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Buffy the Vampire Slayer || 4x01 || Full Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2020-12-08 22:31:45
Imported:
2026-06
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link: https://ws.onehub.com/files/q7reb8yw

4x01: "The Freshman"

okeedokee, lets start season 4!! 

this episode is so so so good! I love seeing Buffy in college doing her little thing, trying to get the hang of it.. I love my girl so much, she is doing her best :')

hope y'all enjoy this one! gonna be watching Angel next and that should be up on Saturday :)

Files

Previews only

Comments

Dollface

LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Patrick Armbruster

Woohoo! :) I'm so glad about this. Made my grey day better.

aeronitz

Season 4 is here! And we get Mando's (this is the way) cameo...unfortunately, he didn't have his current skill set or he may have survived.

Fasda

Alley is going to mad about how much of a smack down buffy is about to get

Valkyrie

Rest In Peace Sunday. I honestly loved her she is one of my favourite 1 episode villains along with Balthazar from Bad Girls. I'm sure as hell more intimidated by her than Angelus's melodramatic ass. I can't believe you dragging all the cool pre Y2K vamp fashion as well, first The Wish and now THIS Alley, how dare you? I'm not a big fan of season 4 but I always enjoy this episode. I was a bit of trouble in high school and not super academic so I related to Buffy a lot this episode feeling like she is an alien being surrounded by all these chill smart people. Interesting to hear you had the opposite reaction and related to Willow. I love Xander's "What would Buffy do?" and the "You're my hero." when Xander puts all his toxic masculinity aside he is a deeply sweet and loving guy.

DB

Noooo I was planning on going to sleep but now you've posted it and I can't resist! Love s4 I'm so excited!

Kirby

Hurray! Took a nap. Refreshed. And it's here!

Francis Lee

One of my favourite fan theories that went around was that Sunday was a former Slayer who was turned. There's nothing to confirm it or even suggest it but I always liked it as a headcanon

Steve Quast

Alley: I don't like this guy. Joss: *immediately kills him off* ...........okay, how'd you do that?

Mark Zima

The actor who played "Eddie" here later went on to play the character Oberyn Martell in season 4 of Game Of Thrones years later!

Steven

You do know you're responsible for Pedro Pascal getting killed right?

Mark Zima

The campus scenes of UC Sunnydale make me feel like I myself have lived in the Buffyverse, because the UCLA campus was used by the show to represent the UC Sunnydale campus, and I myself have attended UCLA and walked on those paths and walked around in that magnificent library, just like Buffy and Willow do here!

Jamie Morgan

God, I had major issues with paying for your Patreon this month (no financial issues, I'm all good, things just got fucky!) and I got MAJOR FOMO! Glad to see I haven't missed too much. Time to break out the snacks!

Dan

The storyline of this episode doesn't quite work for me re Buffy. I know what they're going for with the small-fish-in-a-big-pond feeling when moving from school to college, but in reality Buffy has been fighting full fat bad guys for the last three years, not special easy-level high-school bad-guys. She should be able to demolish those vampires pretty easily and the justification they use for why she can't just seems to be clunky/artificial.

Shaun Stacy

Remember the phone call Buffy got. :)

King Author

I loved it. And I love your reaction. :) Looking forward to this new season.

Ryan

Here’s something insignificant that always bugs me. Willow was accepted to Harvard, Oxford and pretty much every other college but chose to go to a UC school. I know the UC schools are good as far as public universities go but still it just bothers the hell out of me.

Kitty

One of my favorite episodes! So excited to see your reaction!

DB

Others already mentioned Pedro Pascal so here's different trivia.  Oz calls the campus "a madhouse, a madhouse" which is a quote from Planet of the Apes. It's the second time Joss uses this reference - previously quoted by Xander in first episode of S2.

Patrick Armbruster
>>49190174

I think it works just fine. If you ever hear a sports figure in a rut talk about how their head is just not in the right place at the moment and suddenly they go from superstar to missing chances they'd otherwise have scored... Buffy's feeling kinda lost – and Slaying's her sport. She doesn't have her head in the game – until the important player's coach (Xander here) finds the right words to remind her who she is. I don't find it artificial at all. Plus: Sunday distracted her in a way that usually was Buffy's role with dumb vampires before. Pointing out something irrelevant to have her look down and then put a punch there... For me, it all fits quite nicely.

DB

Also lol Buffys room is bigger than the entire apartment I was renting all through my uni years...

AlyAdmirer

I don't know if it's this way anymore, but when I went away to college around this time (Spring Break of my first year away, I was home... and saw "Welcome to the Hellmouth"/"The Harvest" on first broadcast :-) ), at least at the school I went to, 1) freshman were required to live on campus for the first year, and 2) had no input on who they roomed with--it wasn't until you got there that you had any say in who you roomed with.

Koz

Sunnydale High worked so well in part for its comfort level; they had a home base in the library and their usual other locations, like the cemeteries and even Buffy’s house, rotated around that. That’s not something easily forgotten.

Patrick Armbruster
>>49190573

Don't forget that she also explained her decision during S3 quite nicely, though. She still wants to get her education, but she's kinda found her calling in helping to fight monsters. Harvard, Oxford etc. might just not feature the amount of baddies – and no Slayer to team up with. It's all about priorities. :)

CrookedCat

Btw the "What would Buffy do", doesn't that turn up in Supernatural as well? Or am I remembering it wrong? EDIT: I remembered correctly! "“WWBD: What Would Buffy Do?” – Ed Zeddmore. Paranormal investigator Ed Zeddmore utters this line in the Season 1 episode “Hell House.”"

Danielle Murphy

when xander said "you're my hero".. i felt that. also xander this season is really great. my boy is growin' up.

Isac christensen

I loved Xander in this episode comforting Buffy in the Bronze "what would Buffy do"? But also I am on Willows side in this. Four years of humiliation and no one unerstanding you and making fun of you. You finally come to a place that is for you, you are allowed to be really happy and finding your element. So I feel like she is allowed a week or so to glow and shine. The first episode covered two days. I get she maybe needed to be there more for Buffy but she also needs this. But great reaction and keep up the good work :D

KT

Having seen this ep as a kid def prepared me a bit for those first few days of college. I went to a huge school, and never knowing where you are and always feeling like other people are more on top of it than you are or like you're forgetting something that's going to fuck up your whole semester... yeah that shit is real. Professors flexing super hard with their freshmen classes. Not being able to register until the week leading up to the first day of class, when everyone who isn't a non-honors freshman has already had their pick of classes and you have to just take whatever scraps they leave behind. The nauseating textbook prices. The excessive walking. It can make you incredibly insecure about things you are normally very confident about. I completely buy that Buffy was blindsided by a group of vampires when she was already feeling inferior to everyone else, and the one person she could relate to (Eddy) immediately dies. Even if Xander hadn't given that little pep talk, this episode makes me appreciate him because Willow (while I do adore her) sorta wears her intellectual superiority on her sleeve, which is fine but Buffy often feels dumb around her. Xander jokes about how dumb he is all the time, which is the kind of friendship energy I need when I'm feeling like shit about myself.

Ashtara Levin

I LOVE this season! So excited to share it with you and am all giddy up inside!

Ashtara Levin

This episode sucks you in so well you totally forget to ask where's Cordelia..

Neil Carleton

I love how the Buffy/Willow dynamic shifts. In high school Buffy is in her element (before the whole Slayer factor comes in and ruins it), in college Willow really starts to come into her own even in the first episode. Compare unconfident awkward Willow in season one to unconfident awkward Buffy in this one.

Kirby
>>49187885

Didn't have Oberyn Martell's skill set either. It's a shame, really.

Isac christensen

Also, sidenote, I am sorry If I came one too strong with my Willow Bias. PS: I have never been bothered by Willows hairstyle I can remember but then again I am a Guy do not know if it matters.

Nebraska

"You wanna know the truth? I only need one."

Ashtara Levin

I love how the camera swivels when Buffy gets knocked down by Sunady, just,before she runs, I had issues with this plot point (Buffy running away from Sunday) before I realized what they where doing there - which was basically show us visually as well how overwhelmed Buffy got emotionally that she didn't think she can take her.

Kirby
>>49190573

Yes. I agree with Patrick. We know from watching Buffy that choices matter. Willow has made her choice to fight against evil at the side of her best friend, the slayer.

Keenan White

Hey Alley, a little something that I’m sure you didn’t know about this episode’s main antagonist....originally, Sunday the vampire was to have a much bigger role as a villain, she was supposed to have an origin story that said she was a Slayer that had been turned into a vampire, also known as a Slaypire, but that whole story was scrapped, and they went in another direction.

Koh_Kae

Welcome to Season 4! I will always find it amusing that Sunnydale was supposed to be a small town, yet apart from a zoo, a research facility, etc, we also get a university. I always wondered why they didn't just have the characters go to a nearby school in the next city but I guess they needed Buffy to stay in Sunnydale and also have familiar settings like Buffy's house and Giles' apartment. I loved the isolated, new environment feeling that this episode has. No more familiar hallways of Sunnydale High. I understand what Giles was trying to say about Buffy having to be an adult and not rely on him all the time, but I think there can be a balance. For Sunday, I can't remember if it was a rumor or an actual plan, but she was supposed to be a Slayer turned vampire who was supposed to be the Big Bad. I read somewhere either the actress wasn't going to be available for more filming, or that the writers wanted to get away from more vampire Big Bads so they didn't go with it. I absolutely miss the high school as well, but college also means more activities, more people, more guest stars, and more adult things. I loved that the umbrella being broken woke Buffy up and reminded her how bad ass she is. I'm excited to continue on this season!

Ryan
>>49190573

I remember, I’ve just always found it a plot convenience and a bit against character. Will has always been education focused and chooses a state run school. I realize it’s insignificant but it just bothers me.

Tim St. Croix
>>49190174

There's a saying in American Football: On any given SUNDAY, the worst team in the league can beat the best team. I've always thought that was the reason for her name.

Tim St. Croix
>>49191291

Can you imagine trying to film huge fight scenes in a typical college dorm room? Take two steps and bounce off a wall.

Kirby

After this episode, how can you not like Xander? "When it's dark, and I'm all alone, and I'm scared, or freaked out or whatever, I always think, 'What would Buffy do?' You're my hero."

Dan
>>49190573

Another perspective on Willow's choice - university is something to help you do what you want to do in life. Willow can just be doing that already if she stays in Sunnydale.

Dan
>>49192237

Ah, I feel that would have been a better justification for why Buffy had so much trouble with them.

Dan
>>49192262

Sunnydale is like Springfield in the Simpsons - it's a small town but with all the locations and facilities the plot requires ;)

Superfan Giovanni

Without any hype, spoilers nor expectations. Season 4 is my personal favorite season, I remember seeing this episode live and being unsure if my favorite show could still be as good as the first 3 seasons, the "real time" of 1 season per year of high school really emphasized the passage of time for these characters and their life milestones. As a teenage viewer when this originally aired the college setting seemed ominous. Here we go it's 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The College Years' standing at the edge of tomorrow indeed!

DB
>>49192262

I'm always reminded of this surprisingly meta quote from Dawson's Creek (lol) "maybe I'll just go to one of those fictional colleges. You know, like on those lame high school TV shows that go on for way too long, and then just in time to save the franchise, all of sudden it turns out that there's this amazing world class college just right around the corner where all the principle characters are accepted." Yes, I did google

Kitty
>>49192922

Yay! Season 4 is my favorite, too! Even in this first episode of the season, I feel the quips are sooo much better than previous seasons and they were great in previous seasons. I just feel the chemistry and writing take it to another level now.

FernWithy
>>49192922

I don't know if it's my favorite (though it contains my favorite episode), but I love it a lot.

Mary Kate
>>49192677

He does have his moments. This is one of my favorite moments in the whole series

Ryan

Buffy Majors in Kicking Ass with a minor in Taking Names.

Justafox305

38: 12 Xander yelling out "Avengers Assemble" - Joss Whedon's future

Israel
>>49190174

There’s some backstory that ended up not being used due to story changes. Apparently Sunday was going to be a bigger part of the season with her being a former slayer turned vamp.

Kirby
>>49192922

Chiming in to say I love season 4, too! 3 and 6 are a tie for first. I would rank season four just after that.

Shandler

Alley...are you moving onto the next line of your end credits song with each season that passes? If so, this is lowkey my favourite joke yet.

Val

The stake twirl is very cool, glad you thought it was too Alley. It was so funny to see you crack up after the Sunday dusting because she does do a pose that I can say I hadn't seen before this season. I may be in the minority but I wished Sunday could have stuck around for a while. I think she made a good/fun foe for Buffy. Man I hated that man professor, what a douche! You don't talk to people like that. Welcome to S4, so much good stuff to look forward to!

Dollface
>>49192237

I think there was something similar in the comics at some point.

Jamie Morgan
>>49191595

I also like that he's becoming more self-aware about his lecherous side. The "what is Buffy wearing" comment, if said by him in season 1 would have been for real, but here he's definitely poking fun of himself, even if there is likely a twinge of truth to it.

Bryce Carlson

I was pleasantly surprised with where Giles went after A: being fired as Buffy's Watcher and then B: having his library (along with Sunnydale High School) blown to pieces. Of course, we knew that 'twould not last.

John

A Slayer and a Mandalorian? The vamps will never see it coming . . .

Andrew Pulrang

I really appreciate your discussion of how you experienced college and what Buffy encountered in her first days in college. I have always hated the two professors portrayed here. i get what they ar going for, And you’re right, there are professors like that. But it’s such a cliche and feels that way here. The bright spot in the episode is obviously Xander. And I love his way of explaining in front of civilians that Buffy is dealing with vampires ... “friends, who sleep all day and have no tans.”

Danielle Murphy
>>49191595

totally! you definitely see a maturity coming about with xander this season. i'm excited for her to keep moving forward with the series. theres a lot to get through. *sweats profusely*

Nikolai5

When I went to college (I'm in the UK), all my lecturers were nice, they all asked us to call them by first name. Most of the time the hallways were empty, I could walk around my college without seeing many people at all sometimes it was kinda weird.

FernWithy

Oh, the scene at the beginning with all the causes coming at her? That is so undergrad. I loved the "We have to tell the administration how we feel!" without mentioning WHAT they were protesting... that just makes me laugh. The only seriously arrogant professor I had was in creative writing--he hated all speculative fiction and God forbid you wrote a story where he disagreed about anything, and he would mark you down for it. I ended up going to a friend to get a reaction on a story because I couldn't tell what was valid criticism and what was just this dude venting because it was fantasy. The intro psych definitely seemed intense; I took a grad level class that wasn't quite so, um... much. Intro was just a big lecture class with a guy who really liked teaching. I love the idea of Sunday being a slayer who was turned. I can guess why they dropped it--it would be too big a subject to address in a one-off--but at the same time, I like the idea, so it's my head-canon for this episode. It feeds into the idea of a slayer who can't move on into the next phase.

Andrew Pulrang
>>49188004

What a waste to have Sunday killed so soon. She’d have made a great occasional nemesis for Buffy ... someone she’d have to deal with now and then, annoyingly, while trying to defeat whatever the real “Big Bad” was. Oh well.

Alley Box
>>49191400

ahhh okay! I realized while editing that im remembering when I went and all housing was done online. like I clicked on the room I wanted so I theoretically could've had a friend click the same room and we would be together. but that makes sense

Alley Box
>>49191595

yeahh, really like the start of his character this season, hope to get more wholesome moments like this

Alley Box
>>49191681

hahaha of course! mainly just exaggerating with my jokes with Willow. understandable to be so overwhelmed at college that u forget ur friends for the first couple days of classes

Alley Box
>>49192187

oooo, imma go back and look for that, that sounds like a cool shot. and oh yeahhh that makes sense. I didn't like her running either but it made sense, and the metaphor kinda thing u mentioned makes it even better

Alley Box
>>49195751

yeah professors for sure felt super cliche haha. and yes!! I loved him explaining that way and Willow immediately understands

Jason Faria

When I first watched the Buffy verse this season was my least favorite. However as i've gotten older it has grown on me a lot. This episode in particular I remember thinking was quite tame but I REALLY enjoyed this rewatch.

Ross Nolan

Great reaction! Loved this episode. Xander has really grown and I loved his pep talk and support for Buffy here (compare "you're my hero" to his fantasy of saving her way back when in 'Teacher's Pet'.) As for Willow's hair, well as someone who is the same age as Buffy (well, maybe a year younger - I graduated in 2000 and I went to college in Ireland not california) Willow's haircut would definitely not have looked out of place on campus.

Andrew Pulrang
>>49192262

It’s interesting you say that it’s strange for such a small town to have a university campus. I live in a fairly small city, probably about the size of Sunnydale, and we have a campus of the State University of New York. I believe in California too it’s not uncommon for the State University system to place some campuses in smaller towns and cities. And that’s how i always imaged UC Sunnydale ... a somewhat “minor” branch of an otherwise quite respected state university.

Koonce

Eddie is the Mandalorian lol.

Andrew Pulrang
>>49191990

I think this difference adds to the realism. In college, especially Freshman year, some people fit in and love it right away. Others take time to acclimate. And for some who thought they’d be naturals in college, they never quite get up to speed. Though given that, it might have been interesting to have Buffy thrive right off the bat with academics ... maybe get distracted enough to let her Slayer duties lapse ... and have Willow inexplicably struggle. So many alternate storylines!

Vincent Valentin
>>49195193

yeah i thought the actress was great in the role. theres an alternate universe where she plays a bigger role in a very different season 4.

Anastasia Bartocha

i literally just jumped off the couch and ran to my computer when i saw that this was uploaded!

Tim Pierce

While it is true that Angel didn't appear in this episode, David Boreanaz did make a cameo. In the Bronze that was him from behind.

Dusty

The vamp gang was interesting because in high school, the first thing we see is a dead kid in a locker and everyone freaks out. But here they do it in such a way that nobody really suspects or cares. It's an interesting device that could have been a longer arc.

Vincent Valentin

what! how dare you criticise willows hair. its beautiful and stunning

King Author
>>49198184

I like it too. But I'm a sucker for long hair, and Buffy's new longer college hair wins the award this season. :)

Jessie

Born and raised in Oxnard! Where Xander’s car broke down!

Mary Kate
>>49191291

My room was about that big freshman year but it was a triple! And a few years later they turned it into a quad 😂

Alexis Cardarella

I loved how much this episode portrayed what being overwhelmed and unconfident can do to you, how it can make you feel like a different person. Buffy was beat up and could have been killed because her self confidence SUCKED. You need support, you need reassurance from friends and sometimes even professionals to maintain that confidence. It happens to the best of us. Even vampire slayers.

Pam Nail

"Are we gonna fight? Or is there just gonna be a monster sarcasm rally?" Genuinely one of my favorite lines in the entire series.

David Neal
>>49192262

There are some fairly small towns out there that exist because of a college, rather than the other way around. Someone builds a college way in the middle of nowhere (assuming that the students will all be residents) and a town springs up to support the college's needs, which could include a research facility and a zoo.

Joshua Gosdin

Honestly, I've been so excited for you to hit this season for several reasons! For right now, you talk a lot about your college experience, so I'm hopeful that you'll continue to relate and glean insight as you usually do. I work at a large public university in the housing office as an administrator, and I find this season PAINFULLY relatable. They nail SO many details, and they get the atmosphere SO right. Thanks as always!

James Garner
>>49197440

Eddie is Prince Oberyn Martell from GoT. Why didn't he get those vamps with a poisoned spear?

The Value of Life
>>49190573

You choose your college based on your goals. If you want to be a computer engineer, you probably pick MIT over Harvard or Oxford. In Choices (3x19) Willow said what her goals were, ending with "I have a shot at being a bad-ass Wicca, and what better place to learn." I'm not up to date on how extensive Harvard's Wicca Studies or Applied Magic curricula are, but I'm thinking the college with the actual Slayer in attendance and the nearby hellmouth is probably her best bet for her current career choice. ;)

James Garner

Sunday was originally going to last longer. Her backstory was that she was a slayer who lost a fight and got sired. That was how she beat Buffy the first time. But then they made it so that Buffy only lost because her morale was low at that point.

aeronitz
>>49192922

I like 4 more than most of the Buffy Die Hard Fans but 5 and 2 alternate for my favorites with 3 closely behind. 4 has some of the best stand alone episodes, which is why I like it more than most.

Stacey
>>49190167

That happened to me too. And I tried to join part way through last month and it wouldn’t let me..have no clue how I finally got it sorted

Raven Dark

So, I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this, and I hope I caught you before you watched Angel. DON'T watch the intro (the music part) of Angel. Massive spoiler if you do. In fact, this is where you might want to stop watching the intros and the previously ons for both shows, because Buffy can get kind of spoilery too. There are two instances that I can think of in Buffy where you will want to watch the intros, but fans will tell you when they're coming. Off to watch.

Raven Dark
>>49204390

But see, I can't answer that because that would be a spoiler. If there was a way to send you a message, i would explain, but there doesn't seem to be one. Not all the intros should be ignored, but sometimes it's hard to avoid spoilers, so it's easier to just say, except for one or two, they're better skipped. There is something in the Angel intro specifically that I have heard reactors say they wish they hadn't seen before they watched the episode. If I could tell you what it was without defeating the purpose of saying to avoid it, I would. With Buffy, it's more the previously ons, but I didn't realize that until after I posted. EDIT: Also, I know that Alley is extremely particular about not having even the slightest spoiler, so for her, I see it as being important for her. Thus, there are two instances in Angel where seeing them would ruin a huge surprise for her. (This was in response to a comment that asked why fans tell reactors to skip intros. The comment is now gone, but I am leaving this in case it, A) comes back, and b) any one else is wondering why I've said this).

Shashank

The opening bit where the vamp sees the weapons and is like: “I’m out” is a great season opening moment. Outside the sweet nature of Xander's speech to Buffy, there’s a couple things I like which make it my fav Xander moment of the series so far: He starts out trying to tell her what he's learned dealing with fear [the main thing from the Zeppo] but fails in a very Xander way because he can't quite express his insight in words. Then he says the part about Buffy being his hero and "what would Buffy do?" The line works because we know he's not just blowing hot air, he actually means it. For example in the Zeppo at one point he said, "Oh, man, I'm outta my league! Buffy'll know what to do." How college is depicted here is very relatable to me [I was a freshman in 2000 as well]. Had a couple professors who weren't that different from the jackass that kicked Buffy out. I had to live on campus and couldn't choose roommates freshman year either. I actually became good friends with my roommate but like why these rules? Wtf. I really enjoy the different looks of each Buffy season. It felt like this episode had more sunlight then all of s1 and 2 combined.

Ashtara Levin
>>49192187

It's just as Buffy decides to run, she looks around her and the Camera swivels as she does, Which emphasized (to me) she was being overwhelmed by what she seeing - I didn't notice it at first too.

Loves Bitca
>>49192237

I've never seen any confirmation of that about Sunday. There is zero evidence to back it up. I remember the IMDB forums having people post that theory at the time, and I believe that's all it ever was is a fan theory that gained feet as people just kept posting it as fact, and then another accepts it as such and reposts it, and on and on. If they had that big of a plan, how did it change within the first episode, while all the other plot points for the way the season actually goes get added in all in the first episode? Even with the change that Spike was originally supposed to die, that wasn't supposed to be until many episodes in, before they changed their minds on that and went a different direction. And honestly Sunday does not seem to be THAT powerful of a vampire her to be some sort super slayer/vamp. Not a single interview or writers comment supports it. I'm positive it is a fan theory that just got popular.

Loves Bitca
>>49203423

I'm positive that is only a fan theory that keeps getting passed around as fact. I remember when this episode aired and a couple of people came up with that theory on the IMDB boards. First, as much as it gets passed around as fact, there has never been any interview or writer statement supporting it. No link to Joss or anyone else saying that was the deal. Second, Sunday is really not shown to be that powerful as a slayervamp would be. She really doesn't appear to be particularly powerful other than the fact she beat Buffy. Then they say "oh she was supposed to have a much bigger part in the season but they dropped that". Dropped it in the very first episode? But yet still inserted the stuff that the season did end up being about? And the WHOLE episode was about how overwhelmed Buffy was. Then to say the whole episode was about that, but it has nothing to do with why Sunday beat her?

Nick Velasquez
>>49190573

Doesn’t the C stand for California though? Like UCLA(University California, Los Angeles) - UNLV (University Nevada Las Vegas) I thought UC Sunnydale was just University California Sunnydale

AJ

In my opinion, season 4 is really the funniest season of Buffy

Loves Bitca

In most colleges you can't really choose a specific roommate in dorms. The only way to really get that is to rent a place with your friend. Living in a college town, the people I know who ended up dorming with their friends only did so After they were assigned dorms with other people and then they kind of changed dorms on their own later down the line. Giles as the surragate father was doing the parenting thing of "You need to start doing these things on your own now" that many parents do with kids around college age. It doesn't work so well with Slaying, but that's the concept they were trying to show. (I got to the part where you stated the same thing after I had already written this).

Kirby
>>49192922

I agree that 5 is good too. I like the main story line in season 2. It's really well done and engaging. However, I'm not a huge fan of Angel/David Boreanaz and there are so many clunkers in S2 - i.e. Some Assembly Required, Bad Eggs, and Go Fish.

John Kress

Buffy: Maybe I shouldn't take psych. Alley and Willow together: You gotta! 😆

John Kress

In any hero story, the hero needs to be brought to a low point before she can rebound. Buffy's feeling lost and disoriented about college and life is putting her off her game. It wouldn't have been much of a story if she'd just gone through Sunday's gang of vamps like a buzzsaw—like end of season 3 Buffy. It's the same principle with relationships—they are exciting when they are in tension or jeopardy, so Joss is always working to keep characters and relationships off-balance. We saw this at the beginning of Season 3 also, when Buffy was so lost she'd lost her name. The story is, in a sense, the same: she is lost and needs to find herself to triumph. She needed to find her name in that story. And in a similar way, in this episode she (superficially) loses everything: her friends, Giles, her room at home, all her possessions—but this all forces her to remember who she really is. Her arm is metaphor: "And for the record? The arm is hurt. It's not broken." Buffy is speaking about both her arm and herself. Sunday hurt her, but didn't break her (contrast Sunday's previous certainty that "she's done," which led to them "touching her stuff", which led to Buffy finding herself), and now that Buffy knows who she is again ... Sunday doesn't have a chance.

Raven Dark
>>49204390

I wish I could explain better so that people didn't think I was being "'silly," but I can't. Not without spoiling. If you read my replies, I've given as much of an explanation as I can in them. When the first episode of Angel is posted, I will come back and explain what I am referring to, but until then, this is the best I can do.

HuntingSwan

I actually never missed the high school after season 3. People may miss the old familiar vibe of the high school years but I am so appreciative that the show changes it up and lets our characters go through different stages of life. I don't want to feel TOO familiar with a show cos then it gets stale. I much prefer a season with fresh sets and dynamics. I agree with you Ally that all the tiny details of college life are fascinating, it brings back memories of my own experience.

Blain H Granado

Classic Whedon opener. The dialogue in this just snaps. The theme of Buffy having to adjust to a new environment is beautifully done. She gets beat down and has to rebuild her self confidence. If she is not in the right headspace, her fighting suffers. Thank God for Xander coming in clutch lol

Kirby
>>49204390

You aren't the only one who is telling her to not watch the intro to Angel. I don't think you're silly. I think the idea is silly. When I watched Angel as it originally aired, I didn't close my eyes during the intro, lol. That makes no sense to me.

Raven Dark
>>49204390

As the male half of the duo reactor Fan Theory always says when the lady who reacts with him asks or say things that make him want to explain to her when he knows he can't, Grr, arg. LOL

James Garner
>>49203423

There's nothing remarkable about Sunday's stint being shortened. It's simply the reverse of Spike, who was going to be half a season but stayed on. And there's a good reason why the early episodes needed an ongoing villain, but that reason is a spoiler.

Loves Bitca
>>49204390

"Joss was very much aware of the spoilers an intro or credits can give" But this is not Joss' reactions. Many, most I've seen in fact,, don't want to know those things they consider spoilers. THEY want to be surprised in the moment. We knew a lot of stuff before even seeing the openings because it was announced. That doesn't mean that the new reactors want the same experience. For that Joss also complained about things the networks revealed in ads, that he wanted to be surprises to only be seen when they happened. And Joss was aware of and intended the several months gap between watching a finale to one season before watching the next. But we don't tell Alley or other reactors to wait like we had to originally, just because that was the way Joss intended it. I very recently saw a different reactor complain about the fact that a show listed a special guest star in the opening, before the actor/character appeared, because of how great they felt it would have been to be surprised. The announcing the actor/character before they appeared was how it was intended, being very much aware of what they were doing, but it was NOT How the reactor would have preferred. And Alley's reaction to something in this episode that relates to what we are discussing, shows that it's a good thing that what we are discussing was not revealed to her. So it should continue. We knew at the time what the reveal was going to be because it was announced even before it aired, even before the opening credits. Yet she doesn't know what was announced back then. Despite the fact that it would have been known to anyone watching it originally, she didn't know and would have considered it a spoiler. Let's keep that going.

CadenceLo
>>49204390

People only advised Alley not to watch Angel's opening for the first ep, to keep a specific surprise. Otherwise, any and all openings for both Buffy and Angel are fine to watch.

Loves Bitca
>>49204390

"as they were intended to be seen by the show runners." Then you should want her to wait several months between watching "Graduation Day part 2" and this episode, because that's how it was originally intended. Binge watching was not how it was originally intended to be viewed. Commercial breaks also are how they were originally intended to be viewed.

Loves Bitca
>>49204390

After Show Reactions was advised to avoid the same intro, I believe and was happy to be surprised. I know for a fact that she was advised to avoid the opening of another season and was definitively happy that the reveal was not spoiled to her as she would have considered it. Alley should be allowed to enjoy the same experience. ASR was given non opening credit versions by people looking out for her to avoid what she would have considered spoilers despite what Joss intended.

Raven Dark
>>49204390

Love Bitca, thank you for saying this. I tried to explain in my replies why I said this (that other reactors specifically complained that THAT thing you are referring to in Angel's first episode was revealed). In point of fact, Angel's Intro does it twice (the second time being with another thing in another ep). I came back in one reply and amended to say that with Buffy's show, the whole thing about not watching goes more for the previously ons than for intros, but, come to think of it, Buffy's intros do give things away. While some reactors (Liam Catterson for one) have said that they don't mind when we tell them that we like this or that episode that's coming, or this or that season is our favorite, because they don't consider it a spoiler, Alley has specifically stated that she doesn't even want us saying those things (because they raise her expectations). There are three instances in Buffy's show (and two in Angel) where the intros imply that something will happen, that the reactor would not otherwise know until they see said ep. I too recall Joss being pissed off that a certain things were revealed in intros and he didn't know they were included until it was too late. The intros can be fun to watch, but the fact that certain elements are in them suggests what's to come, and it has the exact same effect as if I said, oh, I love this episode coming up because thus and such is going to happen. Here's an example I can give that is not a spoiler because it already happened to another reactor in season 2 and Alley has seen that season already. Said reactor was watching an episode of Buffy and saw that Seth Green was guest starring in the credits. This was before Oz becomes a regular, obviously. The credits gave away that he was going to be in it, and therefore, she said it ruined the surprise for her. She even said, it sucks that she knows (it's Halloween, when Oz sees Willow twice). That's impossible to avoid, because you'd have to look away during stuff happening in the show, when characters are doing things. The intros having the elements we are talking about here have the same effect, only on a much bigger scale. Only those can be avoided without missing important characterizations. Besides, fans can tell reactors when it is safe, so they will end up seeing the intros they missed in a different ep where it doesn't spoil. In short, we are saying this in order to be mindful of Alley's dislike of anything that even other reactors would be okay with. If we tell her, she now has the option to skip it. Whether she does is entirely her choice. No one is trying to, and no one can, force her. EDIT: Sorry I got your name wrong, Love Bitca. Haha, love the name, btw.

Stewart Denew

So we've had Willow's sentence that went somewhere unintended, a choice of security blanket that lets them make a joke about kink, Giles having a sexy hookup with Bowie playing in the background... like another series says "there's a time & place for X, and it's called college"

Kenny Teeology

Psychologically short hair, like on Willow, sends a signal that a woman is not "available" - many married women chop it off. Long hair signals subconsciously to men that a woman is available, even if she doesn't necessarily want to send that message.

Nobody Deserves Mime

I got quite a giggle out of your family in the background. "Mom!" "What?! Alley's taping!!" :P

Felix Dürhammer

"I'm nice to meet" - Buffy Summers, Freshman :)

cheekyhobbit

Xander's WWBD speech would have been so great if he hadn't ended it with that skeevy line. *sigh* Still one of my favourite Xander moments.

Paddy H-K

28:09 - "MOM!" "Justin (?), Alley's taping!" Looool

Felix Dürhammer

Oh btw...when I started College (altough that was back in 2002 and not in the United States) the professor in my first ever class with hundreds of people started with: "look to your right....the look to your left...because one year from now every second student in this room will have dropped out of this major and this university altogether"...which was sadly true at the time. So this kind of attitude does exist I guess. :)

Nick Velasquez

Don’t know if anyone’s said yet, but maybe don’t watch the credits for the first episode of Angel.

L R
>>49204390

I agree the intro's would sometimes contain surprises but they were pleasant surprises and only made me more keen to view what was ahead , I agree it's silly to not watch something that the producers deliberately put in for our enjoyment .

Raven Dark
>>49204390

But as Love Bitca pointed out, Alley's comments in this episode shows that it would be a good thing if she didn't know a specific thing that is shown in Angel's first episode's intro. If you want to see what it is I'm referring to, then go back to Alley's reaction, listen to what she says very carefully, and then watch Angel's intro. Keeping in mind of course, as I said that Alley specifically doesn't want to know ANYTHING about the episode she's going to watch. Knowing this, that means I am anticipating that at least one of Buffy's intros will then have at least one instance where something would also be considered a spoiler. Another reactor complained that it was (I saw reactors complain about both instances), so I wanted to make sure it didn't happen here.

Chris Hanley

Would it be possible two release Buffy and Angel episodes a week?

Dan
>>49190174

@Israel I think that explanation would have worked much better.

Collinson
>>49214062

I think that’s Xander being uncomfortable with feelings. He can’t be open about it he has to put a joke in there because he’s so awkward with emotion.

Felix Dürhammer
>>49216916

Alley is already aware of that, she mentioned it in one of her videos in response to comments about that.

Kirby
>>49204390

Loves Bitca, the summer gap between a season finale and the first episode of the next season isn't the same thing. It's not part of the episodes that are filmed, edited and put together to tell a story. It's just how TV series work. Of course people can watch things as they like, but it would be just as unnecessary to wait a couple of months to watch the next episode as it is to close your eyes during the intro. Both are equally silly. Honestly, I think the only reason people are telling her do this is because it is better for our enjoyment of watching the reaction.

R J Walker (FumblesMcStupid)
>>49195599

Me too, he's trying to live his best life lol And I see what he's trying to do. I'm sure he assumes that no college student would want 'dad' hanging around so made a decision to let her make her own way. Then she shows up and he sticks to his guns. Of course it only lasts a couple of hours lol OK, MAYBE he tried cutting her off too soon, but if not then, when? On the other hand he also says 'I'll always be there for you' so well done on the mixed messages, Giles ;) He also knows that Willow and Oz are there so she's not on her own, it's just that they're not being that helpful here :( Still, I remember being SO relieved he changed his mind.

R J Walker (FumblesMcStupid)
>>49195990

Apart from the first name bit, yes same here. OK, there was one guy who didn't much like me but that's because I rarely went to his class and I think he took it personally (it was a very small class, we all knew everybody!). He was never a jerk in lectures though!

R J Walker (FumblesMcStupid)
>>49204390

Please, just listen to Raven on this one, I REALLY think they are right in this one instance in particular (and there are others). Alley can always go back and watch it afterwards if she really wants to. I know I'd have liked to avoid it.

Ryan
>>49216916

They can’t help themselves, don’t take it personal. It’s not like we’re known for being a nice fandom or anything.

Ryan
>>49216916

Well we invented the ship war. A segment of us did chase SMG away with death threats for not supporting their ship. We’re the original toxic fandom.

Kirby
>>49204390

Well, Alley will do as she likes and that's as it should be. Don't know why people are getting upset about differing opinions.

Keenan White
>>49207667

It really is, which is good since things will began to get much darker in tone as we advance beyond this season.

Loves Bitca
>>49216916

Tone doesn't always convey online. I didn't think saying that Alley is aware, was being rude about it. Again, though I don't know the tone intended so I could be wrong. Personally, I appreciate the confirmation that she is aware, so long as it was intended as a polite notification.

Ged Kelly

Willow's hair is GORGEOUS, you monster! Willow's hair is always gorgeous! Unsubbed. *Flounces out*

Lee Wilcock
>>49192262

We have known Sunnydale has a University since Reptile Boy in season 2. You can't sacrifice high school girls in the basement of a fraternity, without that fraternity being in a University.

Eric Haefele

So, we are starting season four. I am so looking forward to your reactions to some of the story arcs this season.

Bonnie Claire
>>49204390

Hard agree with Raven Dark here, and would also like to add: Preserving the surprise of a show is MUCH more of a necessity to (most) reactors than it would be for your average viewer, because a spoiler doesn't just affect their own experience, it also could hinder their ability to create the content they want to create. Alley obviously takes reacting seriously and a huge part of the draw for content like this is seeing those completely genuine reactions. So by necessity, a reactor is going to want to remain as unspoiled as possible, even if that means being ~more~ unspoiled than a first-time viewer watching live would have been. Just something to keep in mind.

Eric Haefele
>>49256700

I have no idea which ones you are referring to. There are so many of differing lengths and quality in this season.

Shashank
>>49256700

Without the original reply anymore, this has become unintendedly hilarious now

Chris Hanley
>>49212326

I thinks it's more women who have kids, not taken perse'. Hair gets in the way for mums

Felix Dürhammer
>>49216916

If it was my comment you were talking about, I certainly didn’t mean to be be rude. I just wanted to inform you about Alley being aware. But I guess there was another comment there that is already deleted.

Nick Velasquez
>>49216916

It’s all good. An overreaction on my part for sure. It’s been a stressful week and I let it get to me. My manager has been being petty and snippy lately, I guess I just read it in that tone.

Felix Dürhammer
>>49216916

No problem. We all have those weeks don’t we? Hope it gets better for you soon. I‘ll try to be a little more considerate in my posts in the future too. After all I think this is a great community, and there is already so much fighting and shouting online.

Ross Nolan
>>49214062

Xander has 'Chandler Bing' syndrome where expressing real emotional vulnerability (and calling Buffy his hero is about vulnerable as it gets) is so scary he needs a usually self deprecating joke to get through it.

Thom Purdy

I think the Library ceiling shot is kind of a Buffy POV disoriented thing.

Kelly Walker
>>49204390

People need to keep in mind that Alley doesn’t even want people to say “I love the next episode!” We have managed to do a great job of preventing spoilers in general, and not watching the intro to one episode until after the episode is absolutely the right call here. And just because we saw it one way 20 years ago with different circumstances and foreknowledge doesn’t mean Alley has to have that when we know she can and would like to not have it spoiled.

Kirby
>>49216916

Yes, I deleted my comments, because I didn't want to stir up trouble. I think sometimes my posts might come off as rude. That is definitely not my intention. Resorting to name calling doesn't resolve the issue. Although, I see Nick has apologized.

Kirby
>>49219090

Shaun, an excellent point. I will have to keep telling myself that as we trudge through Angel episodes. This is my opportunity to practice patience. I'm always working on that one, lol.

Jim Greer

You have been introduced to most Buffy fan's least favourite character, Riley .

Loves Bitca
>>49204390

"the summer gap between a season finale and the first episode of the next season isn't the same thing" It's how it was intended to be viewed. Which was your point. You're just going with "it's okay when it's that way but not this way, even though they are both variations on the factor stated". Because that is YOUR choice. And your preference is fine FOR YOU, but you shouldn't say that it should be a certain way for someone else against the way they prefer, "because that's the way it was intended" especially when you decline the way it is intended for another situation.

Loves Bitca
>>49203423

And still no link to any writer or anyone involved stating this. Glorified fan theory.

Raven Dark
>>49327048

Hi, Jim. Please don't get annoyed at me for saying this, I mean it in the most respectful way possible. This is actually kinda spoilerific. Alley doesn't even want people to say things like, I love this episode or this or that character, because it raises her expectations. If you think about it, this will influence her opinion of said character, but it also indicates to her (unintentionally) that the character will play a bigger role than she can know just by watching this. If people dislike him, then he must be in the show enough to be disliked. See what I mean?

Loves Bitca
>>49203423

Spike was kept beyond his original intent due to fan positive reaction to the character. So if Sunday is a reverse of that, then they killed her off earlier than planned because fans disliked the character........ before the episode aired?

Raven Dark
>>49204390

Kirby, Gah, my response to this disappeared. I don't have time to write it all out again, but the point I made was that I'm not upset about people disagreeing with me. The first reply to my comment said something like, "I hate this advice. Why are fans telling reactors to skip intros?" The reply is now gone, which means that some of the context behind what I said is lost. But the reply itself posed a question, "Why are fans telling reactors to skip intros?" I was answering it. If I seemed defensive in my replies, it's because, one, it's never nice to hear that advice you're giving is foolish or doesn't make sense or is silly, especially when you have a sound reason for giving that advice. And it IS sound, because Angel's intro gives something huge away about the show, something I thought Alley would prefer to be surprised by based on something she said in this reaction, and because we know Alley doesn't like to know ANYTHING about an episode she's going to watch. This obviously includes anything that will happen in said episode or who and what it will be about. And two, I was getting annoyed because I had already explained more than once why I gave said advice (because I'd seen reactors complain about the exact thing Angel's intro gives away multiple times) yet I still had people coming back and asking why I or others were saying it. It felt like people were disagreeing with my point (which is fine), but without bothering to take into account or read my explanations as to why I was giving it. It's annoying to have to repeat myself, and especially two or three times. I don't think anyone else was annoyed by the disagreements themselves either. I think they were just agreeing with me and then giving their explanations as to why.

Kitty
>>49213661

“Yeah cause everyone has a brain! ...well almost everyone.”

Kirby
>>49327048

This isn't kinda spoilerific. It's a straight up spoiler. Please delete.

Kirby
>>49204390

I clearly have the unpopular opinion about this. Ultimately it doesn't matter because apparently Alley's doing what everyone is telling her to do. It will make the reaction video more enjoyable to watch. Loves Bitca, I do not agree that the summer gap and not watching the intro are the same thing. I think I didn't express myself very well on that. I'm talking about the art that is being created and how it is intended to be seen. For example, one of my favorite authors, Charles Dickens, originally published his novels as serials in a weekly. Eventually, the chapters would be put together and published as a novel. When reading the novel there is a difference between deciding to read it one chapter a week just because it was originally published that way versus refusing to read the first chapter until after reading the entire novel. The author intended the novel to be read in its entirety from beginning to end. It doesn't really matter whether you read the novel in two days or read it one chapter per week. Edited to add: Raven, my apologies, I can see how my wording was offensive. You are not "silly" . I respect your opinion.

tc3
>>49192187

Personally, I love that Buffy runs. I think that so many superheroes are played as invincible or at least think that they’re invincible. We might see superheroes lose fights from time to time, but the sense of “I’ll never back down from a fight” doesn’t work for me. Buffy is smart enough, and strong enough, to recognize that she was outmatched. This also goes back to what she told Faith in “Faith, Hope & Trick”; “first rule of slaying: don’t die.” So she ran and was able to live to fight another day. I think there’s a “what would Buffy do” lesson to be learned, even from this moment.

Corey

Hello young Pedro Pascal :) If you didn't realize it he's Eddie.

David Lyon

When Buffy tries to go home to see that her room is now being used for something else, despite Joyce saying that it is still her room, the moment feels relatable. Also, you didn't mention the episode's last few seconds in your wrap up. Any ideas on what's happening there, Alley?

Raven Dark
>>49204390

So, few responses ago when someone asked what I was referring to in Angel's intro with respect to spoilers, I said I would come back and explain once Alley's reaction to Angel was up. It's up, so, here I am. That thing I was referring to is Cordy being in the show. She's also in the intro for Angel's first episode. Yes, Cordy does walk into the room Angel is in at the party in the ep, but she doesn't enter the episode until after the intro, so the intro spoils that she's in the show itself. Yes, I see how the advice to skip the intro can seem odd for those who see intros as being part of a show. My hubby is obsessed with intros and likes to remind me how they are part of an episode, insisting on watching them even when they never change. I get it. But, in this case, I thought it would be a good idea to skip it for Angel's first episode when I saw Alley's reaction to Cordy not being on Buffy. When I saw that, knowing how much she loves Cordy, I knew she would prefer not to have it spoiled when Cordy appears. I knew this, not because I'm so arrogant jerk who thinks I know her better than I do, but because I've seen how particular Alley is about having no idea what is going to happen or who is going to appear in the episode. Unfortunately, I couldn't explain that that's why I was saying to skip it, because I would have had to say it's because Cordy was there, which would have defeated the purpose. If I seemed sort of frustrated in some of my replies to those who didn't agree with skipping the intro, that's also partly why. It was the frustration of knowing I was on to something here and not being able to say why. Having watched Alley's reaction to Angel now, I can see it was an even better idea to skip than I thought, because, when she saw Cordy, she kept saying how she was worried that Cordy might die, or that when she showed up at first, it was going to be a one shot deal. If she had seen the intro, with Cordy in it, she would not have had that worry. Typically, when a character is in an intro, it means they're not a one-off, and they won't die in episode one. It's too expensive to create a new intro after a few episodes. This means that seeing Cordy in the intro would not have only spoiled that she's in the show, but it would have also spoiled that she lives. It would have removed the tension from the scenes with her in it because you'd know she has to survive. For this episode in particular, the intro gives away the ending, at least in terms of Cordy. Alley's watching the intro at the end (which I also suggested) means that she not only got the surprise that Cordy was going to be in the show, but that she isn't just a guest star for this one episode. This brings me to why I also said that she might want to consider skipping the intros for all of Buffy and Angel. It's to avoid the same thing happening again on Angel, and more than once on Buffy. I could tell you what is given away on Buffy in her intros here, but if I did, I would be spoiling. :D Kirby, no problem. We're good.

Joey Tucker
>>49388469

You blew my mind! Of course, I've only recently become aware of Pedro Pascal from The Mandalorian and watching Game of Thrones for the first time, but he's credited by another name on Buffy so I never made the connection.

Dollface

Have you never heard of playgroup?

marcel m

They tried to capture that overwhelming first day on campus feel but they made it feel too contrived imo. Not the best episode but it had it’s moments like the Class Protector award getting destroyed and the Xander/Buffy scene.

Sandy S.

So excited to hear your take on this season, esp given our similar field of interest. I have so many thoughts but will not share yet to avoid spoilers.

Sandy S.

My poetry professor was like the awful guy...totally dropped the class. And hey, did you recognize the Madelorian? I'm probably so late with that conversation... lol. ETA: my brother is a chem e and he totally hated intro to psych and thought it was one of his hardest classes because of the memorizing. lol

Logan Bruin
>>49303809

I felt the same way the first time I saw it in person on my tour, but after four years at UCLA I got used to it. ;o)