Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Lessons

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The re-opening of Sunnydale High School feels just like old times for Buffy as some undead students and faculty rise up and blame the Slayer for failing to protect them. Dawn and Buffy, together with some of Dawn's new friends join together to defeat the evil.
Meanwhile, the newly-ensouled Spike is seeking solace in the maze-like basement of the new school, and Willow begins her rehabilitation with Giles in England. Read full recap »

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Writers:: Joss Whedon

Director:: Joss Whedon David Solomon

Stars:: Emma Caulfield (Anya); James Marsters (Spike); Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Anne Summers); Nicholas Brendon (Alexander 'Xander' Harris); Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg); Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers)

Recurring Role:: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles); Kali Rocha (Halfrek); DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood); Juliet Landau (Drusilla); George Hertzberg (Adam); Clare Kramer (Glory); Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III); Adam Busch (Warren); Mark Metcalf (The Master)

Guest Star:: Jeremy Howard (Dead Nerd); Ed F. Martin (Mr. Lonegrin); Alex Breckenridge (Kit Holburn); David Zepeda (Carlos Trejo); Jeff Denton (Vampire); Rachael Bella (Dead Girl); Simon Chernin (Student); Ken Strunk (Dead Janitor)

When Buffy, Xander and Dawn are in Buffy's house together before they head off to school, Sarah Michelle Gellar's tattoo is briefly visible. edit »
In the final scene with Spike his hair is stringy with visible black roots, but when Adam and the Mayor look at him his hair is neat with no sign of dark roots. edit »
Buffy pulls her cell phone from behind her, but her pants have no back pocket. Also, when she puts it away then turns to show her back the cell phone is nowhere to be seen. edit »
When Dawn and Kit fall through the restroom floor the resulting hole is narrow in the middle. When Buffy comes in the hole is now an oval of even width. edit »
In the first scene with Buffy and Xander two of Sarah's tattoos can be seen, one on her left hip and another in the small of her back. They are visible a few more times in the episode, especially as she is leaving Spike's room in the basement to look for Dawn. The tattoos are so obvious that their exposure can't just be a mistake.
On the other hand, there are times when they should be seen but aren't. That's because the scenes involve Buffy's stunt double. edit »

The First's plans seem to require a vampire with a soul. It appears to Angel in Season 3 and, having failed to take control of him, it vanishes for the rest of the series until another vampire with a soul, Spike, shows up in Sunnydale. It then goes on to partially take control of Spike with the same mixture of guilt and temptation that it tried to use with Angel. edit »
This marks Juliet Landau's return to the series. Her last appearence was in Season 5's "Crush". But she only appears as the First Evil in this episode. edit »
Principal Wood opens the brand-new Sunnydale High on the ground upon which it first stood. edit »
This is the only time in the entire series where a season premiere has no cast changes in the opening titles. The series regulars remain the same as last season's. edit »
The last few lines of the speech given by The First are almost identical to lines spoken by Holland in the Angel episode "Blind Date" when he says "It's not about good and evil. It's about who wields the most power." edit »

Buffy: Where's my sister?
Dead Janitor: I think she's lost.
Buffy: If I'm the one who let you die, why take it out on her? I'm right here. C'mon, what are you after? Fear? Revenge? Tasty brains?
Dead Nerd: I think I'd like Dawn to be my girlfriend.
Buffy: Again, wrong sister. I'm the one that dates dead guys. And, no offense, but they were hotties. I mean, I'm sure you had a great personality. edit »
Xander: How exactly do you "make" cereal?
Buffy: Ah. You put the box near the milk. I saw it on the Food Channel. edit »
Buffy: You're a little girl.
Dawn: Woman.
Buffy: Little woman.
Dawn: I'm taller than you! edit »
Buffy: Do I have mom hair? edit »
Buffy: If at first you don't succeed, cheat. edit »

The First/Warren: She's a girl. Sugar and spice and everything...else that's useless unless you're baking.
Warren/The First is referring to an old nursery rhyme:
What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails, and puppy dog tails,
That's what little boys are made of.
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice, and everything nice,
That's what little girls are made of. edit »
Buffy: Here endeth the lesson.

The phrase "Here endeth the lesson" is part of the Anglican church service. Millions of people have heard it once a week, every week of their lives. Hence in other contexts it is used to suggest that the lesson you have just received is comparable to the word of God.

The phrase occurs widely. Sean Connery's character says it in The Untouchables (1987). The Master says it in Never Kill a Boy on the First Date. Spike says it in Fool for Love. edit »
Helfreck: Oh look at them with the shiny happiness.

Shiny Happy People is from the Out of Time album from R.E.M.

Shiny Happy People is also the title of the 84th episode of Angel. edit »
Dawn: Check out Double-Oh-Xander.
James Bond 007 is the British Secret Agent created by Ian Fleming. It is not the first time that 007 has been referred to; in Fear, Itself, Xander dressed up as James Bond, and Wesley was compared to Bond (or more specifically, Pierce Brosnan) by both Xander and Cordelia in Season 3. The Trio in season 6 keeps arguing about who is the best James Bond of Sean Connery, Roger Moore, and Timothy Dalton. edit »
Giles: You sound like Miss Harkness.
Years ago in Fantastic Four comics, there was a witch named Miss Harkness. Miss Harkness's first name was Agatha, and she trained Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch. Wanda & her brother Peitro (aka Quicksilver) are the children of Magneto, the X-Men's archenemy. She was also the Nanny of Franklin Richards, son of Sue and Reed Richards of the Fantastic four. edit »

10
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carolaguilera
member since: Sep 19, 2008
Lessons
The Bottom Line: "Pivotal"
The best open season from the whole Buffy! ...Continue »
09/24/08 05:20pm | report abuse
9.8
00
PinderPower
member since: Aug 1, 2008
Lessons
The Bottom Line: "Pivotal"
Back to basics. ...Continue »
09/13/08 10:04am | report abuse
9.5
00
astralguy87
member since: Feb 21, 2008
Lessons
The Bottom Line: "Exactly why I watch this series"
Sunnydale High is back! ...Continue »
08/03/08 11:09am | report abuse
8.5
10
raluka87
member since: Apr 22, 2008
Lessons
The Bottom Line: "Another great installment"
Power ...Continue »
07/09/08 10:01pm | report abuse
8.5
00
MadBuffyGirl
member since: Jan 8, 2008
Lessons
The Bottom Line: "Adventurous"
Sunnydale high re-opens and Dawn and her new friends encounter some creepy people in the basement of it. ...Continue »
03/07/08 12:09pm | report abuse