Well as the premier of the best 90's series ever made, this pilot episode wasn't all that. It did have the look of a child finiding its feet, and if I had started watching it back then at the age I was, I probably would have flicked the channel. Now however, looking back in retrospect and knowing the characters, this episode is a must-see.

Firstly, the characters. Everyone was so different back then, in looks and personality. It really made appreciate the extent of character development throughout the series. Buffy for starters, begins as a girl just wanting a normal life and ready to shun her Slayer duties to achieve stability. She gets roped back into the scene however, becuase of her overwhelming concern for others, instilled by the knowledge of the evils out there that she can protect them from. Compare with now: that concern has become her life, she embraces Slayerhood, and has pretty much realised that she will never have a normal life, but perhaps that is no longer something she desires. Now, she is shunning the authorities who govern Slayers, because she is strong enough to be one without their guidance. On the appearance front, omigawd, her hair was brown! But still the same slutty clothes though, phew!

Giles too is a hoot to watch with an eye to the future. He was such a bumbling idiot! Can't wait to see the even newer, more improved him in season four! Glad to see the tweed has been going strong all these years though!

Xander. Oh yeah, the drooling over Buffy started way back. Although he's fashion's changed a whole lot (praise the lord!), his character's probably the one that's least changed. Willow's subserviency really pissed me off. Thank god she met Buffy and got esteem, a life, and a sense of fashion. Cordelia was the best bitca I've ever seen! She lost that in season two and most of three, hope she gets back into her full glory for Angel.

And speaking of, hehehe. God, he was little back then! And he wore white. (Well, underneath the black ;0> ) I guess that's the sort of sarcastic humour we're going to see in him in his show. Not the most memorable t.v. couple meeting I've ever seen, but good nonetheless. That beginning is so far away from the nature of the relationship now, it's unbelievable. They were both so naive and innocent to the bad times they were about to face.

The technicals. I don't think I've seen a BtVS ep with more snappy dialogue than this ever, esp Cordy! I was laughing my head off! Special effects were a tad lame. It was a pretty dark episode when I come to think about it, with most of it set in the night. Couldn't see the stuntmen in the fight scenes, but then, you couldn't see the fighting either. Geez, this show has really vamped up on the violence scale. Dreams are *way* better now, too, thank god. That first scene of Buffy nightmaring in bed was so bad!

Overall though, an episode full of wit, energy, and promise. Just *so* glad they decided to up the Angel later on!