Witch (Buffy episode)
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| “Witch” | |
|---|---|
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 3 |
| Guest stars | Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) |
| Written by | Dana Reston |
| Directed by | Stephen Cragg |
| Production no. | 4V03 |
| Original airdate | March 17, 1997 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "The Harvest" | "Teacher's Pet" |
"Witch" is the 3rd episode of season 1 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. See also List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
Despite Giles's misgivings, Buffy decides to try out for the cheerleading team. During trials, the hands of a girl named Amber spontaneously combust. Amy seems to be under strong pressure from her winning mother, a star cheerleader in her day, and is crushed when she only makes the substitute list after Cordelia and Buffy. We see a brief glimpse of somebody bewitching Barbie dolls over a kettle. Next thing, Cordelia can't see, which she proves the hard way during driving instruction, and is just saved in the nick of time by Buffy.
To prove that Amy is a witch, Buffy, Xander and Willow collect eye of newt and some of Amy's hair during science class, and prove that she has cast a spell. Amy comes home and tells her mother to get with her homework — while she goes upstairs with Buffy's bracelet that she stole while Buffy was collecting her hair.
The next morning, a slightly manic Buffy blows her chance at the cheerleading squad when she tosses another girl through the room, ceding her slot to none other than Amy. Buffy turns out to have something more than just a mood disorder: A bloodstone vengeance spell has destroyed her immune system, giving her only about three hours to live. The only way to cure her and break the other spells is to get the witch's spell book. The ailing Buffy and Giles go confront the mother, only to realize that the real Amy is stuck in her mother's middle-aged body while mother is reliving her glory days. Giles finds the witch's book and takes Amy and Buffy back to school to break the spells. Buffy is fading fast.
Amy's mother is cheering Sunnydale's school basketball team when she starts getting flashes of what Giles is trying to do. Xander and Willow are unable to stop her from storming into the science lab with an axe, but buy enough time for Giles to break the spells: Amy and her mother switch bodies again and Buffy feels good enough to fight. However, Amy's mother's power is too great, and it is only by kicking down a steel vent cowling and reflecting her last spell can Buffy win the day; the mother vanishes.
When Amy and Buffy talk in the school hall the next day, they pass by the school's trophy collection where the statue to "Catherine the Great" stands. While both girls wonder where Amy's mother ended up, the camera pulls close to the statue's face, revealing the mother's eyes and a muffled voice pleading for help.
[edit] Acting
[edit] Main cast
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
- Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
- Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
- Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
- Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles
[edit] Guest Star
[edit] Also Starring
- Elizabeth Anne Allen as Amy
- Robin Riker as Catherine
- Jim Doughan as Mr. Pole
- Nicole Prescott as Lishanne
- Amanda Wilmshurst as Senior cheerleader
- William Monaghan as Dr. Gregory
[edit] Notes
- At the time of this episode, Buffy hadn't encountered any vampires in over a week.
- Xander said that he would rather 'drive a railroad spike through his head' which is said later in the series and how the character Spike gets his name.
- The character of Amber is mentioned as having been trained by a famous 'Benson' - Amber Benson would join the cast of Buffy in season 4.
[edit] Translations
- French title: “Sortilèges” (“Witchcraft”)
- Italian title: "Streghe" ("Witches")
- Japanese title: "魔女" ("Majo" - "Witch")
- German title: "Verhext" ("Bewitched")
The German language version of "Witch" has been censored to remove the Nazi-references in a dialog between Buffy and Willow. The original English exchange (DVD edition):
- Willow: "Her mom's kinda…"
- Buffy: "Nazi-like?"
- Willow: "Heil"
is translated as:
- Willow: "Ihre Mom ist eine echte…"
- Buffy: "Superfrau?"
- Willow: "So in der Art."
which translated back to English would roughly be:
- Willow: "Her mom is a real…"
- Buffy: "Superwoman?"
- Willow: "Something like that."
References to Hitler, Nazis, and the Shoah in U.S. films and TV series are routinely cut out by German translators. Another example of this is "Phases".
[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 |
