I showed someone who’s never watched Lost Girl the original pilot ‘Vexed’

After watching the initial Lost Girl pilot, the eighth of the series titled “Vexed,” I questioned why the showrunners didn’t put that one up first and begin the story from there. Maybe they didn’t think audiences would have enough information? Perhaps they wanted to explain a bit more? But, unfortunately, I had already seen the seven episodes prior to “Vexed,” and I couldn’t ask myself if I thought the pilot was good enough, in practical terms.

Sure, I thought it was a better pilot than the actual pilot. But I would never be able to determine if there was enough information to keep me interested. So, I decided to sit my sister down and tell her that she was watching the pilot episode to a series titled Lost Girl. Other information she had? I described the series as “a supernatural dramedy,” which may or may not do it justice. She knows it’s a few years old, produced in Canada, but airs in the U.S. on Syfy. And after those initial questions, we pressed play on “Vexed.”

After the episode, she mentioned that it was good and wanted to watch more. And when asked, she stated that her favorite character was “the blonde one.” To be fair, I don’t think they state Kenzi’s name at all in “Vexed.” She also liked Bo a lot.

Full disclosure: My sister, Kassie, isn’t an avid television fan. Sure, she’s watched a handful of TV. I once gifted her the entire Sex and the City series on DVD (because she was watching them in syndication and liked it) for her birthday. She’s watched a lot of Chuck with me. She’s big on Veronica Mars. In reruns, she’s become a huge Friends fan. Sometimes she’s watched Cougar Town with me. But truly, the only show she has actually sat down week after week to watch is The Vampire Diaries and The Carrie Diaries. That’s it. Those are, seriously, the only two series where she’s watched every episode. She’s inquired about Orphan Black and stated she “needs” to watch it. But TVD seems to be a show she actually makes appointment television.

She’s as casual a television watcher I know who would do me this favor on short notice at 11:30 at night. After “Vexed” ended, we had ourselves a little chat. Below is the transcription of that conversation. I apologize; it’s candid and breezy and probably tangental, but maybe this could give a bit of insight into what someone would have thought of the original first episode.

Michael | So, first of all Kassie, I want to thank you for being here today. [Laughs.]

Kassie | [Laughs.]

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule and doing this.

Thank you for having me. I feel honored. I’m so humbled right now.

[Laughs.] But seriously, let’s just do this because I’m tired. My first question: what did you think — generally, of the show — what did you think about it?

I think it was good. I actually want to watch the second episode.

[Laughs.]

What?

No, I feel like this is so fake and stupid. But no, I want to get your thoughts because it’s important. Well, I guess it’s not important…

Well, no, I actually really liked it. It’s different. It kind of reminded me of Buffy.

But you haven’t even seen all of Buffy.

But I’ve seen a couple of — a handful of episodes to kind of feel it’s the same thing. Not really, but it has that feel to it. But I liked it. I would want to watch the second episode.

What feel do you mean when you say that — that it “has that feel”?

Like that darkness that Buffy has, but at the same time — not corny, but… I don’t know how to explain… what it is exactly, but it has that same feel to it.

Yeah.

The coloring and the way it’s shot.

The filmmaking, is that what you mean?

The filmmaking. Mmhmm.

But not only the filmmaking. Do you mean, like, I was thinking — when I watch the show, it’s sort of like a Chuck feel to it. But Chuck to me is a lot more cheesy than this episode was.

Yeah, this is—

But in a good way. I love Chuck.

It has cheesy moments. Not, like, too cheesy. But it was good. I liked it.

It’s cheesy. But it’s cheesy in a “fried bitch” way.

Yes.

Which was hilarious. Okay, so you liked the episode and you’d want to watch the second one.

Yes.

So based off the first episode, where did you think the show was going?

I think the series is going to be based on Bo trying to figure out more information on her mother, and where she came from, and trying to find herself since she’s the lost girl.

[Laughs.] Quotes.

[Laughs.]

So then, is that how you’d characterize Bo? If you had to use adjectives to describe Bo, what would they be? Like “strong,” “weak,” “funny,” “not funny…”

I think she’s strong, stubborn, weak — at the same time, because, you know, she’s not that strong. When she gets hurt, she gets hurt badly. I think she’s determined. And she’s a good person slash… well I really don’t know yet what she is.

So you don’t feel like you got enough information.

On what she is.

But they said it like a million times.

Fae.

No, but they said specifically — I mean, you even asked me about the succubus thing.

Oh, succubus! There you go, yeah. Sorry. She needs sex.

[Laughs.] She needs sex. So, you think there wasn’t enough information in the first episode? Is that what you’re saying?

Yeah, about who she is. But I guess as we see the next episodes, we’ll get more information. It’s always like that in every show.

You don’t think it was missing any information? There wasn’t anything you needed to watch before this episode?

No, I think I’m good.

You’re good?

Mmhmm.

And you’d categorize this episode as not missing any details that any other, normal pilot wouldn’t have?

No. I mean, yeah, I think it was perfect. It’s kind of… it gives you enough to make you want to watch it to find out more about the show. So… enough details to get you hooked, you know? Like, it’s not going to give you everything.

Do you think, like, prior to this episode, you would have benefitted from a few episodes before this to really understand this episode?

Well… you know, maybe? Maybe like an episode only. Just one episode. Kind of, because I feel like it started out of nowhere, the way it began and stuff. Maybe if there was another episode before this, then I think the viewers would understand a little bit more of what’s going on exactly. But I still think it was a good episode, nonetheless.

It wasn’t a deal breaker.

Yeah, exactly.

You watch the show and you’re like: Oh, I get enough to have fun with this one episode.

Yeah, even though I wish there was an episode before this, to give us more information. But it’s still good.

Well, I know you don’t watch a lot of TV but do you ever feel like that when you watch a first episode. Like, oh, there’s not a lot of information and there probably should have been something before this?

Yeah…

So you just generally feel like that, then.

Yeah, I just feel that way.

Because being someone who is related to you, I know you’re always like, “Where’s this going? What’s happening here?”

Shut up. [Laughs.]

[Laughs.] You’re not a big TV watcher. It is what it is. So cool! Anything else you’d like to say about the first episode?

I think… Bo is a badass bitch. I want to continue watching that.

Oh! HBIC. All right. I don’t have any other questions. I guess this is when I tell you that this is actually the eighth episode of the series.

Really?

Yeah.

Ohhhhhhhhh. Okay.

And that’s why I was doing this whole thing, is to get your reaction on the eighth episode of it because — this is actually the first episode they shot. But then when it got greenlit, they went back and shot the seven episodes before this to lead up to this episode.

Cool. Thanks for tricking me.

[Laughs.]

But it could have fit as a first episode.

Right?

Yeah.

But you said you thought it needed one more episode. Do you think it needs, like, seven?

No.

No.

I mean… seven episodes before this one, I feel is a little too much. I feel, like, now is when it’s going to kick off.

Right.

Mmhmm. Like, for Vampire Diaries, it took six or seven episodes for you to really get hooked on it.

Right. But I mean, with Vampire Diaries, like, it wasn’t — the story didn’t start there, that’s when it started getting good. Like, it wasn’t bad after that episode.

Right, right. I get what you’re saying. Cool. And why are you doing this?

Well… because, I feel like this episode is a much better first episode than what they did. This episode is actually filmed differently, acted differently, directed differently than all of the other episodes. And I think this is a better version of the show.

Does it get better after this?

I don’t think you would like the show how it’s actually done. I think it would be too low-budget for you or something.

So it’s not good after this. This is the only good episode?

No. I wouldn’t say that. I’m just saying that this is the best version of the show. Like, me knowing you, I think that you — the way they start off the series is they start off trying to explain the mythology of it, trying to explain the fae and all that. And I don’t think a viewer like you would be interested in that. I think it starts off here and it’s very clear what her motivations are and it’s a very universal thing to start off with. The first episode starts off with—

Where am I from and yadda, yadda, yadda…

Not that, but it’s also, “Oh you’re this species. And here are all of these different types of species.” I don’t think a normal viewer gets captivated by that kind of thing.

I get you. But it’s very good. I liked it. I would want to continue watching it.

[Note: After finishing, I went back and asked a couple of more questions. My first included a comment on the sexual qualities of the show.]

As long as it’s not frickin’ violent, then it’s okay. But I like sexual shows. And, yeah, I like it. Pretty cool.

‘Cause, you know, in the States, I don’t think we’ve ever had a main character on a show that was bisexual.

Yeah! Yeah. That’s why I think it’s cool. I have nothing against gays whatsoever and I’m not like, “oh, my god, I want to see two girls kissing!” either, but it’s interesting to see how she’s bisexual.

Yeah.

And they were so natural because you can feel that they had this attraction to one another without them even saying anything to each other yet. So I thought that was pretty cool, how the two actors really gave that vibe without really even being close to each other or anything. I don’t know. I thought that was pretty cool.

Before the sex scene?

Yeah, when they’re in the lab. In the doctor’s office. You can just feel it, without them even saying anything to each other. I was like, “Okay wait. Something’s weird here.” I noticed it right away.

So, Team Dyson or Team Lauren?

I feel like she has more of a connection with the girl… than with the guy, obviously. ‘Cause with the guy, she’s like — you didn’t really feel, you know, the sensuality that she had more with the girl. I mean, I don’t know the girl too much and I don’t know the guy too much to say which side I’m on. It looks like the guy cares more for her, from what I see.

But since you now know there are seven episodes before, do you think you might — if I’m going to tell you, the guy and the girl have a friends with benefits relationship. And, so far, it’s just flirting back and forth between [Bo and Lauren]. So, I don’t know if your mind would change…

Yeah, I mean, I’ve never really been a fan of the whole friends with benefits thing. So, if I watched it from the beginning I might prefer her to be with the girl—

We literally just watched Friends With Benefits yesterday.

I mean, I like the movie but I don’t like the concept of it. It’s fun at first but…

[Note: And back to the natural end…] Well thank you for doing this short, little…

Oh, you’re welcome. I would like to give a shout out to Michael and NoWhiteNoise for having me. It’s been an honor.

[Laughs.]

Peace. I’m out!

Well, thank you.

And that’s that. I think my sister confirmed what I thought about the pilot. As you know, I wasn’t the biggest fan of how the real pilot “It’s a Fae, Fae, Fae World” was setup. I thought it needed to have been a bit further in the timeline (and that’s before knowing that there was another, original pilot). My sister thought that “Vexed” did enough to bring you into the story and get you hooked from the beginning, without revealing too much so that you can later find out more when the time presented itself. I agree. And frankly, I don’t understand the execution of the episodes leading up to “Vexed,” either. At least some sort of catalyst to explain Bo’s edge throughout would have helped. But regardless, the writers and showrunners must have had their reasons. Perhaps Kassie, who was quite interested in watching the next episode, will watch the actual pilot (which I think is quite tonally different) some day and tell me if she’s still going to continue watching.