The Pack (Season 1)

[The Ferg]

Ok, I don't know anyting about like, "arcs", or "character development", but I thought this was one of the scariest/best episodes I've ever seen.

4.5 stakes


Also, I'm new, so I PROBABLY did this wrong...

[LittleMissLikesToFight]

hey, your review, you do it however you like!

The Pack is one of my all time, top 10 buffy episodes. possibly top 5, even. i just think it was brilliant.

[Slayerfest 99]

I love this episode, this was the first buffy episode I saw,I remeber my sister and I watching this(seeing if buffy was worth watching) and I remember thinking "this is sooo cool, and dark!!!" And have watched it ever since ::love::

[Dancing man]

Im not a fan to be honest, it felt cheap and nasty.

[Jules]

I like this episode. I loved the scenes between Giles and Buffy when Buffy is trying to tell Giles that Xander is possessed and he's just fobbing her off saying that Xander's acting like a normal 16 year old boy and then he realises he's wrong!! Its a typical Giles/Buffy moment.

Plus I love the fact that Xander got the chance to play a more dark, dangreous character and that he reverts back to being dorky Xander at the end. It was a nice bonding scene between Xander and Giles when Giles mentions that he's never read anything about loss of memory after a possession!!

And you have the whole Willow/Xander relationship coming into play. I felt so sorry for Willow. But it was great how Xander saves her at the end!!

[Lindsey McDonald]

I didn't like this episode much. I can't help but imagine how much better it would have been if Willow had been possessed, but I suppose that's not the message they were going for. I just really dislike evil!Xander. It just never works for me. Here, The Gift, The Replacement (I know, I know, not evil, but it's the same thing at the start...). It just grates for me. I did like everyone else in the episode though.

[Bluebird]

To me The Pack is one of those episodes that grows on you the more you watch it. At first I didnt really like this one, I just thought it was a bit boring and I seemed like the hyena thing was a silly idea. But now I appreciate the episode for what it is-a great character ep for Xander and Willow that shows how deep their relationship is.

[percepto girl]

^ I was going to say something very similar and then I read your post. I appreciated this episode so much more the second time around. It's very dark, especially since it's a season 1 episode, you don't see that a lot - the students actually ATE the principal. I believe that this is one of the first hints at what makes Whedon-shows so unique: any character can be killed off at any time, so you better be prepared.

Also, on a more superficial side-note, Xander is so yummy in this episode. :D

[Superstar]

Plus I love the fact that Xander got the chance to play a more dark, dangreous character and that he reverts back to being dorky Xander at the end.
Reverts? Or goes back to faking?
You have two major instances where Xander's true inner nature shows through. Not the one he projects for Buffy and Willow.
You could add a third one with The Zeppo in that Xander doesn't back down because he really hasn't all that much to lose.
The Pack is where he is literally unleashed, and The Wish where, as Angel states, a person's personality does shape their vampyness.
Xander (and Willow) were the Master's most vicious creatures and I would hazard a guess that Xander might give Angelus a run for his money.

Im not a fan to be honest, it felt cheap and nasty.
Cheap? How?
Nasty - yes, as outlined above and the point.
It shows you in no uncertain terms that Xander would hurt those closest to him and enjoy it if given the motivation.
Not unlike a certain vampire who got his own show.
I'm not sure what that says about the Xander/Angel dynamic.

The Pack is one of my all time, top 10 buffy episodes. possibly top 5, even. i just think it was brilliant.
One of my favorites as well.

But now I appreciate the episode for what it is-a great character ep for Xander and Willow that shows how deep their relationship is.
Yes. If Xander became a villain (which by the laws of the Jossverse is long overdue) he would be very interesting.

[bucky01403]

I'm jumping on the "I love this episode" bandwagon. While I felt the whole Hyena thing was gay, what was cool about this episode was the exploration of Xander's character and what he's capable of. The influence he has not only on Willow but Buffy as well is immense. He may be the guy without any "super powers'', but he's just as capable as anyone else in the scooby gang is.

[Dlou444]

I can't say it's one of my favorites, but I did have a large reaction to the pig getting eaten and then the principal. I did a lot of just staring at the screen and saying, "Hmmm. They REALLY ate the Principal"
The shock of something so BIG happening was a bit too much so early on. I got over it though....until Joyce.

[Yam Sham]

DON'T LAUGH, but I cried when they ate Principal Flutti.
And I cried when the ate the pig.
It was a very touching episode for me. ):

[chiigusa]

This is one of my favorites in Season 1. Though it seems pretty silly at face value (and my mom and I always have a giggle when we watch it with the stereotypical jungle music and hyena laughter in the background), it's definitely one of the deeper and darker episodes. It may seem to be a typical 'monster-of-the-week' type thing, but it definitely brought a lot out of Xander.

I wish they would have referenced it more than just the couple times that they did, especially after Xander was practically caught in a lie, "I said I didn't remember anything about that, didn't I?" (or something to that extent). It would have been very interesting for the Buffy/Xander dynamic later on...and even the Xander/Willow dynamic and how he didn't finally find her attractive until Season 3.

I guess it turns into more of a metaphor for men being animalistic and are just being restrained (a la Angel).

[Fake Shemp]

............LOVE IT!

He's so sweet at the end with Willow sayign no-one will harm his Willow as he feels guilty about how he treat her when he was possessed.

"Shoot me. Stuff me. Mount me."

[Lily]

I love this episode, probably mostly because it was the first time i was like, Oh, that Xander guy is H.O.T! and the Xander/Giles bonding moment over the secret keeping at the end is perfect, and again one of the first times where they saw eye-to-eye.
Plus, I think they played it out really well, it's a perfect MotW storyline, cause it didn't take away from an arc, but it added points to pull in later (the animal instinct stuff), it's just good all round really :)

[Fake Shemp]

totally and its just a great character episode for xander and willow

[Gwen]

This is my favorite season 1 episode. I think the pack eating Flutie is one of the most disturbing moments of the entire show. Nick did a great job playing 'bad' Xander and, IMHO, it's always nice to see Eion Bailey (Kyle). He turned into a pretty great actor over the years.

[fly on the wall]

I'll be honest, I didn't like the episode when I first saw it. But, rewatching it, I do. It was a creepy ep, no doubt, but it really showcased the Xander/Willow friendship, and what people are capable of when not quite themselves (something that comes up time and time again).

[Ripper 08]

yup love this episode! hyena possesion how do they come up with it lol. it was sheer brilliance i love it any time xander turns dark or bad as it's just so far from the dorkiness that we all know and love from his character.principle fluties morning over the new sunnydale high mascott was good to, loved seeing him chace that pig round it was almost pure ramdomness lol as we hadn't seen an old mascott (might be wrong but don't recall seeing one before this episode or after it either but i think im probably wrong lol). xander and his new friends/pak were a real cool cat bunch walking around like the owned everyone and thing,it was good to see this portraid in an otherwise dorkish character like xander. plus with the sniffing everything too lol brilliant!

one of those best character episodes and deffinately in the top 10 for me

[DOYLE01]

I AGREE I THOUGHT THE PACK WAS THE BEST EPISODE IN SEASON ONE

[Dlou444]

But, there was piggy death. That's always sad!

[DarkAvenger]

The Pack was one of my favourite episodes in this season. But I feel sorry for Willow every time I watch this episode... and for Xander because of the *eating the pig* thing! urghh But i think it's a good and funny episode. ;)

Ah, and how could I forget! Poor Herbert and principal Flutie!! :(

[Lizzierainbow]

I ahve to say i do like this episode quite a bit, besides the fact that xander looks incredibly sexy, all in all it is a really good episode (okay besides the piggy death).
I love one of the songs in this episode too its by a band called 'far' its amazing.

[DarkAvenger]

oh yeah, Xander looked really sexy in this episode ::drool:: hehe

[xcutsoflovex]

I just watched this episode last night. It's not one of my favorites but I do think it's a good episode. I love when Buffy goes 'Are you gonna say anything to me??' Haha, no!! I was pissed seeing Xander act that way but the ending was really cute when he said 'Nobody hurts my Willow'. Awww :)

[BASBritt]

I love "The Pack!" While it isn't one of my all-time favorites over the entire series, I think it's one of the better Xander episodes of the series, for sure. I think it was very on pointe as far as showing how Xander could be if he turned to the dark side. Think of all the cutting, nasty things he's said all in good sarcasm over the years. His comments about Angel, Cordelia, etc... And he meant them with all his heart! He could definitely be a good villain. And I think whoever said he might have given Angelus a run for his money was completely on. I totally agree.