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1.6 The Pack

Giles: "Testosterone is a great equalizer. It turns all men into morons."

What this series does really well is take an ordinary high school situation (bullies and gangs) and move it to a higher, more horrible, and more absurd level (hyena transpossession). They do it better in later seasons; this one turned my stomach, pardon the expression. But we all know that deep down, teenagers are scarier than vampires, don't we?

I could see where they were going with Herbert the pig and even with Principal Flutie, who comes to a terrible end. We don't see either incident actually happen, although there is a nasty preview to Flutie's death in the form of woodcuts. Fortunately, Xander is too busy attempting to rape Buffy at the time to partake. Nicholas Brendon is seriously menacing in the above scene, as well as when he's being cuttingly nasty to Willow. The dodge ball scene is also shuddery and somewhat unnerving.

Buffy and Willow discuss boys; i.e., Willow's unrequited love for Xander, and Buffy's growing interest in Angel ("Angel pushes your buttons"). Later, Willow and a possessed Xander have a telling conversation about how Buffy's advent has made their lives a lot more dangerous.

Some of the trademark BtVS wit is starting to pop up more regularly: like "Testosterone is a great equalizer. It turns all men into morons," and "I can't believe you of all people are trying to Scully me." And, of course, Willow's comment about zebras mating: "It was like the Heimlich, with stripes."

Bits and pieces:

-- Sunnydale must be pretty small; every part seems to be accessible on foot from every other part.

-- Charisma Carpenter does not appear, or scream, in this episode.

-- Xander again shows his jealousy of Angel.

-- Zoo guy was just way too knowledgeable; he practically had a sign attached to him saying, "Bad guy! Me me me me me!"

-- Xander fakes amnesia at the end, and who can blame him?

-- The library book cage is used as a makeshift prison for the first time.

-- If you weren't thinking "Lord of the Flies" throughout, you probably haven't read the book.

-- There were a ton of dog references. Xander says, "Dogs," meaning the hot dogs the pack steals from other kids. Buffy says, "Apparently Noah rejected the hyenas from the Ark because he thought they were an evil impure mixture of dogs and cats." Willow wonders, " Why couldn't Xander be possessed by a puppy or, or some ducks?" Giles says the prevailing theory is that Flutie was killed by wild dogs.

Foreshadowing:

-- Xander tells Buffy, "You like your men dangerous."

-- Willow tells Xander that if he doesn't try harder in school, he'll end up working at a pizza place.

Quotable quotes:

Xander: "We just saw the zebras mating. Thank you, very exciting."
Willow: "It was like the Heimlich, with stripes."

Xander: "Buffy, this isn't just about looking at a bunch of animals. This is about not being in class."
Buffy: "You know, you're right. Suddenly the animals look shiny and new."

Giles: "Xander's taken to teasing the less fortunate?"
Buffy: "Uh-huh."
Giles: "And, there's been a noticeable change in both clothing and demeanor?"
Buffy: "Yes."
Giles: "And, well, otherwise all his spare time is spent lounging about with imbeciles."
Buffy: "It's bad, isn't it."
Giles: "It's devastating. He's turned into a sixteen-year-old boy."

Buffy: "I cannot believe that you of all people are trying to Scully me."

Willow: "Hyenas aren't well liked."
Buffy: "They do seem to be the schmoes of the animal kingdom."

Buffy: "He tried his hand at felony sexual assault."
Willow: "Oh, Buffy, the hyena in him didn't..."
Buffy: "No, but it's safe to say that in his animal state his idea of wooing doesn't involve a Yanni CD and a bottle of Chianti."

Two out of four stakes,

Billie





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