Witch (episode)

"Witch" is the third episode of the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the third episode overall. It was written by Dana Reston and directed by Stephen Cragg.

Synopsis


Despite Giles' misgivings, Buffy decides to try out for the Sunnydale High Cheerleading Team. During trials, the hands of a girl named Amber spontaneously combust, but she is saved by Buffy. 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 cannot see, which she proves the hard way during driving instruction, and is just saved in the nick of time by Buffy.

After these events, Giles come to the conclusion that a witch is to blame. The gang starts to realize that Amy may very well be causing all the damage, but have no way of doing so without arousing suspicion. Giles then points out that there is a certain spell that could identify a witch *which is the first spell the gang has ever done*. To prove that Amy is a witch, Buffy, Xander and Willow collect eye of newt, quicksilver (mercury), Aqua Fortis (Nitric Acid) 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 (which 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 her 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 that Buffy wins the day. Catherine then 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 Catherine's eyes and a muffled voice pleading for help.

Continuity

 * This marks the first use of witchcraft in the Buffyverse.


 * This episode marks the first appearance of Amy Madison. Amy will go on to make at least one appearance in every other season except Season Five, appearing most prominently in Season Six.


 * Also seen for the first time is Giles's Citroën, wrecked by Spike in "A New Man".


 * Giles is briefly knocked out, for the first of many times.


 * Willow casts her first spell to identify the witch. She will not cast her second until the end of season 2, eventually culminating into Willow delving into magic and becoming a witch.


 * Buffy's try-out uniform is seen again in "Him", when Dawn tries out for the cheerleading squad.

Production

 * This episode was originally titled "The Witch", but it was changed because more than one witch is featured in the episode.

Broadcast

 * "Witch" reached a Nielsen rating of 3.2 on its original airing.


 * The German language version of the episode was censored to remove the Nazi references in an exchange 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 Holocaust in U.S. films and TV series are routinely cut out by German translators. Another example of this is "Phases".

Deleted Scenes

 * Xander's take
 * Xander: "Hey, we've fought vampires. Anything else'll be a walk in the park."


 * Insight from Giles
 * Giles: "If I had the power of the black mass, I'd set my sights a little higher than making the pep squad."


 * An exchange between Xander and Willow
 * Xander: "Wow, you've got a killer streak I've never seen before. Hope I never cross you."
 * Willow: "I do, too. Then I'd have to carve you up into little pieces."


 * An oldie but a goodie from Giles
 * Giles: "Yes, the ducking stool! We throw her in the pond. If she floats, she's a witch; if she drowns, she's innocent...[then off their looks]...some of my texts are a bit outdated."

Pop Culture References

 * When Buffy discovers that Amy (actually Catherine) is a witch she says "she's our Sabrina", referring to the Sabrina, the Teenage Witch franchise. Coincidentally, the actress who plays Catherine Madison played another witch in season one of the Sabrina television series. Additionally, Sarah Michelle Gellar was best friends with Melissa Joan Hart, the portrayer of Sabrina in the Sabrina sitcom, in childhood.
 * Xander references the Human Torch when speculating on Amber's combustion.
 * When Buffy wakes up in bed, she is wearing a t-shirt with a black cat on the front, an animal synonymous with witchcraft.
 * Buffy and Joyce reference Farrah Fawcett and Gidget, actresses known as sex symbols in the 60's and 70's, when discussing hairstyles.
 * While talking about Amy's mother Buffy says" so mommy dearest is really mommy dearest", a reference to the book and later movie "Mommy Dearest" by Joan Crawford's daughter which claimed Crawford was an abbusive mother.

Goofs, Bloopers & Continuity Errors

 * Giles says that the reversal spell was his "first casting"; this is revealed to be false in "The Dark Age".


 * The sign for the cheerleading tryouts says 1996, but the episode was supposed to take place in 1997.

Music

 * 2 Unlimited - "Twilight Zone"

Other

 * There are no vampires in this episode.


 * Of the first five episodes of the series, this is the only one not to feature Angel.

Characters

 * Cordelia Chase
 * Corseth
 * Lishanne Davis
 * Gilail
 * Rupert Giles
 * Dr. Stephen Gregory
 * Amber Grove
 * Xander Harris
 * Joy
 * Amy Madison
 * Catherine Madison
 * Amy's father
 * Mr. Pole
 * Willow Rosenberg
 * Buffy Summers
 * Joyce Summers

Organizations and Titles

 * Scooby Gang
 * The Slayer
 * Witch
 * Watcher

Species

 * Human

Locations

 * The Bronze
 * Summers' residence
 * Sunnydale High
 * Sunnydale High School library

Weapons and objects

 * Fire axe
 * Spellbook