| Episode No. | Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 1, Episode 5 |
|---|---|
| Directed by | David Semel |
| Written by | Rob Des Hotel & Dean Batali |
0:49 : The ring that the vampire was wearing doesn’t dust along with everything else on him. This is unique in the series’ run and never happens again. We could say perhaps religious iconography (such as the Sun and Stars engraved on the ring) may be immune to dusting, but it’s open to fan interpretation as to why.
1:15 : The Master, played by Mark Metcalf, makes his first appearance since the opening episodes. Strangely, despite their apparent closeness, Darla is nowhere to be seen in this episode.
1:16 : Aurelius was a vampire who led a cult, almost a religion, around his teachings. He seems to be a religious icon to the Master and his followers, although the reason why is unknown.
4:16 : Here Giles identifies the Order of Aurelius, with Buffy’s guidance – the Watcher has yet to score – through the symbol on the ring. He acts as if he hasn’t encountered the symbol before, which he must have done while researching the Harvest. So quite why the gang act like they didn’t know they existed in town is unexplained.
4:48 : Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was one of the great American poets, largely unpublished until after her death. Massachusetts-born Emily’s poetry was laced with themes such as transcendentalism and dark romanticism, hence Owen’s assertion that he’s read a ‘lot about death’.
6:16 : “That was Owen.” Played by Christopher Wiehl, Owen Thurman is Buffy’s first love interest in the series, including her first kiss. After Buffy, he went on to guest star in some prolific tv, including ER, Bull (with Elizabeth Anne Allen), Private Practice and NCIS to name a few.
7:33 : Again, Giles mentions the Brethren of Aurelius are new in town, despite them being with the Master for centuries.
11:40 : Andrew Borba is introduced in this scene, played by Geoff Meed. For what it’s worth, he doesn’t seem particularly stable before the vampires turn him. Meed began his career as a stunt man and more recently worked on both the Fast and Furious and Resident Evil franchises.
12:20 : The song in the Bronze during this scene is “Rotten Apple” by Three Day Wheely.
13:25 : Ah, our first hint at Sunnydale Airport, which is written on the side of the coach. Now, for a town that doesn’t have ‘a whole lot of town’, according to Cordelia in the pilot, this airport is mentioned quite often, although we don’t actually see it until What’s My Line?.
18:16 : This scene was filmed on the same day as some of the primary cast photos for Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season One were taken. You can tell by the outfits the primary cast are wearing.
19:24 : Neither girls call Xander out on his behaviour here, which is a sign of the times, but clearly not acceptable at all. And yet they say nothing. Indeed, it’s in hindsight that Xander has become quite an unlikeable character upon modern day watching.
20:05 : Owen arrives at Revello Drive, dressed up in his best clobber – which happens to look exactly like Angel’s outfit until… well… always.
20:54 : Giles makes a point of saying that Buffy will find it hard to have a social life as the Slayer, the first hint that Slayers do not usually come with family or friends, as Spike will note in Season Two.
21:57 : .The music in the Bronze here is Velvet Chain. This track is “Strong” and once again featured on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album.
22:17 : Buffy will wear this exact outfit on another date in Time of Your Life. Although it turns out not be a date, but a meeting with an undercover Riley.
25:00 : Sunnydale Funeral Home. One of many, one assumes. Some of the graveyard scenes in this season were filmed at the aptly-named Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery at 1831 W. Washington Boulevard.
25:55 : Another song from Velvet Chain, this one entitled “Treason”.
27:40 : “Hello, salty goodness.” This is how Cordelia reacts when she first spies Angel – and she’ll repeat the same line when transgressed to a teenage personality in Spin the Bottle.
29:45 : Buffy curses “Bite me,” under her breath, a curse she will use again in Helpless…
29:47 : …and as she says it, the camera instantly centres on Angel. It’s as if the producers are trying to hint at something…
33:53 : Giles tells Buffy to keep looking, as the Anointed “must be here somewhere.” Why does he assume this? Clearly the vampires could have removed the Anointed while he was hiding. Who’s to say Buffy isn’t right when she asks if this is where all the corpses are kept? Later we see this is true.
37:00 : Borba throws Giles to one side like a rag doll. Number of Times Giles is Knocked Unconscious in the Series: 2.
37:40 : Geoff Meed suffered an injury filming this battle with Buffy and ended up with a gash on his side. He worked through the injury and then later attended hospital. He has an impressive scar.
40:00 : The amazingly poignant song playing as Owen and Buffy talk and she ends their romance is Kim Freeley‘s “Let the Sun Fall Down”.
41:41 : Buffy asks if she and Owen can be friends, which they agree upon, but he’s never seen again…
41:58 : …except the shot he walks away in is reused several times across the first three seasons, starting with When She Was Bad, so technically he’s there.
42:10 : Giles tells Buffy about the Watchers and his destiny, including his father and grandmother being Watchers. Angel & Faith will tackle Giles’ childhood head on in Women of A Certain Age.
43:16 : Giles says he doesn’t have an instruction manual, which is flatly wrong according to Kendra in What’s My Line? as well as Last Gleaming, which hints the VAMPYR book from the first episode is the handbook. In which case, technically, she was given it…
44:05 : The Anointed is revealed to be Collin, played by Andrew J. Ferchland. Quite what the Anointed is supposed to do after he’s led the Slayer to Hell is unknown, but he leaves the series for a completely different reason in School Hard.
The Watcher's Guide 