Witch / Teacher's Pet
Witch is the first episode on deck this week and Kristen & Mike start by acknowledging its significance in establishing Buffy's monster-of-the-week format. The plot revolves around the mysterious injuries plaguing students trying out for the cheerleading squad. The Scooby Gang quickly surmises that there's a witch in Sunnydale... but who is it? And why are they targeting cheerleaders? As they discuss the episode, Kristen details her own experiences as a cheerleader and points out the misconceptions people may have about the sport thanks to movies and television. Mike recalls the club he desperately wanted to be a part of in high school and both hosts give this episode an enthusiastic thumbs up for epitomizing the "high school is hell" mission statement that drove these first few seasons.
Next up is Teacher's Pet - and unfortunately it doesn't fare quite as well. When Mr. Gregory goes missing, substitute teacher Ms. French takes over his science class and immediately gains the attention of all the hormonal teenage boys. Buffy's not as won over and suspects foul play. She begins to investigate her favorite teacher's disappearance, but she better hurry - because Xander is about to meet the same fate. We break down the logic behind She-Mantis' plan and its execution, speculate on the sexual history of a 50-year-old man, investigate a few disturbing implications this whole scenario presents, and much more!