Watching reactors mental breakdown at the end of this episode will never get old 😂

S5 cemented Buffy as one of the greatest shows of all time.

The collective “mom!” from the two sisters is so priceless. It never gets old after 5 seasons.

Xander eating bugs was a callback to Dracula's assistant Renfield, who did the same thing.

"Riley just doesn't feel like a Buffy character" He's just not whimsical enough lol he feels too damn normal. He speaks like a person. The rest of the cast speak like only Buffy characters do.

"You think you know, what you are, what's to come. You haven't even begun."

Sorry--last one--but Dracula repeats what Tara says to Buffy at the end of season 4 (during the dream episode)--''You think you know... what you are, what's to come. You haven't even begun."

Funny how no reactors remember Buffy’s sister at the start of this season. You’ll get there! 👍

Welcome to the reaction we all had when this aired

18:29 Cass.exe has stopped functioning.

This episode is actually very faithful to the lore of the original Dracula novel by Bram Stoker. Dracula turns into a wolf there as well. Xander plays the part of Renfield, who also went crazy and ate bugs. Dracula can also influence the weather, so the rain at the beginning wasn't Willow's fault. Dracula caused the thunderstorm to avoid getting killed by sunlight.

Remember what Faith said about getting off on fighting vampires? in the opening sequence, Buffy is laying in bed with her boyfriend, she gets up with out waking him, goes to a cemetery and fights and slays a vampire. Then she sneaks back into bed with her boyfriend and smiles. Buffy may have poo poo'd Faith's pronouncement, but she does get off on fighting vampires.

The ultimate puzzled look by every reactor is priceless. It's like everything you thought you knew was a lie.

Fun fact: the actor that plays Dracula played SMG's boyfriend in the soap opera she was on where she won an Emmy.

Without spoiling anything, I'm just going to say in regards to the ending that most people agree this is a well written show. It will make sense, just gotta trust the process.

Reactor memories are so short! I know she wasn’t really in season 4, but I can’t believe you thought Buffy was an only child 😂😂

Season 5 of Buffy . The. Greatest. Season. Of. Television. Ever.

The Master in season 1 had mind control abilities. Druscilla had it in a way, but she had some before becoming a vampire.

Fact is.. Buffy was merely a prequel to Ice Princess - it's pretty remarkable that you didnt get spoiled on that thus far, but then again.. Buffy fans are pretty respectful about that twist.

You're usually so observant. Her sister's always been there.

Season 5 is so good. Some of the best tv of all time. Excited for your reaction! 🎉

Someone with better editing skills than my nonexistent ones really needs to put together a compilation of reactions to that last scene.

I cant even put into words how excited I am for season 5. I hope you enjoy!

The end of this episode is probably my favorite Buffy reaction every single time. Just hilarious. Oh, I do love her little sister.

Season 5 is my favourite. A masterpiece. And all the seeds were planted in Restless & here, in Buffy Vs. Dracula. 🖤

3:50 They broke up off screen and she’s never mentioned again. The fan theory is that she wanted kids and Giles did not. It comes from the fact that she was crying over an empty baby carriage in “Restless”

I remember watching this episode when it first aired back in the days and I was BAFFLED and on top had to wait a whole WEEK for answers... 😭

“Ice princess…?” I’m howling 😂😂😂

Watching people react to the end of this episode will never not make me laugh!

One thing you might only notice on rewatches is how there have been some hints about this episode and the season in general in previous dream seqauences.

Xander's seeming addiction to eating insects is a reference to the original Bram Stoker's "Dracula" novel. In it, there's a character named Renfield who lives in a mental institution. He eats bugs, he wants immortality from his master, and Dracula toys with him. There are also 3 female vampires (the bride sisters) who reside in Dracula's castle and eat babies. The hero of the story (Jonathan) visits the castle and is seduced by them. Also, Buffy's sister, duh... it's her sister, remember? Geesh.

Dracula is just the 3rd vampire we have seen that has the power of hypnosis. Just 3 in 4 seasons plus 1 episode.

"You think you know what you are, what's to come." Don't know if you mention it in the full reaction. But this same line was said by Tara in Buffy's dream in Restless.

Joss Whedon wanted Amber Benson to be in the opening credits but the Network nixed it because it would mean a large pay raise for her. And the Studio didn't want to pay her more.

Hey good to see Buffy's sister again! Haven't seen her since Season 1 🥰

I’ve literally had the worst day and seeing u post this has made it better thank you and love you

You are entering into my favorite season of Buffy! The characters and their interactions and the storyline are just all so much fun here! I cannot wait to watch your journey.

Dracula is in the public domain so he can literally never die. When they were writing the episode they were creating an old school vampire and they kept saying “like Dracula” so many times they eventually decided to check if they could just use Dracula. Public domain, so yeah. Also, the actor starred in a movie about Dracula around the same time. I think I’ve heard there was some buzz or marketing noting the connection at some point.

Out of all the season openers this is the funniest. I laugh at the scene where Xander shoves Anya in the closet.

Great reaction to a very underrated episode. Classic Whedon where he hides important details, plot lines, and information in a campy episode with a shock ending. Take your advice and be patient and know all will be explained… just not on your time clock. No spoilers so much of this episode can be referenced in the future. Classic misdirection one… the opening sequence. You said it’s like many Buffy openings and a successful slaying starts the episode. But this is very different. We have never seen Buffy restless in bed before. She has always slept deeply and wakes up after Angel, loathsome Parker, and Riley. But Buffy can’t sleep and needs something more. Next she is in full sprint to catch and slay a vampire. This is not a patrol but a lioness in full gallop to capture its prey. This has the look and feel of a documentary on cats of prey finding and killing their meal to be satisfied. After the staking… no funny quips, no smile, just the look of fulfillment of mission. Then Buffy returns to bed to get sleep and a fulfilling rest. This is different and is setting the stage that Buffy talks to Giles about her actions. She says she has been hunting and not patrolling.Big difference. She talks about how Dracula knew more about herself/ power than she does. Go back to Dracula and his observation of the scar left by Angel. When you rewatch the Angel feeding on Buffy scene in Graduation, Part 2, watch from a sexual viewpoint. There is passion , desire, and lust that was not there when Buffy had sex with Angel. Their first time was sweet and full of Innocence. The feeding is very sexual and mature. It’s powerful and the way Buffy acts is that of satisfaction. Then ask yourself where did the power come from that grew the jungle in Where The Wild Things Grow.? One of the most powerful actions in the universe is making life and combined with unleashed inner sexual energy, creation of life/ power . Dracula does not want anyone, he wants to seduce Buffy. He wants that feeling that Angel experienced but it can only happen if Buffy is willing to become one.Buffy, like Faith or any other, is drawn to the power of selfish desires. That’s why Buffy has a taste but rewatch the sequence shown while Buffy drinks. She rejects and understands herself. She will not be satisfied in quenching urges/selfish desire. She sees that being just a Slayer or satisfying emotions to please herself is not her nature. She sees that she has a base of power that the Slayer is. She is being told that she can have an eternity of earthly power and worldly possessions with Dracula… power, sexual satisfaction, all that millions have sought since the beginning of life and Buffy says No.This is one of the classic stories in Western Culture. Evil, the devil.. offers the world and eternal life if you just give up your humanity. From Faust to the Twilight Zone we have seen those take the offer. But Buffy is truly special. She rejects it all. First she kills Dracula and then she recruits Giles to find out more on being a Slayer so she can reject being just a hunter/killer. This is the duality that Buffy has faced since Faith.

I love the confusion at the end of this episode lmao

You did see Buffy as a vampire in Nightmares from the first season.

18:27 - Cass.exe has stopped responding. 😂 Reactions to the ending of this episode never get old.

@2:37 I heard that red mark on Buffy's back is supposed to be from when she got her tattoo removed in Season 1, that's insanely good continuity

Ice Princess indeed, a fun movie. Also Europtrip. "Scotty doesn't know!"

Buffy would need to be near death, then drink Dracula's blood, in order to be turned into a vampire.

I loved the look of dejection on Xander's face when he found out Giles was educed by three swxy vamps, while he was eating bugs instead. The bug eating thing was a reference to Dracula's original assistant from the novel, Renfield.

Cass: "Maybe she's a demon child of Joyce's and she just popped into existence." Dang. That's harsh. Calling Buffy's sis a demon child? Yikes lol. I don't know why people always forget about Buffy's sister. I guess they get caught up in the story that they forget she's been there since day 1.

The reaction at the end was all of our reaction 😂

Interesting assumption that when the lab was destroyed, all chips were deactivated. You know, like all sold computers stop working the moment a factory is shut down.

S5 was 2000-01. Actually S1-4 didnt start with successful cemetery fights. A lot of people I knew had issues with this episode, but it was one of my favorite season premieres. Yes, Michelle Trachtenberg was in Ice Princess, 17 Again and Eurotrip, etc. Wait. You don't remember her from the past seasons?

One of my favorite endings to watch someone watch!

Might be my favorite episode reaction from you yet, that end just totally throws everyone!

"Ice Princess?!" First time I've seen a reactor recognize her that way. One person did say, "It's Harriet the Spy!"

This episode is always hilarious to zoom to the post-episode analysis for any reactor

I think vampire lore consists of them being able to shape shift into wolves or something like that. It happens in the greatest vampire movie ever, OG Fright Night.

Girl, I don't know how to break it to you. But Olivia dumped Giles after Hush.

Drusilla has the power to compel as well. We saw her use it on Giles and Kendra.

11:00: Yes, Cass, Dracula thinks she enjoyed it. She kinda did. Go back to 03x21 and watch that scene between Angel and Buffy again.

How do you not remember Buffy's sister!? She's been in so many episodes

This is my first time commenting here, i have been waiting for you to get to season 5, since literally S1! I cannot wait to continue watching you unpack this❤

I always wondered why you never mentioned her sister in past episodes. Glad to see you finally acknowledging her!

Put your faith in that they make it work.

The confusion at the end. I love it. :p

Best moment in this video -- your reaction to the train whistle

I first saw Michelle Trachtenberg in the live-action "Inspector Gadget" movie. You are going to love her here.

Weird how reactors don't know about Buffy's sister. I guess we were more observant back in the day. 🤷‍♂

this is buffy's BEST HAIR season!!!

I always took it for granted Dracula and Joyce DID get it on! Yes, it's the Ice Princess, Penny Gadget, Harriet the Spy, Georgina Sparks and a whole lot more.

Rewatch the first two fights and you'll see that Buffy was indeed "hunting" and not patrolling or even Slaying. She was scratching a very, very deep itch.

one of the best season opener and my fav personally ✨

I love Dawn. Ever since she found out Buffy was the slayer in season 2 and kept that from Joyce. And her interactions with Angel when he came back in season 3 were so sad.

Yeah, the original Dracula had some sort of mental influencd over others, along with a handful of ogher powers. Also, why are you confused? Buffy's always had a sister.

In this episode, Xander is the Renfield character - Dracula's devoted, bug-eating servant.

The Slayer before Buffy was turned into a vampire and Joss Whedon planned to have her as the big bad for season four and that he regretted not doing it. The only hangover of this is Sunday from episode one. Personally, I don't see how having a super powerful vampire as the big bad would be different from the first two seasons with the Master and Angelus. I never get tired of watching reactor's bafflement to the end of this episode.

Season 5 is amazing you have no idea what’s to come. Season 2 and this season were my faves just big game changers to the series

"Oh my gosh, are they wearing a purple shirt and purple pants?" More then that, Buffy is black top, purple pants, and Xander is purple shirt, black pants. They are perfectly coordinated, top and bottom.

The Master and Drusilla have both demonstrated their mental abilities. They both used them to kill Buffy and Kendra, respectively. Dru also went into Giles mind to use his memory of Jenny to break him. So some other vampires have limited abilities.

About time Buffy's sister started getting some quality air time!

with the jelly donut, remember to early 4th season and the jelly sandwich dripping on her shirt and how Buffy got about that? She doesn't like jelly that is spilling out of food that could spill on clothes.

I do like some of the novel shoutouts--Xander getting turned into a mindless bug eater like Renfield, Dracula having the ability to turn into a wolf, mist; the 3 vampire ladies. Are there some others?

It's nice to see Buffy's sister finally getting more screen time. She really hasn't been around since season 2, as the actress was off filming the Inspector Gadget movie.

Yay! One of my fav Buffy reactors fr

The other vampires not having the "usual" vampire powers was a cost cutting measure (plus, Buffy would need something to compensate these abilities or else her slaying would be rather tedious, with her having to catch them by surprise. And no cool chit-chat before the staking)

Yes yes yes season 5 in my opinion really makes up for season 4

The fandom loves watching reactions to the end of this episode. Yours was perfect! Season 5 is top notch, enjoy!

I love it when reactors get to the end of this episode and their brains explode... But you have all the information at that point to figure out roughly what's going on with Buffy's sister. Not all the details, but the general gist.

Within the Buffy lore, I just decided in my head that Dracula was probably a warlock vampire, lol.

I have been WAITING for this season

Buffy's "true nature" is connected to the visions of The First Slayer, though it is going to take her a while to fully uncover what that means.

Cass, you obviously missed season 1 Episode 13, where Buffy went back to California and reconnected with her dad and her younger sister. Nice of the writers to bring her back for Season 5.

What do you mean, girl Dawn's always been there. Her little crush on Xander was so cute when she was younger.

Seeing a vampire/slayer would be interesting. We did see Buffy as a vampire/slayer in Nightmares. Also, I’ve heard rumors that Sunday-the vampire in s4e1 was a vampire/slayer in early drafts. I think she was going to be a bigger deal for the season at that point in development.

Sometimes I get seasonal whiplash with Buffy and co. One moment it is summer, the next moment they're in thick turtleneck sweaters? XD

you're gonna love this season

Me waiting for the last minute of the episode like 👀👀👀 so your brain can break 💙

I remember clearly when this episode first aired in the German TV (as with all Buffy episodes about one year after the original air date in the US) and I first saw it. I was very much looking forward to this new season and here I was, realizing that I obviously must have missed at least one episode already because what do you mean, sister?? I was so pissed at myself for beginning too late with the new Buffy season xD it was only on the next day that my friend in class told me that in fact that was the first episode of the season, and I haven't missed an episode at all. I was relieved but even more confused xD It were different times ^^ it wasn't as easy to know if you've just missed an episode or not xD There would have also been no way to rewatch any missed episodes until the DVDs came out after the finale ^^

Xander became Dracula's Renfield in this episode.

"Buffy's still in it"! LOL!

Don't you remember when Faith tried to kill Buffy's sister in season 3? One of my favorite episodes.