Episode Summary in Five Sentences or Less
Buffy tries out for the cheerleader team. Bad-ish1 things happen to the top cheerleader contender and then to girls who made the squad until shrinking-violet Amy makes the team as second alternate.4 The gang quickly settles on witchcraft as the likely culprit, and figure that Amy is consciously or unconsciously getting rid of the competition to please her driven live-through-your-offspring6 mom. When they confront said mom, Buffy deduces that the mom is the witch and has switched-places with Amy to more directly re-live her glory days. Giles manages to reverse the spells and Buffy uses the awesome power of mirrors to have mom's imprisonment spell flip back on her so that everyone7 can live happily ever after.
Three Overarching Thoughts8
(1) The creepiest effects don't require big money
This episode has one of the lasting images that has stuck with me – the shot at the end of Witch Mom trapped, presumably for eternity, within the bronze cheerleading statuette, unable to speak, or move, or do anything other than slowly and surely go stark-raving crazy.9 And it must have cost them upwards of twenty whole dollars to map the moving eyes into the eye sockets of the statue. Even for a monster-based show, it's the power of the ideas that makes it work, not just the F/X.
Also, Joss and team know their stuff. Even when they pull the horror-schlock-fest bit of the camera-stalking through the gym lockers with the dripping shower head and creepy music, it's well done.
(2) Will they or won't they?
Okay, really this is "will he or won't he" – as in, will Xander ever actually ask Buffy out. It's been clear for the entire run of the series10 that he's totally crushing on her, which honestly is pretty much the only realistic reaction for the character. She's smoking hot,11 she's smart and funny, she seems to enjoy his company, and she has rejected the nasty popular clique to hang with him and his unpopular frumpish pal. Even without the whole "she's a total basass" thing, that's going to be waaaay too much for a Sophomore12 boy to not get infatuated with.
And at this point, it's not like they've known each other too long for something to happen.13 He just needs to overcome his…well, his 15-year-old-boy-ness, and ask her out.
Of course, it doesn't help when magically-doped-up Buffy tells him that he's just like one of the girls.14
Similarly, there is the slightly-less-obvious question of whether Willow will ever confess her apparent true feelings for Xander...
Okay, really this is "will he or won't he" – as in, will Xander ever actually ask Buffy out. It's been clear for the entire run of the series10 that he's totally crushing on her, which honestly is pretty much the only realistic reaction for the character. She's smoking hot,11 she's smart and funny, she seems to enjoy his company, and she has rejected the nasty popular clique to hang with him and his unpopular frumpish pal. Even without the whole "she's a total basass" thing, that's going to be waaaay too much for a Sophomore12 boy to not get infatuated with.
And at this point, it's not like they've known each other too long for something to happen.13 He just needs to overcome his…well, his 15-year-old-boy-ness, and ask her out.
Of course, it doesn't help when magically-doped-up Buffy tells him that he's just like one of the girls.14
Similarly, there is the slightly-less-obvious question of whether Willow will ever confess her apparent true feelings for Xander...
(3) Are you still here?
It seem that they're still trying to figure out exactly what to do with the supporting cast. They periodically hype Willow's alleged hacker cred, but then she undertakes such complex missions as looking up who has checked out library books. Giles is finally effectual with the spellcasting at the end of the episode, but he is quickly rendered unconscious and confesses that he has never cast a spell before.15 Xander appears to mostly be comic relief and potential love-interest.
Granted, it's hard to make a team out of one superhero and a few normal people, but they are clearly trying to show that at least some of them are going to add value to the whole slaying enterprise, while only Xander is really being portrayed as the big-hearted schmuck who is trying his hardest notwithstanding his lack of prowess.16
It seem that they're still trying to figure out exactly what to do with the supporting cast. They periodically hype Willow's alleged hacker cred, but then she undertakes such complex missions as looking up who has checked out library books. Giles is finally effectual with the spellcasting at the end of the episode, but he is quickly rendered unconscious and confesses that he has never cast a spell before.15 Xander appears to mostly be comic relief and potential love-interest.
Granted, it's hard to make a team out of one superhero and a few normal people, but they are clearly trying to show that at least some of them are going to add value to the whole slaying enterprise, while only Xander is really being portrayed as the big-hearted schmuck who is trying his hardest notwithstanding his lack of prowess.16
Episode Three Sunnydale Power Rankings
1. Buffy Summers (Last Week: 1; Trending: Slight Up)Nobody puts Buffy in a corner. No surprise at #1, The Slayer continues to kick evil's butt - this week expanding her interests to evil witches possessing the bodies of their daughters. More important, it's not just her mad Slayer powers that push her to the top, as she uses her quick wits to use her environment to flip the spell back at Witch Mom and imprison her in eternal torment.
2. Rupert Giles (Last Week: 4; Trending: Up)Giles makes his first move as something other than a librarian, jumping into the fray to not just research the spells that would make it possible to defeat the witch, but actually undertaking the incanting. More a Doer than a Watcher this week, Rupert!
3. Cordelia Chase (Last Week: Not Ranked; Trending: Up)Cordy recovers from the traumatic experience last week at The Bronze to ascend to her rightful place in the world: cheerleader. Even temporarily losing her sight and having to be saved by Buffy of all people doesn't slow her social climb. To the top, baby!
4. Amy Madison (Last Week: Not Ranked; Trending: Way Up)Previously unseen, this conflicted character could go either way, but with her magically-inclined heritage, there could be some power here. And with her mom out of the way and previously-absentee dad presumably wrapped around her finger, she should be able to get away with murder.
5. She-Mantis (Last Week: Not Ranked; Trending: Up, Sadly)The mere thought of the next episode and the dread it inspires is enough to bring this bug onto the chart!
Dropping Off:
Xander Harris (heroic deeds from last week replaced by fumbling-and-failing attempts at pitching woo)
The Master (almost as much of an afterthought as Jesse)
Angel (who was that dark mysterious stranger who didn't appear in this episode?)
Top Ten Episode Quotes
10. Buffy: "You're my friend! You're my Xander-shaped friend. Do you have any idea why I love you so, Xander?"
Willow: "I think…"
Xander: "Let her speak!"
9. Buffy (about Giles): "I'd say he should get a girlfriend…if he wasn't so old." 17
8. Willow: "You're The Slayer….and we're the Slayerettes!"
7. Amy: "I know I'll miss the intellectual thrill of spelling out words with my arms." 18
6. Xander: "Where was I?"
Willow: "You were pretending that seeing scantily-clad girls in revealing positions is a spiritual experience."
Xander: "Who said I was pretending?"
5. Giles: "That's the thrill of living on the Hellmouth! It's a veritable cornucopia of fiends and devils and ghouls to engage!"
<stunned looks from everyone>
Giles: "I'm merely finding the glass half full."
4. Giles: "You are The Slayer – lives depend upon you. I make allowances for your youth, but I expect a certain amount of responsibility, and instead of which you enslave yourself to this….this….cult?"
<reveal of Buffy in cheerleading outfit>
Buffy: "You don't like the color?"
3. Xander: "Cordelia! You haven't been mean to me all day. Is it something I've done?"
2. Xander: "For I am Xander, king of the cretins. All lesser cretins bow before me."
1. Xander: "I laugh in the face of danger! Then I hide until it goes away."
______________________________
1 Okay, I mean, the things that happen are definitely not *good,* but getting really bad cataracts, first-degree burns on the forearms, or having your mouth sealed up2 isn't that big a deal in a Hellmouth, all things considered. I mean, poor Jesse3 got vamped and then dusted, not to mention the various kids that were drained and killed at The Bronze.
3 Let us never speak of him again.
4 The Master only knows why – she was beyond terrible at the tryouts. You'd think they'd just go short-handed before putting her on the team. Not that Buffy is much better, frankly.5 To complete things, Cordy actually is pretty good. Now you know.
5 Not at all like the awesome cheerleading in Bring It On, obviously.
6 Literally in this case, as it turns out.
7 Not mom, obviously, but screw her anyway. Also, presumably the girl who got burned isn't magically healed up. But she didn't even get speaking lines, so what the heck.
8 I know, I know - What, only three now? What happened to five? What a shaft! I am so pulling my support and funding from this free blog! But settle down, Beavis, I'm just trying out new feature instead and don't want to push my wordcount over 1500 per post, so I cut this one down a bit.
9 Or crazier, as the case may be.
10 All three episodes of it now!
11 Just pointing out the fact. Not being creepy at all. Nope. Not at all. Shut up!
12 They haven't mentioned yet and I can't completely remember, but they have to be Sophomores, right? There are definitely at least two more years of high school after this, and they can't be Freshmen because Willow and Xander (and Cordy) know their way around the school and aren't in the middle of Freshman Freakout.
13 Although I doubt if this is even a real thing, honestly. It's a great excuse when someone you know that you're not interested in hits on you, but I think that's it, notwithstanding how often it comes up as a theme in popular media. I know a woman who was friends with a guy for like 8 years and then they started dating and have now been married for over 12 years.
14 Nicely mirroring an earlier scene when Xander tells Willow that she's just like one of the guys. It's really good writing on this episode. Another example is that the mirror that Buffy uses to defeat Amy's mom is foreshadowed in an early classroom scene, but is used to set the scene so well that it appears to just be the cameraman and/or director trying to be cool with it rather than "Oooh – look at the big mirror! That will be important later!"
15 If I recall later seasons correctly, Joss decided to pretend that Giles never said that. Or, somewhat more diabolically, perhaps he just didn't want his Slayer to know about his full past at this point.
16 Of course, he just wants to get into Buffy's pants.
17 At the time of filming, Tony Head was 42. Shoot me.
18 You can tell she'll be a recurring character, because one-shots don't normally get really good lines. This could just as easily have gone to Buffy in the context.
3 Let us never speak of him again.
4 The Master only knows why – she was beyond terrible at the tryouts. You'd think they'd just go short-handed before putting her on the team. Not that Buffy is much better, frankly.5 To complete things, Cordy actually is pretty good. Now you know.
5 Not at all like the awesome cheerleading in Bring It On, obviously.
6 Literally in this case, as it turns out.
7 Not mom, obviously, but screw her anyway. Also, presumably the girl who got burned isn't magically healed up. But she didn't even get speaking lines, so what the heck.
8 I know, I know - What, only three now? What happened to five? What a shaft! I am so pulling my support and funding from this free blog! But settle down, Beavis, I'm just trying out new feature instead and don't want to push my wordcount over 1500 per post, so I cut this one down a bit.
9 Or crazier, as the case may be.
10 All three episodes of it now!
11 Just pointing out the fact. Not being creepy at all. Nope. Not at all. Shut up!
12 They haven't mentioned yet and I can't completely remember, but they have to be Sophomores, right? There are definitely at least two more years of high school after this, and they can't be Freshmen because Willow and Xander (and Cordy) know their way around the school and aren't in the middle of Freshman Freakout.
13 Although I doubt if this is even a real thing, honestly. It's a great excuse when someone you know that you're not interested in hits on you, but I think that's it, notwithstanding how often it comes up as a theme in popular media. I know a woman who was friends with a guy for like 8 years and then they started dating and have now been married for over 12 years.
14 Nicely mirroring an earlier scene when Xander tells Willow that she's just like one of the guys. It's really good writing on this episode. Another example is that the mirror that Buffy uses to defeat Amy's mom is foreshadowed in an early classroom scene, but is used to set the scene so well that it appears to just be the cameraman and/or director trying to be cool with it rather than "Oooh – look at the big mirror! That will be important later!"
15 If I recall later seasons correctly, Joss decided to pretend that Giles never said that. Or, somewhat more diabolically, perhaps he just didn't want his Slayer to know about his full past at this point.
16 Of course, he just wants to get into Buffy's pants.
17 At the time of filming, Tony Head was 42. Shoot me.
18 You can tell she'll be a recurring character, because one-shots don't normally get really good lines. This could just as easily have gone to Buffy in the context.
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