Welcome to Rewatching Buffy, the part of the blog where I rewatch Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Each Tuesday evening, you’re invited to join me as I attempt to rediscover what made me love this show 21 years ago.

Buffy vs. Dracula

• How can anyone not believe that this episode is epic.
• It’s Buffy.
• Versus.
• Dracula.
• Welcome to season five, kids. And we’re kicking things off with a bang.
• Buffy seems to be having trouble sleeping.
• But it’s not because her dreams are still haunted by the spirit of the First Slayer.
• No… It’s because she feels the need. The need for… uh… not speed… slaying?
• That doesn’t rhyme. But it’s accurate.
• She goes out to patrol and dusts a vampire before snuggling back into bed.
• The gang hangs out at the beach until a sudden storm rolls in.
• Like in every Dracula movie ever, a couple of movers deliver a large crate to a castle.
• Since when is there a castle in Sunnydale?
• Anyway, an arm busts out of the crate and slashes the throat of one of the movers, killing him.
• Meanwhile, Giles has Willow scanning all of his books into a computer because, he confesses to her, that he’s planning to go back to England.
• He doesn’t feel needed as Buffy’s Watcher. She doesn’t need a Watcher anymore.
• Buffy wraps up dinner with Joyce, eager to get out on patrol.
• Dracula watches Buffy fighting and staking a random vampire.
• Then he approaches, telling her it was an impressive hunt.
• She taunts him a little, asking if he knows what a Slayer is. His retort: “Do you?”
• Then he introduces himself, but she finds it a little unbelievable.
• She says she’s fought more than a few vampires claiming to be Lestat.
• Dracula claims that Buffy Summers is known throughout the world. And he wanted to meet the renowned killer.
• He tells her that her power is rooted in darkness.
• She attempts to stake him, but he turns to smoke and moves away.
• When Xander and Willow interrupt, Xander makes fun of his accent a bit, and then he turns into a bat and flies away.
• Back at Giles’ place, they recount their encounter with the count.
• Turns out, Anya knows Dracula. They may have had a thing during her vengeance demon days.
• They split up to research and sleep. But Riley says he’s wired.
• In wolf form, Dracula stalks Xander and Anya as they walk through town.
• When Anya leaves, Dracula approaches Xander and turns him into his mindless servant. His reward will be immortality… or becoming a vampire. This sounds like a good deal to the brainwashed Xander.
• Riley goes to Spike for info on Dracula.
• Spike claims they’re old rivals. He says that Dracula is a glory hound and it’s his fault that everyone knows how to kill vampires.
• Spike then warns Riley that he’s out of his depth if he thinks he can take on Dracula.
• As smoke, Dracula seeps in through Buffy’s window.
• Uh… who invited him into her house?
• He has a way of hypnotizing her, and then she allows him to feed on her.
• The next morning, Buffy’s not dead… That’s a relief.
• But she decides to wear a scarf to cover the puncture wounds on her neck.
• The gang gets back together to go over the info they’ve found.
• Xander’s acting strange, trying to throw the others off the scent. And he’s eating spiders.
• Buffy’s acting strange, too. Riley confronts her and removes the scarf, revealing the bite.
• Willow and Tara go to Buffy’s house to revoke Dracula’s invitation. Turns out, Joyce had invited him in. He was very charming.
• Buffy goes to Xander’s to stay safe. But when the time is right, it’s his job to deliver Buffy to Dracula.
• Buffy tries to break Dracula’s thrall over her.
• She pulls out a stake, but he commands her to put it down and she obeys.
• Giles and Riley arrive, having discovered Dracula’s castle.
• Meanwhile, Dracula gets philosophical with Buffy.
• He wants Buffy to drink his blood.
• Riley comes across Xander, who tries to stop him. But Riley knocks Xander out with one punch.
• Giles falls into a room and points out that at least he didn’t get knocked out this time.
• And then he’s met by the three sisters, who turn him into their play thing.
• Dracula explains that if she drinks, she won’t turn. She would have to be close to death.
• And then he quotes Buffy’s dream… “You think you know what you are. What’s to come. You haven’t even begun.”
• Then she drinks.
• She sees a vision of the First Slayer and of herself fighting.
• The thrall has gone out of her relationship with Dracula.
• They fight.
• Riley pulls Giles out of the pit of vampire ladies.
• Buffy is still fighting Dracula. He turns to smoke and she’s able to predict where he rematerializes and stakes him. He’s dust.
• Xander’s spell is broken and he’s tired of being used by all these cursed beings over the years.
• Some time later, Dracula rematerializes again. But Buffy is ready and stakes him again. “You think I haven’t seen your movies? You always come back.”
• He begins to rematerialize again and she points out that she’s still standing right there. It’s kind of funny.
• In the end, Giles is getting ready to tell Buffy that he’s going to leave. But before he gets the chance, Buffy tells him that she’s been feeling a stronger connection to the source of the Slayer’s power.
• She needs her Watcher now more than ever.
• Later, Buffy tells her mom that she’s going to the movies with Riley. She suggests taking her sister with her since she’s going out.
• Wait… Buffy has a sister? Yeah… Prepare to meet Dawn.
• Body count: Vampires – 2; Humans – 1… I’m not counting Dracula being dusted because he always comes back.