Living crap

The following conversation was cut from the episode Homecoming:

Buffy: “Okay, how ’bout… you vote for me and I don’t beat the living crap out of you?”
Jonathan: “That works for me.”
Buffy: “Tell your friends!”

PB Crazed

One of Michelle’s weaknesses in Buffy’s list in Homecoming is that she’s “PB Crazed”. This probably a nod to the fans that visited the posting board on the official Buffy web site.

Sarah breaks a bone

Sarah Michelle Gellar broke a bone in her hand whilst filming the episode Homecoming. When she is standing in front of the white board in the library, you can see a bandage on her left hand.

Chad Stahelski

Chad Stahelski, who played spiny-headed demon Kulak in the episode Homecoming, was David Boreanaz’s stunt double in both Buffy and Angel. He was the stunt double for Keanu Reeves in the Matrix movies and was the body double for the ill-fated Brandon Lee on The Crow. He was also Keanu Reeves’s stunt double in the 2000 movies The Gift and The Replacements. Chad has done stunts for Wild Wild West, 8MM, My Favorite Martian, Alien: Resurrection and Bean, as well as numerous other movies. He was the stunt co-ordinator for the Firefly movie Serenity.

Ian Abercrombie

Ian Abercrombie, who plays the boss of the German twins in Homecoming, was born in London and began his theatrical career as a boy during the Blitz in World War II. He worked on stage for years before trying his hand on TV and in movies. His movie roles include Scooby Doo 2: Monster’s Unleashed (which starred Sarah Michelle Gellar), Endgame (as The Narrator), Wild Wild West, Jurassic Park: The Lost World (as Hammond’s Butler), Addams Family Values, and Army of Darkness (as Wiseman). Ian’s many TV appearances include roles in General Hospital, Birds of Prey, Star Trek: Voyager, Seinfeld (as ‘Mr Pitt’), Touched by an Angel, Babylon 5, Twin Peaks, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Tales from the Crypt, ALF, Murder, She Wrote, Falcon Crest, Dynasty, Happy Days, and The Six Million Dollar Man.

Jack Plotnik

Jack Plotnik played the Deputy Mayor of Sunnydale, Alan Finch. He also played a cop in Clerks, Barrett in Ellen and Sammy in Joan of Arcadia. He has also been in Gods and Monsters, Say It Isn’t So, Down With Love and Meet the Fockers.

Jennifer Hetrick

Jennifer Hetrick played the teacher Ms. Moran (whom Buffy asked for a reference) in Homecoming. Jennifer played the girlfriend of Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Walter Skinner’s wife in The X Files. There is an action figure available for her Star Trek character.

Candy Gorch

Candy Gorch was a female vampire who married Lyle Gorch after the death of his brother, Techtor. The two entered the Slayerfest ‘98 competition, during which Candy was staked by Buffy, using the handle of a spatula in Homecoming.

Frederick and Hans Gruenstahler

The German twins, Frederick and Hans Gruenstahler, were said by Deputy Mayor Alan Finch to be, “wanted in Germany for capital murder, terrorism, the bombing of Flight 1402…”. They were competitors in Mr Trick’s Slayerfest ‘98. The twins planned to kill the Slayers using expensive technology and weapons, tracked by their boss from a remote location. They tracked Buffy and Cordelia by giving them bugged corsages, and received orders from their boss through earpieces. Buffy tricked them into shooting each other in Homecoming.

Holly Charleston

Holly was a popular Asian girl at Sunnydale High who was joint winner of the Homecoming Queen competition, along with Michelle Blake. They beat Buffy and Cordelia to the prize in Homecoming.

Jungle Bob

Bob was a competitor in Slayerfest ‘98. He was human and was armed with a shotgun and animal traps. He got his ankle stuck in one of his own iron traps in Homecoming.

Dare to resist

There is a sign in the school yard in Homecoming which says, “Dare to resist drugs and violence”. It can be seen in the scene where Buffy gives two students some muffins.

Hemery High

Before she moved to Sunnydale, Buffy attended Hemery High in L.A. The school was also the setting of the 1992 Buffy movie. Buffy was expelled from there as she burned down the gym (there was a bunch of vampires in there at the time). We see her in a flashback at Hemery High in Becoming (Part 1), and Buffy and Ford mention the school in Lie to Me. Buffy refers to her time at Hemery High in Homecoming, mentioning that she was the Prom Princess and the Fiesta Queen at that school, as well as being on the cheerleading squad.
The building used as Hemery was previously used as the clock tower in the Back To The Future movies. The set is at Universal Studios, along with a number of European village sets often used in Buffy and Angel flashbacks.

Long story

In Faith, Hope and Trick, the following dialogue takes place:

Willow: “Oz is a werewolf.”
Buffy: “Long story.”
Oz: “I got bit.”
Buffy: “Apparently not that long.”

This is similar to a conversation which takes place, two episodes later, in Homecoming:

Buffy: “Long story.”
Cordelia: “Got hunted.”
Buffy: “Apparently not that long.”

Mayor’s first appearance

The Mayor is seen for the first time in Homecoming, having been mentioned in various earlier episodes (Some Assembly Required, Becoming (Part 2), Dead Man’s Party). He says that this is an “important year for him” which becomes more apparent later in the season when he reveals he’s going to have an Ascension.

Perfect moment

Buffy’s obsession with having a perfect high school moment in Homecoming is finally realised in The Prom when she awarded with the Class Protector prize and then dances with Angel.

Zombie voters

In Homecoming, Buffy says lots of people came to her Welcome Home party, seen in Dead Man’s Party, so they might vote for her for Homecoming Queen. Willow points out, “But they were killed by zombies.”

Fastball

As Cordy and Buffy are campaigning for Homecoming Queen we hear the song ‘Fire Escape’ by Fastball, from the album All The Pain Money Can Buy.

Four Star Mary

The music for Oz’s band Dingoes Ate My Baby was provided by real-life band Four Star Mary. James Marsters has performed with them on stage (off screen) a few times. The band themselves appeared in the season four finale Restless, as the band who play with Giles during the Exposition Song.

Four Star Mary songs can be heard in the following Buffy episodes:

• Inca Mummy Girl - The songs ‘Shadows’ and ‘Fate’ at the Cultural party in The Bronze.
• Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered - ‘Pain’ is heard in The Bronze.
• Dead Man’s Party - The Dingoes mime to ‘Pain’, ‘Nevermind’ and ‘Sway’ at Buffy’s party.
• Homecoming - we hear the song ‘She Knows’ at the Homecoming Dance - it’s the song Oz wrote for Willow.
• Living Conditions - ‘Pain is heard when Buffy and Willow move into their dorm room.
• Band Candy - the Dingoes mime onstage at The Bronze to ‘Violent’, when the adults are acting weirdly.
• Revelations - Dingoes Ate My Baby perform ‘Run’ in The Bronze at the start of the episode.
• The Harsh Light of Day - ‘Dilate’ is played at the Bronze at the start of the episode.
• The Initiative - Riley gets the song ‘Fate’ turned off at the party as it upsets Willow.

Lisa Loeb

In Homecoming we hear Lisa Loeb’s ‘How’ when Willow and Xandertry on their outfits and kiss. The song is from the album Firecracker.

Lori Carson

The episode Homecoming’s soundtrack includes the song ‘Fell into Loneliness’ by Lori Carson, while the gang discuss whether ot not to get a limo.

Pinehurst Kids

In Homecoming we hear the song ‘Jodie Foster’ by the Pinehurst Kids, as the yearbook pictures are being taken.

Kulak

Kulak was an aggressive, orange demon with a spiny head and long, jagged knives hidden within each forearm which he used to throw at victims. He was a member of the Miquot Clan. Kulak took part in Slayerfest ‘98, and was blown up by the Germans when they threw a grenade near him in Homecoming.

Chia Pet

Cordelia says of Xander in Homecoming, “He kind of grows on you. Like a Chia Pet.” Chia Pets are pots in the shape of various animals which are used to grow plants.

So goes the nation

Oz says in Homecoming, “As Willow goes, so goes my nation.” This comes from the political adage that goes: “As Maine goes, so goes the nation”, meaning that whoever Maine voted for in the presidential election was the one who became President (it no longer really works, but people still say it). General Motors also took the phrase for their ad campaign: “As General Motors goes, so goes the nation”.

Star Trek

There are many cast/crew links between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the long-running cult sci-fi show Star Trek. Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder) played Quark in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for seven years. Dominic Keating, who played Blair in the episode Helpless, later went on to star in Star Trek: Enterprise as Lt. Reed. Jennifer Hetrick, who played the teacher Ms. Moran in Homecoming (whom Buffy asked for a reference) played the girlfriend of Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Buffy writer Jane Espenson wrote an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine called ‘Accession’. Star Trek has also been referenced numerous times in Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

• In Prophecy Girl, Xander says, “Calm may work for Locutus of Borg here, but I’m freaked and I intend to stay that way.” Upset by Giles’ reserve, he is referencing Star Trek’s emotionless cyborgs from the episode ‘The Best of Both Worlds’. Locutus was the name given to Captain Pickard (Patrick Stewart) when he was captured, and ‘assimilated, by the Borg.
• In Homecoming, Cordelia woos the nerds at Sunnydale High by saying, “Are you kidding? I’ve been doing the Vulcan death grip since I was 4.”
• In Consequences, Cordy calls Wesley, “Giles the next generation” in a reference to Star Trek: The Next Generation.
• In Out of My Mind, Buffy says, “You’re like my fairy godmother and Santa Claus and Q all wrapped up into one… Q from Bond not Star Trek“.
• In The Replacement, the two Xanders say, “Kill us both Spock” - a reference to a Star Trek episode where Kirk is split two - one being good and one bad.
• In Flooded, the nerds vote with the Star Trek Vulcan salute, which is the same salute that Cordelia used to impress the ‘geeks’ in Homecoming.
• In Smashed, Spike tells the nerds, “You can play holodeck another time” - he means the virtual reality technology used in Star Trek.
• The nerds compare Buffy’s time loop in Life Serial with an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called ‘Cause and Effect’ (Andrew: “I just hope she solves it faster than Data did on the ep of TNG where the Enterprise kept blowing up.”)
• In As You Were, Buffy says. “they’re like really mean Tribbles”, referring to the popular, but quick breeding, pets on board the Starship Enterprise.
• After her visit to the nerds’ ‘lair’ in Doublemeat Palace, Willow says that they had numerous pictures of the “Vulcan women from Enterprise“. She’s referring to Jolene Blaylock, who played T’pol in UPN’s Star Trek show.
• The episode Normal Again is similar to the season five episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine called ‘Far Beyond the Stars’. In that episode, Captain Benjamin Sisko imagines that he is a science fiction writer living on 1950s Earth and writing about a station full of aliens called Deep Space Nine. He hallucinates that the people he knows in the 1950s are futuristic aliens and is thrown into an asylum.
• In Seeing Red, Andrew references Star Trek: The Next Generation when he discusses who’s boss of the nerds: “Warren’s the boss. He’s Picard, you’re Deanna Troi. Get used to the feeling, Betazoid.” In that episode, Xander realises that the nerds had love poems in their lair written in Klingon.
• In Grave, after the Magic Box has been destroyed, a William Shatner book can be seen on the floor.
• In Conversations with Dead People, we learn that Andrew learned Klingon (a language in Star Trek) from a dictionary in two and a half weeks.
• In Dirty Girls, Andrew hilariously confuses Faith’s murder of a Volcanologist with a Vulcan:
  

  Andrew: “Nobody was immune to her trail of destruction. Not friends, not family, not even the most pacifist and logical of races…”
  Amanda: “What the hell are you talking about? I thought Faith killed a volcanologist.”
  Andrew: “Silly, silly Amanda. Why would Faith kill a person who studies Vulcans?”

Seen at 09.13 minutes:

After Buffy and Faith finish their training session, Faith lays the punching pads on the table. In the next shot, she’s still holding them and just placing them down.

Seen at 36.16 minutes:

In Homecoming, Buffy uses a spatula to stake the vampire called Candy. The spatula can be seen sticking out of Candy - but nowhere near her heart so she shouldn’t have been dusted. There is also a possible error as the spatula looks to be made of plastic, not wood, though this cannot be proved.