Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Teacher's Pet

"I wonder what she sees in me. Its probably the quiet good looks coupled with a certain smoky magnetism."

- Xander Harris

"Teacher's Pet" is the fourth episode of season one of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The episode was directed by Bruce Seth Green and written by David Greenwalt. It first aired on the WB Network on March 24th, 1997. In this episode, an attractive substitute teacher named Natalie French comes to Sunnydale High and sets her sights on Xander Harris. While Xander falls prey to the woman's charms, Buffy, Willow and Giles learn that there is more to this seductress than meets the eye.

Synopsis
Xander falls asleep in chemistry class. As he drools into his sleeve, he dreams of being a suave and courageous vampire killer who saves a grateful Buffy Summers from a vampire at The Bronze. After dispatching his opponent, he hops up on the stage and finishes a guitar solo. Buffy wakes him up and their teacher, Doctor Stephen Gregory, continues his lecture. He grills Buffy on the study of insects, but Buffy stumbles over the questions. As the bell rings, he asks her stay behind after class. Surprisingly, Doctor Gregory offers Buffy words of encouragement. He knows that she is very bright and feels that she is being hampered due to negative opinions brought on from her experiences at Hemery High. Buffy appreciates his comments and develops a newfound respect for the man. After Buffy leaves, something enters the lab and kills Doctor Gregory.

That night at the Bronze, Xander comes upon a fellow student named Blayne Moll and finds him bragging about his alleged sexual conquests. Xander makes a joke and Blayne challenges him to list all of the women that he has bedded. When he sees Buffy and Willow enter the club, he finds an excuse to evade Blayne's uncomfortable questions. Another mysterious individual enters the Bronze as well - Angel. Buffy goes over to him and asks why he is here. Angel sees that she is cold and offers her his leather jacket. When he takes his coat off, Buffy notices three vicious wounds across his left arm. Buffy refers to the assailant as "Fork Guy". Angel warns her that the creature that did this to him is coming for her and she should show him no mercy. With that, he disappears into the night. Buffy says to the empty air, "Sweet dreams to you too."

The next day at school, Xander meets up with Buffy, Willow and Giles and tells them that Doctor Gregory has gone missing. This causes them great concern and Willow even mentions how Doctor Gregory is the only teacher at Sunnydale who doesn't think Buffy is a felon. As they talk, Gregory's substitute teacher, Natalie French, walks up. She is older, but extremely attractive woman and Xander has trouble keeping his wits about him. Blayne Moll appears and offers to show Miss French to her classroom.

The students go to their science class and as they file into the room, Buffy notices Doctor Gregory's glasses on the floor. She knows that the teacher would never willingly go anywhere without his glasses and this makes her suspicious. Miss French conducts her class and teaches them about the life cycle of the praying mantis. She then asks for volunteers to help her out with a science project. Nearly every boy in the class raises their hand.

After class the Scoobies go to lunch. Xander boasts that Miss French has the hots for him. Cordelia Chase comes in to get her medically prescribed lunch from the freezer. When she opens the door, she finds the decapitated body of Doctor Gregory. Buffy and the others convene in the library to consult with Giles. They describe the incident to him, and this brings up the warning that Angel gave to Buffy. As they discuss the matter further, they determine that "Fork Guy" is not the same creature responsible for killing Doctor Gregory. Giles tells Buffy about a report of a homeless man that was murdered at Weatherly Park. She takes it upon herself to investigate the matter. As she patrols the park she runs into Fork Guy and fights with him. The police show up however and Fork Guy runs off before Buffy has the opportunity to finish him off. Buffy chases after him and watches as he prepares to accost Natalie French who is walking home. Natalie just stares at the man and something about her frightens him. He runs off and escapes through a manhole.

The next day, Buffy tells Giles about what happened. After describing Fork Guy's reaction to Miss French, they decide that it would be best to keep a close eye on her. Buffy leaves the library and heads towards Biology class, but she runs into Principal Flutie. Flutie tells her that everyone who saw Doctor Gregory's headless body is required to visit an on-site crisis counselor. Buffy tries to dodge the matter, but Flutie is insistent and makes her sit outside the counselor's office. After her session, she rushes to class, but as she looks through the window, she sees Miss French's head turn around 180 degrees and stare menacingly at her. Buffy goes to the library and tells Giles and Willow what she had seen. Recalling that there were certain species of insects capable of doing the same thing that Miss French did, Buffy begins sorting through the library books relating to bugs. After a crash course in entomology, Buffy deduces that Miss French is actually a human praying mantis.

Miss French meets with Xander after class and pours on the charm. She asks him to come by her place that evening to help her with the science project materials. Completely smitten by her, Xander eagerly agrees. As he is walking home, Buffy stops him and tries to warn him about Miss French. This actually angers Xander who accuses Buffy of being jealous at the notion that an older woman would find him attractive. During the conversation, he projects his own jealousy and makes a few snarky comments regarding Angel. He brushes past her and goes to Miss French's house.

When he arrives, he finds Miss French wearing a provocative dress while romantic music plays in the background. She offers him a martini and segues into a question about Xander's sexual history. As she draws closer to him, Xander watches her transform into a human praying mantis. The sedative that Natalie put in his martini takes effect and Xander passes out. When he comes to he finds himself locked up inside a cage in Miss French's basement. In an adjacent cage sits Blayne Moll, Miss French's first student volunteer. Back at the school, Giles telephones an old contact of his named Ferris Carlyle who tells him the legend concerning the She-Mantis, a mythical creature that assumes the form of a beautiful woman and hunts virgins, killing them after mating with them. Buffy tells Giles to find recordings of bat sonar, indicating that these sounds are said to disrupt a praying mantis' nervous system. Willow uses her computer skills to find out where Miss French lives. They go to the house and find that Natalie French is actually a ninety-year-old retired school teacher. Apparently, the woman who has been seducing Xander stole Miss French's identity in order to get access to Sunnydale's student body.

Back in the She-Mantis' lair, the fake Miss French, now assuming her true form, opens Xander's cage and prepares to mate with him. Xander fights back, but she easily takes him down. She ties him up then releases her eggs so that he can fertilize them for her.

Meanwhile, Buffy tracks down "Fork Guy" and captures him. She forces him to show her where the She-Mantis lives. He leads her to the woman's house, but manages to cut through his bonds and attacks Buffy. Buffy snaps off a piece of a wooden fence and stakes him. Giles, Willow and she then find the correct house and burst inside just as the She-Mantis is getting ready to kill Xander. They keep her at bay by spraying her with bug spray. Giles activates the tape recorder with the bat sonar sounds and the She-Mantis begins screeching in pain as her nervous system begins to break down. Buffy pulls a machete from her bag and hacks away at her until she is dead. They free Blayne then destroy all of the eggs. Unfortunately, Xander and Blayne must now face the embarrassing truth about being virgins.

Sometime later, Buffy goes to The Bronze to relax. Angel comes in and Buffy thanks him for the tip on "Fork Guy". She offers to return Angel's jacket, but he lets her keep it, citing "It looks better on you." As he walks away, Buffy begins to realize how much she is attracted to him.

The next day, Buffy goes to Biology class. A new teacher has taken Doctor Gregory's place and hands out homework assignments. As the class is dismissed, Buffy takes Doctor Gregory's glasses and places him in his coat, which is still hanging on the wall. She walks out of the lab, never realizing that a mantis egg is hatching beneath one of the shelves.

Notes & Trivia

 * Buffy the Vampire Slayer was created by Joss Whedon.


 * "BTVS: Teacher's Pet" serves as a shortcut to this page.


 * This episode has been made available on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Chosen Collection and disc one of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete First Season DVD collections.


 * Director Bruce Seth Green is not to be confused with actor Seth Green who plays the role of Daniel "Oz" Osbourne beginning in season two.


 * This episode first aired on Alyson Hannigan's birthday. Alyson Hannigan plays the role of Willow Rosenberg.


 * The actor who plays the "Fork Guy" vampire is uncredited in this episode.


 * First episode of the series that doesn't feature Joyce Summers.


 * Doctor Gregory brings up Buffy's troubles at Hemery High School. This was briefly touched upon in the series pilot episode "Welcome to the Hellmouth".


 * In the beginning of the episode, Blayne Moll brags about sleeping with seven girls. By the end of the episode however, it is revealed that he is actually a virgin.


 * Angel and Principal Flutie appeared last in "The Harvest".


 * Doctor Stephen Gregory appeared last in "Witch".


 * Xander's middle name, Lavelle, is revealed in this episode.


 * The episode shows that the She-Mantis mated with and then killed Doctor Gregory. According to the mythology established in this episode, the She-Mantis only mates with virgins, implying that Doctor Gregory, a man of advanced years, had never had sex.


 * The final scene reveals a hatching egg located beneath a shelf in the biology lab closet. Although this foreshadows a potential follow-up story, the idea is never revisited in later episodes.


 * Xander sarcastically quips, "We're on Monster Island". Monster Island is a fictional location featured in Toho Productions' Godzilla film series, in particular, the 1968 film Destroy All Monsters.


 * To execute the 180 degrees headspin, actress Musetta Vander had to stand on excactly the same mark and turn her head in whatever direction Bruce Seth Green instructed her to. Then they would digitally match it and keep her head turning to make it look like it was doing a 180 degree spin.


 * After seeing Miss French's head rotate 180 degrees, Buffy describes it as a "Full-on Exorcist twist". This is a reference to the 1973 film The Exorcist where Linda Blair's character Regan MacNeil turns her head completely around while being possessed by the demon Pazuzu.

Quotes

 * Willow Rosenberg: He's one of the only teachers that doesn't think Buffy's a felon.

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 * Xander Harris: It's funny how the Earth never opens up and swallows you when you want it to.

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 * Rupert Giles: I think there are too many guys in your life.

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 * Willow Rosenberg: He's got a crush on a giant insect!

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 * Willow Rosenberg: I like his head. Its where you find his eyes and his hair and his adorable smile.