welcome welcome series premiere supernatural drama television series vampire slayer episode harvest originally aired series premiere march episode written series creator executive producer directed welcome received nielsen rating original airing received largely positive reviews critics narrative follows day new school new town hopes live normal teenager duties fate slayer fight vampires demons supernatural beings leave ancient vampire master threatens break free turn help school librarian new classmates willow stranger named angel developed vampire slayer hollywood formula little blonde girl goes dark alley gets killed horror movie series created movie attempt stay original ideas scenes filmed location los_angeles california high school external internal scenes series school series beverly_hills plot series premiere begins boy played breaks school night seemingly reluctant girl promising fun nervous edge girl says thinks heard fears school boy calls gets response leading girl assure girl says good turns face boy revealing facial true identity vampire bites boy neck later revealed summers nightmare morning day school mother drives school encourages think positive inside building tells start clean slate realizing burned previous school gym starts explain rapidly changes end statement exits office female student contents floor sees helps mainly introduce earlier suggested attracted leaves stake pockets called walked away history class helped popular girl tests factor written moved california los_angeles horror awkward water fountain inside library places book titled recognizing stunned makes hasty exit willow meet break returns stake claims standard self defense los_angeles appears tells gym cancelled extreme dead guy student gym locker asks marks body forces way locker room examines body finds characteristic wounds vampire neck returns library confronts informs refuses accept calling slayer gotten kicked previous school robbed social life leave library emerges shelves having strange conversation night route visit bronze cool meets mysterious handsome stranger warns living open harvest coming gives large silver cross bronze meets willow encourages seize moment tomorrow dead finds tells stranger tells learn skills sense vampires uses fashion sense pick vampire club alarmed willow leave loses surprised nearly immediately calls friends tell looks willow bronze stopped convinces help search willow streets master ancient powerful vampire king lesser vampires long sleep prepare harvest sends luke young blood willow new acquaintance takes cemetery joined arrive kills willow vampire willow help weakened flee luke takes place fight help catch kids luke throws stone coffin kill continuity angel speaks met episode reveals fallen love reveals destiny vampire slayer later episode helpless angel confessed love acquainted episode followed los_angeles production background writing says immortal incarnation concept idea woman completely insignificant turns extraordinary early idea evolved hollywood formula little blonde girl goes dark alley gets killed horror movie wanted idea create hero explained mission statement joy female power having sharing idea visited script movie featured title role director saw pop culture comedy people think vampires disagreed written scary film empowered woman turned broad comedy crushing years later fox executive approached develop concept television series explained said want thought high school horror movie metaphor central concept sold supernatural elements series stood metaphors personal associated young adulthood early development series going simply titled slayer went write partly fund minute non broadcast pilot shown networks eventually sold vampire slayer aired march mid season replacement savannah network played key role growth television network early years music episode series premiere features usage theme song pop punk band band songwriter guitarist admitted fan explained band created theme song fancy pants hollywood failed write theme song producers approved eventually producers asked bunch local small time bands pay little money come ideas liked idea rest history songs band play episode deciding wear song saturated playing background bronze band plays songs believe things changing songs featured episode found album score episode season entries created casting filming explained characters appeared series based real life individuals instance modeled girl wife attended high school based hoped include actor title credits shock viewers character dies unfortunately afford extra set title credits time wish granted season episode seeing red character plays vampire luke returns series season different character judge surprise innocence original non broadcast pilot willow portrayed network executives requested replaced willow character demanded shy unsure casting department encountered difficulty finding actresses portray effectively likable seven auditions eventually chosen role chosen able spin character lines self optimism stated didn want willow feeling sorry especially season couldn talk guys liked like don want play somebody conceived character saying wanted willow kind colorful interior life truly shy people definitely found way willow talked great extent actors conform way write character stands willow case recently fired job struggling financially attracted pilot script hated high school recognized based attended high school accounting gets good lines originally planned read role late audition instead tried minutes prepare character producers responsive carpenter audition left feeling confident got carpenter audition offered role carpenter asked come audition originally won role turned contractual obligations later cast vampire slayer second season originally intended serve dramatic foil represent characteristics mature shallower portrayed original film portrayed originally auditioned role later offered minor role pilot episode character originally unnamed minor vampire supposed die pilot liked performance named character appeared episodes went portray episodes spin television series angel later went new actor los_angeles didn know business excited work play vampire clue going going scary vampire makeup went trailer thought creepy said intrigued looked like talked like like vampire wanted sweet voice sudden vicious vampire veteran character actor appeared heavy prosthetic role master iconic performance film national recognized role favorites actors auditioned felt played complexity bringing sly kind sensitivity charm character cast mother disliked horror genre looking acting jobs agent called opportunity play auditioned day impressed naturally felt ease material scripts principal originally played pilot cast broadcast version certain scenes argument library meeting angel shot months episode recorded feeling angry original takes subsequently teased going scenes time high school external internal scenes series high school series beverly_hills vampire effects created idea faces vampires human features demonic wanted normal high school students characters interact normally turn vampires creating sense paranoia wanted vampires clearly monsters like high school girl killing normal looking people vampires originally appeared white faced creepy toned later episodes makeup time consuming claims people thought white faces funny looking personally found comparing monsters zombie movies day dead evil dead character master designed face permanently highlight age appear artist based master appearance bat reasoning character demonic state years decided vampires clothes turn dust died practical storytelling reasons characters spend time cleaning bodies episode introduced idea vampires clothes resemble era died identifying dated outfit felt concept charming notion ultimately rejected believed vampire dressed old fashioned clothes cease scary reception welcome aired united_states march original airing episode provided teaser advertisement briefing history past revealed horrific events towns halted particular woman arrived promotional teaser appear syndication dvd welcome earned nielsen rating meaning roughly percent television equipped households tuned episode 100th watched episode television aired week ending march episode received largely positive reviews critics wrote episode good introduction establishing characters premise quickly ending cliffhanger murray note contained dialogue sounds faux clever actually clever overall action horror sequences continue second season writing called fledgling series witty intelligent thoroughly entertaining dubbed best thing seen praised acting noting plays perfection atlanta constitution called little mix camp comedy high school monsters likened plot fox sci series files nickelodeon horror themed anthology series afraid dark ultimately gave episode book bite called episode excellent complimented strengths main cast unique approach contrasted earlier movie noting movie version like near end suddenly tried film television carries comedy action drama simultaneously features far superior ensemble cast
Welcome to the Hellmouth