I enjoyed it. I can see where it needed improvement, but it still was good, it had all the basic elements. I would have continued watching the program after seeing this pilot, and for me, it ended too soon.
Back here, again watching the unaired pilot episode, before I actually began to rewatch the series which I do every year, just like Charmed. In time for autumn and the October Halloween season. TimelessSeries for sure! 🍂🧡🍂
I was surprised she didn’t put the cross on the hand that grabbed Xander, since she knew what to do by then. But I guess it was just from shock that those things are real and that happened. This was interesting with a few bits I wish they’d kept, but I like the other pilot better
I must add to this too, that the fact that the nerds were included as the "antagonists" of season six was because of Joss' goal to have "Life is the big bad" of that season..... None of them were "evil", but they all embodied aspects of the worst of humanity (Warren being much creepier than the other two of course, which helped a lot). I think it was brilliant making Willow evil by the end, 'cause not only was her story headed that way, but it also confirmed the "mission statement" of the season....
I actually like the original Willow character, but she doesn't work as a Scooby. Allyson Hannigan obviously fit the role better and had much better charisma with Nicholas Brendan and Sarah Michelle Geller. The original Willow character might have made a nice friend of the group, though!
GreenWhimsy I agree original willow tried her best but the willow we know suits williow and is ten times better but the original actress could have been used for a different role perhaps like you said a friend of the group
@@cp2342 That could have been quite awkward for her, though, having to act alongside someone who got the role you'd actually *played* and then been rejected for. I could understand her not wanting to do that even if she was offered a role on the show, especially if she had other oiptions.
Awesome! This is something I've never seen. Buffy, Star Trek: TNG, Miami Vice & Lost are some of my favorite TV shows ever. Thanks a million for posting it!
There seems to be a lot of hating on the girl who played Willow. She isn't exactly bad. She's good at portraying a shy, anxious, socially non-confident young girl, which is ONE part of WIllow's character. The difference with Alyson Hannigan was that she also did this but, even in the earliest episodes, her performance portrayed a wonderful subtext in Willow's character where we knew we were in for a hell of a ride seeing the character develop. This actress fails to bring this across like Alyson Hannigan did.
Sarah and Xander are about the same... Willow isn't a bad actor, but this type of personality... man, the show WOULD NOT have succeeded as a drama, it would have remained as it was as a not-too-interesting old-style comedy, if Willow was sadness instead of perky. Harmony's acting sucked, the principal is much better in the real series, the fighting of course is so bad that even someone who doesn't give a shit about fighting and thinks that caring about the "action sequence" in a movie is incredibly stupid, can notice. Oz wasn't there, only Sarah, Cordelia, and Giles have the same good acting as normal while everyone else sucked (the "funny vampires" are okay as those remained, but only for the 1-second throwaways; other vampires' acting was not good), and Xander, well, his acting doesn't matter, he's there for his cool-ness and, like Giles and Cordelia, it is literally EXACTLY the same. Obviously the depressed Willow and the poorly-acted vampires are a big deal, but I think the main issue here is the directing, and the slowness of the shots. Some timing and delivery of lines is off and wrong, but it isn't the actors that are doing it wrong, well, not Sarah or Xander or Cordelia or Giles, anyway.
The writing is almost identical to the aired pilot. There were a few lines that were different, but overall it was the same. There were actually lines in here I liked better than in the aired pilot. As for acting, SMG literally acts the same. I see no difference at all. And this was never meant to be seen. It was simply made to show studios to try and get them so make the show.
watching this makes me quite emotional..when buffy came out i was just starting college in england.i despised school. but when i went to college i blossomed and people accepted my ways (i am a gay guy). then all of a sudden my evenings were taken up with watching this new scary american tv series..buffy...i fell in love with angel..i even fell in love with buffy...i even dressed like the characters and tried to imagine demons really existed..then i realised demons only exist in our minds which is the whole point of the buffy series.. happy memories. ones i can never re -live and wouldn't wish to because it's the past. but sometimes we can't help but think back and just wish we could live a day or two as things once were
For clarification: Unlike most networks, The WB would not order full length pilot episodes meant to ever air on TV. They would order "Pilot Presentations" that were shorter, less expensive versions of a full pilot in order to decide if they liked what they saw and wanted to move forward. Once in awhile, they might decide the pilot presentation was strong enough and looked good enough as is to be used (I believe this was the case for Felicity - but it still needed to film additional scenes to be 44 minutes for broadcast airing) but by and large, they knew this was not what was going to air if the show did get ordered to series. Such was the case with Buffy.
this actually has a couple of good jokes. They should have kept the part where flutie calls her the wrong name. and the line cordy says "have you looked in the mirror"? classic. I also like the way they talked about Buffy's previous watcher in this and what happened to him. Theres some stuff that I think should have been carried over. but that dusting effect is laughably bad, and so is the end scene where Buffy throws a stake at the poster. what even is that
Wow this was a gem to find. Thanks for sharing this. Some of this was so much better than the one that aired. Some was silly. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Though the recast of willow was a good move. Not that she's bad. Shes quite lovely. Just can't see anyone but Allison Hannigan in this role I guess. I think the friendship between them all was so much more organic here though. Should have used at least half of this.
How have I only just discovered this. Apart from it being blurry and black & white which is understandable as its pre edited footage, it wasn't to bad. I must admit though I did prefer the pilot which was aired, and Alyson Hannigan plays Willow better from the start as she is able to evolve from Geek etc.
Joss Whedon's original idea for the library was to be dark and cavernous as it is here. When the show went to series, his director of photography convinced him to change his concept into a wide, well-lighted room so that it could be easily filmed in.
I really enjoy the fact that the pilot has Harmony and Jonathon in it and mentions Merrick as well, it feels like there are so many connections running through it.
"The new kid? She seems kinda weird to me. I mean, what kind of name is Buffy?" "Hey, Aphrodisia!" :) "Hey..." LOL gotta appreciate the Buffy humour ;)
Keep in mind that if they stuck with Tobolusky (however you spell that), we likely never would have gotten Shimmerman. And I thought he was great, even if they didn’t really do his character proud.
@@beachgirl4583 I love Armin Shimmerman, but I hated him as Principal Flutie in the series. Not in a "love to hate" way, but in the "I hated him with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns" way.
blackphoenix77, Armin Shimmerman was Snyder. The replacement Flutie got eaten by the hyena kids. I loved Shimmerman’s Snyder. He had no redeeming qualities (except his pathetic desire to belong, shown in Band Candy). Edit: That moment of satisfaction when the mayor eats him in Graduation Day. 😈
this shows how amazing Sarah Michelle gellars acting really is because the dynamics weren’t quite right & the shows definitely missing something but she still manages to be incredibly witty & badass
The extended dialogue between Buffy and Giles is great, especially the part where she says, "I just want to be like everybody else." Fast forward to the final episode: Faith says to Buffy, "You're not the one and only chosen anymore. You just gotta live like a person."
That is such a beautiful parallel. I just finished my third rewatch of the series and absolutely loved the final scene when Buffy smiles. The weight of the world is no longer solely on her shoulders and I couldn’t be happier for her character.
I liked this. I understand why it got picked up. Of course, Alyson Hannigan was a better pick for Willow, but I won't rag on the original girl. I feel bad for her because she was chosen, then replaced and the show went on to be hugely popular without her. That's a tough pill to swallow. Of course I expect a lot of Buffy fans to dislike it because it's different from the pilot that aired, and fans are unaccepting of differences, but I enjoyed it. Glad they added Angel to the cast though.
Sarah originally auditioned for the role of cordy but she was offered the role of buffy after her audition they did that with a lot of the characters like darla she auditioned for buffy too apparently her friends were saying at least you have been cast in a series it may help you get new work since the channel was pretty new they didn't think it would go far
I like the Buffy/Giles library scene here more than in the first episode. Buffy's desperation for a normal life is expressed much more emphatically. Great performance by Sarah.
She still rates as one of the best TV show actors around. It still amazes me how she slowly but steadily matured from a gawky, awkward California teen to a strong leader who understood what was needed to save the world. Still one of my favorite female TV characters other than Veronica Mars.
I can never get enough of Buffy either, it is like hanging out with friends. I always learn something more too! Okay, for the multitude of times I have seen episode one, this is the first time I connected the dead guy in the locker with the opening scene 😂 it just didn’t seem important I guess 🤔
I was only a little boy when Buffy first came out i remember watching the first ever episode with my family when it first aired and loved it and still love it to this day love Angel the spin of tv series too
I'd say I have to disagree. Regan actually portrayed the nerd vibe better, I think. Sure, it looks weird when looking at it in hindsight, kind of the way Eric Stoltz in Back to the Future looks weird, but I think she would have been fine. Hannigan was good, yes, but I think they didn't give Regan near enough of a chance. Hell, they could have killed her off later on if it hadn't worked out. Seems more like they probably had to go with the sexy redhead because the suits told him to.
The problem with Beta Willow is the chemistry - there is ZERO between her and anyone else and she looks so much older than the others which is saying something considering Charisma was 27 playing 16.
Darla, a 400 year-old vampire and the sire of Angel gets killed by a 16 year-old girl with a cross. I'm very glad they decided to make her a significant character. But then they killed her. although she was resurrected! And then Drusilla killed her. but she was still a vampire! No, just some dust because she staked herself to save that stupid teenage stereotype. and then her husband found her in a bathtub full of blood...wait no that's Dexter. If Julie Benz plays a dead character one more time she might actually die!
I love that Dingoes at My Baby were introduced here. So many good nuggets that eventually grew into the show that we all love. I love Alyson Hannigan, and no one could ever replace her, but in fairness to that other girl, they didn't give her many fun lines to work with like they did in the aired pilot, such as "The library. You know where the books live." or "I'd better sit down." "You are sitting." "Oh yay for me."
She wouldn't say those lines like the real Willow. She's a good actress but not for this. She's actually a kiwi actress. She was great in Heavenly Creatures.
@@Ya-Ya-Ya-I-Am-LordeRiff is actually a year younger than Alyson. I think the wardrobe department did not know how to dress Riff’s figure, let alone style her hair. 😬😬
I liked Buffy. I Liked that they didn't just limit it to vampires, she fought demons, and witches and invisible girls and gods (Glory) and cyborgs (Adam). And lets not forget about Jonathan, Warren and Andrew. And Slayers gone evil (Faith).
You can tell this was just supposed to be a short proof of concept presentation strictly for the network when Buffy asks, "Can I see the body?" and Principal Flutie just lets her.
Even here Charisma's acting is so consistent with what she does later throughout the series, but then Cordelia was always one of my favorites. It is a shame how Joss discarded her toward the end of Angel.
Adam Billups he did that cause she got pregnant. For all his writing pro female characters, he didn’t necessarily treat female actresses very well. It all came out during the MeToo stuff.
There's no good solution here. Obviously removing an actress for being pregnant was wrong, as you can't tell someone when to start a family, but also charisma didn't notify them, and they had to rewrite the script heavily for the season because Cordy was supposed to be more an active big bad, fight scenes included. The problem would probably best have been solved had she been written back into the script for season 5, post baby. As a recurring or main character, but it might have been hard to write fluidly.
This was interesting to watch but definitely Allison Hannigan was much better choice for Willow. Original Willow looks like she could play someone’s mom cause she doesn’t look like a student.
Man, I'm glad the series got the 45 minute episodes. 25 makes this feel really rushed, and would've made some of the better stories in the series downright impossible. I'm also glad it got made at all, this Pilot is definitely very dicey. Also, it amazes me that Dingoes ate my Baby was a band name all the way back here. I wonder if having a Scooby be a member of the band was an idea from the start too.
I feel so bad for original Willow - to get so close to a career-defining job and miss it... And she wasn't bad either. Also: I'm watching this straight after having watched Buffy S07 (just finished the finale), so Xander looks like a baby here - they all do, but Xander, oh my goodness! Buffy and Giles are fully developed in this one, I can hardly see any differences from the main series - they've already found the dynamics between them and doing great. Also: some bits of dialogue in this are really good even though they're missing from the normal pilot.
+Louise it seemed to be a recurring theme that the supporting characters in the show auditioned for buffy Elizabeth Allen (Amy) Julie Benz (darla) charisma (cordy) Julia (Anne/Lilly) and Mercedes (harmony) all auditioned to play buffy but lost out on the role
@@youtubecommenter37 "one of the reasons Joss, salty, egotistical bitch that he is, treats it like the black plague rolled in a used diaper"" Fixed it for you.
@@youtubecommenter37 It was never meant to be broadcast as a real episode. It was a low-budget "presentation" to attract interest in the potential series, rather than a full pilot ep (which they couldn't afford to do). And it worked! =:o}
You know one of the changes between this and the aired pilot (and season 1) that I find interesting is Dingoes Ate My Baby. There is a poster behind Buffy and Xander for them. Yet in the televised series we didn't even hear about them till season 2 when Seth Green joined the cast as Oz. And some of the stuff Xander said to Buffy about them are repeated by Oz in the series.
I think more interesting thing is that when Buffy is in line, the guy that asked her: are you the new girl? Is Jonathan, but he didn't show up in aired pilot or until season 2...
It's subtle, but the best thing in this that I wished had made it into the first episode was the flip off of the spiral staircase. "You can not escape your destiny." "Wanna bet?"
Oh wow! First of all, being a long time Buffy fan, watching this is a delight for me. Now the song we hear playing at the Bronze, that's by STP as i recall. For those who don't know, here's an interesting tidbit: Scott Weyland (vocalist of Stone Temple Pilots) developed a crush on SMG coz he watched BTVS while he was in rehab. After his stint in rehab & w/ a new album out, they release the music video for "Sour Girl" w/c starred SMG 😊
9:00 - " You got your freshmen, Cool Asians Varsity jocks Unfriendly black hotties Girls who eat their feelings Girls who don't eat anything Desperate wannabes Burnouts the greatest people you will ever meet and the worst: Beware of plastics, Buffy!"
The Willow in this pilot wasn't terrible but I feel there is a certain element of humor and quirkiness in Willows character that Rosenberg got and this actress did not. That's not to say she was a bad actress- she just didn't really click into the humor that is evident in all of Joss Whedon's work.
As meta a show as Buffy was, I’m surprised they never used any footage from or reenactment of this unaired pilot as some sort of parallel universe that the characters discover.
Thank god they recast Willow. In the Buffy special features the casting woman says that Allyson had a way of saying everything joyfully, even sad lines. I thought that was cool.
Yeah, and one of the writers on the show had also said that Alyson could pull off the complicated lines (remember the time she was talking to Buffy about doodling? LOL) with ease and with a completely straight face--so they were always working to come up with funny and complicated lines for her to do, because people loved it so much and came to expect that from Willow. Willow ROCKED!!
Worth remembering that this was purely intended for showing to execs, and was never meant to be aired. When they got the blue light for what became season one the basic story was carried forward with some elements, including (sadly for me personally) the changing of the actor playing Willow. Some of the elements still ending up appearing later in the show. kerk
No..the actor playing Willow was quite flat onscreen, Alyson always shines and was an obviously better choice. I’m sure that other actor/actress was a great person, but..showbiz is a rough business..like symphony auditions, you can have the best day of your life, but if somebody better shows up, it’s “thank you” from behind the screen and you leave the stage never to return.
There's so much hate for the Willow in this, I'd like to defend her. She's acting no worse than anyone else in the pilot. She seems genuine Rosenberg, nice and geeky. She's OG. Original Geek. Not like it was before all geeks had to be hot in some way. When I was a geek at school, geeks were geeks, not hot people in glasses. Now I love Alyson, and can't imagine Buffy without her, that goes without saying, but go this girl. Fuck the mainstream sanitisation of geekdom.
I agree, but I do think that Alyson played her better. I want to defend her, but she just seems like she's forcing it....if that makes any sense. She's supposed to seem awkward, but she seems a little too awkward. Like she's forcing herself to act out the scenes. Alyson seemed more confident in herself as an actress and she naturally played well into the scenes as Willow. So while I do agree she looks the part of a geek-I especially can't say anything bad about her looks because we share a similar figure- I just think acting wise Alison seemed really better. I haven't read all of the comments, but I think that's what a lot of people were meaning when they said they were glad Alyson got the part instead....maybe. As for the rest who meant her figure rather than her acting you were spot on. :) ~Not attacking you it seemed like you were saying that Alyson was better I just disagreed that she was as good as the others acting wise. Personal opinion no disrespect promise :)~
Alyson can pull off any emotion and make it seem real. Riff might be a good actress, but she just wasn't right for the role. Even Anthony Stewart Head said something like that.
I don't see why you have to "defend her". The idea of pilot is to show networks what potential a show could possibly have. Acting isn't suppose to be superb. Charisma & Sarah did an OK job here. Their potential was shown and they deserved their respective roles. With subtle tweaks on their performances, which they did have/fix, sky was the limit with their roles. Remember Joss Whedon financed this pilot for a half-hour to get a taste of what was to come. So everything is a little rushed. However, Riff Regan was pretty bad, not a good fit, and you tell she was out of place. She only acted for 4 more years in 1-2 small TV movies/specials and hasn't been a paid actress in the last 15 years. There is no reason to defend her. Alyson Hannigan was a good if not great decision by the network as well as a full hour /42 min. of TRT.
Think about it this way too....huge chain of events....no Alyson, then no meeting Alexis Denisof, no marriage, and two adorable little girls wouldn't exist right now! :)
Michael Luis I know, right? Can't believe all that time has passed! Seinfeld was even still on then! Boy, it sure got darker in the world when Buffy and Seinfeld left the airwaves... I bet we'd have a lot fewer violent acts and hate crimes if those shows were still on... ;-)
Buffy first aired in 1997 (in the US), still almost 20 years ago, but yeah, crazy. I remember always wanting to watch it when I was still in middle school and my mom wouldn't let me, lols.
this pilot actually fits more of the horror genre joss was talking about, you can really see the influence of horror movies in this unaired pilot, especially with the music and different set. i prefer the original but it is REALLY interesting and cool to see the different vibe
I somewhat agree, this unaired pilot definitely has more of the original Buffy movie kind of feel to it. It's a little more intense, less jokes but still lots of cheesiness. I'm happy with the outcome we got because I think it went in a better direction. If the whole show had been like this, I don't think it would've done as well. I know this is a rough draft but it's missing SO MUCH of the key elements that the real pilot had.
+Christian VA That's precisely why she was cut off...The other ones stayed, don't they? Besides, the sidekick is never much uglier than the lead...it just doesn't fit well.
Jen Lindley She wasn't ugly she was Zoftig/Zaftig there is a difference. I think she fit pretty well, with Charisma Carpenter being model pretty and Sarah Mitchell Gellar girl next door pretty she could have been "zoftig" pretty/attractive
I actually think this actress would have been a fairly decent Willow but ultimately the elements of Alyson Hannigan's personality that she was able to contribute to the character made her one of the most beloved characters on the show. It's hard to imagine some of this show's great moments without her.
But would we really hate this girl as Willow if we had not had seven years of Alysion Hannigan as Willow? Who know? That being said, I am glad they went the way they did.
We would not like willow as much. It's about TONE. Watch un aired full house episode, The dad was recast, says the same lines and suddenly the show takes on a different tone. TONE matters.
People are talking about Willow (obviously). But I have to wonder what it was like for that actress - to know you were in the pilot then they replaced you, then the part became HUGE, her image immortalized in comics as well... (and then the actress who took your part got a huge part on How I Met Your Mother). That would kinda stink.
You could ask the same thing to Amanda Walsh. The original "Penny" on the Big Bang Theory. Being in the original pilot then replaced, only see it to last 12 seasons.
A notification brought me back here. ( I was summoned haha ) Guess what .. I'm 46 now and I STILL love this show 😸 greetings from the Netherlands everyone! 🇳🇱🇳🇱
Sarah Michelle gellar really carried this show with her acting and thank goodness she did not play Cordelia and charisma didn't play Buffy. I think the actress who pretrade Willow in this version had her own unique particular style does not mean that she is a bad actress this just wasn't for her.
I couldn't imagine Alyson Hannigan not playing Willow. Seeing someone else play her was weird. I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer so much though. It's true art.
That Willow definitely isn't as noticeable and intriguing as Alyson. I'm very glad they re- cast. I love the corniness of Buffy though. It's not over done it's very fresh even today. That's what I like about the series is it still feels relevant and timeless
Funniest line; "That was my favorite spine!" I almost died. Seeing this was like looking into an alternate reality! So cool. It's nice to witness the beginning to one of my favorite shows of all time. I'm kinda bummed they recast Principal Flutie. The actor in this pilot was spot on! Though his character was short-lived in the series, I feel the actor they recast him with played it kind of forced. I am, however, glad they recast Willow. The chemistry just wasn't there, and she didn't seem to fit the role, personality-wise. I see her more playing someone in a Luna Lovegood capacity; drifty, head in the clouds, and calm. Maybe even a stoner chick. I understand why they recast her, but she'd do well in other roles.
@@joshuasteward6097 Stephen Tobolowsky. A really great character actor who's been in everything-from the soaked foot insurance salesman in Groundhog Day, to the disgraced music teacher in Glee, to Lana's rich husband in Archer, a corrupt FBI agent who gets his in Justified and 100's more roles. I've been seeing him pop up in stuff I liked for the last 40 years and he always does a great job.
There’s some things I love about this that I wish was in the remake. The principal’s humor, Buffy and Xander imitating the drama club, Cordelia’s sarcastic reply “I’m sure he crawled in a locker and died of old age”, Buffy flipping off the banister in the library, Buffy mentioning her old water dying to Giles, Buffy and Johnathan’s first awkward encounter, the fight scene where Buffy says “that was my favorite spine”, and the ending where Buffy tosses a stake at a vampire poster. Oh and stop hating on the actress playing Willow here. It’s literally a rough draft pilot. Everyone here did their best. If she was given more of a chance then she would’ve aced the character just like everyone else aced theirs. Relax.
@@disneytoysr4fun975 As someone who is also fat, I doubt it's a fatphobia thing. Hannigan's Willow is just what the majority of us know. I adore the 7 seasons, but as someone who loves buffy and is very curious, it would've been interesting to see how the show might've been with the original actors/actresses. That all being said, there were probably multiple factors behind the cast changes; It was a much different time.
I would have liked to have seen Riff somewhere in the show after she got replaced... she's not half bad and could have made for a decent victim or villain.
7:11, I think, highlights the key difference between Alyson Hannigan's and (looks up name) Riff Regan's respective portrayals of Willow. Willow compliments Buffy's outfit and Buffy says she is "totally jamming" on Willow's dress. Willow replies, "Oh, no. It's dorky. I'm aware that it's dorky," in a clearly self-deprecating tone. Reading this line in a script, most actors would probably deliver it in the same way. Poor Willow. Pity her. I remember reading somewhere that Alyson Hannigan, when given a similarly depressing line, turned it on its head and gave it a gleam of optimism. There would have been a bounce to her delivery of the above line, like she knows people make fun of her clothing, but it doesn't bother her, which is quite a Joss characterization. More direction might have led Regan to a similar delivery, but Hannigan's natural instinct as an actor was bound to earn her more favor.
Hannigan was chosen because of conections. I am picturing the entire series with origional Willow...and...it could be done , but Hannigan was the better choice...and it was prooven by the latter end-time Buffy. That girl could not possibky face Glory...lesbian or not. I like the original pilot better than what we saw then...after the silly movie...but it must be agreed that this is one of the best shows of a decade. Forget it not, PLEASE...Lest ART die.
No one can replace Hanniagan. But... imagine this version of Willow transforming from what she was in this episode to Dark Willow. I kinda wanna see that now.
I think she would be forced to lose weight later on in the series Because willow transformed by season 4 1999 willow was hardly a geek She was more edgy with a hint of geeky So this willow actress would have to lose weight and on top of that the story would be reflected on her so I don’t think it would work
This is so fun. it's like seeing the rehersal of the play before the actual performance.
So true.
+shadowflower93 this wasnt interesting its seems so over reacted
Lol true
I enjoyed it. I can see where it needed improvement, but it still was good, it had all the basic elements. I would have continued watching the program after seeing this pilot, and for me, it ended too soon.
this tv show ruined my life. I don't remember a moment of my teenage years without being obsessed about them.
H. Alsharif i have the box set on dvd. So still watching it now.
H. Alsharif ‘’ruined’’ ? No. You should say it was amazing to have them on your teenage years ;)
@@christopherjw1967 I'm so jealous. My cousin has the entire box set. I used to watch a DVD Everytime I'd go over. Those were the days. Lol
im 15 and VERY thankful my mum got me into this show...im obsessed now XD
@@gr1ffy I'm 11 and my dad introduced me a few months ago! I've watched it at least 2 times already!
"what kind of name is Buffy?"
"Hey aphrodisia!"
😂😂😂😂 The humor
I went to school with a buffy and she was hot af also lol
This is uncomfortable. It's almost exactly same... But completely different.
I agree
Are you uncomfortable because it’s different, or because your chair is super lumpy?
Do you hear yourself?
When something is familiar but not quite right, like you have slipped into a nearby parallel dimension.
The diff to me is Riff is a little dry on her acting. Sure times were diff, but im comparing her to Alysons Willow
This Willow looks more like a teacher than a teen.
What’s funny is Charisma Carpenter was 27 when the show started.
She was only 23 in 1997 willow buffy was 19 I think
I really liked the principal in this. Bambi? Betty… Betty. Wilma?
Billy Millard I
Certainly better than the evil little troll we got in the show.
Poor guy. He was also cast as the original Al type sidekick in home improvement. He helped sell a lot of pilots but never got parts from them.
He was in Freaky Friday
@@lisainthestudio Stephen Tobolowsky is a character actor who stays busy. If you look at his IMDB page, he has been working steadily for decades.
Back here, again watching the unaired pilot episode, before I actually began to rewatch the series which I do every year, just like Charmed. In time for autumn and the October Halloween season. TimelessSeries for sure! 🍂🧡🍂
everyone's talking about Willow being a real estate agent from Minnesota and I'm just here like HOLY SHIT DID SHE JUST MELT DARLA TO DEATH IN EP 1????
I know right! I was noooooooo, my beloved Darla!!!
I was surprised she didn’t put the cross on the hand that grabbed Xander, since she knew what to do by then. But I guess it was just from shock that those things are real and that happened.
This was interesting with a few bits I wish they’d kept, but I like the other pilot better
Giles is so awesome. Went as him for halloween two years ago. He's just so cool, in a very approachable relaxed sorta way.
jonathan in the line to get into the bronze, who knew he'd become the bad guy in season six hehe
Yeah, and he's so tiny! Ha-ha.
Warren is more the "bad guy" of six; Jonathan and Andrew are far from evil.
I must add to this too, that the fact that the nerds were included as the "antagonists" of season six was because of Joss' goal to have "Life is the big bad" of that season..... None of them were "evil", but they all embodied aspects of the worst of humanity (Warren being much creepier than the other two of course, which helped a lot). I think it was brilliant making Willow evil by the end, 'cause not only was her story headed that way, but it also confirmed the "mission statement" of the season....
Didn't you guys see little baby Jonathan too? He looks so young....
It is weird that his next episode after unaired pilot is Inca mummy girl. Like why he wasn't in 1x01 or at least in season 1?
I actually like the original Willow character, but she doesn't work as a Scooby. Allyson Hannigan obviously fit the role better and had much better charisma with Nicholas Brendan and Sarah Michelle Geller. The original Willow character might have made a nice friend of the group, though!
Yeah like Amy or something. She just didn't gel the same way our Willow does.
Agreed!
GreenWhimsy I agree original willow tried her best but the willow we know suits williow and is ten times better but the original actress could have been used for a different role perhaps like you said a friend of the group
I can’t imagine this actress playing Dark or Vampire Willow ...
@@cp2342 That could have been quite awkward for her, though, having to act alongside someone who got the role you'd actually *played* and then been rejected for. I could understand her not wanting to do that even if she was offered a role on the show, especially if she had other oiptions.
Awesome! This is something I've never seen. Buffy, Star Trek: TNG, Miami Vice & Lost are some of my favorite TV shows ever. Thanks a million for posting it!
Love Buffy & TNG too!!!
This pilot is hilarious, but I'm so glad it didn't make it to the actual series!
i know
gjpyzer How is it hilarious???? It's not that funny
Sara Johnstone its funny because the acting in this one is way worse than the original
As a massive passionate Buffy fan it is nice to see this pilot, Buffy forever :-)
Was it originally thirty minutes? Really glad they upped to an hour. This version is very disconnected and vague.
Thank God this was the unaired pilot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There seems to be a lot of hating on the girl who played Willow. She isn't exactly bad. She's good at portraying a shy, anxious, socially non-confident young girl, which is ONE part of WIllow's character.
The difference with Alyson Hannigan was that she also did this but, even in the earliest episodes, her performance portrayed a wonderful subtext in Willow's character where we knew we were in for a hell of a ride seeing the character develop. This actress fails to bring this across like Alyson Hannigan did.
That was so bad! I'm glad they redid it. Everything g from the music, the writing and even Sarah's acting got better in the aired pilot.
Not to mention my made this more smarter than what this would have been.
Yes, a lot better!. ;.)
Sarah and Xander are about the same... Willow isn't a bad actor, but this type of personality... man, the show WOULD NOT have succeeded as a drama, it would have remained as it was as a not-too-interesting old-style comedy, if Willow was sadness instead of perky. Harmony's acting sucked, the principal is much better in the real series, the fighting of course is so bad that even someone who doesn't give a shit about fighting and thinks that caring about the "action sequence" in a movie is incredibly stupid, can notice. Oz wasn't there, only Sarah, Cordelia, and Giles have the same good acting as normal while everyone else sucked (the "funny vampires" are okay as those remained, but only for the 1-second throwaways; other vampires' acting was not good), and Xander, well, his acting doesn't matter, he's there for his cool-ness and, like Giles and Cordelia, it is literally EXACTLY the same. Obviously the depressed Willow and the poorly-acted vampires are a big deal, but I think the main issue here is the directing, and the slowness of the shots. Some timing and delivery of lines is off and wrong, but it isn't the actors that are doing it wrong, well, not Sarah or Xander or Cordelia or Giles, anyway.
The writing is almost identical to the aired pilot. There were a few lines that were different, but overall it was the same. There were actually lines in here I liked better than in the aired pilot. As for acting, SMG literally acts the same. I see no difference at all. And this was never meant to be seen. It was simply made to show studios to try and get them so make the show.
Yup. So much of the dialogue was cringey. Glad revisions exist!
Alisson Hannigan and Sarah J chemistry as friends as Buffy and Willow was vivid.
thanks for sharing this pilot, was fun to see an alternative version
Love the 90's music :)
watching this makes me quite emotional..when buffy came out i was just starting college in england.i despised school. but when i went to college i blossomed and people accepted my ways (i am a gay guy). then all of a sudden my evenings were taken up with watching this new scary american tv series..buffy...i fell in love with angel..i even fell in love with buffy...i even dressed like the characters and tried to imagine demons really existed..then i realised demons only exist in our minds which is the whole point of the buffy series..
happy memories. ones i can never re -live and wouldn't wish to because it's the past. but sometimes we can't help but think back and just wish we could live a day or two as things once were
For clarification: Unlike most networks, The WB would not order full length pilot episodes meant to ever air on TV. They would order "Pilot Presentations" that were shorter, less expensive versions of a full pilot in order to decide if they liked what they saw and wanted to move forward. Once in awhile, they might decide the pilot presentation was strong enough and looked good enough as is to be used (I believe this was the case for Felicity - but it still needed to film additional scenes to be 44 minutes for broadcast airing) but by and large, they knew this was not what was going to air if the show did get ordered to series. Such was the case with Buffy.
dude this is almost 20 years oldddd damm I feel old now damm it
this actually has a couple of good jokes. They should have kept the part where flutie calls her the wrong name. and the line cordy says "have you looked in the mirror"? classic. I also like the way they talked about Buffy's previous watcher in this and what happened to him. Theres some stuff that I think should have been carried over. but that dusting effect is laughably bad, and so is the end scene where Buffy throws a stake at the poster. what even is that
I love the original Darla opening! I wish they'd done it like that in the aired one!
Wow this was a gem to find. Thanks for sharing this. Some of this was so much better than the one that aired. Some was silly. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Though the recast of willow was a good move. Not that she's bad. Shes quite lovely. Just can't see anyone but Allison Hannigan in this role I guess. I think the friendship between them all was so much more organic here though. Should have used at least half of this.
ive never seen this pilot before! willow is great in this!!! i love Alyson as willow but this willow is great
SO GLAD THEY DIDNT USE THIS WILLOW.
It was so CAMPY when compared to the 1st episode. Especially Giles, he was so creepy I don't blame Buffy for running!
How have I only just discovered this. Apart from it being blurry and black & white which is understandable as its pre edited footage, it wasn't to bad. I must admit though I did prefer the pilot which was aired, and Alyson Hannigan plays Willow better from the start as she is able to evolve from Geek etc.
Wow!! Never knew about this. I saw the first episode in March 1997 too!!
Buffy saying “watch me (walk away from my responsibilities)” and flipping over the spiral staircase is such a mood lmao
yeahhh that flip was... unique! ^___^
Joss Whedon's original idea for the library was to be dark and cavernous as it is here. When the show went to series, his director of photography convinced him to change his concept into a wide, well-lighted room so that it could be easily filmed in.
It gives her more personality and humor I liked it
Should’ve kept that scene
I liked that
Even in a weird, seemingly rushed pilot Sarah makes Buffy's personality shine
Agreed
I really enjoy the fact that the pilot has Harmony and Jonathon in it and mentions Merrick as well, it feels like there are so many connections running through it.
Also mentions the dingoes
Is that Julie Benz as the blonde in the beginning??? Looks like a young her.
Ohh I guess it was Darla lol. I don't remember how this goes exactly.
"The new kid? She seems kinda weird to me. I mean, what kind of name is Buffy?"
"Hey, Aphrodisia!" :)
"Hey..."
LOL gotta appreciate the Buffy humour ;)
+lavendermagic84 I think it was intentional, it was kinda' funny, though. XD
+MsThesuitelife oh I know it was intentional. It's the sense of humour in the Buffy-verse that I love. :)
I laugh at that part EVERY time LOL!!!!
Girl...
that part was so funny to me lol
Aw I like Stephen Tobolowsky as Principal Flutie...
Good question. He's a much better Flutie than the one that got eaten.
Keep in mind that if they stuck with Tobolusky (however you spell that), we likely never would have gotten Shimmerman. And I thought he was great, even if they didn’t really do his character proud.
he plays Mr. Slate in the Flintstones movie and an unlikable principal in a Roseanne episode
@@beachgirl4583 I love Armin Shimmerman, but I hated him as Principal Flutie in the series. Not in a "love to hate" way, but in the "I hated him with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns" way.
blackphoenix77,
Armin Shimmerman was Snyder. The replacement Flutie got eaten by the hyena kids.
I loved Shimmerman’s Snyder. He had no redeeming qualities (except his pathetic desire to belong, shown in Band Candy).
Edit: That moment of satisfaction when the mayor eats him in Graduation Day.
😈
this shows how amazing Sarah Michelle gellars acting really is because the dynamics weren’t quite right & the shows definitely missing something but she still manages to be incredibly witty & badass
She’s so fabulous I can’t even stand it!
Darla's first turn to the camera as a vampire is such an iconic moment. WELCOME TO SUBVERSION TOWN!!
@ilkldme Jawbreaker!
I never realized that was Darla, love it.
I am impressed that Julie Benz managed to game that short opening into a recuring character.
2:13 🎉
@@StuartH922she was considered to play Buffy so it's expected she would be back
The extended dialogue between Buffy and Giles is great, especially the part where she says, "I just want to be like everybody else."
Fast forward to the final episode: Faith says to Buffy, "You're not the one and only chosen anymore. You just gotta live like a person."
Faith was such a complicated mess of a character. I love her I just mean... her arc. Ended up tragic and then a little hopeful...
That is such a beautiful parallel. I just finished my third rewatch of the series and absolutely loved the final scene when Buffy smiles. The weight of the world is no longer solely on her shoulders and I couldn’t be happier for her character.
10:57 "We almost never have dead kids stuffed in a locker" LOL
Hahaha
Keywords are the ones you gotta look out for
Better stuffed in a locker than a fridge in my opinion
I liked this. I understand why it got picked up. Of course, Alyson Hannigan was a better pick for Willow, but I won't rag on the original girl. I feel bad for her because she was chosen, then replaced and the show went on to be hugely popular without her. That's a tough pill to swallow. Of course I expect a lot of Buffy fans to dislike it because it's different from the pilot that aired, and fans are unaccepting of differences, but I enjoyed it. Glad they added Angel to the cast though.
+Rspsand07 Who was that?
Rspsand07
Wow, really? I couldn't possibly imagine her as Buffy.
Sarah originally auditioned for the role of cordy but she was offered the role of buffy after her audition they did that with a lot of the characters like darla she auditioned for buffy too apparently her friends were saying at least you have been cast in a series it may help you get new work since the channel was pretty new they didn't think it would go far
+Lee Nelson Mercedes McNab also auditioned for the role of Buffy
Austin Pearce I thought I heard something about that I also think the person who played Amy originally auditioned for Buffy too
I like the Buffy/Giles library scene here more than in the first episode. Buffy's desperation for a normal life is expressed much more emphatically. Great performance by Sarah.
And a nice reaction from Giles, giving a subtle hint of his character's background as he realises that yes, he *does* know what she means... =:o}
She still rates as one of the best TV show actors around. It still amazes me how she slowly but steadily matured from a gawky, awkward California teen to a strong leader who understood what was needed to save the world. Still one of my favorite female TV characters other than Veronica Mars.
Agree 100%.
I really like how Buffy bumped into Giles in this scene, it's funny and cute. It's a pity that the creators removed this moment in the TV version
@@largol33t1 What's so special about Veronica Mars though?
The different library makes me uncomfortable
Anna S yeah right !!!
That spiral staircase.
I was thinking the library at the magic shop was sort of a scaled down copy of the school library, having seen this video as a reminder.
If it's strange that the library is different
I agree hate this pilot
I had no idea there was an unaired pilot! It's 3am but who cares, it's buffy
Kazza Jozzy EVERY show has an unaired pilot.. what do you think they present to networks to make them interested in picking up a series? 🤦♀️
221am 3 years later
3:09! 🙌
Like Me I watched at 3 am. :)
10 pm.
I'm 62 and I'm still obsessed. Watch it over and over again. Know it off by heart and quote it all the time.
68
Buffy is my comfort show. I watch it when I'm feeling down.
I can never get enough of Buffy either, it is like hanging out with friends. I always learn something more too! Okay, for the multitude of times I have seen episode one, this is the first time I connected the dead guy in the locker with the opening scene 😂 it just didn’t seem important I guess 🤔
I’m 60. Watched when it first came out. I still love the show too. ❤
I was only a little boy when Buffy first came out i remember watching the first ever episode with my family when it first aired and loved it and still love it to this day love Angel the spin of tv series too
Wow that was the original Willow? No offence but im glad Alyson managed to portray Willow, she fitted her feet dam great :)
+Consuelo Mufc Well TBF at the start Willow was the lil bullied 'unattractive' nerd kid but she was hotter than Buffy and Cordelia.
No one can ever beat Alyson Hanigahn as Willow!! She is a huge part of why this show is absolutely amazing!
Right? It does not feel right without her 😭
Never thought I’d agree with that. But the different willow gives off weird bad acting vibes.
Alyson Hanigahn is also NOT a 🐋 of the bipedal variety, thankfully Alyson is/was gorgeous 🤩
Willow was one of my top favorite..
I'd say I have to disagree. Regan actually portrayed the nerd vibe better, I think. Sure, it looks weird when looking at it in hindsight, kind of the way Eric Stoltz in Back to the Future looks weird, but I think she would have been fine. Hannigan was good, yes, but I think they didn't give Regan near enough of a chance. Hell, they could have killed her off later on if it hadn't worked out. Seems more like they probably had to go with the sexy redhead because the suits told him to.
The problem with Beta Willow is the chemistry - there is ZERO between her and anyone else and she looks so much older than the others which is saying something considering Charisma was 27 playing 16.
It doesn't help that they dressed her like a middle aged woman, rather than a nerdy teenager like with Alyson Hannigan
Which is really sad. Riff Regan was only 20 or 21 during the filming of the pilot but she looks 35ish. Alyson was just a better fit!
That's what I was thinking. She looks way older. And with all these big personalities, hers didn't stand out enough.
My god this is bad…
Sarah was 20 when the series started. Allyson was older, but I never looked it up.
Darla, a 400 year-old vampire and the sire of Angel gets killed by a 16 year-old girl with a cross. I'm very glad they decided to make her a significant character.
But then they killed her.
although she was resurrected!
And then Drusilla killed her.
but she was still a vampire!
No, just some dust because she staked herself to save that stupid teenage stereotype.
and then her husband found her in a bathtub full of blood...wait no that's Dexter.
If Julie Benz plays a dead character one more time she might actually die!
I chuckled at the Dexter tie-in. I love her so much.
Best vampire ever!
😂😂😂😂😂
😁😁😁
Lets hope not because she also died of a Brain Tumor on Supernatural season 1 episode 12 called (you ready for this) Faith.
Some solid dialogue jokes in this, and the Xander-Buffy chemistry is on par.
I don’t ship it. But it was still well done..
"Seems kind of weird to me; what kind of name is *Buffy?* "
"Hey Aphrodesia."
"Hey."
LMFAOOO
That's always been my favorite part of the first episode. 🤣
I love that Dingoes at My Baby were introduced here. So many good nuggets that eventually grew into the show that we all love. I love Alyson Hannigan, and no one could ever replace her, but in fairness to that other girl, they didn't give her many fun lines to work with like they did in the aired pilot, such as "The library. You know where the books live." or "I'd better sit down." "You are sitting." "Oh yay for me."
The fake Willow in this version, maybe didn’t have good reviews in practice
I think what's taking me out is that she looks too old to be in high school.
She wouldn't say those lines like the real Willow. She's a good actress but not for this.
She's actually a kiwi actress. She was great in Heavenly Creatures.
@@mary-janereallynotsarah684 Melanie Lynskey is the actress in “Heavenly Creatures.” Riff Regan (the pilot Willow) has since retired from acting.
@@Ya-Ya-Ya-I-Am-LordeRiff is actually a year younger than Alyson. I think the wardrobe department did not know how to dress Riff’s figure, let alone style her hair. 😬😬
"I have a problem with math"
"which part?"
"the math"
lol too real
I liked Buffy. I Liked that they didn't just limit it to vampires, she fought demons, and witches and invisible girls and gods (Glory) and cyborgs (Adam). And lets not forget about Jonathan, Warren and Andrew. And Slayers gone evil (Faith).
Yes and the First.
+TheLocutus70 Who was, ironically, also the Last.
@Rob M Tucker's brother?
She saved the world ... a lot.
Also a treat the Musical episode that was done. In a way one of the best ideas of the developers.
You can tell this was just supposed to be a short proof of concept presentation strictly for the network when Buffy asks, "Can I see the body?" and Principal Flutie just lets her.
Even here Charisma's acting is so consistent with what she does later throughout the series, but then Cordelia was always one of my favorites. It is a shame how Joss discarded her toward the end of Angel.
Adam Billups he did that cause she got pregnant. For all his writing pro female characters, he didn’t necessarily treat female actresses very well. It all came out during the MeToo stuff.
moonglow630 what was he supposed to do? If she was pregnant and still on the show they had to integrate that somehow
Her pregnancy didn't fit the storyline. He did what he could.
There's no good solution here. Obviously removing an actress for being pregnant was wrong, as you can't tell someone when to start a family, but also charisma didn't notify them, and they had to rewrite the script heavily for the season because Cordy was supposed to be more an active big bad, fight scenes included.
The problem would probably best have been solved had she been written back into the script for season 5, post baby. As a recurring or main character, but it might have been hard to write fluidly.
Most of the time when an actress is pregnant they just film it differently and the viewer doesn't even now.
This was interesting to watch but definitely Allison Hannigan was much better choice for Willow. Original Willow looks like she could play someone’s mom cause she doesn’t look like a student.
Man, I'm glad the series got the 45 minute episodes. 25 makes this feel really rushed, and would've made some of the better stories in the series downright impossible. I'm also glad it got made at all, this Pilot is definitely very dicey.
Also, it amazes me that Dingoes ate my Baby was a band name all the way back here. I wonder if having a Scooby be a member of the band was an idea from the start too.
This isn't a pilot that would have aired. It's a test pilot for the studio.
And the official 2 parts pilot !!!
@@slayerette86m exactly. It's purely a test of concept to pitch the series. It's ridiculous to hold it to the standards of a proper episode.
3 years late but, i was thinking the same things
they shouldn't have recasted that spiral staircase in the library bc damn
I feel so bad for original Willow - to get so close to a career-defining job and miss it... And she wasn't bad either. Also: I'm watching this straight after having watched Buffy S07 (just finished the finale), so Xander looks like a baby here - they all do, but Xander, oh my goodness! Buffy and Giles are fully developed in this one, I can hardly see any differences from the main series - they've already found the dynamics between them and doing great. Also: some bits of dialogue in this are really good even though they're missing from the normal pilot.
Yeah, this willow was good thought her acting and her facial expressions were a bit to awkward for my point of view
The Willow in this pilot episode to me didn't have screen presence. She wasn't terrible but to me she just sort of faded into the background.
@@carolr7823 She was playing shy and understated but yes she played it a little too hard.
lol. this was before the age of woke n fattys got hype. where plump characters are allowed to shine...
@@carolr7823 she really seems like a 1 episode kind of actress. She definitely doesn't come across as a co-lead.
It's so weird to think that SMG originally auditioned to be Cordelia. I could not imagine that in any way, it'd be crazy.
+Harry JW. Nah I could see it, remember SMG's performance in "when she was bad"?
+JoshuaKaluba or cruel intentions.
+Louise it seemed to be a recurring theme that the supporting characters in the show auditioned for buffy Elizabeth Allen (Amy) Julie Benz (darla) charisma (cordy) Julia (Anne/Lilly) and Mercedes (harmony) all auditioned to play buffy but lost out on the role
Harry JW. I can. She played Katherine very well in Cruel Intentions. She plays mean girl characters well.
and the ditzy blonde character in "I Know What You Did Last Summer"
It's nice, Buffy acts here more like Buffy in the movie.
Probably one of the reasons they reshot it
@@youtubecommenter37 haha
.🤔😑.
@@youtubecommenter37 "one of the reasons Joss, salty, egotistical bitch that he is, treats it like the black plague rolled in a used diaper""
Fixed it for you.
@@youtubecommenter37 It was never meant to be broadcast as a real episode. It was a low-budget "presentation" to attract interest in the potential series, rather than a full pilot ep (which they couldn't afford to do). And it worked! =:o}
I actually like this principle flutie better haha
He's allright, but I love pricipal Flutie as we got to know him 😃
You know one of the changes between this and the aired pilot (and season 1) that I find interesting is Dingoes Ate My Baby. There is a poster behind Buffy and Xander for them. Yet in the televised series we didn't even hear about them till season 2 when Seth Green joined the cast as Oz. And some of the stuff Xander said to Buffy about them are repeated by Oz in the series.
Brenna Lynn actually in the aired pilot the poster is still there we just don’t see them til season 2
I think more interesting thing is that when Buffy is in line, the guy that asked her: are you the new girl? Is Jonathan, but he didn't show up in aired pilot or until season 2...
It made me chuckle how long it took for the vamp to turn to dust....i much preferred the poof of dust that came with the series!
It's subtle, but the best thing in this that I wished had made it into the first episode was the flip off of the spiral staircase. "You can not escape your destiny." "Wanna bet?"
Oh wow! First of all, being a long time Buffy fan, watching this is a delight for me. Now the song we hear playing at the Bronze, that's by STP as i recall. For those who don't know, here's an interesting tidbit: Scott Weyland (vocalist of Stone Temple Pilots) developed a crush on SMG coz he watched BTVS while he was in rehab. After his stint in rehab & w/ a new album out, they release the music video for "Sour Girl" w/c starred SMG 😊
9:00 - " You got your freshmen,
Cool Asians
Varsity jocks
Unfriendly black hotties
Girls who eat their feelings
Girls who don't eat anything
Desperate wannabes
Burnouts
the greatest people you will ever meet
and the worst: Beware of plastics, Buffy!"
"the greatest people you will ever meet" lol that always sounded so narcissistic in that film
Buffy and Xander have the chemistry in this pilot that he was supposed to have with willow
Buffy/Sarah and Xander/Nicholas always had insane chemistry. I’m still bitter they haven’t ended up together
The Willow in this pilot wasn't terrible but I feel there is a certain element of humor and quirkiness in Willows character that Rosenberg got and this actress did not. That's not to say she was a bad actress- she just didn't really click into the humor that is evident in all of Joss Whedon's work.
"that Rosenberg got" - Rosenberg was the CHARACTER name, you mean that Hannigan got.
this willow was more like a mom
I LOVE THAT EVEN JONATHAN IS IN THE PILOT
AND Harmony, who - fun fact - is also in the last episode of Angel, covering the whole run of the Buffyverse.
Well it was Jonathon's show...everyone else including Buffy was just an extra :)
Why wouldn't he be? He's Jonathan!
If you guys keep talking about Jonathan behind his back, I’m afraid I’m going to have to report to Jonathan himself.
@@elliest55 I had noticed that myself - a nice tribute to a character who functioned as comic relief almost all the time.
As meta a show as Buffy was, I’m surprised they never used any footage from or reenactment of this unaired pilot as some sort of parallel universe that the characters discover.
That would’ve been epic!
Meta ??
Thank god they recast Willow. In the Buffy special features the casting woman says that Allyson had a way of saying everything joyfully, even sad lines. I thought that was cool.
Yeah, thought the same. This actress didn't really sound right, like the acting is a bit off. Alyson Hannigan was without a doubt the right choice.
Yeah, and one of the writers on the show had also said that Alyson could pull off the complicated lines (remember the time she was talking to Buffy about doodling? LOL) with ease and with a completely straight face--so they were always working to come up with funny and complicated lines for her to do, because people loved it so much and came to expect that from Willow. Willow ROCKED!!
Darla recast was good too
no, it Julie Benz was the same person playing Darla in the unaired pilot as well as the show
Thomas Erlandsen Julie Benz (darla) was in the aired one to she wasn't recast
Worth remembering that this was purely intended for showing to execs, and was never meant to be aired. When they got the blue light for what became season one the basic story was carried forward with some elements, including (sadly for me personally) the changing of the actor playing Willow. Some of the elements still ending up appearing later in the show. kerk
Curious- why sad for you personally? 😄
Because big girls rule.
No..the actor playing Willow was quite flat onscreen, Alyson always shines and was an obviously better choice. I’m sure that other actor/actress was a great person, but..showbiz is a rough business..like symphony auditions, you can have the best day of your life, but if somebody better shows up, it’s “thank you” from behind the screen and you leave the stage never to return.
There's so much hate for the Willow in this, I'd like to defend her. She's acting no worse than anyone else in the pilot. She seems genuine Rosenberg, nice and geeky. She's OG. Original Geek. Not like it was before all geeks had to be hot in some way. When I was a geek at school, geeks were geeks, not hot people in glasses. Now I love Alyson, and can't imagine Buffy without her, that goes without saying, but go this girl. Fuck the mainstream sanitisation of geekdom.
I agree, but I do think that Alyson played her better. I want to defend her, but she just seems like she's forcing it....if that makes any sense. She's supposed to seem awkward, but she seems a little too awkward. Like she's forcing herself to act out the scenes. Alyson seemed more confident in herself as an actress and she naturally played well into the scenes as Willow. So while I do agree she looks the part of a geek-I especially can't say anything bad about her looks because we share a similar figure- I just think acting wise Alison seemed really better. I haven't read all of the comments, but I think that's what a lot of people were meaning when they said they were glad Alyson got the part instead....maybe. As for the rest who meant her figure rather than her acting you were spot on. :)
~Not attacking you it seemed like you were saying that Alyson was better I just disagreed that she was as good as the others acting wise. Personal opinion no disrespect promise :)~
Alyson can pull off any emotion and make it seem real. Riff might be a good actress, but she just wasn't right for the role. Even Anthony Stewart Head said something like that.
I don't see why you have to "defend her". The idea of pilot is to show networks what potential a show could possibly have. Acting isn't suppose to be superb. Charisma & Sarah did an OK job here. Their potential was shown and they deserved their respective roles. With subtle tweaks on their performances, which they did have/fix, sky was the limit with their roles. Remember Joss Whedon financed this pilot for a half-hour to get a taste of what was to come. So everything is a little rushed. However, Riff Regan was pretty bad, not a good fit, and you tell she was out of place. She only acted for 4 more years in 1-2 small TV movies/specials and hasn't been a paid actress in the last 15 years. There is no reason to defend her. Alyson Hannigan was a good if not great decision by the network as well as a full hour /42 min. of TRT.
Think about it this way too....huge chain of events....no Alyson, then no meeting Alexis Denisof, no marriage, and two adorable little girls wouldn't exist right now! :)
true go will
I just can't believe it has been almost 20 years since it first aired. My god I am feeling old.
Michael Luis I know, right? Can't believe all that time has passed! Seinfeld was even still on then! Boy, it sure got darker in the world when Buffy and Seinfeld left the airwaves... I bet we'd have a lot fewer violent acts and hate crimes if those shows were still on... ;-)
Buffy first aired in 1997 (in the US), still almost 20 years ago, but yeah, crazy. I remember always wanting to watch it when I was still in middle school and my mom wouldn't let me, lols.
+Becca St. Claire that suxs ur mom wouldn't let u watch Buffy. My parents were letting me watch rated R when I was 6 years old
+lauren ralph Have you stopped killing yet?
+Tom Withey what's that suppose 2 mean
this pilot actually fits more of the horror genre joss was talking about, you can really see the influence of horror movies in this unaired pilot, especially with the music and different set. i prefer the original but it is REALLY interesting and cool to see the different vibe
The original as in.. the movie? Because this is the original for the series, it came first.
I somewhat agree, this unaired pilot definitely has more of the original Buffy movie kind of feel to it. It's a little more intense, less jokes but still lots of cheesiness. I'm happy with the outcome we got because I think it went in a better direction. If the whole show had been like this, I don't think it would've done as well. I know this is a rough draft but it's missing SO MUCH of the key elements that the real pilot had.
I forgot how great Xander was, his line delivery is always on point.
While I loved Alyson Hannigan as Willow I like this actress too. She was a plus sized girl and you don't see that as often on a tv series
+Christian VA especially in the 90's!
porcelain100 very true
+Christian VA That's precisely why she was cut off...The other ones stayed, don't they? Besides, the sidekick is never much uglier than the lead...it just doesn't fit well.
Jen Lindley She wasn't ugly she was Zoftig/Zaftig there is a difference.
I think she fit pretty well, with Charisma Carpenter being model pretty and Sarah Mitchell Gellar girl next door pretty she could have been "zoftig" pretty/attractive
+Christian VA What's zoftig?
"I don't like to hit girls . . . that I'm afraid of." ahhhhh, I love it. Classic Xander~
LMAO when the vamp said "I'll call you!"
I love Giles's smile when he gives Buffy the Vampyr book.
We got the best version of the pilot, but I did like the chemistry between Buffy and Xander in the courtyard, when they're talking about the cliques.
Crazy seeing darla in season 1 as such a bad character then later develop it in Angel as one of the most interesting.
I actually think this actress would have been a fairly decent Willow
but ultimately the elements of Alyson Hannigan's personality that she was able to contribute to the character made her one of the most beloved characters on the show. It's hard to imagine some of this show's great moments without her.
She reminds me a little of the woman who played in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
But would we really hate this girl as Willow if we had not had seven years of Alysion Hannigan as Willow? Who know? That being said, I am glad they went the way they did.
We would not like willow as much. It's about TONE.
Watch un aired full house episode, The dad was recast, says the same lines and suddenly the show takes on a different tone. TONE matters.
I do not think Willow would be so many people's favorite without Alyson's endearing performance. But I think this actress did fine.
People are talking about Willow (obviously). But I have to wonder what it was like for that actress - to know you were in the pilot then they replaced you, then the part became HUGE, her image immortalized in comics as well... (and then the actress who took your part got a huge part on How I Met Your Mother). That would kinda stink.
I can't get how she got the part to start with. Is she Joss's another daoughter or what?
You could ask the same thing to Amanda Walsh. The original "Penny" on the Big Bang Theory. Being in the original pilot then replaced, only see it to last 12 seasons.
"Can I see the body?" - LOL !
"My grades are the suck!" I love it!
"Oh, ow, that was my favorite spine..." Ha ha.
I'm 43 and I just found out I STILL like this show :D
Same here Milady! 💜🌹🎩
Me too
Thank you for this ❤
A notification brought me back here. ( I was summoned haha )
Guess what .. I'm 46 now and I STILL love this show 😸 greetings from the Netherlands everyone! 🇳🇱🇳🇱
OMG...me too. I'm actually watching it right now. I cant believe I was in high school when this came on..well a senior.
This definitely has a different kind of vibe. It's like a different type of show altogether.
"It's like a different type of show"
It's like a different type of show.
Sarah Michelle gellar really carried this show with her acting and thank goodness she did not play Cordelia and charisma didn't play Buffy. I think the actress who pretrade Willow in this version had her own unique particular style does not mean that she is a bad actress this just wasn't for her.
I couldn't imagine Alyson Hannigan not playing Willow. Seeing someone else play her was weird. I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer so much though. It's true art.
"What kind of name is buffy"
"Oh hi aphrodisiac"
😂😂😂
That Willow definitely isn't as noticeable and intriguing as Alyson. I'm very glad they re- cast. I love the corniness of Buffy though. It's not over done it's very fresh even today. That's what I like about the series is it still feels relevant and timeless
Funniest line; "That was my favorite spine!" I almost died.
Seeing this was like looking into an alternate reality! So cool. It's nice to witness the beginning to one of my favorite shows of all time.
I'm kinda bummed they recast Principal Flutie. The actor in this pilot was spot on! Though his character was short-lived in the series, I feel the actor they recast him with played it kind of forced. I am, however, glad they recast Willow. The chemistry just wasn't there, and she didn't seem to fit the role, personality-wise. I see her more playing someone in a Luna Lovegood capacity; drifty, head in the clouds, and calm. Maybe even a stoner chick. I understand why they recast her, but she'd do well in other roles.
This is the principal from Goldbergs.
@@joshuasteward6097 Stephen Tobolowsky. A really great character actor who's been in everything-from the soaked foot insurance salesman in Groundhog Day, to the disgraced music teacher in Glee, to Lana's rich husband in Archer, a corrupt FBI agent who gets his in Justified and 100's more roles. I've been seeing him pop up in stuff I liked for the last 40 years and he always does a great job.
There’s some things I love about this that I wish was in the remake.
The principal’s humor, Buffy and Xander imitating the drama club, Cordelia’s sarcastic reply “I’m sure he crawled in a locker and died of old age”, Buffy flipping off the banister in the library, Buffy mentioning her old water dying to Giles, Buffy and Johnathan’s first awkward encounter, the fight scene where Buffy says “that was my favorite spine”, and the ending where Buffy tosses a stake at a vampire poster.
Oh and stop hating on the actress playing Willow here. It’s literally a rough draft pilot. Everyone here did their best. If she was given more of a chance then she would’ve aced the character just like everyone else aced theirs. Relax.
Drama club. Totally agree.
@randywhite3947 Yeah, no hate. She's just not Hannigan's Willow.
@@plumdutchess fatphobia
@@disneytoysr4fun975 As someone who is also fat, I doubt it's a fatphobia thing. Hannigan's Willow is just what the majority of us know. I adore the 7 seasons, but as someone who loves buffy and is very curious, it would've been interesting to see how the show might've been with the original actors/actresses. That all being said, there were probably multiple factors behind the cast changes; It was a much different time.
IE agree the original had potential 👌
Well you gotta love Stephen Tobolowsky as the principal. Other than that I'm glad this was "unaired"
HA! Willow is different
+Hey Sam Graham Cartoons NOT in a good way....
She killed Darla.
Angel had to do that in the series.
That's gotta count for something.
I would have liked to have seen Riff somewhere in the show after she got replaced... she's not half bad and could have made for a decent victim or villain.
7:11, I think, highlights the key difference between Alyson Hannigan's and (looks up name) Riff Regan's respective portrayals of Willow. Willow compliments Buffy's outfit and Buffy says she is "totally jamming" on Willow's dress. Willow replies, "Oh, no. It's dorky. I'm aware that it's dorky," in a clearly self-deprecating tone. Reading this line in a script, most actors would probably deliver it in the same way. Poor Willow. Pity her. I remember reading somewhere that Alyson Hannigan, when given a similarly depressing line, turned it on its head and gave it a gleam of optimism. There would have been a bounce to her delivery of the above line, like she knows people make fun of her clothing, but it doesn't bother her, which is quite a Joss characterization. More direction might have led Regan to a similar delivery, but Hannigan's natural instinct as an actor was bound to earn her more favor.
Hannigan was chosen because of conections. I am picturing the entire series with origional Willow...and...it could be done , but Hannigan was the better choice...and it was prooven by the latter end-time Buffy. That girl could not possibky face Glory...lesbian or not. I like the original pilot better than what we saw then...after the silly movie...but it must be agreed that this is one of the best shows of a decade. Forget it not, PLEASE...Lest ART die.
No one can replace Hanniagan. But... imagine this version of Willow transforming from what she was in this episode to Dark Willow. I kinda wanna see that now.
I don’t
I do too! it would be interesting.
I think she would be forced to lose weight later on in the series
Because willow transformed by season 4 1999 willow was hardly a geek
She was more edgy with a hint of geeky
So this willow actress would have to lose weight and on top of that the story would be reflected on her so I don’t think it would work
But she's clearly a terrible act