"Witch" Introduces Amy Madison, who joins Buffy in trying out for the cheerleading team. It's a tough, but fair competition, at least until the other girls start suffering bizarre accidents, like bursting into fire, losing their sight and other assorted mayhem. Buffy, Giles and the gang suspect that witchcraft is afoot. They believe that one of the girls who is trying out for the team is eliminating the competition through magic, thus making it easier for her to succeed. The prime suspect is Amy, whose domineering mother was a superstar cheerleader in her day. Therefore she is facing enormous pressure to not only get on the team, but to measure up to her mother's legacy. However, little does Buffy and the gang knows that they have just barely scratched the surface of this mystery, especially when the witch goes after Buffy with a vengeance.

"Witch" is a creepy little thriller with some unexpected twists and turns in the story. It also makes some pertinent statements about the sometimes-strained relationship between mothers and daughters, as the episode sharply contrasts the rapport between Buffy and Joyce with that of Amy and her mother. Joss Whedon says in an interview on the DVD that "Witch" was an important episode because it is the first non-vampire story that Buffy had in the first season. He had nothing to worry about, for this is a very effective and well-done episode with an amazing final shot that will send shivers down your spine.