Re: 'Welcome To The Hellmouth' Discussion

["ebailey140" <ebailey140@xxxxxxx>]

--- In buffywantswillow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Howard Russell"
<howardrussell2000@y...> wrote:
> Hello Everybody!
>
> Guess what!  It's Tuesday!  So here's my take on "Welcome To The
Hellmouth."
> Personally, this is one of my favorite episodes and I think it's one
of the Wiffiest.  Hmm.  Perhaps there's a connection.  You be the judge.
> Overall, the cinematography and the effects leave a lot of room for
improvement.  And, as this is the replay, we all know that they do
improve a lot over the years.  That first dusting?  *Groan*  Okay,
they did establish the sound effect, but the visual...  Ick. 
Eventually they will learn how to shoot the series in the dark much
better.

But, great dialog in that scene, where Buffy warns us of what we're in
for during this series.  "Are you sure?  "Cause this is not going to
be pretty.  There'll be violence, strong language, adult content..."
> The acting is top-notch.  I mean, considering that the actors are
all so young, they're phenomenal.  Nicholas Brendan in particular. 
He'd done a few things as an unnamed extra-such as "Basketball Player
One" in "Children of the Corn III"-but this was his first featured
role.  He kept up with the seasoned professionals very well.
> And you can see that everyone is in character.  Often, they change
after the first few episodes as the actors develop their characters. 
But here, they're well established right away.  Well done.
> There's a reason this became one of the most popular shows.
>
> The only disappointment is Angel.  Is it just me or was he playing
Angelus here?  Less brooding, more cocky and smirking.  Could be that
the character was changed in later episodes, but this Angel doesn't
fit the tortured soul character he later becomes.

Yeah, but we didn't know what he was, yet.  He was less "King of Pain"
during the first season.  
> Okay, on to the Wiffy!

> Well, before we check in on our girls, let's look at when Buffy
first met Xander.  He's helpful and says stupid things-as boys tend to
do with pretty girls-and Buffy says, "Nice to meet you."  Then she
walks away with a blank face and without looking back.  Obviously, no
impression made.
> Now let's look at our girls when they first get together.  Looking
at each girl's actions, I gotta say that Buffy makes the most Wiffy
moves in this episode.

She's usually the one who does, actually.  

> From the first episode, there's the B/A thing, obviously.  And, Xander
beginning his quest for Buffy, which will be the main non-Master
subplot of the season.  It's also noticable that they haven't
established the "distance rule" for Tony and the girls, yet.  Giles is
violating Buffy's personal space right and left, here.  Then, he
violates Willow's.  :)
> Buffy first sees Willow in the famous water fountain scene.  Look
how Buffy reacts to Cordy's taunts.  Now, it isn't established until
"The Witch" but Buffy was a cheerleader at Hemrey High.  That's also
from the movie and Joss knew he was keeping that for the series when
he wrote this episode.  So, cheerleaders tearing into those they
consider "losers" is nothing new to her.  Why the surprise?

She'd hadn't seen it from this perspective.  There seemed to be an
assumption that the audience knew stuff about the movie.  There was
even an in joke with Angel's "I thought you'd be taller".  He was
expecting Kristy Swanson.  :)
> Then there was the look as Willow walked away.  Granted, Buffy looks
more confused than lusty, but still, you have to wonder what she's
thinking.  Why would a-sorry, Willow-poorly dressed girl like that get
Buffy's attention?  Why the look?
> And notice that she stares twice.  When Willow starts walking away,
Buffy is staring at Willow while Cordy is talking.  She has to visibly
tear her focus off her to look away.  She gives Cordy a polite chuckle
and nod, then goes right back to staring at Willow.  She's obviously
quite effected by the girl.
> Then there's the fact that Willow paused to look back at Buffy. 
Why?  Normally, when publicly mocked and belittled, you don't try to
make eye contact with the witnesses.  You don't want to connect with
whoever saw the verbal abuse, you just want to leave.  Yet she pauses
and looks back.
> There's an obvious connection between them, established right then
and there.  But I think Buffy was effected the most.  First Wiffy
point to Buffy.

Of course, if we look at this from a femmeslashy perspective, we've
got a triangle with Wilow, Buffy, and, Ye Gods, Cordelia.  Buffy wants
'em both, but is informed that that's illegal.  

Oh wait, the "Ye Gods" scene is next season...
> Next up, the quad scene.  Buffy, even after being warned away by the
popular cheerleader, walks right up to Willow.  She asks for a favor
that involves hanging out with her for a while.  She claims to want to
fit in, yet she knowingly sets herself up to hang out with Willow. 
She was a popular cheerleader herself at Hemrey so she knows full well
what associating with someone that's considered a "loser" will do to
her social standing.  She seeks out Willow anyway.
> And what's her reason for hanging out with Willow?  She doesn't want
to flunk all her classes.  Which is funny because she later tells
Giles that she was afraid that she'd be behind in her classes.  She
listed that along with being afraid that she wouldn't make friends or
that she'd have last month's hair.  Now, those weren't true, so that
kind of indicates that the third thing wasn't true either.  But when
she talked to Willow, she said she needed the help.

How do you know those weren't true?  She didn't think there'd be
vampires on campus.  Those were her main concerns, going in.  She sees
the opportunity to kill two vamps with one stake.  
> I love how quickly Buffy reassures Willow that she isn't dull.
>
> And what does Willow do during this scene?  That's right, she looks
at Buffy's cleavage.  Not once, not twice, but an incredible three
times!  Well, several seasons from now, it'll be established that
she's a breast girl, so it's totally in character for her.

And, she's crushing on Giles.  Mixed messages from Willow, here.  
> I give Buffy a point for seeking out Willow; Willow a point for
checking Buffy out.
> Next up, The Bronze.  Again, Buffy goes to Willow.  True, she's the
first person she had screen time with that she sees there, but this is
a club that most of the school goes to.  She had to have met someone
other than Cordy, her future Slayerettes, and Jesse "Bait" McNally. 
She was in school all day.  A pretty girl has no shortage of people
willing to introduce themselves.  But somehow, Willow is the first
person she recognizes.  Despite her knowledge of social politics, she
goes to Willow anyway.
> They have a pleasant conversation where Willow reveals that she is
single.  Seems she has trouble talking to guys.  Well, that's her
problem right there!  Eventually she'll learn.
> Another point to Buffy.  Seems she just can't stay away from Willow.
>
> Then Buffy spots Giles.  She goes to leave and assures Willow that
she'll be back.  Willow would've been much safer if she'd believed
her.  But no, she has to let herself get picked up by a vampire.

Again with the mixed messages.  
> While Buffy and Giles are chatting, they spot said vampire.  Buffy
points it out to Giles but makes no move to slay it.  She just stands
there, leaning against the railing as if it's no concern to her. 
Until she notices that the intended victim is Willow.  Then it's
suddenly a huge deal.  And Buffy is off to slay those that threaten
her Willow.
> And how does she find Willow anyway?  I mean, she's outside The
Bronze, asking Xander where Willow would go, then suddenly she's in a
cemetery, in the crypt where Willow is.  The first in a long series
where Buffy always shows up where Willow is when she's in danger.

Radar.
> Bonus point to Buffy for rescuing her fair damsel in distress. 
That's four points for Buffy to Willow's one.  The hacker has to make
some moves to catch up.
> This is one of my all-time favorites for Wiffiness, mostly because
it's Buffy that makes all the initial efforts.  There are several fics
out there that start the Wiffy story right here with an already gay/bi
Buffy because of it.
> But don't just take my word for it.  Watch it yourself and tell us
what you think.
> Your fellow 'shipper,
> Howard
>
> Simulcast on BWW and The WD.

Well, we kick our epic story off, that we don't know is a big epic
story, yet.  We introduce our core cast, Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles,
Cordy, Joyce, and Angel, and two major villains who'll never quite go
away, the Master and Darla.  We get the show's mythology set, right
off, with the Hellmouth.  We learn that this isn't a Judeo-Christian
world our story is set in, but a Lovecraftian one, where everything
dates back to ancient, primal, forces that ruled the Earth before Man
came along.  But, if this is the case, what, exactly, is the Slayer,
if her power isn't from a benevolent source?  We won't get the full
answer to that one for a very long time.

Hey, where's Dawnie?  I remember her running around back there... 
(Tries to remember details)  It's a bit foggy.  Huh... 

That Principal is kind of tense, isn't he?  Don't know if he has what
it takes for the job.  Those students will eat him alive... 

Darla is played by Julie Benz, who tried out for Buffy.  Deciding on
Sarah would have a lot to do with the show's success, as much of the
actress would immediately be worked into the character.  Plus, she had
great chemistry with her co-stars, which would give the series it's
wonderful dynamic.  It would have been very different if Julie had
been cast in the role.  Aside from the fact that Buffy would be a very
different character (Aside from the personal bits from Sarah's life,
Joss took Buffy places because he knew Sarah could go there), the
chemistry wouldn't have been the same, as Julie was immediately
feuding with Aly.  There'd have been no Wiffy dynamic.

Next week:  We conclude our two part opener, with our first
apocalypse.  And, we introduce another character played by someone who
tried out for Buffy.  Yayyayyay!

E  





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Willow: "It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."
Buffy:  "I kinda love you."
                     'Choices'

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