen), whose mother was a top cheerleader back in her day. Buffy and Cordelia make the cut, but Amy is put on the reserves. When the girls chosen for the squad start to meet bizarre fates, Buffy and her pals believe that someone is using witchcraft, and that that someone is Amy!

Call me shallow if you like, but any episode that gets both Sarah Michelle Gellar and Charisma Carpenter into cheer-leading outfits is already a winner in my book. But perky young women jiggling their pom-poms aside, I enjoyed this episode for its nifty Wiccan storyline that keeps the viewer guessing until the end, the inventive fates dished out to those who get in the way of Amy's ambitions, the battle between Buffy and the witch, and a creepy final shot that feels like something out of a Twilight Zone episode. With this episode, I really feel like Buffy Season 1 shifted up another gear.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

Lets get fired up

[Realrockerhalloween · 26 September 2016]

Witch is about Buffy missing her old life in L.A. so she tries out for the cheer-leading team when another girl spontaneously combusts. Going undercover she finds out a girl named Amy may be a witch. The show still finding its roots tries a whole episode, centered not around vampires, to great success as the black magic spells are creative, the atmosphere is creepy and trying to find the identity of the spell caster adds great suspense.

Its a great commentary on mothers relationship with their daughters as Willow's isn't very active in her life, Joyce is for Buffy and Catherine wanted to relieve her life through Amy's pushing her to hard to train until she switches bodies with her and treats her like a slave. So the episode leaves the question who was the better mother which I have to go with Joyce who has the right balance of parenting to help her healthy daughter grow and evolve without to much parenting or hardly knowing she's there.

Not so wicked.

[Son_of_Mansfield · 6/10 · 11 June 2007]

In the third episode of the show, we are shown the first glimpse of the other evils that gravitate towards the Hellmouth. It seems that an overzealous student is using witchcraft to get on the team or is she? Elizabeth Anne Allen plays Amy, who would return sporadically throughout the show. It's a shame that she wasn't made a regular, or at least, given a few episodes a season. This is also the first episode that has the gang joke around with each other, one of the greatest attributes of the show. No matter the trouble, they always had each other and their quips. Other than those firsts though, the episode lacks a strong story or villain; and the quips would get better. The bottom line, it's just not cookies yet.

Amy: "I know I'll miss the intellectual thrill of spelling words with my arms."

Xander: "For I am Xander, king of cretins, may all lesser cretins bow before me."

There are more than just vampires in Sunnydale

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 3 November 2016]

A whole week has passed without the sight of anything evil and Buffy feels that she should try to get part of her old life back by trying out for the school's cheerleading team. The try-out doesn't go as expected when one of the girls' hands suddenly burst into flame! Buffy manages to put it out before the rest of her catches fire but she is out of the running for the team. Buffy and her friends get chatting to Amy, a girl desperate to get on the team because her mother was the school's best ever cheerleader, and start to think that she may be a witch using her powers to remove the competition. They find a way to be sure but when Amy realises that Buffy is onto her she casts a spell that will kill her if Giles can't find her magic books and break the spell; in doing so he learns who is truly behind all the events that have been taking place. Away from the forces of evil Xander is keen to make an impression on Buffy as more than a friend but somehow his efforts seem doomed.

This was a fun episode that showed that the series isn't just about dealing with vampires. The witch's spells against her rival cheerleaders were nicely varied in a non-fatal way. In the case of Buffy the spell had some amusing side effects; as it started to work she got a bit hyper and far too honest… one couldn't help feeling sorry for Xander when she told him that she likes him because she thinks of him as 'one of the girls' even though earlier in the episode he'd told Willow that he sees her as 'one of the guys'. It was good to see that Buffy isn't invulnerable and does sometimes rely on others to help her or in this case actually save her. The story progresses nicely and there is a great twist in the middle... one so memorably that I hadn't forgotten it between first watching the episode and rewatching it almost twenty years later! The cast does a solid job; I particularly enjoyed Sarah Michelle Gellar's performance as Buffy when she is perkier than usual and starts singing 'Macho Man'! Alyson Hannigan is also great as Willow; her dry wit is hilarious. Overall a solid episode that shows Sunnydale has more than just vampires to worry about.

A very nice opener for season 1

[Joxerlives · 6/10 · 28 December 2011]

The Witch

The good; Amy for the first time, yay! And even now she's still appearing in season 8. I always thought if Will died she'd have been a good replacement. Buffy looks sensational in her cheerleading gear, a shame we'll never see her in it again (and we won't see the costume again until Dawn digs it out in season 7). Willow gets more hands on with the axe and we have our first case of Wicca although it's a very dark variety. The African fertility statue gag is the first sign of the saucy humour Buffy and Angel will become famous for. Lovely scenes between Buffy and Joyce both at breakfast and in closing. I gotta say, I didn't see the twist at all.

The bad; What happens to the poor girl whose mouth sealed up? Presumably all the aspects of Amy's mum's magic stop once she is defeated.

Best lines; Willow; "That girl's on fire!" Cordy; "Enough with the hyperbole"

Giles; "Why would anyone want to hurt Cordelia?" Willow; "Maybe they met her?"

My favourite though; Xander; "I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away"

What the fanficcers thought; Often in fanfic if Willow dies Amy takes over and becomes the Scooby's resident witch, sometimes romancing Tara. See 'To Those Who Wait' and 'Deadscoobies'.

Observations and questions; Presumably Amy mom dies properly when the school blows up and passes to the afterlife. Willow is already beginning to dress less nerdy. We see Giles' car for the first time, the Citreon whilst a design classic seems a weird choice for him, a vintage Jag maybe more his style. Xander's Buffy obsession continues to grow. No Angel, you sometimes forget he's not in all the eps of season 1. At exactly what point do Amy and her mum swap bodies? Cordy hasn't passed her driving test yet but that changes by the end of the season 6/10

The One With A Witch...

[taylorkingston · 10/10 · 6 October 2014]

I love this episode. I was wondering if we would ever get to see Buffy enroll in cheerleading. Lucky for us, this is that episode.

It starts with Giles giving Buffy a big lecture on responsibility, and we assume he's talking about Slaying. What else would we he be talking about? Cheerleading. That's what his big lecture was on. Buffy wants to try out for the cheerleading squad. When she does, girls start mysteriously getting hurt. Cordelia goes blind, whilst taking a driving test, I might add. Another girl catches on fire during tryouts. Yes. Actually on fire. With flames. With actual flames. Buffy finds out that it's one of the girls trying out. Amy. She's trying to "get rid of" the competition. But we find out that it's not really Amy taking the reins on this one. It's her mother. And not what you'd think. You're probably thinking her mother wants her daughter to have all the fame and glory she did when she was a teenager. Trying to relive it through her daughter. Right, but in a different way. You see, Amy's mother, is a witch. So she cast a spell to switch bodies with her daughter. Yep. That's kind of rude. Taking over someone else's body. Not to mention, creepy. Eventually, Buffy puts a stop to it, and the mother is transformed into a cheerleading trophy. Who can hear and see everything around her, but do nothing. Justice.

Overall, I give this episode a 10 out of 10.

adding 1 thing that have not seen noted before

[jtsjtssmokey-703-366973 · 8/10 · 19 April 2014]

The rest of the reviews have covered much of this epi, first time with witches and witchcraft being mentioned, first appearance of Amy, and even though was her "mom" you kinda know Amy too will have power(s). Xanders gift to Buffy cute, Willow of course wish was given to her, but she still likes to hang with Buffy and her best friend Xan (when you grow up together you are either close, like they are or end up "bad", me like the 1st better, optimistic ain't I).

Thinks I rattled enough now can put, Buffy singing (ya covered some but) macho man and the "quality" juice and Buffy happy about the being on the squad, Joyce saying she sorry for yesterday, Buffy, "totally yester, besides its not like you were wrong you know? I did get kicked out of school, I'm just wacky that way." Joyce, "still I just want you to know that despite the problems you've had--" Buffy "mom you just don't get it, and, believe me, you don't want it. You know there are just some things about being a VAMPIRE SLAYER that the older generation..." Joyce "a what?"...bit more but this part was it, umm ya the blinders from when kicked out and other things that happened and are happening, eg the crate Joyce couldn't open with the bar an Buffy just opens bare handed, but here Buffy tells her this was the 1st time, and there are at least one other but (thinking 2 but could be wrong) more before she "really" knows. Will put in the other 1 (poss 2), just find it interesting that haven't seen any one else "say" something about it, unless I just missed the mark on it and well that is a poss...

Buffy and Angel fan, and still enjoying the re watching...

First appearance of Amy.

[madman_salv · 6/10 · 27 April 2007]

Buffy wants to try for the cheerleading team, so she tries desperately to get in the team.She meets Amy(one of Willow's friends) who wants to make it in the team too. But Amy has got something else up her sleeve.She badly wants to become a cheerleader so she tries to get rid of some of the others to make her way into it.She weakens Buffy, she blinds Cordillia and she does other things.But is it actually Amy doing this? Or is it someone else?

This is a just above average episode which kept me watching.Here the characters grow and its good to see something other than vampires as the villains.

6/10

Nothing Scarier Than an Abusive Parent Who Peaked in High School

[nysmbs · 10/10 · 15 December 2022]

We are taught about stranger danger, but over 90% of child abuse is parental.

This is the strongest episode of season 1. The lengths to which Catherine will go to relive her glory days feel all too reminiscent of many a toxic parent. The double-twist works beautifully here as it shows how easily abusers can cast suspicion onto their victims. In this case there are supernatural causes but the real world allegory is consistent and frightening.

Catherine isolates her daughter Amy away from friends and alternative authority figures; she forces her into a situation where it is difficult for anyone to believe a word Amy says. It is how most abusers operate in the real world. This is 10/10 beautiful stuff complete with a strong ending and final curse bestowed on the villain.

Episode 3 Review

[leecdewsnap · 7/10 · 7 November 2015]

SPOILER WARNING This episode has an interesting approach so early on in the series. Apart from one or two lines, we don't hear much about vampires in this episode. We start with this episode with the familiar feeling of a story per episode, so if you miss one it doesn't matter, except this is wrong. One thing you see in this episode is the introduction of a character that under normal circumstances wouldn't have had lines and would have just been an extra, but they were given lines because they were being introduced for future episodes, I'm talking about Dr. Gregory. So even in this story per episode structure they are doing at the moment, there is an element of continuous background story from the word go. I also like bringing in the use of witchcraft so early, it opens up a lot of possibilities for the future.

Not a Vampire, Now What?

[Aegelis · 10/10 · 4 February 2024]

First branching out into 'other' supernatural beings, this episode Witch throws a curveball as the title says and as suggested in the premiere. Here, Buffy and crew have to solve a mystery of an inflamed cheerleader that cannot be cured by Lotrimin.

Siding more with suspense, through the episode, we gain further insight into characters, and culminate into the action packed battle full of jealousy and rage. As if high school wasn't trouble by definition, now there's life-threatening evil as well.

Some comedy here and there, the mini-movie style of these episodes draws attention through the believable acting, tension of all sorts, and melee.

buffy 1x3 review

[jackDee-56565 · 6/10 · 9 November 2020]

Not a whole lot to say really, it was very much a filler episode, a weak one for sure though I don't hate it

First standalone episode of the series

[ossie85 · 6/10 · 8 August 2022]

Trying to get some normality back into her life, Buffy tries out for the cheer squad. But when a cheerleader catches on fire, and others get hurt. Buffy starts to suspect Amy, a cheerleading obsessed teenager whose mother trains with her for hours a day and she still didn't get on the team. Xander also gives Buffy a bracelet.

Why It's So Good - Buffy trying to get a life back is common theme of early Buffy. A great analogy of teenagers with lots of potential trying to find themselves.

Watch Out For - Macho Man.

Quote - "For I am Xander, King of Cretins. May all lesser cretins bow before me." - Xander.

Not Just Vampires that Buffy and Co. Have to deal with!

[rohanumpleby-34057 · 7/10 · 7 April 2023]

A really well paced episode with lots of new and fresh ideas. Amy and her mother get so much screen time here. It's a nice change of pace because we see the scooby gang and the regular stars of the show all the time, so it's nice and unique to have the main protaganists as side kicks. However Buffy wants to be a Cheerleader and joins the team. So back to normality for Buffy, it's interesting because she just wants to have a normal life other then just slaying Vampires, and this episode does really well with this premise. However her and the rest of the group don't know what kind of danger they are in. When Amy isn't picked for the Cheerleading squad she becomes very jealous, and makes up magic spells. In order for her to succeed this, she burns and makes other people slip on top of each other. And she is somehow perfect at doing the dance. I love the basic concept of this, and it allows us to know what Amy is like as a person, and even as a Whitch. Buffy and the gang soon discover her weird obsession for Cheerleading. They take and monitor her hair samples, and find out that she is a Whitch. And is behind these strange happenings. However it's not her, she's being controlled by her own mother, who lived Cheerleading. And was the best at it, returning to her youth days. Body swap, her mother inside Amy's body, and Amy in her mums body. Which is why she's now so perfect at Cheerleading.

The fight scene between Buffy and Amy at the end is extremely violent. It's amazing, as the fight scene is really well choreographed especially for it's time.

The Plot twist is just as good, with the figure of her mother as a cheerleader. As you get a close up shot from the Camera man and see her eyes move. And hear her talk. Which is creepy and disturbing at the same time. As you don't expect it to happen, although when the close up comes up you could guess what will happen but the twist at the end is still smart.

7/10 Entertaining!

High School Drama

[kellyq12 · 7/10 · 26 November 2021]

This episode shows Buffy TRYING to be a typical high schooler by trying out for the cheerleading squad. Of course, that's not going to work out so well for her. Season 1 has many episodes that feel more like standalone episodes, and this is one of those. It's a good addition but not a favorite.