Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Season 1 Episode 3

Witch

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It's time for cheerleader tryouts, and Buffy can't resist! However, when the girls start getting knocked out of the competition by spontaneous combustion, sudden blindness, and other freak accidents, Buffy and the gang begin to suspect that someone may be behind these not so normal occurrences. Could someone be using dark magicks in order to make the squad?

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FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (64)

SUBMIT REVIEW

  • Bad Parenting

    8.5
    By AriSky, Jan 10, 2013
    This is actually one of my favorite episodes of season one, just because of the ridiculous scenario of having a mother take over her daughter's body so she can cheerlead. It stays well in tune with the series' humor and allows for the supernatural entities to move beyond vampires, setting that standard viewers can come to expect for the rest of the show. It's not always about vampires, and sometimes the non-vamps are the more interesting.moreless

  • The Witch

    7.5
    By arkanitoo, Jul 09, 2012
    With the introduction of the show out of the way, "The Witch" is left with the job of giving the viewer a taste of what it will look like on a regular basis. If I was watching this for the first time now I'd be left moderately entertained but not very critically impressed. What we have here is what I'd describe as an 'amiable' yet also fairly forgettable 'monster of the week' episode. It has a single neat twist that utilizes the "high school is hell" theme to tell a decent little story, but sadly also has minimal lasting relevance to both the season and the characters.



    "She said I was wasting my youth. So she took it," says an Amy stuck in her mom's body, a chilling statement no doubt; a statement that strikes at the core of what this episode is about. The supernatural is used as a springboard to say something about the human condition, in this case being parents who selfishly live through their children. One of the things that separate S1 from what the show eventually becomes is its focus on plot and ideas in abstract rather than character; rather than telling its story through characters we care about and have them learn alongside the viewers, the show is simply making its statement and then forgetting about it in the next episode. This is sadly true of most S1, and is ultimately one of the problems plaguing "The Witch."



    "The Witch" certainly earns some points for how it plays with its premise, but Amy happens to be one of the only recurring characters to get very little solid character development and psychological depth throughout the series, so what begins here doesn't end up being terribly relevant to her future beyond a basic level.



    With Amy's involvement being largely insignificant in the grand scheme of things, all that's left to remember the episode by is in its miniscule effect on the main characters. I do give it credit for at least taking a baby step towards a character-based approach. "Amy" tells Buffy that she trains hours with her mother for cheerleading, which causes Buffy to try to wedge open a connection with her own mother. I actually found Buffy's attempt sweet and Joyce's complete black-out of her daughter's desire for connection a little sad despite the eventual apology. Once Buffy finds out what Amy's mom did to her, though, she's not so quick to want her mom all gun-ho in her activities. Per usual, I think balance always wins the day. It'd be great for your parents to show some support in the things you love (provided they're not dangerous activities), but not so much that they put their own successes or failures from their own youth on your shoulders.



    Early in the episode Buffy tells Giles she wants to do something "safe," in regard to cheerleading. A good metaphorical lesson learned from "The Witch" is that sometimes "normal" isn't necessarily safe at all, and that the Hellmouth will make sure Buffy's life is always normal turned upside down.



    The only other relevant bits in "The Witch" include Xander's continued pining for Buffy despite her obvious lack of physical interest in him and his continued obliviousness to the fact that Willow totally digs him, which clearly makes him completely blind. How could you not find Willow here absolutely adorable and totally dateable? I mean, really.



    "The Witch" is a fairly enjoyable episode even though it's definitely plagued by S1's terrible production values, awful score, and psychological shallowness in relation to the characters. There's nothing specifically wrong with the episode's core; it just has so little lasting importance to the series from both a plot and a character perspective. It does have its moments, though, and sports a decent little self-contained plot. At the end of the day it's not very memorable but it does have just enough stuff to be a decent first stand-alone entry for the series.moreless

  • No vampires this time, but that doesn't stop our slayer from kicking wicked butt.

    8.0
    By KyahCA, Jun 30, 2012
    Here is our first episode of few in the series that contains absolutely no vampires. Is that a bad thing? No, actually. Buffy may be the Vampire Slayer, but she can still defeat any other evil being that gets in her way.



    So Buffy decides to become a cheerleader. She goes to try-outs where she meets Amy (who makes an important recurring role much later in the series). While one of the best of the girls try out, she suddenly sets on fire, luckily it was Buffy to the rescue. Later, many of the other cheerleaders begin getting into danger such as Cordelia's car crash due to sudden blindness, and the girl who, uh... Lost her mouth?



    Anyway, we soon find out it's because Amy is actually her evil, youth-stealing, wicked Mother in Amy's body (she's a witch, duh). Amy's mother switched bodies with her because she felt that Amy was wasting her youth, so she took it.



    I actually really love this episode, it's one (if not THE) favourite episode of mine from Season 1. Just like in previous episodes, Joss has been able to trick us with these awesome twists that we don't see coming. Actually, now that I think about it, pretty much every episode of Season 1 has some sort of twist to it. It's definitely not a bad thing though, it surely keeps us on our toes.



    Another thing that recurred in this episode is Joyce's worry of Buffy getting into trouble again like at her old school. It's good to know that Buffy's past has not totally been forgotten of. And let me just say that I love Joyce. She is my favourite parental figure on a TV show. She genuinely cares about her daughter, and she wants to trust her, even after the trouble Buffy has gotten into. She's not totally harsh on her, and is only when necessary. And although she's busy with her new job, she's still there when Buffy really needs her. She's just the perfect Mom.



    Something else to take notice in this episode is Willow's jealousy towards Xander's crush on Buffy. Buffy is clearly not very interested, but Xander is there giving Buffy jewelery and attempting to ask her out. I love how so early in the series we're seeing development in the characters. It makes them seem so much more alive and realistic. I watch other TV shows which aren't that bad at all, but in every episode, it's like the characters haven't changed at all. In "Buffy", the characters are somehow different in a way in every episode. Well, not really different, but they grow. They develop. Even though most of Season 1 are filler episodes, it doesn't stop the characters from growing.



    "First vampires, now witches. No wonder you can still afford a house in Sunnydale." - Xander Harrismoreless

  • Witch

    6.0
    By joxerlives, Dec 28, 2011
    The Witch



    The good;

    Amy for the first time, yay! And even now she's still appearing in season 8. I always thought if Will died she'd have been a good replacement. Buffy looks sensational in her cheerleading gear, a shame we'll never see her in it again (and we won't see the costume again until Dawn digs it out in season 7). Willow gets more hands on with the axe and we have our first case of Wicca although it's a very dark variety. The African fertility statue gag is the first sign of the saucy humour Buffy and Angel will become famous for. Lovely scenes between Buffy and Joyce both at breakfast and in closing. I gotta say, I didn't see the twist at all.



    The bad;

    What happens to the poor girl whose mouth sealed up? Presumably all the aspects of Amy's mum's magic stop once she is defeated.



    Best lines;

    Willow; That girl's on fire!

    Cordy; Enough with the hyperbole



    Giles; Why would anyone want to hurt Cordelia?

    Willow; Maybe they met her?



    My favourite though;

    Xander; I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away



    Observations and questions; Presumably Amy mom dies properly when the school blows up and passes to the afterlife. Willow is already beginning to dress less nerdy. We see Giles' car for the first time, the Citreon whilst a design classic seems a weird choice for him, a classic Jag maybe more his style. Xander's Buffy obsession continues to grow. No Angel, you sometimes forget he's not in all the eps of season 1. At exactly what point do Amy and her mum swap bodies? Cordy hasn't passed her driving test yet but that changes by the end of the season

    3/5

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  • Buffy tries out Sunnydale High's cheerleading squad. It's a highly competitive try out, but when another competitor spontaneously combusts, and other eerie occurrences follow, Buffy and co. suspect a witch is at work. An excellent first regular episode...moreless

    10
    By Jay-Spacedust, Feb 06, 2011
    This review contains spoilers.



    When 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' first aired on BBC Two here in the U.K. in 1999, I really enjoyed the Pilot ('Welcome to the Hellmouth' / 'The Harvest'), but was slightly weary that it would be one of those cases of a great Pilot that soon gets watered down and nosedives for the subsequent series. I needn't have worried – as 'Witch' perfectly demonstrates, 'Buffy' would always have plenty of engaging stories and lots of creative concepts to engross us.



    I know some don't like this one, and it was most definitely superseded as the series progressed, but for me, as a first regular hour-long instalment after the Pilot, it does superbly.



    As with the Pilot, Buffy herself here is likeable and funny (something that, I'll dare to say, I didn't find to be the case in some later episodes). Willow and Xander too are again very funny, adding just the right amount of humour to the proceedings.

    The script is sharp, with just the right balance of drama, comedy, mystery and mild horror, and is littered with the show's trademark pop culture references (I love "She's our Sabrina"), coming over as very amusing, not trying too hard to be cute or "cool" as was the case in late seasons.



    This episode also serves to show that – particularly in this first season – it's not just vampires that Buffy will be battling, but a much wider array of supernatural beings. There are no vampires at all in this one – which I don't mind, as it gives more variety – and that includes no Angel (which, as my reviews for the Pilot reflect, I can live with personally!). There is no reference to the Master or any of his minions; the overall season "big bad" story arc is much less prominent than it would be pretty much from the second season onwards.

    I disagree with a couple of other reviewers who class 'Witch' as a "filler episode" – the non-vampire, non-"big bad" thing was a common trait in season one, and far from being thrown in to bump up the episode count (as is the case with most fillers), I felt this one built on the premise set-up in the Pilot perfectly. And while I enjoy the on-going unfolding plots of later seasons, I also really like the many "stand alone" stories we get here in the first season or so.



    I found this to be a really engaging and well-executed story, and, on first viewing all those years ago, really didn't see the revelation of the Amy-and-her-mother body swap coming (though, on subsequent viewings, all the hints are there). Elizabeth Anne Allen puts in a great performance as young Amy – or rather, her mother in Amy's body; Amy will feature in a number of later stories (Allen, by the way, auditioned for the role of Buffy).

    I also personally enjoyed seeing Robin Riker; I'm a huge 1980s action-adventure TV fan, and Riker did many guest parts in those various shows, so it was good to see her again here, playing Amy-in-her-mother's-body (y'all following this?!).



    As I go through the DVDs, watching the episodes in original broadcast order, I am reviewing them "as I find them", and not rating them down simply because even better episodes came later (as I feel some other reviewers might subconsciously do sometimes). When I first watched this episode back in 1999, I really enjoyed it, and it really pulled me into the series; Viewing it tonight on DVD, I still seriously like it. Yes it would certainly be superseded by later episodes, but on its own merits, I like 'Witch' enough to give it a solid 10.moreless
See All Fan Reviews

Cast & Crew: STARS

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Buffy Anne Summers
Nicholas Brendon

Nicholas Brendon

Alexander 'Xander' Harris
Alyson Hannigan

Alyson Hannigan

Willow Rosenberg
Charisma Carpenter

Charisma Carpenter

Cordelia Chase
Anthony Stewart Head

Anthony Stewart Head

Rupert Giles
See All Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

Robin Riker

Robin Riker

Catherine

Guest Star

Jim Doughan

Jim Doughan

Mr. Pole

Guest Star

Nicole Prescott

Nicole Prescott

Lishanne

Guest Star

Kristine Sutherland

Kristine Sutherland

Joyce Summers

Recurring Role

Elizabeth Anne Allen

Elizabeth Anne Allen

Amy Madison

Recurring Role

See All Cast & Crew

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • TRIVIA (8)

    • The cheerleader whose hands caught on fire was named Amber. Amy tells Buffy and Willow that she (Amber) trained with the cheerleading coach Benson. What a strange coincidence that Amber Benson went on to play Tara Maclay in the show's 4th season.

    • When Cordelia gets out of the car she shuts the door, but in the next shot the door of the car is open just before it is hit by the truck.

    • In this episode we learn that Giles drives a gray Citroen.

    • Giles claims that his attempt to negate the witch's magick is his "first casting." This is later proved to be either a continuity error or a lie on Giles' part.

    • Amy tells Buffy that her mom makes her practice 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening, but later on in the ep, Buffy says that she just doesn't have time to practice 3 hours a day. 3+3 does not equal 3.

    • It seems odd that the truck driver didn't even try to stop when blind Cordelia was wandering into the road. He had plenty of time and space to swerve out of the way.

    • During the second cheerleading tryouts Cordelia is seen putting on a pink headband. It's gone while she's cheering, but when Amy falls on her, the pink headband is back in place.

    • When Willow fills the test tube with yellow liquid, it is filled halfway. But in the next shot, as she hands the test tube to Buffy, it is only filled a quarter of the way.

  • QUOTES (28)

    • (Amber's arms ignite)
      Willow: She's on fire!
      Cordelia (not looking): Enough with the hyperbole!

    • Cordelia: Hey, I'm really sorry you guys got bumped back to alternate. Hold it, wait. No, I'm not.
      Amy: Well, I know that I'll miss the intellectual thrill of spelling out words with my arms.

    • Xander: (to Willow) I gotta be a man and ask her out. Y'know, I gotta stop giving her ID bracelets, subtle innuendos, taking Polaroids outside of her bedroom window late at night. That last part is a joke to relieve the tension because here she comes.

    • Xander: (about Buffy) Was she wearing it? The bracelet, she was wearing it, right? Pretty much like we're going out.
      Willow: Except without the hugging or kissing or her knowing about it.

    • Buffy: (singing) Macho, macho, man! I want to be a macho man. Macho... (stops singing as she walks into the kitchen) Oh, hey, juice! Mm... Quality juice. Not from
      concentrate!
      Joyce: You're in a good mood.
      Buffy: I am! I'm on the squad, which is great, 'cause I feel like cheering and leading others to cheer. Ooo, hey, juice!
      Joyce: Listen, honey, about yesterday, I really...
      Buffy: That is totally yester. Besides, it's not like you were wrong, y'know. I did get kicked outta school. I'm just wacky that way!
      Joyce: Still, I just want you to know that, despite the problems you've had, I really...
      Buffy: Mom, you just don't get it. And, believe me, you don't want it. Y'know, there are just some things about being a Vampire Slayer that the older generation...
      Joyce: A what?
      Buffy: It's a... long story.
      Joyce: Buffy, are you feeling well?
      Buffy: What? Oh, I'm fine, y'know? What, like, I can't be in a good mood? Is it, like, a new house rule? Fine, y'know? It's just fine, fine, fine, 'cause... (sings) I'm a macho, macho man! I want to be a macho man!

    • Willow: "Witches: Historic Roots to Modern Practice", checked out by Alexander Harris.
      Buffy: "The Pagan Rites", checked out by Alexander...
      Xander: Alright, alright, it's not what you think.
      Willow: You like to look at the semi-nude engravings?
      Xander: Oh, well, I guess it is what you think.

    • Amy: I train with my mom, three hours in the morning, three at night.
      Buffy: Hmm, that much quality time with my mom would probably lead to some quality matricide.

    • Buffy: I love you, Mom. (She jumps up and kisses her mom on the cheek, then runs from the room)
      Joyce: I don't get it!

    • Buffy: You're my Xander-shaped friend. Do you have any idea why I love you so, Xander?
      Willow: (to Xander) We gotta get her to a…
      Xander: (to Willow) Let her speak.
      Buffy: (to Xander) I'll tell you. You're not like other boys at all.
      Xander: Well.
      Buffy: You are totally and completely one of the girls. (to Willow) I'm that comfy with him.

    • Buffy: (referring to Amy) The test was positive. She's our Sabrina.

    • Xander: First vampires, now witches. No wonder you can still afford a house in Sunnydale.

    • Xander: (referring to Cordelia) Okay, see how she has no clue that I'm even a mammal, much less a human being?
      Willow: I see that.
      Xander: This is the Invisible Man Syndrome, blessing in Cordelia's case, a curse in Buffy's.
      Willow: You're not invisible to Buffy.
      Xander: It's worse. I'm just a part of the scenery, like an old shoe or a rug that you walk on every day but don't even really see.
      Willow: Like a pen that's all chewed up, and you know you should throw it away, but you don't, not 'cause you like it so much more 'cause you're used to it…
      Xander: Well, yeah, that is the point. You don't have to drive it through my head like a railroad spike.

    • Xander: That's why you're so cool. You're like a guy. You're my guy friend that knows about girl stuff.
      Willow: Oh, great. I'm a guy.

    • Buffy: So Mommie Dearest is really ... Mommie Dearest.

    • Cordelia: Just look at that Amber. Who does she think she is, a Laker Girl?
      Willow: I heard she turned them down.

    • Giles: This is madness. What could you have been thinking? You are the Slayer. Lives depend upon you. I make allowances for your youth, but I expect a certain amount of responsibility, instead of which you enslave yourself to this-this... cult.
      (we see Buffy is wearing a cheerleading outfit)
      Buffy: You don't like the color?

    • Giles: Why should someone want to harm Cordelia?
      Willow: Maybe because they met her! Did I say that...?

    • Buffy: Mom, I've accepted that you've had sex. I am not ready to know that you had Farrah hair.
      Joyce: This is Gidget hair. Don't they teach you anything in history?

    • Joyce: (about cheerleading) I'm glad you're taking that up again. It'll keep you out of trouble.
      Buffy: I'm not in trouble.
      Joyce: No, not yet.

    • Giles: But that's the thrill of living on the Hellmouth! There's a veritable cornucopia of, of fiends and devils and, and ghouls to engage. Pardon me for finding the glass half full.

    • Buffy: I'm inscrutable, huh?
      Joyce: You're sixteen.

    • Willow: Yeah! You're the Slayer, and we're, like, the Slayerettes.

    • Xander: For I am Xander, King of Cretins. May all lesser cretins bow before me.

    • Giles: You have a sacred birthright, Buffy. You were chosen to destroy vampires, not to... wave pompoms at people. And as the Watcher I forbid it.
      Buffy: And you'll be stopping me how?
      Giles: Well, I... By appealing to your common sense, if such a creature exists.

    • Amy: I'm thinking about getting fat.
      Buffy: I hear that look's in for spring.

    • Catherine: How dare you raise your hand to your mother! I gave you birth. I gave up my life so you could drag that worthless carcass around and call it living. You've never been anything but trouble. I'm going to put you where you can't make trouble again!

    • Catherine: She said I was wasting my youth. So she took it.

    • Xander: I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away.

  • NOTES (8)

  • ALLUSIONS (12)

    • Xander: This is the Invisible Man syndrome. A blessing in Cordelia's case. A curse in Buffy's.

      The Invisible Man is a novel by H. G. Wells featuring a main character who becomes invisible due to a scientific experiment. Several films have been made based on the novel, as well as more than one television series.

    • Xander: She's like the Human Torch.

      The Human Torch is a superhero from Marvel Comics. The original was an android who fought against Hitler in World War II, the second (and more commonly known) is a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four.

    • Cordelia: These grapes are sour.

      From the Aesop's fable where the fox, unable to reach the grapes, determines that they are probably sour anyway. The idea being that when something is unobtainable we declare it to be undesirable. Of course the real Amy probably never was much interested in becoming a cheerleader.

    • Buffy: She's our Sabrina!

      Sabrina, the Teenage Witch first appeared in Archie comics in the 1960's. A TV series about the character began in 1996 starring Melissa Joan Hart and was soon followed by an animated series. The reference to Sabrina may also have been an inside joke, since Robin Riker (Amy's mother, Catherine) had previously made a guest appearance on the TV show.

    • Joyce: Great parenting form. A little shaky on the dismount.

      Joyce speaks of her parenting skills in the language of gymnastics. The dismount from an apparatus is usually an especially tricky move.

    • Joyce: This is Gidget hair.

      Gidget was a 1959 surf movie starring Sandra Dee as the title character. Also, Gidget was a 1965-66 television show starring Sally Field.

    • Buffy: I'm not ready to know you had Farrah hair.

      Farrah Fawcett was a famous actress and sex symbol of the 70's. Her hairstyle was much imitated.

    • Buffy: So mommy dearest is really ... Mommie Dearest.

      A reference to Christina Crawford's autobiography, made into the 1981 movie Mommie Dearest about her abusive relationship with her adoptive mother, Joan Crawford.

    • Amy: Her nickname was Catherine the Great.

      Catherine the Great (the original one) was Empress of Russia from 1762-1796. She is known for making Russia a major European power but also for strengthening the class system and the power of the nobility.

    • Giles: Well pardon me for finding the glass half full.

      A famous test for pessimism vs optimism is whether one calls a half glass of water "half empty" (the pessimist) or "half full" (the optimist). Giles sarcastically apologizes for delighting in the variety of supernatural activity in the vicinity of the Hellmouth.

    • Amy: Oh how I hate this, let me count the ways.

      A play on the opening line of the poem from Elizabeth Barret Browning's Sonnets from the Portuguese: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."

    • Cordelia: Who does she think she is? A Laker Girl?

      The Laker Girls are the cheerleaders for the NBA's L.A. Lakers.

See All Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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