1.1 Welcome to the Hellmouth

Plot Synopsis (Display)

Highlights

• Principal Flutie's "inspirational" welcome talk, where he ostentatiously tears up Buffys previous record, then, after glancing at bits of the text, gradually tapes it together again, while trying to sound positive
• Buffy's whole "I don't care" scene in the library with Giles
• Buffy and Giles "honing" discussion in The Bronze, including Giles's rather ineffectual attempt to work out what to do as Buffy takes action

Firsts

There are too many to go through in detail - since this is the first ever episode, everything is a "first", but some seem worthy of special mention:

First (oblique) references to the Hellmouth. Giles describes Sunnydale as a "centre of mystical convergence" and Angel tells Buffy that she is "standing at the mouth of Hell".

Buffy's first impression of Angel, "Dark. Gorgeous, in an annoying sort of way...I really didn't like him".

Pop Culture References

Giving a "coolness test" to Buffy, Cordelia refers to John Tesh, eliciting a response of "the Devil" from Buffy. John Tesh is an evangelical musician and radio show host in the States.

Cordelia: Willow! Nice dress! Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears
This was an advertising slogan of American hardware giant Sears, as they attempted to move into the textiles market

When Giles asks Buffy what she knows about Sunnydale, her only response is "it's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus?"
Neiman Marcus is a fashionable American clothing store, and Buffy is implying that Sunnydale is a far cry from civilisation as she knows it

On a similar note, Xander refers to Sunnydale as a "one Starbucks town"
Starbucks is an American coffee-bar franchise which seems to have become a global phenomenon. Even in the UK, many larger towns have several Starbucks outlets. Since Sunnydale boasts only one, we can assume that it is rather small, and perhaps a little less than trendy.

When Buffy is trying to decide what to wear for her first visit to The Bronze, she considers and rejects a blue floral dress, with the comment "Would you like a copy of the Watchtower"
The Watchtower is the Jehova's Witness' religious magazine

What We Learn

• Buffy is the Vampire Slayer (well, duh!)
• How vampires reproduce ("it's a whole big sucking thing")
• Xander has a crush on Buffy
• Willow seems to have been in love with Xander since childhood.

Mythology

Giles tells of the birth of vampires: "The books tell that the last demon to leave this reality fed off a human, mixed their blood. He was a human form possessed, infected by the demon's soul. He bit another, and another, and so they walk the Earth, feeding...killing some, mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind. Waiting for the animals to die out, and the old ones to return."

Nitpicks

• As Buffy walks towards the Bronze for the first time, she digs a banknote out of her pocket and hands it to the doorman without a glance. How does she know how much it costs? She's never been there before!