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The Best Episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 1

Every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 1!

Into every generation a slayer is born: one girl in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number. She is the Slayer.

Genres:Sci-Fi & FantasyComedyDramaAction & Adventure
Networks:The WBUPN

Season 1 Ratings Summary

The best episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" season 1 is "Welcome to the Hellmouth (1)", rated 7.9/10 from 5510 user votes. It was directed by Charles Martin Smith and written by Joss Whedon. "Welcome to the Hellmouth (1)" aired on 3/10/1997 and is rated 0.2 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "The Harvest (2)".

  • Welcome to the Hellmouth (1)
    7.9/10 5,510 votes

    #1 - Welcome to the Hellmouth (1)

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 3/10/1997

    When teen vampire slayer Buffy tries to start a new life at Sunnydale High, she discovers that the school sits atop a demonic dimensional portal.

    Director: Charles Martin Smith

    Writer: Joss Whedon

  • The Harvest (2)
    7.7/10 4,753 votes

    #2 - The Harvest (2)

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 3/10/1997

    Buffy and her friends encounter a powerful vampire bent on opening a portal to a dimension inhabited by demons.

    Director: John T. Kretchmer

    Writer: Joss Whedon

  • Witch
    7.5/10 4,712 votes

    #3 - Witch

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 3/17/1997

    Buffy suspects she has a witch on her hands when the cheerleading squad falls victim to sudden blindness and spontaneous combustion.

    Director: Stephen Cragg

    Writer: Dana Reston

  • Teacher's Pet
    6.7/10 4,539 votes

    #4 - Teacher's Pet

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 3/24/1997

    Buffy's biology teacher is killed by a giant praying mantis that assumes the form of a beautiful substitute teacher.

    Director: Bruce Seth Green

    Writer: David Greenwalt

  • Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
    7.2/10 4,319 votes

    #5 - Never Kill a Boy on the First Date

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 3/31/1997

    With Buffy preoccupied by her date with Owen, Giles is trapped by a group of vampires seeking to raise a powerful leader.

    Director: David Semel

    Writer: Dean Batali, Rob DesHotel

  • The Pack
    7.2/10 4,491 votes

    #6 - The Pack

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 4/7/1997

    Xander and several other students are possessed by the spirit of a demonic breed of hyenas that wreak havoc at the high school.

    Director: Bruce Seth Green

    Writer: Joe Reinkemeyer, Matt Kiene

  • Angel
    8.4/10 4,668 votes

    #7 - Angel

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 4/14/1997

    Buffy discovers Angel's dark secret and hesitates to do anything about it, which could spell danger for someone she loves.

    Director: Scott Brazil

    Writer: David Greenwalt

  • I, Robot... You, Jane
    6.5/10 4,325 votes

    #8 - I, Robot... You, Jane

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 4/28/1997

    Willow's new Internet chat buddy turns out to be a powerful demon electronically unleashed from a centuries-old, newly digitized book.

    Director: Stephen L. Posey

    Writer: Thomas A. Swyden, Ashley Gable

  • The Puppet Show
    7.5/10 4,350 votes

    #9 - The Puppet Show

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 5/5/1997

    Buffy suspects that a ventriloquist's dummy may be harvesting organs from classmates performing in a talent show.

    Director: Ellen S. Pressman

    Writer: Dean Batali, Rob DesHotel

  • Nightmares
    8.0/10 4,305 votes

    #10 - Nightmares

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 5/12/1997

    A series of strange occurrences lead Buffy and her friends to discover that their worst nightmares have literally become reality.

    Director: Bruce Seth Green

    Writer: N/A

  • Out of Mind, Out of Sight
    7.5/10 4,141 votes

    #11 - Out of Mind, Out of Sight

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 5/19/1997

    When an invisible menace starts attacking students and faculty at Sunnydale High, the Scooby Gang traces the problem back to Cordelia.

    Director: Reza Badiyi

    Writer: N/A

  • Prophecy Girl
    8.7/10 4,619 votes

    #12 - Prophecy Girl

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 6/2/1997

    Buffy's life may hang in the balance as Giles uncovers an ancient book that foretells not only her death, but also the end of the world.

    Director: Joss Whedon

    Writer: Joss Whedon