Episode 1.01: Welcome to the Hellmouth
So compared to many pilot episodes of television Welcome to the Hellmouth is a pretty slick, and fun introduction to the universe of Buffy, even if there are a few rough edges to the characters, and some pacing issues. There's certainly enough promise to tease you into greater things that were to come.
One constant throughout the twelve episode debut season is the cringe worthy opening sequence where a clunking voice-over man gives a dry reading of the fact that Buffy is a once in a generation chosen one. The speech is repeated with far more relevance by the character of Rupert Giles later in the episode. The opening sequence perfectly sets up the subversive nature of the show, and how Josh Whedon and his fellow writers like to set up standard tropes only to sweep the carpet out from the viewer. In this instance an innocent looking school girl played by Julie Benz of Dexter fame is alone after dark in school with a creepy looking guy putting all his best moves on her. The scene places her as not just the victim, but him as a likely candidate for being a psychopath and maybe even a creature of the night. This is switched around at the crucial moment when she reveals herself not to be a school girl, but in fact a Vampire and her victim. This leads us into the iconic Gothic title sequence played out along side Nerfherder's energetic rock score.
Awoken from her tormented dream world Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is thrust into the fast moving LA life of new school Sunnydale High. Upon arrival Buffy befriends respectively popular girl Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), smitten nerd Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon), and sensitive, but smart Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan). She is also confronted by the new school librarian Mr. Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) who she later finds out is in fact her new watcher. When the boy from the opening sequence is found dead in a locker Buffy seeks Mr. Giles out, who reveals that Buffy being moved to Sunnydale is no coincidence, and furthermore, that Sunnydale is located on a Hellmouth which attracts a whole host of demons. Despite being reluctant to accept her destiny Buffy must face up to it later that night at Sunnydale hangout The Bronze when her new found friends are placed in danger by the creatures of the night.
So while it may take some of the actors time to grow into their roles, I do think that there is a nice bond established in this opening episodes. There's some distinct dialogue, and some sharp comedy, including a great scene when the dorky Principal Flutie rips up Buffy's School record as a statement of her fresh start, only to realise that the school will need it so awkwardly tapes it back together, now that is smart comedy. There's a pretty subversive edge and atmosphere, and I like how some of the characters are only hinted at. My favourite seqence is the one in the library between Giles and Buffy his dramatic speech about how all the fictional creatures Buffy had heard of, were actually real, and present in Sunnydale, Buffy's sacastic response is perfectly delivered by Gellar who really shows how comic chops from the off.
The pacing did feel a bit rushed,and while there are some great jokes and lines, some of the lines from supporting characters, even Cordelia at times feel a bit too cheesy even for 1997. However, the twist of the open ended finish at a point where you expect a resolution is a nice shot in the arm. So a solid start, to a show with so much more depth and excitement to come.
