10 Worst Buffy The Vampire Slayer Episodes

It’s no secret that Buffy’s opening season is a bit rough. There are only two standout episodes (‘Angel’ and ‘Prophecy Girl’), and the other stories are pretty formulaic compared with the rest of the show.

Indeed, the monster-of-the-week trope is present throughout this season. But the writers keep things interesting by throwing in twists and turns within the parameters of this weekly formula. The problem with ‘Teacher’s Pet’, however, is that it’s too predictable.

The moment Miss French arrives at Sunnydale High, you know she’s the villain. And when she starts her first Biology class by talking about the actions of the giant praying mantis, it’s easy to figure out what’s going to happen. Miss French’s transformation doesn’t hold up well, either – this giant insect is more amusing than scary.

The one strength of this episode is that it starts to explore Xander’s struggles with masculinity. It’s a theme which comes up throughout the show and this episode deserves credit for pioneering this story arc.