Buffy The Vampire Slayer "Buffy vs. Dracula" 5x1 Reaction

For the non-soap opera fans, there's some cool things about this episode when it comes to casting. Rudolf Martin (Dracula) played Anton, Sarah Michelle Geller's love interest on All My Children. Meanwhile, Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn) also starred on the series with the two of them.

cruzinbosco

all will be explained, don't worry. trust that joss and his writers have a purpose and a reason for everything they do. don't look up anything about dawn, however -- or you'll be spoiled. i know the confusion of a new character randomly showing up is frustrating, but again -- all will be explained.

cil

So many funny lines Riley" Yeah you were going to nuzle then to death" Buffy "No more but monkey." Zander " the Masterbater" Dracula doesn't die just runs because he is used to seducing women one on one. Not taking on a group of out of the box thinkers. One of the Scooby gang's strengths.

Melonie Mitchell

Oh Dracula is sexy as hell imo, I had a huge crush on him back then haha

Kris 별

I didn't find Dracula that handsome either. Must have been the thrall :)

That ending reaction is what I came for, lol.

Christine Ester

PLEASE NO SPOILERS IN COMMENTS FOR FUTURE EPISODES I HAVE NOT SEEN YET

Steven Merced

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlad_the_Impaler

DJ Doena

FYI Dracula isn't dead

Tyrence Purnell

Wow, these comments are seriously filled with spoilers. You should definitely get someone to read them over and delete them, Luckily you are very far ahead from where you are with Youtube, cause it's bound to get worse there. Hope nothing gets spoiled for you.

s jaco

Dracula was supposed to be considered very attractive, yes. Which, yikes, ew, I certainly wasn’t into that. Freddy Prinze jr was actually supposed to have had the role but had scheduling issues.

Alexis Cardarella

So excited for your reaction to this episode.

Silvern7552

Season premieres in the Buffy verse are about establishing the new status quo, a reaffirmation and reframing of the protagonist. Welcome to the Hellmouth obviously, when she was bad, Anne, The freshman and Buffy vs Dracula . In each of this episodes, Buffy start by questioning who she is and finding her groove by the end. As for Dracula, he was just a way of playing with the lore, not to be taken seriously as an adversary. That’s not what this show is about. The flashes that we see after Buffy tastes Dracula’s blood are of the first slayer, as we saw in season 4 finale.

Vicky N

Love this season and the next!

Mo

WAIT WHAT?

Steven Merced

When I first saw this ep I wanted to be upset about Dracula dying but with Supernatural I was used to the main characters killing big name bad guys so it's meh lol

Daniel R

Also forgot to mention that yes, I would absolutely be interested in a recap/ranking from you when this is all done!

Andrea

How do you not let Draculas lore take over your storyline, simple you introduce a new character 🙂

Brad turner

I strongly doubt he will. This season’s big bad is glorious!

Andrea

Vlad the Impaler is an actual historical figure. He had 10,000s invaders from the Ottoman Empire impaled which strongly discouraged following invasion attempts.

DJ Doena

It would help his experience I am guilty of this as well sometimes, we have got to start self regulating ourselves....it may not be possible? hahahaha

o

I would seriously consider getting a moderator now. Season 5 is loaded with metaphors and symbolism and just an overall phenomenal season. People like to spoil it, they can’t help themselves. So I would think about getting someone to comment check for Patreon as well as YouTube. You’ll be glad for it.

Chance

why are you telling him this? That sounded meaner, then I intended, but why give him this information?

o

no, buffys dad doesnt have kids with his new family (that we know about). buffys sister is Joyces daughter

colton

He was comparing season 1 of both shows only, not both series as a whole.

Brian Rayburn

mmm i can see that. id argue that the individual episodes (with a couple obvious exceptions) are weaker but i feel for most the highs out weigh the lows.

Vincent Valentin

Unpopular opinion--season 5 is where I check out. I know it's many people's favorite, but I've never cared for it. Maybe because Dawn is my least favorite character, with Tara a close second. I don't know. I'm just kinda meh about it. But, like I said, that's an unpopular opinion.

Aimee

You don't remember that time Faith took Buffy's sister partying?

Vincent Valentin

no they are two different people. I see how you might think it, but not the case. Immortal is Italian, not Vlad the Impaler. There's a couple other things I could say, but same as you, risk of spoilers lo

Holi117

I'm with you on that 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

Nata

im glad Dracula wasn't this season's big bad. I think it was just a fun opener, setting up how Buffy wants to learn and train, and how that spell last season changed her.

Holi117

I agree that Angel is the better show. I still love Buffy. And now we have Dawn.

Melonie Mitchell

The actual reason Dracula was on the show, and only for one episode, was because there was a Dracula mini-series coming up on the WB (same network as Buffy) and they wanted a crossover. Just network stuff. You probably know Michelle Trachtenberg from Harriet the Spy or Eurotrip... Possibly Weeds.

Bisibia

Have you considered a portable AC? My last apartment did not allow AC window units in the rooms facing the street, which is where the bedrooms were. I used a portable AC unit in my bedroom. They're expensive and don't work as well as central or window AC, but at least they help with the increasing temps each year.

Rachael

If you don’t have a mod now would be the time. Season 5 is when most reactors get inundated with spoilers. As for Dracula, being more familiar with his lore would help you understand him more. Most of the things you questioned, bug eating, the wolf, the sisters not eating Giles... all references to drac’s book and movies.

Nick Velasquez

I love your review, this is like seeing it all again for the first time, I am sorry that I write so much, but damn this is so good. I gave it a strong 8 and you are absolutely correct, you do establish the "Big Bad" level with Dracula.

o

I am also sorry 49:33.... "Who the Hell is you?", might quite possibly the funniest response to that moment......hahahahah, I am dying.......then the "WHAT" was 10th Doctor worthy.......hahahahaha

o

Yep, he should just re-watch Buffy's dreams in 3x22, 4x15, and 4x23.

J.D.

I always saw this episode as a Buffy levels up episode. She already had to face several Vampires. 1.) Darla and 2.) blue smurf demon before he became blue smurf demon. 3.) Spike 4.) Dru 5.) Angelus 6.) the "Annoying One", so now she faces the one everyone knows and talks about Dracula and he is put down and in his place in an episode. It shows how far Buffy the Slayer has come.....Again it could be because I did not care for this version of Dracula.

o

Glad to see Dawn getting some much needed time in the spotlight!

Reed James

I'm POSITIVE you won't be disappointed about Dracula not being the season's Big Bad.....I mean, he's intentionally made to be pretty lame and cheesy (you really want more of that lol?), he's just a MOW/tool that serves as a reflection for the heroine and sets-up some season themes

SpikesEcho

Glad that Dracula isn't the Big Bad. Sustaining that sort of character over a season would be difficult. He's only been in this episode and already I find him annoying. Plus, Buffy would never truly be able to defeat the Dark Master! .... bator...

Inseriousity

One of the great reactions to Buffy sister (that they mention in season one as you remember) now don't read anyone comments and enjoy season 5

Juan Sanchez

Yes we would absolutely be interested when Buffy is over for you to do a recap and ranking. Btw, has your brother seen Buffy? Would he want to react to it if not?

Ashley

Where is Angel? I believe we should just keep that going......hahahahaha

o

I'm not a huge fan of this episode but I do love the guy who plays Dracula. His name is Rudolf Martin. Many, many moons ago, when Sarah Michelle Gellar played a very popular bad girl on All My Children, he was her love interest on there as well, so seeing them here together is kind of fun for me. Xander's bug eating is a nod to the original Dracula story. There was a character named Renfield, who was also under the thrall of Dracula, and he claimed that the vampire would send insects to him and he would eat them.

Stephanie Bedworth

This episode when it originally came out, started a curious cute little trend in the Buffy-verse, we didn't have the wonderful internet as it is today, to go look up clips was not a right away thing one could do, so it became a running gag to bring up other moments in which Dawn played a part. It was actually started by Joss himself, when he was asked. I bring that up now because that would be the normal course of action we would bring up instances and you would easily recognize the episode and then go back and watch and find out the truth for yourself, it would show you how much the episodes stood out and your easy recall of which episodes we were discussing. It was kind of a test/initiation of all that you have seen thus far. Recently a weird internet dichotomy has broken out. Female reactors get to go through it, but we inform the males of the truth right away. It is just one of those things that seems to occur and there is no real answer for it. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the mystery, but in reality every time Dawn was on the screen you looked away, so this is your own fault....hahahaha

o

Also, glad you made a note of Spike surviving for so long! He was not supposed to... He was supposed to be a two three episodes villian, but Weadon loved him as character and James Masters' portrayal of Spike, he extended his role in the series.

Nata

And Gossip Girl (so not proud for watching that 😂)

Nata

One episode before "Restless" we have a phrase you have missed, probably because it's so jam packed with stuff. But Dracula says the same phase. So many of us have already said here, you need to pay attention to the dreams, they foreshadow a lot. And here we are finally getting to the beginning of the stuff that's foreshadowed for the rest of the seasons. It all will keep unfolding, just be patient 😊 Thank you for this experience! It's like I am watching Buffy for the first time with you! And I am so glad you are enjoying it!

Nata

don't confuse him lol

Sharon Owen

Yeeeey! Buffy! So happy! My favourite season also Kristian x

Kyle Jordan Ashley Brown

Steven Buffy has always been annoyed with her sister remember back in season 3 when Buffy's sister tried to tag along with Buffy to fight against the mayor.

Crystal vior

And on another side note, I kind of love that Dracula was treated as the showboating primadonna celebrity of the vampire world. All his fancy powers basically being parlor tricks designed to build his rep just felt...right, lol. (and yes, he was the wolf. He could shapeshift into animals in general - the bat thing was just the one that caught on in "the myth")

Andrea

It took all my willpower not to skip to your reaction to the end scene, lol. Great reaction. I disagree in wanting Dracula to be the Big Bad for this season though, even when I first watched it. That would've been predictable and pretty much the go-to expectation, and we know Joss loves subverting those. Much like in a Harry Potter book, the central mystery/villain in most Buffyverse seasons are usually introduced gradually, piece by piece, as the season progresses. But the suggestion that Whedon's premieres don't set up the rest of the season is not really the case either, imo. They just don't set up the BIG BADs of the seasons (well they do, but in very low key ways). Instead they typically just have much more focus on our main protagonists, establishing where they're at emotionally after the events of the previous season, and what their journeys will be. Both this and Angel's S2 premiere very much set up the thematic and character drives for their respective seasons. And I think if you go back to watch them after you finish the seasons, you might agree. I mean if you think about it, we met neither Faith nor the Mayor in Buffy's S3 premiere. Spike and Drusilla didn't enter the picture until a few episodes into S2. That's just how Whedon typically rolls. The baddie/threat in the premiere is usually a one-off meant to help illustrate/establish whatever's going on with our heroes. On a side note, don't worry - this show can handily establish stakes without killing someone off in a premiere. :)

Andrea

To me this is the best season of Buffy and Angel. I do not like this particular episode but I love this season.

Ari is my Cat

Michelle Trachtenberg has been acting since she was a kid, you may recognize her from Harriet The Spy. She also had a leading role in the movie EuroTrip.

Rafael Lemus

This. Entirely this.

Jayna

Frankly, I think Dracula as a big bad would have been too predictable. Especially since it's pretty clear that a popular and well known vampire does not necessarily mean that said vampire is a powerful threat. I'm curious if you'll still feel the same way at the end of this season.

Bryan Terry

Yeah so Dracula was largely there to open buffy’s eyes to what she still doesn’t know and, as with most of the season openings, sets up the theme for the season. Dracula actually even says the same thing that Tara told Buffy in her dream in the season 4 finale, "You think you know what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun." In a way this episode is a carryover from that episode. This season gets really interesting though and I can’t wait to see your reactions to the rest of it!!

DaphneQueen

This episode is fun, I enjoy it. It's campy and that's the intention. I give it an 8.

TheyCallMeJeff

Buffy's sister and Joyce have always had a great relationship.

Collete L

Overall for me this episode is alright, definitely not my favourite season opener. But at least you always remember it for that ending.

s jaco

I loved your reaction at the end.

Ryan Wilson