Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 1 Episode 6: The Pack

This episode is actually one of the most brutal so far. The principle is killed an eaten, as is the mascot. And it's the first time that the three main friends have a fight with each other. The first of many actually. And some of the stuff Xander says and does is very horrendous. and also very familiar to anyone who knows a group of bullies. That's what this episode is truly about, bully groups. They use the fantasy setting to convey that message but that's what is underneath it all.

The sad part is real bullies act like that without any kind of possession. The real ones don't kill and eat people, usually....but it's still a sad fact that the hyena kids went that far off real life. There is a lot of emotional depth in this episode. Pain, loss, anger. And the African shamanistic elements are actually very interesting. i don't know enough about African shamanism to say if its accurate or not, but again this isn't meant to be a documentary on occult practices. its meant to entertain and make us feel something for the characters, and this episode does that splendidly.

Acting: 8 Plot: 8 Dialog: 8 Horror: 7 Action: 7 Suspense: 8 Humanity: 6 Overall: 8

Director: Bruce Seth Green

Writer: Joss Whedon, Matt Kiene