'Welcome to the Hellmouth' and 'The Harvest'
In writing this episode guide I'll assume
that you've seen them all and won't bother with a synopsis of the episode
unless it suits my commentary to do so. The first two episodes are really
one story and basically there to introduce the viewers to the characters
and give them a good vampire story to whet their appetite for more. They
also set the characters up for what's to come.
Buffy arrives from L.A. carrying some of the
baggage from the film ( best left forgotten ), is convinced by her new watcher,
Giles, that to give up slaying would not be a good idea and she meets a
whole bunch of people at her new school who will become the core characters
in the show.
Rupert Giles her new watcher has been appointed by the 'Watcher's Council'
and has taken a job as the librarian in Sunnydale High, Buffy's school.
Xander and Willow meet Buffy and are quickly
introduced into the world of the slayer. Willow is almost bitten by Thomas,
a vamp stuck in the eighties,
"Live
in the now, O.K. You look like Debarge"
Buffy
Xander's best friend Jesse is turned into a vampire by the Master and most of the high school are put in mortal danger at the Bronze by vampires led by Luke a powerful but none too bright vampire. The next morning we learn that most of Sunnydale have very selective memories when it comes to vampires and demons
"Well I heard it was rival gangs, you know, fighting
for turf, but all I can tell you is, they were.. an ugly way of looking,
and Buffy like, knew them!"
Cordelia 'The Harvest'
It becomes apparent in later episodes that the high level of Demon/Vampire activity is being covered up by the authorities who use excuses like gangs on P.C.P. to hush up the extremely high mortality rate at Sunnydale High. Who the authority doing the hushing up is and for what reason is not revealed until Season Three.
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