Teacher's Pet (Buffy episode)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |
|---|---|
| “Teacher's Pet” | |
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| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 4 |
| Guest star(s) | David Boreanaz (Angel) Ken Lerner (Principal Flutie) Musetta Vander (Natalie French) |
| Writer(s) | David Greenwalt |
| Director | Bruce Seth Green |
| Production no. | 4V04 |
| Original airdate | March 25, 1997 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Witch" | "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" |
"Teacher's Pet" is episode 4 of season 1 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. See also List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
The episode opens with Xander saving Buffy in the Bronze. He then gets on the stage to play his solo and "kiss her like she has never been kissed before." He is daydreaming in science class.
The only teacher who believes in Buffy, Dr. Gregory, is killed by a monster. The substitute teacher, Natalie French, turns every boy's head, and seems to have a thing about insects, especially the praying mantis. Buffy and Willow just roll their eyes.
Angel shows up at the Bronze, warns Buffy that somebody wants to rip her throat out, gives her his jacket, and vanishes again.
Cordelia finds the headless body of Dr. Gregory in the cafeteria locker. The Scoobies try to figure out if there is a connection to the Master, but don't rule out that there is a second monster about. Buffy goes into the park and confronts a vampire who has a hook instead of a hand. The fight is interrupted by the police, and the vampire flees. While in pursuit, she sees the vampire come up behind Miss French, who just stares at him. To Buffy's surprise the vampire bolts in panic.
The next day, Buffy is sent to a counselor to help her get over seeing the dead body. This makes her late for the surprise test that Miss French gives the class — a test where she helps Xander with a question. Buffy looks through the window in the door, and Miss French turns her head 180 degrees to look at her. Later, Miss French asks Xander over to her house in the evening to work on a project.
Back in the library, Buffy figures that Miss French must be a praying mantis, and convinces the others. Buffy tries to warn Xander, but he brushes her off, saying that she is just jealous.
Miss French welcomes Xander with a drink, a fire in the fireplace, and a tight dress. The drink knocks him out just when she turns into an insect. Xander wakes up in a cage next to another student who tells him how she mates — deadly. Willow calls Xander's mother and finds out that he isn't home. Buffy gets Giles to record bat noises, while Miss French chooses Xander to be her next victim. When the remaining Scoobies visit the house where Miss French is supposed to live, they find a nice old woman who is has that name, but retired in 1972. To quickly find Xander, Buffy grabs the one-handed vampire, who is so scared of the she-mantis that he knows just which house is the right one. Buffy breaks through the window when the mantis is about to mate with Xander. She slays the insect, using the bat noises to weaken it.
Buffy, in Angel's jacket, later meets him at the Bronze. He tells her to keep it, and Buffy is obviously smitten. The last scene shows Buffy putting Dr. Gregory's glasses in his closet, but not noticing that there are she-mantis eggs attached to the bottom of a shelf.
[edit] Acting
[edit] Main cast
- Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
- Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
- Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles
- Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
[edit] Guest stars
- David Boreanaz as Angel
- Ken Lerner as Principal Flutie
[edit] Also starring
- Musetta Vander as Miss Natalie French
- Jackson Price as Blayne
- Jean Speegle Howard as Elderly Miss French
- William Monaghan as Dr. Gregory
- Jack Knight as Homeless Guy
- Michael Ross Verona as Teacher
- Karim Oliver as Bud #1
[edit] Music
From Superfine's 1997 album Stoner Love, the band plays "Already Met You" at The Bronze when the lead singer sneers at Xander. A second track, "Stoner Love," plays at the end of the episode.
[edit] Translations
- German title: "Gottesanbeterin" ("Praying Mantis")
- French title: "Le Chouchou du prof"
[edit] Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse chronology: Spring 1996 - Spring 1997 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles, summer 1996 | Film version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer |
| Los Angeles, summer 1996 | Buffy graphic novel: The Origin |
| Los Angeles, summer 1996 | Buffy graphic novel: Viva Las Buffy |
| Los Angeles, summer 1996 | Buffy graphic novel: Slayer Interrupted |
| Los Angeles, summer 1996 | Buffy graphic novel: A Stake to the Heart |
| Sunnydale, fall 1996 | B1.00 Unaired Buffy pilot |
| Sunnydale, fall 1996 | B1.01 Welcome to the Hellmouth |
| Sunnydale, fall 1996 | B1.02 The Harvest |
| Sunnydale, fall 1996 | WB Buffy promo: History of the Slayer |
| Sunnydale, fall 1996 | B1.03 Witch |
| Sunnydale, fall 1996 | B1.04 Teacher's Pet |
| Sunnydale, Halloween 1996 | Buffy book: Halloween Rain |
| Sunnydale, 1996/7 | Buffy book: Night of the Living Rerun |
| Sunnydale, 1996/7 | B1.05 Never Kill a Boy on the First Date |
| Sunnydale, 1996/7 | B1.06 The Pack |
| Sunnydale, 1996/7 | B1.07 Angel |
| Sunnydale, 1996/7 | Buffy the Animated Series unaired four-minute pilot |
| Sunnydale, 1996/7 | B1.08 I, Robot... You, Jane |
| Sunnydale, 1996/7 | B1.09 The Puppet Show |
| Sunnydale, 1996/7 | B1.10 Nightmares |
| Sunnydale, 1996/7 | B1.11 Out of Mind, Out of Sight |
| Sunnydale, spring 1997 | B1.12 Prophecy Girl |
| Sunnydale, summer 1997 | Buffy book: Coyote Moon |
| Sunnydale, & L.A., summer 1997 | Buffy anthology book: How I Survived My Summer Vacation |
