The Pack
Reviewed by Christophe | Rating: 9/10

The Pack

“The Pack” will shock, stun, and amaze! Crazy bullies get even crazier in this creepy episode. Once again, BTVS moves away from your run of the mill vampires, and onto another type of hellmouth evil. This time it’s transpossessing Hyena sprits, who cause chaos in Sunnydale, by possessing a group of students – one them being Xander!

On a field trip to the zoo, Xander and a group of troublesome students, enter an off-limits Hyena House. Any Buffy fan will immediately sense things are not quite right, when they see the giant red symbol marked on the floor of the house. But the students are unaware of the super natural situation, as the Hyena spirits possess them, upon looking into their eyes.
The Hyenas themselves look rather, puppet-ish (wondering whether they got Jim Henson’s crew in for this?!). Luckily the Hyenas only make a brief appearance, before the story continues on…

Willow brings it to Buffy’s attention that Xander is acting weird. The two discuss it, but Buffy hasn’t noticed anything unusual. In this scene we learn that Buffy is interested in the mysterious, Angel. Also, once again it is demonstrated how strongly Willow feels for Xander.
Buffy however, is forced to eat her words, when Xander arrives at the Bronze. Scoffing down food, laughing with the bullies, an even keener sense of smell, and just plain rudeness – make it clear that Sunnydale’s super natural has had a hand in the scenario.

Viewers will love the new school mascot, introduced by Principal Flutie. “Herbert” the pig is a very cute and clean piglet, perfect for the Sunnydale Razorbacks!
From this point onwards begins the “Xander-twilight zone period,” as we are treated to a string of disturbing behavior from his part.
Firstly, Herbert the pig goes NUTS when Xander walks past him. Xander ditches Willow and Buffy, and takes up hanging out with Kyle and the other “Hyena people.” He also turns heartbreaker when he says to Willow – “I’ve decided to drop geometry, so, I won’t be needing your math help anymore, which means, I won’t have to look at your pasty face again.”
Now are you ready for the shock-stun-amaze part of the episode? The pack (Xander with the other possessed people) go searching for some lunch (meat to be more precise) that’s not too well done. Herbert, would have been a good mascot for Sunnydale High, hadn’t he been eaten alive! Tragic stuff, poor Herbie.
When Principal Flutie confronts the pack about Herbert’s disappearance, he calls them to his office. BIG mistake! Yes…. Even the Principal is not spared from this brutal and nasty plot! Fortunately, Xander missed enjoying Flutie-spareribs, as he was preoccupied with Buffy.

There’s also the inevitable Giles’ research part of the episode, where he explains what the hell is going on! Primals, are able, through transpossession, to draw animal spirits into themselves. Knowing this, Giles and Buffy track down the zookeeper, who seems to be an expert on the subject. He says he will help them put the spirits back into the Hyenas, but first the hyena people MUST be in the Hyena house….
It’s all chase, run, chase, trapped, chase, run (!!!) - Until the Hyenas are in the Hyena house. Of course no Buffy episode is complete with a final twist – the zookeeper is the evil behind the evil of the “The Pack.” He takes the spirits from Xander and the other students, transferring them into himself. But our slayer won’t have that! Prepare yourself for Buffy’s turn to get down on the floor, throwing the malevolent zookeeper into the Hyena enclosure!

You are sure to love the final surprise, when Xander claims “memory loss” over the experience.
A well written, funny, unpredictable, and surprising episode! The deaths of Herbert and Principal Flutie, are certainly unexpected and shocking! First killing off Jesse in “The Harvest,” and now Principal Flutie - Joss Whedon is obviously unhesitant when it comes to killing off characters. The surprise is thrilling, and will keep viewing tuning in each week.

“The Pack” is also a key episode to season 1, as it uses the character’s feelings as an undercurrent to play with. Willow’s love for Xander causes her heart to be broken when he is possessed. Xander’s crush on Buffy is exaggerated and made violent, in his Hyena possessed state. Also, Buffy’s admittance to Willow of her interest in Angel, is surely a clue to a future theme…

To conclude, “The Pack” is one of the better episodes of BTVS. Thrills, action, twists and comedy, are all entertaining. In my last review, I mentioned how underused Cordelia is. In “The Pack” she fails to make a single appearance, which is my only problem with the episode.

9/10

Memorable Quotes

“…Today it’s all gangs and drugs and those movies on ShowTime with the nudity….I don’t have cable I only heard it.” – Principal Flutie on today’s morals.

Buffy to Giles: “I cannot believe that you of all people are trying to Scully me! There is something super natural at work here…get your books, look stuff up!”

“Why couldn’t Xander be possessed by a puppy, or…or some ducks?!” - Willow

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