Joss Whedon is often praised for being one of the gods of nerds, and his groundbreaking 90s show Buffy the Vampire Slayer is considered to be a near-perfect piece of TV. That being said, many consider season 1 of the vampire-slaying romp to be quite shaky and complex.
Episode one initially aired as a two-hour pilot but was later split up into two episodes. It's Buffy at its rawest, and it's clear that the writers were still finding their feet. Buffy had darker hair, was friends with her enemy, Cordelia, and Xander used to skate. Let's look at ten things you may have forgotten from the first episode of season one, "Welcome To The Hellmouth."
In Every Generation There Is A Chosen One
Who could forget that for most of the first season, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's theme started out with the following line:
"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is The Slayer."
The overdubbed line doesn't make sense given the later context of the show, as later we learn that there are several potential slayers from around the world.
Buffy and Cordelia Were Friends At First
One fact that only hardcore Buffy fans will remember from the first episode is that Buffy and Cordelia were buddies. Cordelia initially seems helpful and sweet, that is until she shows her true fangs by picking on the two people who were first nice to Buffy, Xander, and Willow.
Although Cordelia tries to warn Buffy to stay away from them if she wanted to have a good reputation at the school, the future cheerleader later ditches Buffy when she claims the vampire hunter attacked her in the Bronze. At least Miss Summers learned who her true friends were.
Xander Skateboarding
Who remembers that Xander used to skate? He does in episode one and then never again. Maybe he was trying to find his inner Bart Simpson; however, it doesn't make much sense that the writers dropped this when it could have added another trait to his character. After all, Willow was skilled in computers so why couldn't Xander have a cool talent too?
Xander's Friend Jesse
Who remembers Xander and Willow's lifelong friend, Jesse? Not many people do, perhaps because the viewers don't see him for long as he gets kidnapped by Darla and is turned by the Master.
Later, when vamp-Jesse is facing Xander, someone knocks into the notably unremarkable character, sending him straight into Xander's wooden stake. Still, it would have been nice to see Willow and Xander talk about him considering how close they all were.
Darla The First Vampire
Most people remember Darla as Angel's sire and lethal love interest. In contrast, few people remember that she was actually the first vampire to make an appearance in the series, having been sire by the Master himself. The femme fatale character is also a clear symbol for duality early in the series, a prevalent element throughout Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Joss Whedon is lauded for his abandonment of the tone-deaf "petite blonde" damsel in distress trope, and in Buffy, both Darla and Miss Summers are monster and monster-hunter instead of victims.
Buffy Was A Cordelia
Before Buffy Summers joined the "scoobies" at Sunnydale Highschool, she enjoyed life at the top of the high school food chain as a cheerleader in LA. At first, Cordelia welcomes her to her pack of plastics, but it's not long before Buffy ends up as a part of an integral and under shadowed part of the high school hierarchy, the geeks.
Fans then see Buffy attempt try-outs for Sunnydale's squad in episode three of season one, "Witch," but her cheerleading efforts are cut short as she has to deal with a suspected witch plaguing the other cheerleaders.
The Title Card Had A Different Font
While the hardcore Buffy fans may have spotted this change easily, some of the newer viewers might not have realized the changing title sequences. The iconic designed letter "B," which is so familiar to fans, was not a part of Buffy the Vampire Slayer until season three.
The first title card for the show was far simpler, and while not unpleasant to look at, it's a far cry from graphic designer Margo Chase's tattoo-worthy design.
You Look Like DeBarge
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was filled to the brim with pop-culture references, often in the form of one-liner insults. One of the first of these insults was flung from Buffy to Darla:
"Okay, first of all, what's with the outfit? Live in the now, okay? You look like DeBarge!"
DeBarge was a pop group from the early to mid-eighties made up of five siblings. Well done, Miss Summers, on this mic-drop insult.
Buffy's Hair
Sarah Michelle Gellar's hair was considerably darker in the first episode. It was more of a light brown than the blonde tone, which gave her an iconic 90s look that inspired many teens' Halloween costumes. She also had these bangs which helped to make Gellar look more ordinary and less threatening. Fans absolutely loved her style.
The Master's First Appearance
The Master, an ode to the classic Nosferatu vampire, makes quite the entry in the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. When he first awakes, he's facially deformed, very confused, and rises from a pool of blood.
It's like Harry Potter's Voldemort, but with a PG-13 rating and 90s script. Still, he proves why he has the reputation he does as he makes it known that he won't allow anyone to get in the way of his plans. Even Buffy and her friends. It was all very chilling.