The original unaired pilot is an interesting little piece of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" history. Made in 1996 to pitch the series, this testing ground is essentially the genesis of the long-running and much beloved show. Though it has not been released in any official capacity, it's easy enough to find bootlegs floating about online with a simple search. And while creator Joss Whedon might not want you to see it, I do think it has enough historical value in the context of the franchise to be worth a one-time watch. Especially for hardcore fans.
Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) has just transferred to Berryman High School and is attending her first day of class. After meeting classmates Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Willow (Riff Regan), Buffy is confronted by the truth-- the school librarian (Anthony Stewart Head) knows about her calling as "The Slayer," a chosen one destined to battle vampires, demons and the forces of darkness. And soon enough, a group of vampires arrive and threaten Buffy and her new friends...
The most interesting thing about this unaired episode are the differences between this early iteration and the final version of the pilot that eventually aired. Perhaps the most notable being that a different actress played Willow. While Alyson Hannigan was obviously the right choice when the show was finally given the greenlight, I will say that I do feel a little bad for Riff Regan. She surprisingly does a very good job as the prototype Willow and is a very solid actress. I could definitely see what they were going for by casting her. It's a shame she left the entertainment industry just a few short years after this pilot was produced.
Also notable is the difference in length. Compared to the final show, this episode seems made to fit a half-hour format, running only about 25 minutes. And for the most part, it works. It more-or-less is able to tell a cohesive story in its short length, and the pace is nice and brisk. Though obviously I do far prefer the hour-long format the final show went with.
On the whole, the unaired pilot does have enough entertainment value to keep you hooked. It's a real shame that this has never been given any sort-of official release, because it's nowhere near as bad as you might think. Sure, it's obviously inferior to the show that it helped spawn, but I can see why this would get networks interested in the series. It's a fun half-hour of "Buffy" history.
I'm giving it a solid 7 out of 10.
Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) has just transferred to Berryman High School and is attending her first day of class. After meeting classmates Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Willow (Riff Regan), Buffy is confronted by the truth-- the school librarian (Anthony Stewart Head) knows about her calling as "The Slayer," a chosen one destined to battle vampires, demons and the forces of darkness. And soon enough, a group of vampires arrive and threaten Buffy and her new friends...
The most interesting thing about this unaired episode are the differences between this early iteration and the final version of the pilot that eventually aired. Perhaps the most notable being that a different actress played Willow. While Alyson Hannigan was obviously the right choice when the show was finally given the greenlight, I will say that I do feel a little bad for Riff Regan. She surprisingly does a very good job as the prototype Willow and is a very solid actress. I could definitely see what they were going for by casting her. It's a shame she left the entertainment industry just a few short years after this pilot was produced.
Also notable is the difference in length. Compared to the final show, this episode seems made to fit a half-hour format, running only about 25 minutes. And for the most part, it works. It more-or-less is able to tell a cohesive story in its short length, and the pace is nice and brisk. Though obviously I do far prefer the hour-long format the final show went with.
On the whole, the unaired pilot does have enough entertainment value to keep you hooked. It's a real shame that this has never been given any sort-of official release, because it's nowhere near as bad as you might think. Sure, it's obviously inferior to the show that it helped spawn, but I can see why this would get networks interested in the series. It's a fun half-hour of "Buffy" history.
I'm giving it a solid 7 out of 10.