Clark Kent has a job. I just wanna go on a date!

Episode 1.5: Never Kill a Boy on a First Date. Original airdate: 3.31.97

"While Buffy awaits the arrival of a warrior vampire, she dates a boy who is attracted to her exciting lifestyle."

Zelda's Thoughts:



• I like the Master when he's whimsical.
• Buffy is better at research than Giles! The world is upside-down! The world is inside-out! 
• "He can brood for 40 minutes straight - I've clocked him." - Willow; strangely, NOT about Angel
• Buffy's green print dress is horrifyingly short.
  
• But then she covers it with a horrifying tiger hoodie:
  
• The Anointed One rides the Special Bus.
• Clearly, today Cordy doesn't think she's too good for high school boys.
• Giles drinks tea! Because he's British!
• Buffy's outfits are a wreck this episode. Bare-midriff shiny blue tie-dye. And all dresses are just long shirts. My name is Zelda the Prude.
  
  
• Giles is surrounded by vamps. Giles: "Damn." Oh Giles and your British understatements and stiff upper lippiness.
• Where's Harmony? All of Cordy's other cronies are boring and expressionless. And brunettes.
• Owen is excited to go the funeral home - Best Buffy Date Ever or Worst Buffy Date Ever?
• Giles's vague distaste - not shocked, not appalled, just vaguely distasteful - that she brought Owen to SlayerLand. Love.
• Worst barricade ever, Xander and Willow. Also, you forgot about the window into the Vampire Room. Which probably makes it a good thing that it's the worst barricade ever.
• "Did you see that? He tried to bite me! What a sissy." heee
• Aw Buffy. You made an adult decision not to date danger-seeking Owen. It was very sad - even the music agreed. You'll be waaaaaaaaaaaay safer with Angel, babe. Good choice. (cough)

Daniel's Thoughts:

I'd like to take a second of your time to discuss Owen.  Because he's so Owen-y.  BtVS is good at bringing some characters back and I always sort of wished that Owen was more than a one-off character. Owen seems like a pre-Finn type and I could see him meeting up with Buffy again in college, this time as part of the initiative - maybe to prove to Buffy that he'd be a good asset to her team.  (Even though he doesn't know what her team is.)  On a much smaller scale, I could have seen him come back for Graduation Day at least.  Owen would have been a great asset in that department and yes...probably would have died, too.  But that's ok!  I also liked the actor tons. In my mind, he wasn't exactly what the casting calls put out. Owen reads as a pre-emo type - dark haired, skinny, brooding.  But the actor looks more like a jock type which...I kinda liked. He was playing against type.  And his line readings are soooo adorkable!  I would have liked to see Owen come back.  But...alas.

• It was nice to see Giles training - I believe this is the first time we see him talking about technique.
• The master is scary & funny at the same time.  It'll set a precedent for future villains and big bads
• A student in the library to take out a book?  What?  Love when BtVS makes fun of itself
• Buffy Fashion Faux Pas. Buffy's dress looks like 70s wallpaper
• Worst. Mom. Ever.  Joyce is non-existent...not even home to meet her daughter's first date in Sunnydale. 
• There is tons of witty banter in this episode, which I love.  It's almost non-stop
• The British handle distress with such poise: Giles: Damn.
• This is the first time we see a really nice father/daughter moment with Buffy and Giles.  It sets a standard for their future relationship.  Until season 7.  Stupid season 7....
• Also the start of the Buffy/Cordelia rivalry

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: "All right. I'll just pop into a time machine, go back to the twelfth century, and ask the vampires to postpone their ancient prophecy for a few days while you take in dinner and a show." - Giles

Daniel: "At this point you're abusing sarcasm." - Buffy...in response to Zelda's favorite line :)

90s Factoid:

 

Cordelia's hair is crimped.  Just....no.

Buffy has a beeper! A pink bejeweled beeper.

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

• First Vampire Fight opening.
• First quip ("I'm Buffy, and you're History.").
• The Anointed is created, and we all moan in boredom.
• The first of Buffy's way-too-tall beaux (Owen).
• Buffy's first kiss of the series! With ... Owen. Bye Owen.
• Giles's father and grandmother were Watchers.

Stats:

Voiceover - none

Angel's Character - Salty Goodness. Also jealous mysterious guy.

Dead Humans - 5

Dead Undeads - 2

Giles Unconscious - 1

Giles Cleans His Glasses - 0

Buffy Breaks a Door - 1

Evil Reveal - 1 (True Anointed One)

Unevil Reveal - 1 (Pork and Beans is not the Anointed One)

Shenanigans Called - 0

Apocalypse Called - 0