Overall Rating: 8.1 Matt: 8.2 Eric: 8.0 Written and Directed by: Joss Whedon Cast : Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg, Seth Green as Oz, Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles. Main guest stars : Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Marc Blucas as Riley Finn, Dagney Kerr as Kathy, Pedro Balmaceda as Eddie, Katharine Towne as Sunday, Lindsay Crouse as Maggie Walsh. Original broadcast date : October 5, 1999 My one-line description: Just when you thought the Mayor was the worst villain... here comes Sunday the eighties vampire. In the cemetery, Willow is helping Buffy select her classes for her freshman year at UC Sunnydale - Buffy was lazy during the summer and neglected to do so. As they review the options, a vampire emerges from a grave and stealthily prepares to attack them - but then it spots the Slayer's weapon supply, it takes off. Oblivious to all that parallel action, the girls discuss the need for Buffy to balance classes and slaying, in order to keep her Slayer skills sharp (har har!). The next day, Buffy walks on campus, somewhat lost and more than a bit uncomfortable with her new surroundings. As she tries to find her way around, she inherits the inevitable tons of flyers for parties and clubs. Then she runs into Willow, who is thoroughly excited by all the college atmosphere - especially when Oz shows up and confirms that he'll be attending UC Sunnydale. The girls wind up at the library, which awes Willow by its sheer size (of course it would...). As they shop for books, Buffy accidentally knocks a stack of books onto a guy. They help him up, and he introduces himself as Riley, a fellow student who just happens to be teacher's assistant in the psychology class Buffy and Willow are taking. While Buffy babbles incoherently, showing her utter lack of knowledge in psychology, Willow and Riley bond over the topic. Buffy's lovely first day continues as she meets her new roommate, Kathy Newman. A somewhat overly enthusiastic girl, Kathy promises they'll get along fine - and proceeds to pin up a Celine Dion poster, as a distressed Buffy looks on. That "getting along" part gets worse that night, when Buffy tries to find sleep despite a loudly snoring Kathy. The next day sees Buffy get kicked out (rather rudely) of her first class - Pop Culture - for whispering to other students and (worse!) not being on the list. The teacher stamps flat our Slayer's self-esteem by telling her that she's sucking energy from all those who genuinely want to learn. Still reeling, Buffy runs into Riley in the hallway. After he finally remembers her - as Willow's friend - she asks him whether the Psych teacher would be the type to throw her out of the class. He reassures her, and leads the way to said Psych class, where she sits with Willow and Oz. The teacher, tough-as-nails Maggie Walsh, does manage to spook Buffy by saying that her t.a.'s call her "the evil bitch monster of death". That night, as she tries to find her way to her dorm, Buffy finally meets someone who's just about as lost as she is, a somewhat dorky guy named Eddie. As they combine their efforts to find their way, they compare notes on Maggie Walsh's class; along the way, Eddie mentions that his favourite book is called "Of Human Bondage", and that he never parts with it - it's a kind of security blanket. Quite happy with one another, the new friends part ways - but unfortunately for Eddie, he gets attacked and killed by some vampires. Afterwards, they go to his room, take all his belongings and leave a fake goodbye note on his bed. The next day, Buffy, worried at Eddie's absence in class, goes to his dorm room where his roommate shows him the goodbye note Ð which states that he thought college was too much for him. But Buffy finds Eddie's favourite book on the nightstand, and looks very dubious. Meanwhile, in an abandoned building, the vampires go through Eddie's stuff; the leader, a blonde named Sunday who bears an unfortunate resemblance to Cindy Lauper, deplores that there isn't more cool stuff in Eddie's belongings. Then, said Eddie arises... a vampire. Still looking to find the missing student, Buffy goes to Giles' place, where she is greeted by a striking woman wearing only one of Giles' shirts. As an astonished Buffy steps inside, Giles, wrapped in a bathrobe, introduces her to Olivia. After making sure Giles knows how thoroughly grossed out she is by that scene, Buffy tries to enlist his help. But the jobless Watcher reminds her that she has to learn to handle things by herself, and that he can't be there for her all the time. Disappointed that her Watcher has turned into Hugh Hefner, Buffy leaves. Patrolling on campus that night, Buffy encounters Vampire Eddie and stakes him. But Sunday and her goons show up, and the blonde vampire, realizing that Buffy is the Slayer, claims her for herself. The two trade insults and begin fighting Ð which quickly reveals that the Slayer is not at full strength. Sunday trounces her, breaking her arm and forcing her to flee. The next day, a bruised Buffy, walking alone and dejected on campus, spots Willow and Oz happily chatting with friends. Not wanting them to find out what happened, she turns away before they see her. In their lair, Sunday and her gang make fun of the Slayer, and make plans to finish her off. Meanwhile, Buffy goes back home - to find that her mom has used her bedroom as a storeroom for the art gallery. As she expresses her disapproval, the phone rings and she answers - but thereÕs no one on the line (it's actually Angel, as you may have found out in the Angel series premiere). Buffy goes back to her dorm room even more depressed - but finds her half of the room empty, and a goodbye note on her bed... Our Slayer drags herself to the Bronze, alone. There, as a romantic slow plays, she spots a guy she thinks is Angel, is not. Just as things couldn't get more depressing for Buffy, Xander shows up, cheering her up considerably. They sit down and catch up - it turns out that Xander didn't tour the country as he planned; his car broke down in Oxnard, and he had to wash dishes (and perhaps do something else) in a strip club to afford repairs. He reveals that he's now living in his parents' basement and paying a rent. Buffy, in turn, fills him in on her unfortunate encounter with Sunday, and confides to him that she doesnÕt think she can beat her - and can't cut it in college. But Xander cheers her up by telling her that she's always been his hero, and reminds her that he's always there to help her. The two of them go to a computer room on campus and do some research; they find out that Sunday and her gang are using an old abandoned frat house. While Xander leaves to get weapons, Buffy climbs up to a skylight on the roof of the frat house and spies the vampires making fun of her belongings Ð including Mr. Gordo. "Laugh all you want. This time we play it my way", she mutters - before accidentally crashing through the skylight, down to SundayÕs feet, further making a fool of herself. Meanwhile, Kathy, Buffy's roommate, has alerted Willow and Oz to her disappearance. Xander shows up in the room, and enthusiastically hugs Willow Ð then Kathy. Realizing he doesn't know her - and she doesn't know what Buffy is Ð he cryptically informs Willow and Oz of the "prank". Back at the lair, Buffy starts fighting the vampires, albeit awkwardly because of her arm. But then Sunday steps on Buffy's "Class Protector" umbrella, infuriating her into full Slayer mode. Buffy shows Sunday she doesn't need both arms, dusting her in no time. Willow, Xander and Oz arrive right on time to help Buffy pick up her belongings. As they leave, they run into Giles, who after having second thoughts decided that he had to help Buffy. One vampire has managed to escape the carnage. However, as he runs away, he's hit with taser guns and abducted by mysterious men wearing ski masks... Summary by OttsFiveByFive.