shapinglight | BtVS season 1: Teacher's Pet

BtVS season 1: Teacher's Pet

Didn't get any writing done today, but did manage to watch another BtVS season 1 episode. Thoughts behind cut.

After the pleasure of rewatching The Witch, Teacher's Pet is a bit of a come down in some ways. There's still metaphor in there - in this case, beware of predatory older women because they'll eat you alive (or at least that's all I've got - unless it's the very first of the Sex Is Evil! warnings that Joss tends to give out at regular intervals - though in this case, it's actually more dangerous to be sexually inexperienced than not. Presumably, if Xander and Blaine weren't virgins, Miss French wouldn't have given them a second look).

I didn't think the metaphor, such as it was, worked nearly as well in this ep, partly because the special effects were so incredibly clunky, and partly because - well, it's sort of a weird message (if that indeed is what it was). Also, I'm afraid I found Xander's crush on Buffy particularly annoying in this episode (his fantasy with the vampire-killing and the guitar hero act is cringeworthy, but then I suppose it's meant to be), and what's more I found Angel's cryptic guy act very annoying too. In fact, though DB does of course look very pretty, the scene where - for some bizarre reason - he takes off his very nice leather jacket and gives it to Buffy, thereby displaying the wound on his arm but won't tell her how he got it and what the danger is beyond to say, "He's coming," is just - aargh! all kinds of annoying. It actually doesn't make any sense, unless of course he's trying to warn her about the Anointed One, but even if he is, why does he have to speak in riddles?

I have a vague recollection that it's in the next episode that his character finally starts to develop a bit (the jealousy over Owen), so maybe in this episode they still weren't really sure what they were going to do with him, I don't know.

So Xander is irritating, Angel is irritating, Blaine is incredibly irritating. I was all set to say all the male characters in this episode are irritating, but in fact they're not. Giles is just fine and so is poor Dr Gregory, and Principal Flutie is hilarious. Also, in spite of the fact it's not a very good episode, there are still some great scenes, the main one being Dr Gregory's no-nonsense little peptalk to Buffy, who will sadly, it seems, never fulfill her academic potential, and the Buffy and Principal Flutie convo about how Buffy has to have counselling whether she likes it or not. That had me laughing out loud, as did Cordelia's little cameo, where Dr Gregory's death managed to be all about her.

See? Even in the worst BtVS (or AtS) episode, there's always going to be something that makes it worth watching.

Buffy is very take-charge in the episode, but she still manages to be both cute and very sweet during her sadly brief encounter with an inspirational teacher. Also, SMG-P has boobs! What the hell happened to them? Giles shows that he may not be quite as computer-illiterate as he seemed (or at any rate, he can tell what's legal and what's not). Also, it seems that most things Watcher-ly, from retreats to giant praying mantis encounters (not to mention the location of the Deeper Well) seem to be in the Cotswolds. Weird. Maybe Joss went there once or something?

Also, when Giles says goodbye to his barmy friend Carlyle, he says, "Ta." What's that about? Couldn't Tony Head have told them it was just plain wrong?

Best line: I'm torn between-

Giles (re Fork Guy and Cryptic Guy): I think there are too many guys in your life.

and

Principal Flutie: Don't say dead, or decapitated, or decomposing. I'd stay away from the D words altogether.

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Hee! Well, I didn't dislike it nearly as much as you did :), but all your points are well-taken.

I do really like that they established here that Buffy is NOT dumb, in fact, she's quite smart. They got away from that later, esp in S4.

I do really like that they established here that Buffy is NOT dumb, in fact, she's quite smart

She is, and if she could only have met another inspirational teacher, or if Dr Gregory hadn't died, she might not have developed what almost seemed to be an aversion to knowledge at times. Sad.

I always thought this was one of the worst episodes of the entire series - dull, confusing, preachy and dark; not dark in the sense that s6 is dark, just in the sense that I can't see what the hell is going on half the time! Angel's crypticness is just as annoying as you say, the special effects are awful, and what's the point of Fork Guy exactly? Oh, and the never-followed-up-on twist ending.

This is a fun scene, though:

BUFFY: I can't believe this! She used Miss French's records to get into the school. She could be anywhere!
THE REAL MISS FRENCH: No, dear! I'm right here!

Oh, and the bat sonar scene is in this one, right? I like that one.

Angel's crypticness is just as annoying as you say

Oh, God! Is it! I just wanted Buffy to slap him. It's a pretty bad episode, I agree - on a par with Bad Eggs for sheer awfulness. I used to think I Robot, You Jane was the worst episode in season 1, but now I think it must be this one. It relies way too heavily on special effects that are never going to live up to requirements, and as you say, there really seems very little point to Fork Guy.

This is the one with the bat sonar, though. Very well-equipped library they have at Sunnydale High School.

It's been years since I watched the episode so don't remember the context, but up here 'Ta' means thanks, and so could be used as a kind of goodbye depending on the previous interaction.

I tend to use it when I get off buses. *shrugs*

Ta means thanks down here too, but Giles just uses it as if he means goodbye - and since Spike does the same thing in one of the AtS season 5 eps, I think someone at ME just has the wrong end of the stick.

I didn't like Angel in the beginning either, but as you say, he gets better. And he definitly rocks my socks off in S2, but as Angel and Angelus. ;-D

And he definitly rocks my socks off in S2, but as Angel and Angelus. ;-D

Yes, especially Angelus. That's when the character really comes into his own.

I thought the "he's coming" referred to Fork Guy? But then I'm rewatching the episodes in French and not understanding a lot of it, so I could be wrong.

Oh no, it could have referred to Fork Guy. It's just that I don't understand why Angel should warn Buffy about Fork Guy in such a cryptic way, given that it seems he'd already 'arrived' - ie. was lurking in the park.

But it probably was Fork Guy, which makes Angel's crypic-ness - not to mention leaving Buffy to deal with Fork Guy on her own - even more inexplicable.

I loved Dr. Gregory so much from his brief scene, and was so sad when he, erm, bit it. (I couldn't resist. Hee!) I loved his pep talk, and wish more teachers were like that.

Yes, he was great - and it seems Buffy never had another teacher who enthused her. Such a pity.

She seemed to like her college poetry teacher--and I think the high school English (?) teacher who didn't remember her at all (when she was trying to get back into school after being suspended), damn the woman. I always had the impression that either of those people could have made a difference, but all her slaying got in the way, not to mention her mother dying. And one teacher's complete lack of interest.

Yes, I fear she was very easily discouraged. Some people need to be chivvied into achieving academically because they don't have any confidence, I think Buffy was one of them.

I think she was enjoying college, but it's hard to focus when you have an apocalypse around every corner--she still managed to get through that first year, in spite of Adam and Professor Walsh, and she wasn't giving up the next year until her mother got sick. After that, she didn't exactly have much of a chance, with things heating up with Glory right when her mother died, and then being dead herself. I didn't think the failure of her one attempt at going back in season six had as much to do with lack of encouragement, as her complete disassociation from everything.

I always had the impression that if she had time to go to class and not spend her nights slaying, she'd have been fine.

Possibly. I do have the impression, though, that she didn't have much self-belief when it came to things academic - which is why she looks so shocked to have done so well in her SATs.

I think the message of this episode is reversing the rules of Superman. The small, cute blonde girl becomes Superman while the tall dark-haired boy becomes the damsel in destress, I thought they pulled out that message just fine, even though I agree with the bad effects and directing.

Xander pointing out Angel's girly name made me snicker. I actually enjoy boys when they're jealous on TV. Not that amusing in real life.

Dr Gregory is a vergin, unless they explained it some way.

Dr Gregory is a vergin, unless they explained it some way.

I don't think they were trying to say that. I think he was just killed so 'Miss French' could take his place.

I'm afraid I don't agree about the Superman thing either. I don't see that as being at all specific to this episode. Buffy is, after all, Superman in every episode.

But weren't there eggs in the closet he was opening in the classroom by the end of the episode? *doesn't remember the episode much*

The difference between Buffy saving people everyday and this episode is that the virgin damsel in distress about to get raped is a tall dark-haired boy (description like Clack Kent, tall and dark-haired) while Superman is the little cute blonde girl (usual description of damsel in distress)

The difference between Buffy saving people everyday and this episode is that the virgin damsel in distress about to get raped is a tall dark-haired boy

Well, there may be something in that, but not the Superman part. It doesn't have to be that specific, and I'm really not getting the Xander/Clark Kent comparison, sorry.

Maybe not exactly Superman. I didn't bring this comparison out of the blue, I read it in several boards, and I think it makes sense in the context of the episode.

As for Xander and Clark Kent, both are tall and dark-haired. Tall and dark-haired is usually the description of knight in shining amour. But you're right, Xander is way more layered/interesting than Clark Kent.

But you're right, Xander is way more layered/interesting than Clark Kent.

But not actually that tall. *g*

angel is cryptic because he still doesn't really know how to talk to humans! he recently lived in alleys and munched rats whilst wearing a bad wig for like 20 years! the cryptic is cute!

*sticks fingers in ears* LA LA LA!

*sigh* okay, so... angel was actually pretty useless until the episode "angel." (in which darla is still pretty useless, which is a shame.) but i can't help liking him even before he had a storyline. it makes me all nostalgic. or something.

and i pretty much always found xander's crush on buffy annoying, but the guitar thing in this episode is actually my favorite part. because i always forget about it, but then it pops back up later and it makes me laugh. :) on the other hand, i tend to be easily amused when it comes to boys.

Hi Jen. Sorry to have been so long answering your comment.

wearing a bad wig for like 20 years! the cryptic is cute!

*sticks fingers in ears* LA LA LA!

Hee! Don't worry. I don't blame him. I blame Joss for not knowing what he wanted to do with him and so making him look useless. And you're right about Darla. Until she starts firing those magically reloading guns, it's very hard to believe it's the same character we see again in AtS.

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