Writer:

Rob Des Hotel

Dean Batali

Director:

David Semel

Regulars:

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers

Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris

Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg

Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase

Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles

Guest Stars:

Mark Metcalf as the Master

David Boreanaz as Angel

Andrew J. Ferchland as The Anointed One

Cast:

Christopher Wiehl as Owen

Geoff Meed as Andrew Borba

Paul-Felix Montez as Mysterious guy

Robert Mont as Van driver

The vampiric hi-jinks in this episode, including the Order of Aurelius and the Anointed One, come purely from the mind of the writers. See "Welcome To The Hellmouth / The Harvest" for a discussion of the vampires themselves.

Member of Aurelius

Staked by Buffy in a graveyard.

Van Driver

Drained by a Member of Aurelius in the street.

Colin

Vamped by a Member of Aurelius in the street.

Colin's Mother

Drained by a Member of Aurelius in the street.

Anonymous Woman

Drained by a Member of Aurelius in the street.

Andrew Borba

Vamped by a Member of Aurelius in the street.

Andrew Borba

Staked by Buffy in the funeral home.

Total: Seven

The Master: "And one of the brethren shall go out hunting the night before and get himself killed, because he couldn't wait to finish his job before he ate. Oh, wait... that's not written anywhere."

Xander: "So, Buffy, how'd the slaying go last night?"
Buffy: "Xander!"
Xander: "I mean, how'd the laying go last night. No, I don't mean that either."

Buffy: "But... cute guy... teenager... post-pubescent fantasies!"

Giles: "I have volumes of lore, of prophecies, of predictions, but I don't have an instruction manual. We feel our way as we go along. And, I must say, as a Slayer you're doing... pretty well."

More quotes from this episode...

• "At least you don't have to eat your Soylent Green."  In the 1973 movie of the same name, Soylent Green is a green substance produced by the government to feed the overpopulated New York City of 2022. Starring Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson, it has one of the best and most famous surprise endings ever.

• "Clark Kent has a job. I just want to go on a date."  For those who have lived under a rock for their whole lives, Clark Kent is the mild-mannered secret identity of Superman.

• Giles says that he doesn't have an instruction manual, but in the second season episode "What's My Line, Part Two," Kendra mentions the Slayer Handbook, which Giles thought would be useless in Buffy's case. Either it doesn't have actual "instructions" in it, or Giles didn't know about it at this point, or the writers hadn't thought of it yet. ;-)
        Spotted by Nikki.

• This episode was released on 20th Century Fox Home Video on September 15, 1998, as part of the first Buffy the Vampire Slayer Box Set.

• Giles' California license plate is 2GPU947.

• Giles is at least a third generation Watcher, as his father and his paternal grandmother were Watchers before him. Giles' father told him he was destined to be a Watcher when he was ten, ruining young Rupert's plans to become either a fighter pilot or a grocer.

• Three Day Wheely - "Rotten Apple" (From Rubber Halo, IRS Records, 1996)
  Plays as Cordelia and Owen dance after Buffy misses her first date with Owen.
  
  
• Velvet Chain - "Strong" (From the BtVS Soundtrack, TVT Records, 1999; and Warm, Overall Records, 1997)
  Velvet Chain is the band on stage at the Bronze during Owen and Buffy's date. They play "Strong" as they sit on the couch talking.
  
  
• Velvet Chain - "Treason" (From Warm, Overall Records, 1997)
  This plays when Buffy asks Owen to dance.
  
  
• Rubber - "Junkie Girl" (unavailable)
  Plays at The Bronze as Angel shows up to warn Buffy about the Anointed One.
  
  
• Kim Richey - "Let the Sun Fall Down" (From Kim Richey, Mercury Nashville Records, 1995)
  Plays in the background as Buffy "breaks up" with Owen.

Brian:

The most lightweight, and probably the least enjoyable, of the "continuity" episodes from the first season, but considering the consistently high quality of the season, that's not a bad thing. This episode boasts some of my favorite scenes (Buffy trying to persuade Giles to let her go on a date, Owen asking Buffy out for the second time in the hallway while a jealous Xander looks on, Angel ignoring Cordelia for Buffy at the Bronze) and some of my favorite lines ("I mean, how'd the LAYING go last night? No, I don't mean that either."; "But...cute guy...teenager...post-pubescent fantasies?"; "Sure, he has a certain Owenosity.") from the first season. The overall product was, to me, slightly unsatisfying, but only by comparison to the rest of the season's episodes. (6/10)

Will:

Buffy falls victim to a vicious crush on a young man named Owen. "He has a certain Owenosity," says Xander. The topic of teen love has been tackled in just about every television show with teens in it. The challenge here is for Buffy to slay vampires and date at the same time. Yes, it sounds corny to the casual observer but the show carries on with its usual charm while tackling a concern of every high schooler: Teen love. The light frivolity of this episode hurt it a little bit, but it was still a good episode. (7/10)