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The sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer followed the logic of plot and character development into some gloomy places. The year begins with Buffy being raised from the dead by the friends who miss her, but who fail to understand that a sacrifice taken back is a sacrifice negated. Dragged out of what she believes to have been heavenly bliss, she finds herself "going through the motions" and entering into a relationship with the evil, besotted vampire Spike just to force her emotions.Willow becomes ever more caught up in the temptations of magic; Xander and Anya move towards marriage without ever discussing their reservations; Giles feels he is standing in the way of Buffy's adult independence; Dawn feels neglected. What none of them need is a menace that is, at this point, simply annoying--three high school contemporaries who have turned their hand to magical and high-tech villainy. Added to this is a hungry ghost, an invisibility ray, an amnesia spell and a song-and-dance demon (who acts as rationale for the incomparable musical episode "Once More, with Feeling").

This is a year in which chickens come home to roost: everything from the villainy of the three geeks to Xander's doubts about marriage come to a head, often--as in the case of the impressive wedding episode--through wildly dark humor. The estrangement of the characters from each other--a well-observed portrait of what happens to college pals in their early 20s--comes to a shocking head with the death of a major character and that death's apocalyptic consequences. The series ends on a consoling note which it has, by that point and in spite of imperfections, entirely earned. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (301)

A Mixed Bag (but still wonderful in my eyes)
Buffy Summers died saving the world at the end of the fifth season of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, so the sixth season had a lot on its hands when it started up the next fall.

Season 6 spends much of its time delving into the darker sides of the characters. Buffy has to deal with being alive and suddenly having the responsibilities of family caretaker. Willow finds out just how addiction can ruin a life. Xander and Anya realize that they're not as ready to be grown up as they thought they were. Spike lets his worser half get the better of his love for Buffy. Dawn explores her bad girl side by shoplifting and sneaking out ever more.

In some ways, this darkness gets a little too big for the show. It's the dark sides of the characters themselves that turn out to be the Season 6 "Big Bad", not the Geek Trio of Andrew, Warren and Jonathan. (The geeks are amusing if you enjoy seeing geeks extensivey mocked, however, they do start to grate as the season progresses.) The season follows the depression of the characters. At the beginning, before things start to fall apart, it's interesting to watch. Almost every one of the first 8 or 9 episodes of the season are at least good, peaking with the amazingly underappreciated (at least by the Emmy powers that be) musical episode, "Once More, With Feeling". The problem is that after that, the season plunges into the steaming pile of dung that makes up the middle of Season 6. (This contains two of my least favorite episodes EVER, "Doublemeat Palace" and "Normal Again". "Hell's Bells", however, is a worthy exception to the rest of the mid-season rubbish.) Things pick back up with "Entropy", and the season manages to redeem itself through an amazing, if heartbreaking, turn of events in the end (which I'm trying hard not to spoil with this review).

However difficult the middle of the season is to watch, this DVD set will be worth it for "Once More, With Feeling" alone. It's Joss Whedon's (BUFFY creator and ruling lord) masterpiece. With little to no music writing experience, he manages to write a 50 minute musical that plays to the strengths of his non-musical cast. The cast, ever the troopers, sing and dance their way through with enthusiasm and finesse. It's often clear that they are not singers or dancers by trade, but they are all so charming (especially Emma Caulfield as Anya) that it's easy to forgive them their occasional off-key notes and missteps. And then there's Hinton Battle, the demon villain of the episode. He dances. He sings. He's probably the most charismatic thing to hit Sunnydale since Spike crashed into town in Season 2. It's a shame that he only got to have the one episode, but what an episode to have!

There are other gems in the season. Check out "Tabula Rasa" and "Life Serial" for some of BUFFY's funnier moments. It's a shame that the middle of the season is so hard to stomach, but I think that it all pays off in the end.

A Masterpiece
Season Six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is, simply put, a masterpiece. Season Six is different; it is dark, edgy, scary, a far cry from the earlier, but equally impressive, previous seasons. I applaud Joss Whedon and Co. for taking this incredible series to different places, exploring new story arcs and aspects of the multi dimensional characters. The writing, directing, and acting are up to par with the best shows and movies out there, in many instances surpassing them. Sarah Michelle Gellar provides an incredible performance as Buffy dealing with her resurection, being pulled out of heaven by her friends, and having to deal with what she feels is a hell on Earth. The scenes where she expresses her distress over dealing with the emptiness inside her are truly moving. Alyson Hannigan also gives an incredible performance as Willow, dealing with her "addiction" to magics, and the consequences her problem causes with herself and her friends. James Marsters also gives a great performance as Spike, a souless vampire trying to understand love and human emotions eventhough he is spiritually unequiped to. Sure this season contains its duds (Doublemeat Palace for example), but the great episodes of this season far out shine the bad: Bargaining Parts One and Two, Tabula Rasa, Life Serial, Seeing Red, Two to Go, Grave, and ESPECIALLY the musical, Once More, With Feeling. The genius of Once More, With Feeling is reason enough to buy this set. I will say this again, Buffy Season Six is different, it is very dark, almost disturbing in some cases, it is scary, and very emotional, but this change is welcome and wonderful. It works, and season six is incredible

what is everyone talking about?
ok i just bought season six(but ive already seen all the eps)
and everyone has their own opinion but this season kinda sucks. But i am basing this on one thing: spike and buffy relatioship! the two characters i once loved i cant stand! they are so bitter! anyways a good season for all the other characters especially willow. besides for spike and buffy its watchable.

Cinderella, one past midnight
With this season, the magical carraige that was "Buffy" turned back into a pumpkin. It's no surprise, really: five years is generally the point at which a show starts to show signs of exhaustion, and while season five was a definite thumbs-up, there were a a number of sure signs of trouble to come:

1) Dawn. Adding a "baby" to a family is an old sitcom device to shake things up. It worked because of the clever writing and, obviously, Michelle Trachtenberg.
2) Glory. Upping the ante in the villain department every season is a good idea, but how do you top a God?
3) Spike. Changing a character's basic nature from evil to good (or good to evil) is an old soap-opera trick ("What, he's good now?")
4) Buffy. She died. Again. Since death is the ultimate sanction, undoing it takes the finality of death away, and stops us from caring if future characters are killed, because they can always be brought back.

Season Six dealt with the problem of topping Glory by going the opposite route, and creating the Triad, three hapless nerds who in no way were worthy successors to the Master, Angelus, bad Spike & Dru, evil Faith, etc. It was often hilarious, but not really strong enough of an idea to sustain over a whole season. The Triad would have made a very funny three story arc, but beyond that, their limitations were obvious.

It also made the fundamental mistake of pushing suspension of disbelief right over a cliff (that shark-headed gangster demon boss was just the worst idea in history....what were they thinking?). Also of betraying some signs of insecurity about the things they had done in season five and in six as well, and then trying to cover it up with clever humor, such as when the shrink tells Buffy that the retro-active addition of a sister (Dawn) into her alredy established family is a "ridiculous plot device" or that the Triad were "pathetic" villains. Tongue-in-cheek is one thing, farce is another. The episode where they allude that Buffy is in fact in a mental institution and everything you have seen in the previous 100 episodes is nothing more than the fever dreams of a schizo nut case is the classic "Bobby Ewing" mistake...."That last season? It was only a dream!" This was just insulting to the audience.

I also felt the middle episodes suffered badly from the absence of Giles and from an overdose of Spike. Sometimes the best thing you can do with a great actor/character is hold him back a little bit, so as to leave the audience hungry. Spike is a great character and James Marsters a great actor, but sometimes less is more.

This is not to say there were not some truly good moments in the season, such as Riley showing back up (didn't realize I liked this character until he left) the crotchey old Doublemeat Palace demon ("You may want to flail your limbs while you still have time"), the musical episode, the capricious and brutally violent way that Tara is killed off, or the fact that ordinary Xander finally got to save the world when all the super-powered people failed. But overall, season six left me feeling a bit like Buffy after her ressurection: down, disappointed, and ungrateful. Five out of six ain't bad.

Not the Buffy We Fell in Love With, but Still Damn Good TV
Season 6 is kind of the dark horse among Buffy fans, and having watched the show during its initial UPN run I can understand why. Heck, even I was turned off by the dark, relentlessly depressing nature of the season, the lack of a traditional big bad, and the network's sporadic airing of new episodes. Thank God for DVD, because thanks to this set I have a whole new appreciation for Joss Whedon, his writers, and the highly talented actors.

Without the weeks or sometimes months between new episodes (God bless UPN for keeping Buffy alive, but couldn't you have shown new episodes closer together?), the narrative structure of the season works so much better. It is much easier to watch and appreciate the growth and change experienced by the main cast, all of who slowly grow up throughout the season until they are nothing like the group of high schoolers we first met. The writers did a wonderful job of providing a distinct arc for each character, and the actors did a brilliant job portraying the evolution of the characters.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is once again stellar as Buffy Summers, whose emotional problems this season make all the angst up until now seem like kiddy stuff. I'm so glad Joss and company made the effort to earn Buffy's resurrection instead of simply reviving her and then letting everything immediately go back to normal. They took the much more difficult and ultimately more rewarding path of having Buffy slowly readjusting to her life, not fully reintegrating herself into Sunnydale until the end of the season.

All the other actors actors are equally fine, but Emma Caulfield deserves special recognition for her charming and underappreciated Anya. Consistantly hilarious, Caulfield takes a character who was clearly added to the show's roster as comic relief and makes her multi-dimensional and surprisingly human. By the end of the heart-wrenching "Hell's Bells," Anya shows an emotional depth that makes her possibly the most tragic character of the season, and Miss Caulfield handles the part beautifully.

And of course, season six of Buffy gave us the much lauded musical episode "Once More, With Feeling." I'm not ashamed to admit that it is my FAVORITE episode of the entire seven season run, encapsulating just about everything that makes Buffy special. It's smart, well written, irreverant, and packed with a surprising amount of emotional resonance. No, most of the cast won't be going to Broadway anytime soon, but bravo to the entire cast for handling their own singing, which actually only serves to make the episode more charming.

Season six of Buffy brought the characters to new low points in their lives, the show to new heights as far as writing and storytelling go, and produced some of the most entertaining adversaries the show's every seen (maybe I'm a nerd, but I find the Trio to be absolutely hysterical). If you've been watching the show since day one, now certainly isn't the time to stop, and if you've never seen the show, you're missing out on one of the most consistantly excellent programs of the last decade. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Having battled a hellish vampire master, an evil boyfriend, a rogue slayer, a giant man-eating demon-snake thing, and a particularly nasty high school principal, Buffy Summers embarked on one of her biggest challenges in the fourth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: college. With boyfriend Angel out of the picture (and on his own show) and Sunnydale High destroyed, new horizons were to be tackled for Buffy and the rest of the Scooby gang. There were cute guys (Buffy's new boyfriend Riley), cute girls (Willow's new girlfriend Tara--yes, Willow's gay!), frat parties, irritating roommates, harsh professors, and, oh yes, a secret military initiative that was experimenting on the demon population (Riley's part of it).

Buffy truly hit its golden years in the fourth season--just when you thought this show couldn't get any better, Joss Whedon and his creative team pulled out all the stops and took Buffy and co. into rich new territory. By far, the highlight of the season (and the entire series) was the Emmy-nominated "Hush," a nearly dialogue-free episode in which the creepy "Gentlemen" rob Sunnydale of its collective voice, and Buffy and Riley finally come face to face with each other's hidden identities. While Frankenstein-esque monster Adam wasn't the show's best villain (you'll have to wait until next season's Glory for that), he was a worthy adversary for the biotech age, and the military milieu was a nice contrast to Buffy's previous gothic outings. Season 4 also marked the return of blond vampire Spike (who developed a crush on Buffy), the ascension of vengeance demon Anya to full-time cast status, and the brief return of bad slayer Faith (in a fab two-part body-switching episode). Throughout, the entire cast, headed by the unparalleled Sarah Michelle Gellar, worked television magic of the kind rarely seen on the small screen. This is Buffy at its best. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (246)

Buffy goes to college in solid season 4
The 4th season of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER proved to be a matter of transition for both cast and crew. For one thing, the show had removed itself from the high school setting when Buffy and her gang blew up the school fighting the demonized Mayor in season 3. Also, David Boreanez's moody vampire-with-a-soul Angel had moved on to his own series, taking with him a major plot point that helped drive the series. For the most part, BUFFY rebounded quite well with some of the best single episodes on the show to date. Of particular mention is the classic "Hush," where Sunnydale is under a spell of silence. Its inventive use of the lack of dialogue just reaffirmed the show's growing reputation as one of the best TV had to offer. However, there were uneven moments as well. The "Big Bad" of the government-run Initiative was too much of an X-FILES rip-off. The cyborg-demon Adam lacked the flair of the Mayor or the Master, and commando Riley, despite an ernest portrayal by Marc Blucas, seemed a poor substitute for Angel as Buffy's beau. Also, beloved characters like Giles and Xander were pretty much adrift that season as the college setting put more emphasis on Buffy and Willow. Overall, though, the season still had its share of entertaining and funny moments, while introducing former villian Spike (the always-solid James Marsters) as an uneasy ally/comic relief. The DVD features, while still on the skimpy side, are upgraded in quality with solid audio commentaries on key episodes including creator Joss Whedon's take on "Hush," with actor Seth Green (the werewolf Oz) joining him in "Wild at Heart." As always, BUFFY still manages to entertain, thrill and provoke its audience, which is a mark of great TV....making this DVD set definitely one worth recommending.

a breathtaking series with an unforgettable cast
by far the best show in the world to me, its hip, sexy, funny, scary, addicting and dramatic. This season takes place in college and Buffy(Sarah Michelle Gellar), Willow(Alyson hannigan, and OZ(Seth Green) attend. Xander(Nicholas Brendon) is not in college and Giles(Anthony Stewart Head) conducts buisness from his pad. Seth Green who plays the kick ass werewolf Oz, leaves 6 episodes into the fourth season and comes back at the end for 2 episodes. We get to know Spike(James Marsters) more in this season and see how he was kidnapped by The mysterious Initiative, led by Professor Walsh(Lindsay Crouse), and that Buffy's new hubbie Riley Finn(Marc Bluca) is a soldier in that organization. Hush would have to be the best ep in that season and it did win an Emmy. We see the return of Faith(Eliza Dushku) and Jonathan(Danny Strong). Walsh(Crouse) makes an ultimate killing machine, half demon, half human, half of everything named Adam(George Hertzberg)... also theres 2 episodes Angel(David Boreanaz) return to and that episode where Angel kicks the crap outta Riley was cool. Xander gets a new girlfriend, Anya(Emma Caulfield), Willow turns lesbian and has Tara(Amber Benson) and choices her over Oz(Green) but she still thinks about him in her dreams and we see that from the end episode Restless. I've seen every episode more than 5 times and its good because i'm an addictive fan of the show and when it ended in May I was like damnit, hey but theres still Angel and Spike is going and thats the best part, so this is a masterpiece of a show and it'll live in my life forever.

Great Episodes, Bad Villan
Now, when I first bought this DVD set I got it only to further the completion of my Buffy collection. I thought that the 4th season wasn't any good...but was I wrong! Even though Adam was not a very good villian, the overall arch was very good. I love how Willow and Tara get together, and I also love Riley. Xander and Anya are histarical, as is Giles and his girlfriend, Olivia. Season 4 has some of the best episodes...EVER!! My 3 favorites are "Pangs" (Angel's in it!!), "Hush" (Silently creepy!), "Girl of the Year" (Faith is back and is FUNNY AS HELL!!!), and "Who Are You" (Part 2 of the Faith comeback). The DVD cover discribes this season. With the dark background and Sarah's lost-in-space Barbie look can be related to almost all of the episodes.

(...)

Buffy hits its stride on a new campus
With Sunnydale High in ruins and the Scoobies freshly graduated, the gang embarks on the new adventure of college (well...except Xander...but he ends up populating the campus as opposed to the non-campus). After her initial misgivings about college, Buffy adjusts to her new life and fits in her Slayer duties...and notices a covert, underground military demon-hunting operation based beneath the university.

The Initiative, of which Buffy's new boyfriend, Riley, turns out to be part of, is a government-sanctioned demon-hunting organization that captures and experiments on the demon population. As she allies herself with the Initiative, Buffy discovers the threat of the mysterious 314 and a villain who unites all the demons of Sunnydale and divides the Scoobies against themselves.

Season 4 marks the return of beloved characters from seasons past, most notably Spike, the snide, leatherclad, chain smoking vampire, who is promptly neutered by the Initiative and forced to depend on the Scoobies for help. Ethan Rayne also returns to turn Giles into a Fyarl demon. And the rogue slayer Faith returns in a brilliantly executed two-part body-switching episode.

While often maligned (including on this website), Adam is, in my opinion, the show's best villain. A charismatic demonoid cyborg, he unites all races of demons and vampires in a quest to create others like him and overrun the earth. A modern update of Frankenstein's monster, he is chilling in his assertion that he is "aware". He uses Spike as a pawn to divide and conquer the Scoobies, who he sees as the only true threat to his plan. He knows that without each other, they cannot stop him.

The result is a very interesting spell and an very well-done climactic battle, as well as the prophetic and surreal season finale Restless. It is a fitting end to an awesome season.

Season 4 was an interesting change of pace, and marked the transition out of the familiar setting of Sunnydale High. A very well-done season, definetly among the upper eschelon of the show's achievement.

The Scooby-Gang's Surreal Season
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" had certainly hit its stride, long before seasn 4, so this season was more about experimentation. We see Buffy and friends dealing with college while still fighting evil. "Buffy" is unlike any other show of its kind, because unlike other scifi shows, "Buffy" revolves around its characters, not their experiences. Season 4 proves this when Buffy meets Riley. You hurt with her when she can not reveal her true identity to him. And you laugh with her when she does. You also feel the romance and shock between Willow's coming out. You love Tara, but still feel bad for Oz. Season 4 is alot more about the characters' personal problems: Willow being gay, Xander feeling useless, the Buffy/Riley love, Spike's chip, and Giles' reilization that he has no life. "Buffy" does an incredibly job at displaying the difficult transistions from high school to college while deepening its characters' own personal problems, but fails when compared to its other six seasons. But, however, we are taliking about the greatest show in the history of television, so you can still expect alot from this season. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The fifth season of Joss Whedon's hit series started out in excellent form as slayer extraordinaire Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) did battle with the most famous of vampires (that Dracula guy) and then went on to spar with another nemesis, little sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg). Wait--Buffy has a teenage sister? Where has she been the past four years? And why is everyone acting like she's always been around? Turns out that young Dawn is actually "The Key," a form of pure energy that, true to its name, helps open the gates between different dimensions. To protect said key from falling into the wrong hands, a group of monks gave it human form and sent it to the fiercely protective Buffy for safekeeping, creating new memories of Dawn for everyone as if she'd existed... well, always. Why all the super secrecy? There's this very, very, very bad girl named Glory (Clare Kramer) who wants the key very badly, and will do anything to get it. Oh, and by the way, Glory isn't just a run-of-the-mill demon... she's way worse.

Some fans will tell you that Buffy "jumped the shark" with the introduction of Dawn, when in actuality this season was the pinnacle of the show's achievement, as there was superb comedy to be had ("Buffy Vs. Dracula," the double-Xander episode "The Replacement," the introduction of the "Buffybot" in "Intervention") as well as some of television's best drama. The Whedon-scripted and -directed "The Body" remains one of Buffy's best episodes, when the young woman who faces down supernatural death on a daily basis finds herself powerless in the wake of her mother's sudden passing. The first third or so of the season was a bit choppy, but once the evil Glory came into her own, Buffy was a television force to be reckoned with. Kramer was the show's best villain (after the evil Angel, natch), and the supporting cast was never better. But as always, it was the superb Gellar who was the powerful center of the show, sparking opposite lovelorn vampire Spike (James Marsters) and wrestling with moral dilemmas rarely seen on television. With this season, Buffy Summers became, like Tony Soprano, one of television's true greats. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (281)

A New Direction for Sunnydale
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" enters its Fifth Season with lots of surprises for the Scooby Gang and their Slayer. This special year was a gigantic season of wonderful stories-with the introduction of Dawn Summers,(a mystical key/Buffy's sister), Ben, and their big baddie,(and first female villain), Glory, (a Hell god)!

What can I say about Season 5, that most don't already know about already? Nothing! So let me express this review, in my view, how I felt about this famous year!

Many fans,(old or new), have different opinions about their favorite season, but my favorite will always be Season 5! Why is that? You may ask, and I'll tell you that this year was great because we finally saw Buffy grow into a young adult, actually, we saw the rest of the Scoobies grow deeper into their character too, which is so much, that they seem as if they were really real best friends of mine growing up. There's an excellent season premier with Dracula visiting the Slayer, and the episode, "Blood Ties", that really shows the meaning of sisterhood and family,through Dawn finding out who she really is, and there's many more that I can't name in just one review....Well, I could, but it would be a really long review,lol!

This year, Buffy faced her first female villain, Glory, who was stronger than Buffy would ever be. Dawn Summers, Buffy's sister,(played by Michelle Tractenberg-"Harriet the Spy"), has a brillaint storyline in the season which really shows the meaning of true love and family. Riley breaks down, loses faith in Buffy, cheats on her with a vampire, and leaves Sunnydale to join the Initiative in South America in a dramatic episode leaving Buffy broken hearted. Xander confesses his love for Anya and in the finale, proposes for her hand in marriage, while Willow and Tara prove their love is stronger than anything around, as Giles buys the Magic Box to occupy his time as unemployed Watcher, as Spike comes to terms with his feelings for Buffy, that grows into something special throughout, and near the end of Season 7.
In this season, we see signs of Joyce's fate as she slowly dies of a brain tumor in a emotional episode for the Scoobies that has no background scores or wacky tunes in the background, only real life. "The Body" also shows the brilliance of Sarah Michelle Geller as an actress as she copes with finding her mother, Joyce, dead on their couch, and the brilliance of Emma Caulfield, (Anya), with her speech about "what is death?".
Don't worry, this season has ALOT of action in it, but the drama in this season is just so overwhelming that I keep those momments of Season 5 to heart more than the action sequences!
As I said, there is alot of action, and it centers mostly around the Key storyline, with Buffy keeping the truth from Glory, for Glory wants to use it to go home, not caring that it'll end the world if she does. We have the Ben storyline, that is finally connected to Glory near the end of the season, and we have Buffy's. In the season finale, "The Gift", Glory finally gets Dawn, and uses her to open all the dimensions of the world which leads to a battle of bloodshed, heartache, and suprising twists of Giles true nature. In the last moments of the finale, Buffy dies to save all of humanity, but most of all, for her sister. You see, the episode title is called "The Gift", and the gift was life for Dawn, because it was either Dawn, or Buffy, that could stop the world from ending, and Buffy steps up and sacrifices herself for her sister, because of love. The season started great, and ended in a mind numbing, heart pounding, crying your eyes out great that will always be remembered as a brilliant episode in my, and every fans book!

Now, I have my title, "A New Direction for Sunnydale", because thats what it was. Seasons 1-4, they seem so different than Season 5, and the final two, and thats because the Scoobies grew up so fast, and they began to mature into wonderful young adults. My last statements is that, I love the last years more than the first few years, I love the way they ended the series! I loved Season 6,(it was so much mature, and they went throught what many real people will in life), and I especially love Season 7, (Because its connected to Season 5 on so many levels, and has a brilliant storyline so wonderful for the Slayer, that many so-called fans hate, and love).

I'm so glad Season 5 comes out on DVD, and encourage fans, and fans who are starting to witness to greatness of this series, I encourage all to buy this season, you won't be let down! And I also want to thank Joss Whedon too, for not stoping the series in the 5th Season, because he, and they gave us two more wonderful, (but misunderstood by many), seasons for all to charish forever! Enjoy! You won't regret it!

BtVS turned 5 and with it became spectacular!
I would say, in my opinion, this season ranks up there with seasons 2 and 3. The Arrival of Dawn, The Magic Box, The Death of Joyce, The Breakup of Riley and Buffy, and Tara's Family mark some of the key moments that made this season momentous on all levels. NOT to mention the "key" most important and heartbreaking moment in all Buffy history. Her death. From the "Previously on Buffy..." to "She saved the world alot," "The Gift" was a spectacular episode.
On the DVD, which I would say was pretty good, The Gift was not shown in it's full entirety. I wonder. WHERE WAS THE DAMN AWESOME PREVIOUSLY ON BUFFY!?!?!?!
I don't know why but they decided to leave that out cause that was an awesome way to begin what many of us thought was the final ep.
Anyway, I give this DVD ****. Not 5 because of that key not putting in the Previously on Buffy. Watch everything on this DVD including Commentaries, featurettes, outtakes(which are actually on there! :> ), and my fave ep, The Replacement with Nicholas Brendan's twin!!! Other awesome eps: The Body ( I cried), I Was Made For You (With slimey Warren), and Buffy vs. Dracula ( hilarious!!!!)

deceptions
The fifth season of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER feels casual, exuding, particularly in its first few episodes, an almost thrown-together quality. Coming off of season four, which contains some of the show's best episodes but probably has its weakest "arc" up to that point, Season Five seems to be following a similar line. It is funny, well-staged, and full of fascinating new characters and developments, but it is difficult, at first, to get a bead on where the season is going.

A friend of mine says most dramatic shows have five or six good years in them, before decline sets in or they are cancelled, and I think she's right. NYPD BLUE worked for six years before it collapsed under the weight of too many teen-idol replacements for Smits and Caruso; THE WEST WING's fifth season was a travesty without Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme around to guide things; and even a sitcom like FRIENDS, whose character arcs resemble those of dramatic programs, had a hard time keeping things interesting after year five. There's no set formula, of course, but it's fair to say that a program's cast and crew might get a little bored after awhile, might have trouble finding new shadings for their characters or new spins on their environments, and might begin to take it easy and coast. Seen in this light, the initial slacker quality of BUFFY year five becomes both more comprehensible and also a little ominous-- when a program's first episode is given the distinctly Marvel Comics-esque title "Buffy v. Dracula," its not hard to imagine the blood in the water and the sharks circling.

Such fears were, for many fans, confirmed by the appearance of Dawn, Buffy's heretofore unseen, uncommented-upon little sister. Some fans and critics immediately dubbed her "Oliver," a reference to the mysterious "cousin" that appeared in later seasons of THE BRADY BUNCH, and whose name has become shorthand for a show's desperate attempts to add characters and keep things alive near the end. Who was this strange, annoying little girl? Why had we never seen her? And why was every character on the show already acting as if we had?

As if the "new relative" gambit wasn't enough, BUFFY' s writers also tossed in the Mysterious Illness ploy for Buffy's mom, and the Hot New Relationship plot for Buffy and Spike, in what initially seems like a wan attempt to recreate the old magic of Buffy and Angel. By the time, in episode six, Tara's family arrives to inform the Scooby Gang (and viewers) that this quiet girl has a Dark Secret, fans can be forgiven for thinking that the WB had secretly switched our usual BUFFY blend with episodes of GUIDING LIGHT.

Silly us-- with ep seven, "Fool For Love," everything clicks into place, plot points are clarified, and suddenly it all begins to make sense, and to take on a tremendous emotional power. The remaining fifteen episodes are some of the show's best, and looking at the season as a whole four years after its initial airing, it's remarkable how cohesive it really is. One of the major themes of the year is deception, and by offering their audience a seemingly loose and occasionally incomprehensible start to the year, creator/auteur Joss Whedon and his staff were able to place viewers in roughly the same emotional position as their characters.

By the time Season Five rolled around, Mutant Enemy knew it had a hit on its hands, and an intensely loyal fan base. They could now take their show (and its viewers) to different places, and really get under the skins of their characters. They had been doing this all along, of course, but Seasons Five and Six of BUFFY are full of a desire and yearning that is dark, fascinating, and sometimes unsettling. Far from coasting to syndication, the show would take more chances than ever.

It's notable that both Seasons Two and Five come, on DVD, in red/reddish boxes-- a color of passion, heartache, blood, and love. Season Five finds the show's characters undergoing a level of trauma not seen since the second half of Season Two, and the final resolution of that trauma is, like the end of season two, both gut-wrenching and utterly logical. I won't give more detail than that, except to note, again, how well-paced this year is, interspersing more dramatic eps with funny ones, allowing moments for the whole ensemble to shine, and keeping the flow so loose and unpredictable that, when twists and suprises come, they really are twists and surprises.

This was also a year of behind-the-scenes goodbyes: it was the last season shot by Buffy's great secret weapon, cinematographer Michael Gershman, whose beautiful balance of dark and light (in all senses) had held the show together since its first episode; it was the last year to prominently feature the lush scores of composer Christophe Beck, whose strings had always sonically captured the beautiful adolescent passions of the characters; it was the last full season for Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), whose character would continue to appear, but only in recurring "guest star" status; and it was the last year the show would appear on the WB, since contract negotiatons and public spatting led to the show's vamoosing to the UPN network the following year (this also meant it was the last time-- for awhile-- that there would be character crossovers between BUFFY and ANGEL, since the latter continued to air on the WB, which imposed a "ban" on such occurences after BUFFY left home).

In so many ways, then, Season Five marks a turning point for BUFFY, a year in which, even for a show which had always taken chances, questions of change and growth seemed central, both within the narrative and on a stylistic level. I wouldn't start watching BUFFY with Season Five, but it's a crucial year for a crucial show, and well worth one's time.

The Best Season of Buffy EVER
Having seen every season of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in its entirety, I can say without a doubt Season Five is my absolute favorite. It doesn't have the series' best episode (Season Six's "Once More, With Feeling") or the show's best villain (the unholy Angelis/Spike/Drusilla alliance in Season Two), but as a whole nothing can top the plot and pathos of Season Five.

This is the season that introduced us to Buffy's younger sister Dawn, and while in later seasons she had a tendancy to come off as whiny, here she provides the basis for one of the most beautiful relationships ever portrayed on the show. The dynamic between Buffy and Dawn runs the gamut from loathing to love and everything in between, but above all it is about the utter love and devotion these sisters have for one another. In one of the special features, Joss Whedon is quoted as saying "Buffy's love interest for Season Five is her sister," and this couldn't be more true. Their sisterly bond is deeply touching and totally convincing.

But the Buffy-Dawn relationship is only the tip of the emotional iceberg in a tightly plotted season that also sees the death of a major figure in Buffy's life. "The Body" is one of the series' strongest episodes, and its frank look at the consequences of a person's death will surely strike a chord with viewers. Grounding this episode (and indeed, the entire series) is Sarah Michelle Gellar's consistantly strong performance as Buffy Summers. She is at once empowered, humorous, charming, and yet still a vulnerable girl struggling with the relaties of life.

And of course, there's the season finale, the heart-breaking "The Gift." One of the most emotionally powerful episodes of the series, it brings all the narrative threads of the season together in a way words can't begin to describe. I won't spoil the ending, but anyone who saw the episode when it aired can tell you it's some powerful stuff. If your prone to crying during movies, you better have a box of Kleenex handy.

Season Five of "Buffy" works so well as a whole it's hard to believe the writers hadn't carefully plotted every little twist before penning the first script. The tight narrative consistantly builds on itself in ways that surprise and yet make perfect sense. The emotional core of the show, always its strongest suit, is as powerful as ever, and nearly every major relationship on the show is taken to new levels during the course of the season. So what are you waiting for?!? Go out and buy this set now!

Words cannot come to say..
Words cannot come to say how truly remarkable joss Whedon has come to invent the fifth season of Buffy. The Dawn breakthrough, the god Glorificus, and most of all the stunning growth of Willow and Tara as witches. I have to say that this is my most favorite Buffy yet. Can't wait to watch season 6!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

At the heart of the first years of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the romance between Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), slayer of all things evil, and hunky Angel (David Boreanaz), the tortured vampire destined to walk the earth with a soul. The second season of Buffy took the Buffy-Angel pas de deux from ecstasy to agony in a now-classic plot arc that catapulted the show from WB teen drama to true TV greatness. You see, if the cursed Angel ever experiences true happiness for a moment, he'll revert to being an evil vampire again. And guess what happens after Buffy and Angel finally declare their love for one another and consummate their relationship...

Buffy found its true momentum during the second season, as geeky Xander (Nicholas Brendon) fell in love with popular girl Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), Willow (Alyson Hannigan) gave up her crush on Xander in favor of werewolf boy Oz (Seth Green), and watcher Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) began a sweetly tentative relationship with computer teacher (and witch) Jenny Calendar (Robia LaMorte). Mayhem came to Sunnydale, though, in the form of evil vampires Drusilla (Juliet Landau) and Spike (drolly wicked James Marsters), who were more than ready to aid and abet Angel as he turned bad. It all sounds like horror-action mayhem (and there are great fight scenes), but Buffy took on its plotlines with amazing depth, intelligence, and humor. And oh, man, the love story! Buffy and Angel's tragic relationship is one of the most heartbreaking you'll ever find. Buffy's final dilemma finds her having to save the world at Angel's expense, and Gellar (who deserves a passel of Emmys for her work) is phenomenal at telegraphing Buffy's swirling conflicts between love and duty. This is some of the best TV ever made, period. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (362)

Incredible (spoilers below)
The second season continued one what was successfully started in the first season. The second season is a lot more ambitious (remember, the first season only had twelve episodes, unlike the rest which had 22).

The story arcs in the second season are brilliant. The romance between Angel and Buffy reached gothic heights with Surprise/Innocence (Surprise is astonishing). When Angel turns bad, David Boreanaz manages to do a sensational job of acting the transition (the episodes "Passion" and "I Only Have Eyes For You" are incredible in detailing this, and Buffy's reaction). Willow's romance with Oz is wonderful, and Giles attachment to Jenny Calendar a welcome addition.

This show still manages to be surprisingly funny (as seen in Halloween, and Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered) and packs a wallop (the two part season ender, Becoming I & II, are essential viewing for any Buffy fans. They are incredibly moving). Yes, there are some clunkers (Killed by Death, Bad Eggs), but they are more than redeemed.

My favourites are: Becoming I & II, Surprise/Innocence, I Only Have Eyes for You, Passion, School Hard, When She Was Bad, and Lie To Me

For a show set in high school, the writers have neatly side-stepped making a caricature of Anthony Stewart Head's librarian/Watcher Giles. His befuddled sexiness is immensely appealing. Alyson Hannigan's performance as wallflower Willow blooming into a witch (her growing powers are smartly charted by writers all the way through season six) is strong, and having the animosity between Xander and Cordelia boil over into lust was a masterstroke. Finally, we have to give the star her due. Sarah Michelle Gellar proved with this season that she's actually a capable actress, both with comic timing (Halloween) and pathos (Surprise/Innocence).

The second season was an immense improvement over the first season (a solid debut) and the quality continues. In my mind, the second and third season need to be bought together (or at least both bought). Story arcs introduced in the second season are wrapped up in the third season. Buy this set, you won't be disappointed.

Not the best season, but really well done!
A great season, episode breakdown:

When She Was Bad: 8.5/10 Great episode involving Buffy's nightmares about the master.

Some Assembly Required: 9.5/10 Two students try to assemble an ideal woman, using different body parts of girls they know, the head is Cordelia.

School Hard: 10/10 The best one to date, watchout, the number one vampire is in town, Spike! He's so cool in this season.

Inca Mummy Girl: 8.5/10 Good episode, where an old Inca princess is woken.

Reptile Boy: 9/10 Buffy and Cordelia attend a frat party and are being offered by reptile-like creature as human sacrifices. It's a good one!

Halloween: 9.5/10 Buffy gets turned into a 18th century woman, 1775 to be exact, Xander turns into a soldier, Willow is a ghost and the only one that remembers who they really are, who bought her costume from Ethan. Cordelia got somewhere else, so she's fine, as well as Angel and Giles. Funny episode!!

Lie To Me: 9/10 Vampire wannabes offer Spike the Slayer, but turns into a disaster! Buffy rules!!

The Dark Age: 9.5/10 An old demon that Giles and Ethan created, comes after the watchers and eliminates 3 of them. Giles and Ethan are next! Scary!

What's My Line Part 1: 8/10 Cordelia and Xander kiss for the 1st time. Buffy is being chased by 3 bounty hunters that Spike hired! Great episode!!

What's My Line Part 2: 9.5/10 In comes Kendra, the next Slayer! Great episode, which puts Angel in danger, haha!!

Ted: 9/10 John Ritter guest stars as a mysterious person that only Buffy hates. Everyone else is suckered into his personality(mostly Xander and Joyce). Great episode!

Bad Eggs: 9.5/10 Starts out as a health class egg experiment. Something in the eggs pops out and takes control of their bodies, to bring out an ancient beast! And guess who pops in here, our favourite Jonathan(Danny Strong)! Everyone but Buffy and Xander is controlled by this bug! Oh yah, Angel, but he's no help here!

Surprise: 10/10 Angel, you're going to lose your soul, when Buffy and Angel have sex, Angel experiences his one true moment of happiness, which therefore, loses his soul!

Innocence: 10/10 Without Angel's soul, he becomes all nuts and heads out for Spike and Cordelia. The Judge is awoken and Buffy must battle both The Judge and Angel! Getting better here!

Phases: 9.5/10 It's revealed, the werewolf who we all know is Ozz is hunted here and found, by Buffy, Willow and Giles, and a hunter. A few spoilers here, on Passion, and Becoming(1&2)

Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered: 10/10 Great episode. Cordelia breaks up with Xander and then he gets Amy to cast a spell which makes every girl and woman in town love him, except the one he wants, Cordelia! Funny

Passion: 10/10 Jenny Calender finds a spell to restore Angel's soul, but gets killed in the process.

Killed By death: 9/10 This one's scary as a crazy demon starts killing off children and the only way you can see it, is if you have a fever.

I Only Have Eyes For You: 9/10 The ghosts of a former student and a teacher take passion to a different level. Death! Angel regains his soul for about 2 minutes during the process!

Go Fish: 8.5/10 Xander joins the swimming team, a team full of monsters!

Becoming Part 1: 10/10 Part one where Angel aims to destroy the world! Kendra comes back, and get caught in a trap. Drusila joins and kills her, which brings up Faith!

Becoming Part 2: 10/10 Spike joins Buffy to defeat Angel in his brutal plan. Spike escapes with Drusila and Buffy is too late! Angel opens up the demon, Willow is in the hospital casts the spell to restore Angel's soul. It works, but the demon has already been released. The only way for it to go back, is to kill Angel!

Special Features: 5/10 The 1st season had much more of them!

Great season, buy it!

Truly magnificent
Season one of Buffy was amazing on its own. We were introduced to Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, and Cordelia. It was a great season that ended with an awesome season finale. Now Buffy's back in Sunnydale after spending the summer with her father in LA. Still suffering from the trauma of drowning & facing the master, Buffy returns...different. It's "When She Was Bad" & she didn't know how to deal. After a while of settling back into her slayer duties, Buffy is finally back to her old self. Season two is packed with halarious, sad, and action filled episodes that took the show to a whole other level. Buffy and Angel sleep together for the first time which causes Angel to lose his soul & become Angelus again ("Surprise", "Innocence"), we get to meet Oz & discover that he is a werewolf ("Halloween", "Phases"), and tons more. Each episode in season two is a gem, a classic. Season two also features the simply heartbreaking two part season finale "Becoming". Buffy faces off with Angel, and right before she's going to send him to hell to stop the world from ending, Angel regains his soul. Thus, as Buffy states in season three, she kissed him, he held her, and then she killed him. Buffy loses everything & leaves Sunnydale. There are so many amazing moments in season two, and this boxset is just perfect. Not only do you get all 22 episode, there's tons of special features like commentaries (very informative), fun featurette, episode interviews with creator Joss Whedon (the genius), and a photo gallery. Make sure you add this to your Buffy collection!

The World of the Scooby-Gang
Buffy's second season is an exceptional one! If you love the Buffy/Angel relationship then this is the season for you. We've seen over the past yaer the connection between Buffy and Angel strenghten, but never like this. Buffy comes back to Sunnydale, from a much needed vacation, with a much NOT needed attitude problem. Who can blame her, though? After facing the Master and having an untimely death Buffy has the right to be a little pissy. This attitude plays off of the doomed relationship of our blonde heroine and her handsome vampire love. However they continue on their path of endearing, finally climaxing in the act of a night of sex. After that we learn that the one moment that Angel needed to have his soul taken away was found when he and Buffy proclaimed their undieing love for one another. Perhaps though, love isn't enough. Without a soul, Angel becomes an cold-hearted killer, out to exact revenge on the thing that mae him feel most human, Buffy. We see an entirly different side of Angel and are just as shocked as the characters. This season is a real tear-jerker, especially the end, when Buffy is forced to send her lover to Hell, even though his lovable personality has been magically restored. If it's Angel you want, it's Angel you get, but beware...love alone isn't enough in this doomed relationship...But who cares?!

It's overrated - but still a great season
After the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, fans knew that the show could only get better, and season two definately brought the show to a whole new level. Season two had so many things working for it, from the introduction of my favorite character Spike and Buffy's relationship with Angel heating up, to the introduction of Angel's darkside Angelus who turned out to be one of the show's greatest villans. Now season two is very good and I definately enjoyed it. However, I also feel that the season is overrated because many fans of the show think that season two is the show's best season, when seasons three, five, and six were much better overall. I mean, let's be honest here. There were some really bad episodes in this season like - "Some Assembly Required", "Ted", "Reptile Boy", "Inca Mummy Girl", "Bad Eggs", and "Go Fish". In order for a season to be worthy of a five star rating, it needs to be great from start to finish, with a minimum number of bad episodes.

The second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer does feature some wonderful episodes however that manage to make up for season two's shortcomings. "School Hard" is one of my all time favorite episodes because it introduced my favorite character Spike. The bad ass leather clad vampire proved to be so popular, that the writers ended up keeping him around for the rest of the show. The classic episode "Halloween" has everyone turn into whatever they dressed up as for Halloween. "Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered" is another one of my all time favorites and is definately a candidate for funniest episode ever. When Cordelia dumps Xander on Valentine's Day, he seeks help in a witch at Suunydale High named Amy to cast a spell on Cordelia to make her fall in love with him. Unfortunately, Xander ends up becoming the object of every woman's affection in Sunnydale. The two best Buffy/Angel episodes of the entire show are "Suprise" and "Innocence" in which their relationship ascends to a new level, and we are introduced to Angel's darkside Angelus who turns out to be one of the best villans ever. Season two comes to an amazing conclusion in "Becoming" parts 1&2. Other episodes worth mentioning are "What's My Line" parts 1&2, "Passion", "Phases", and "I Only Have Eyes of You".

Even though season two is not quite as good as a lot of people claim, it is still a highly enjoyable and definately worth owning. What really makes the season two DVD set special is the bonus features. The set has many featurettes and interviews, as well as commentary on several episodes.

A solid 4 stars... ... Read more

Reviews (251)

The Third Season of Buffy is the Best!!!!!
The third season of Buffy marked the beginning of a new change for the Scooby gang. Picking up where the second season left off, Buffy is living in the big city of L.A. ("Anne") where she, along with a homeless teen, fights an evil demon who enslaves humans in the demon dimension. Then Buffy returns to her roots ("Dead Man's Party), where an irate Joyce, Giles, and the Scooby Gang confront her about her running away from Sunnydale. The best part of the season was the new addition of Faith, a rogue Slayer who at first developed a deep, close relationship with Buffy until the evil Mayor (Harry Groener) turns her to the dark side. This season also marked the return of a Drusilla-less Spike (James Marsters), Angel (David Boreanaz), and Amy the Witch, and the additions of the mysterious Mr. Trick, the demonic Anyanka (Emma Caulfield), and the charismatic Mayor. This season also introduces Wesley Wyndham-Price, Buffy's new Watcher after Giles was terminated from his services from the Watcher Council. The season finale also marked the departure of Angel (who went on to form Angel Investigations in Angel) and Cordelia who joined him as she left for L.A. to become an actress.

This 6-disc set contains all 22 episodes of the season. One of the best episodes is "The Wish," in which Cordelia wishes that Bush had never come to Sunnydale, which resulted her being transported to an alternate reality where vampires have overtaken the town, and the Master (Mark Metgalf) is still alive. This episode also features the vampiric counterparts of Xander and Willow, who end up being staked to death in the end. Another excellent episode is "Dopplegangland," in which Anya turns to Willow for help with a spell, which inadvertenely summons the Evil Willow from the alternate reality.

The menus in this set are outstanding and easy to use. This set contains five featurettes, selected episode scripts and commentaries, and has language tracks in French, Spanish, and English. This set is a must-have for true Buffy fans!!!!

Buffy keeps entertaining all!!
Buffy : The Vampire Slayer is one of the best shows currently on tv, that deals around the life of Buffy Summers and her close circle of friends. After all the adventures and twisting incidents since the first 2 seasons, the third season reveals more plots and twists for the audience, with new stars, such as faith, anya and a new villian, the Mayor as well!! This season being the senior year of Buffy, we also see the changes in the relationship between buffy and her friends and what choices they have to make, and also the relationship between angel and buffy, which is very unique and interesting. The third season consists of the following episodes:

01. Anne : Buffy's problems have followed her to LA.

02.Dead Man's Party : Sunnydale doesn't exactly welcome Buffy back.

03. Faith, Hope and Trick : There's a new slayer in town.

04. Beauty and the Beasts : Oz comes under suspicion.

05. Homecoming : Cordelia and Buffy go head to head.

06. Band Candy : Joyce and Giles get in some Summer Lovin'.

07. Revelations : There's a new Watcher in town.

08. Lovers' Walk : Spike returns to Sunnydale.

09. The Wish : Cordelia accidentally ends the universe.

10. Amends : Angel is tormented by evil spirits.

11. Gingerbread : Joyce begins a witch-hunt.

12. Helpless : Buffy loses her powers.

13. The Zeppo : An ordinary day in the life of Xander.

14. Bad Girls : Faith and Buffy grow closer.

15. Consequences : Buffy's in serious trouble.

16. Dopplegangland : Vampire Willow. Says it all.

17. Enemies : Faith curses Angel.

18. Earshot : Buffy struggles to save the school.

19. Choices : Willow is taken hostage.

20. The Prom : Can Buffy handle a broken heart and save the
prom?

21. Graduation Day I : The Mayor's getting hungy.

22. Graduation Day II : It's the end of an era.

Apart from this, we also get the enormous special features such as, audio commentaries by joss and other cast and crew members, photo galleries, featurettes, behind the scenes, interviews and much more!!! This is soo worth for any buffy fan and is worth getting!! Buffy rules!!

Amazing show, amazing season. Of course it has flaws, but...
Amazing show, amazing season. Of course it has flaws, but...

In third season, it's clear for everyone that the actors are totally comfortable playing their characters, everyone knows what to do, when to do it and how to do it. The level of confidence is rising and rising.

Of course it has flaws. You just can't produce 22 perfect episodes that will please everybody. The producers, writers and cast do the best they can in the short time and relatively small budget they have at their disposal.

One question, however, does not leave my mind: how can an actress (I'm talking about Sarah Mihcelle Gellar here) give such stupendous, gorgeous, solid, breathtaking, emotional performances episode after episode, season after season, no matter if the material that they give her is good or bad? She bears more than half of the credit for Buffy being the hit it was. She TOTALLY controls the show when she's on camera. I sincerely hope she has a marvellous and well suceeded movie career (away from Scooby-Doo movies, I mean...)

As for third season properly speaking, it has ups and lows. I particularly enjoy almost everything the show ever produced, but sometimes I did not. Faith, for example. She just not fit. Shés annoying. Of course it was a character created for us to hate, but not to ANNOY the viewer. Everytime she's on screen with her wooden dialogue, I simply wanted to go fast forward (but I didn't, of course!). I also agree with with a reviewer tha said that it would have been better if the Scooby-gang treated her like a basket case beyond help, instead of trying to save her. Anyway, Joss Whedon always suprise the audience doing the exact OPPOSITE of what we would expect (Example 1: Xander and Willow - their potential beautiful romance didn't last nothing, and it was never "officalized" - Example 2: Wesley and Cordelia flirting - the flirting lasts a lot of episodes and, when they finally kiss, there is no chemistry between them and the romance is over even before it starts.)

Also, we have someplot holes and weakness we must forget in order to remember that it's, after all, just a television show for entertainment. Even if the Ascension worked for the Mayor, what were his intentions? Sure, he would eat the entire school populace, but after that? The Army, police, Air Force, all of them would transform that giant worm in small pieces very briefly. No big threat indeed!

The show's best season...
The growing trend up until this point was that Buffy the Vampire Slayer seemed to get better after each season. The first season was a great start to the show, the second season was amazing, and the third season somehow managed to become even better. Over the course of the rest of the show, there would be some fantastic seasons. But, season three has managed to remain the best season of the entire show.

The relationship between Buffy and Angel is brought to a whole new level in this season, because of the events that took place in season two. Season three also introduced a beautiful and renegade slayer named Faith(Eliza Dushku) whose love for killing would eventually cause her to become an excellent villan, as well as the evil mayor of Sunnydale ( Harry Groener)that would definately practice the age old metaphor of "killing people with kindness". The suspense for season three is intense, because there is a countdown throughout the season that comes to a head on Graduation Day in which the mayor wishes to ascend to a higher level of being to destroy the world. There were so many great episodes in season three, that it is hard to choose a favorite. There were so many in fact, that 20 out of the 22 episodes were fantastic. The overall direction of season three was fantastic, and each episode seemed to build off the last one. Among season three's best episodes are - "The Wish" ( my all time favorite episode), "Dopplegangland","The Zeppo","Lover's Walk", "Band Candy", "Homecoming", "Lover's Walk", "Revelations", "Amends", "Earshot", "Prom", and "Graduation Day" PTS.1&2.

Overall, this is a must for any fan of the show. This would be worth owning just for the season itself. However, the DVD set is fantastic as well. You get commentary on several episodes, as well as five featurettes, and more.

A solid 5 stars...

A medicore story arc and jarring visual style
I think Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one fo the greatest dramas ever. From all the seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer I've seen however (I haven't seen seven) this has to be my least favorite. Primarly for reasons not even related to the show's story quality. My major gripe with this season was that it was visually bland and dark with colors so annoyling drab I could barely watch some episodes (luckily ever other season has fantastic colors and visual style). The seasons colors seem to be just made out of over-dark greens and grays. I am perfectly fine with visual darkness (when used effectively and in the right spots and isn't overused on a grand scale) but I also need visual variety and to some degree brigtness. The literal darkness of the season turned me off visually for many episodes. I have this same gripe with the show Angel which in my opinion is stuck in overdarkness for seasons 2-4. This isn't just because of the DVDs either (considering the visual flaws, the technical apects of this dvd are relatively good) because seaosn 3 looks even worse on tv. Even relatively bright episodes like Earshot have an annoying greenish and grayishness to them. I don't know if this is just me but season 3, visually, is a disaster.

Now to my storywise gripes with this season. The Buffy/Angel relationship felt doomed and dragging, the overall arc wasn't interesting and lost momentum, and the bad girl Faith lost appeal because of the "let's save her" attitude taken on by her friends and the visual style which seemed to somehow upstage Eliza Dusku's fantastic acting. It would have been best to not make any effort to humanize Faith and have the other characters treat her like a straight sociopath. Also the high-school setting was getting old. Also some very interesting villians (a la Mr. Trick) were underutilized. And some not so great villians (a la the mayor) were overutilized. Also the finale episode's big battle didn't make sense and had horrible effects (but was fun).

Now to what was good with the season. There are a number of standout episodes espicially the parallel universe ones and Earshot. Also the season opener is fantastic and Lover's Walk (Spike's brilliant season 3 cameo) ranks among one of the greatest episodes of Buffy. The character of Wesley was a great addition to the show (but lost all his charm on Angel when he went from a "caricature" to a dark, brood, and "complex" "character" an unwise decion). Principal Snyder remains in my opinion one of the greatest and funniest Buffy characters ever (and since he's not shown too much in the dark the visual flaws don't affect as much. Also his resembelence to a ferrangi (well he plays Quark on Star Trek Ds9, who I believe shares a loveable ruthlessness with Snyder) just made him more funny. Ever time I saw him I started expecting him to spurt out quotes from the rules of aquisition or give a lecture on profit. The main character's development is okay. I lost all my real caring for the Buffy/Angel realtionship, Faith was a lost cause from the begininning, and Xander and Willow were meant for eachother, but I loved what they did with Giles's character.

The extras are great, but some of the commentaries are hard to watch due to the fact that some apply to some of the visually blander episodes.

Do I recomend it, yes.

Do I guarantee you'll enjoy it visually, no.

But it's still Buffy, it's still quality and you still have to see it.

Maybe these visual flaws are only noticed by me or don't apply to anyone else, who knows. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) looks like your typical perky high-schooler, and like most, she has her secret fears and anxieties. However, while most teens are worrying about their next date, their next zit, or their next term paper, Buffy's angsting over the next vampire she has to slay. See, Buffy, a young woman with superhuman strength, is the "chosen one," and she must help rid the world of evil, namely by staking demons. The exceptional first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduces us to the treacherous world of Sunnydale High School (where Buffy moved after torching her previous high school's gym). The characters there include "watcher" Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) and the original "Scooby Gang" members--friendly geek Xander (Nicholas Brendon), computer whiz Willow (Alyson Hannigan), and snobbish popular girl Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter)--who aid Buffy in her quest.

The second season took the romance between Buffy and hunky Angel (David Boreanaz) from ecstasy to agony in a now-classic plot arc that catapulted the show from WB teen drama to true TV greatness. You see, if the cursed Angel ever experiences true happiness for a moment, he'll revert to being an evil vampire again. Buffy found its true momentum during the second season, as Xander fell in love with Cordelia, Willow gave up her crush on Xander in favor of werewolf boy Oz (Seth Green), and watcher Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) began a sweetly tentative relationship with computer teacher (and witch) Jenny Calendar (Robia LaMorte). Mayhem came to Sunnydale, though, in the form of evil vampires Drusilla (Juliet Landau) and Spike (drolly wicked James Marsters), who were more than ready to aid and abet Angel as he turned bad.

The third season was marked by the arrival in Sunnydale of renegade slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku), a moody loner who seemed to like her demon-staking calling just a little too much. While Buffy was always wary of Faith, the two developed a deep friendship and appreciative rapport--that is, until the evil mayor of Sunnydale (Harry Groener) tapped into Faith's dark side and lured her into his plot to take over the world, first as a double agent spying on Buffy, then as out-and-out nemesis. And as the mayor's ascension approached--which happened to fall on Sunnydale High's graduation day--Buffy and Faith's battles got nastier and nastier, as Buffy attempted to wrestle with her dark side (literally and figuratively), save the world and her friends, and keep her lover Angel out of Faith's evil clutches. Chock-full of exceptional episodes, the third season started out with a bang (the superb season opener "Anne," in which a runaway Buffy finally returns to her Slayer calling) and never let up.

Buffy truly hit its golden years in the fourth season--just when you thought this show couldn't get any better, Joss Whedon and his creative team pulled out all the stops and took Buffy and co. into rich new territory. By far, the highlight of the season (and the entire series) was the Emmy-nominated "Hush," a nearly dialogue-free episode in which the creepy "Gentlemen" rob Sunnydale of its collective voice, and Buffy and Riley finally come face to face with each other's hidden identities. Throughout, the entire cast, headed by the unparalleled Sarah Michelle Gellar, worked television magic of the kind rarely seen on the small screen. This is Buffy at its best. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (56)

An absolutely astonishing DVD bargain
Many media and television critics have labeled BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER the new Star Trek, and there is a very real sense in which this will prove to be true: like Star Trek, Buffy is about to have as big or bigger an existence as when the show was in first run. There is a very, very simple reason for this: a gigantic number of people have mindlessly and dismissingly ignored Buffy, wrongly thinking it is just a show for teenagers. In fact, it is unquestionably one of the intelligent, funny, engaging, and brilliant shows in the history of television. Even at its peak, Buffy was able to catch only a very small amount of the viewing audience. All of this means: there are a lot of potential Buffy fans out there.

This set is perfect for either of two individuals. For those very small number of Buffy fanatics who for whatever reason haven't been able to afford the previous box sets, this will afford a remarkably inexpensive way of collecting the first four seasons. The list price for the entire set is only twice as much as the cost of the box sets of seasons 2, 3, or 4. This truly is an amazing bargain.

This should never have achieved television greatness, yet it did. When Buffy premiered, it seemed the height of folly to do a low-budget television show based on a mediocre film. It seemed obvious to many that no show produced by a fledgling network (initially the WB and later the even smaller UPN) with the words BUFFY, VAMPIRE and SLAYER in its title could be more intelligent, innovative, and superb than anything produced by the BBC, or HBO, or the broadcast networks. But one of the great things about Buffy is that it almost immediately began destroying all ones assumptions and misconceptions.

After the first season, Buffy began to eschew the format common to most TV shows where each episode contains a self-contained story, but instead opted for season long (or more) story arcs previously found in series like TWIN PEAKS, THE X-FILES, BABYLON 5, and the soaps. These long arcs are unquestionably a source of much the show's great power with fans, but it is also the reason that many potential new viewers were unable to get into the show. After a period of time, there was simply too much back story to pick up. This set should allow anyone to get the full Buffy experience, at least through the first four seasons. The show also broke with previous formats in combining comedy, romance, action, suspense, and realism in a degree not previously found on television. One episode might be primarily comedic, the next intensely romantic, another tragic, but most often one show would combine all of these. The show always did very poorly in Emmy nominations (despite being vastly better than any of the other shows nominated; that it didn't at the very least win every writing award is testimony to how absurd these awards are), and part of the reason is surely the fact that it fit uneasily in the established categories.

Season One is in many ways the weakest season in the history of the show, but it is nevertheless amazingly successful. Almost in the first fifteen minutes, the core characters have been introduced and the chemistry that would drive the central friendships established. The season primarily consists of self-contained episodes, though a few themes that go season-long and even into the second season are introduced. We meet Willow, Xander, and Giles, who form the heart of the Scooby Gang through all seven seasons of the show, along with Angel and Cordelia, who depart after season three for Los Angeles and Angel's own show. Despite an excruciatingly small budget, Joss Whedon (the creative genius behind Buffy and Angel) and his team achieve miracles.

Season Two is when the show achieves true greatness. The central story is that of the doomed love between Buffy and Angel, and there surely has been no more heart breaking pair of lovers in TV history. The show hits its full strike and rushes through a brilliant set of episodes, and along the way expands the cast to include Oz, who turns out to be a werewolf, and a pair of Sid and Nancy vampires, the platinum-haired Spike and his insane psychic girlfriend Druscilla. The final episode of the season is one of the most heart wrenching, and I defy any but the most hardhearted of individuals not to shed a tear or two.

Season Three picks up where the previous one left off, and instantly proves it is capable telling stories with astonishing virtuosity. The Gang is in its final year of high school and as befitting seniors, the problems they face are more emotionally challenging, and all are called upon to deal with fresh disappointments and problems requiring more mature reactions. A new major character, Faith the rogue slayer, is introduced, and story of her embattled relationship with Buffy is a story that extends for more than just the one season and just the one show, carrying over onto ANGEL as well.

In Season Four, Willow, Buffy, and Oz go off to college; Giles is unemployed (having previously been librarian at Sunnydale High), and Xander striving to find his way after high school. The season contains several superb episodes, including the highly acclaimed "Hush," performed with no dialogue for most of the show.

These first four seasons are almost beyond criticism they are so remarkable. I urge anyone who hasn't experienced Buffy to do so, especially those who considered themselves smart, savvy, and literate. If ever there was a show made for smart people, it is this one. Just get over the silly name and your misconceptions, and take the plunge. You won't regret it.

All in one package
From all appearances, there are no new materials added into this package. This is seasons 1-4 presented in a single package at a reduced rate for those BtVS fans who haven't yet invested in the individual packages that have been available for some time. For those of us who already own seasons 1-4 as sold seperately, purchasing this set would just duplicate what we already have -- unless they come in a nice slipcase to contain all four seasons, but there's no mention of it.

For the rest of you, this is 88 hours of viewing pleasure. Okay, each episode is closer to 45-50 minutes (and okay, one or two of the episodes were turkeys), but when you add in the multitude of suplementary videos, as well as the commentaries that mean some episodes get to be viewed twice (and you're doing yourself a major diservice if you don't at least listen to Joss Whedon's commentaries), you're probably over 100 hours. Where you going to get that sort of deal elsewhere? For the price of one season of Star Trek, you can have four seasons of BtVS. And lets be honest, wouldn't you rather watch Buffy?

What is With The Price Increase?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite television show and I own seasons 1 - 5 on DVD and I'm planning on buying Season Six and I'm waiting for Season Seven to come out on DVD. I bought seasons 1 - 5 individually and this season 1 - 4 set wasn't an option when I started buying Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD and the first time I checked the Amazon.com reviews for this package they were selling it for 118.00 dollars and I wished that I had bought this set instead of buying the DVDs individually but what is with the price increase? Now the price says 182.53 dollars and I'm wondering if that is a typo or is 182.53 the normal price and was the 118.00 dollar price only a limited time sale price? Anyway in this case it seems cheaper to buy the DVD's individually and I'm now glad that is what I did but anyway I'm rating this 5 stars but only because I love seasons 1 - 4 and think they are all superb seasons!

It's been over a month since the price increase
sweetseb, I sent Amazon.com a notice pointing out their bizarre pricing the day I found out about it, and it's still more than buying the sets indiuvidually. A search engine can help people find a better price than even Walmart.com. So, Buffy fans, buy the set if you want it, but don't feel like you have to get it from Amazon.com.

Good, But Not Buffy's Best
This DVD set is a great way to get started if you are a new "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" veiwer. If not, then this set is not the best. I wish that this could be done with all seven seasons (once season 7 becomes avalible) because otherwise it's not that great of a deal. Don't get me wrong, I love all the Buffy seasons, but what's the point of buying this set when I'm sure that many people already have most, if not all the seasons, currently avalible. Perhaps if there were some extra special features on theses discs some people might consider it, but there is not. If you are a new veiwer and do not have any of these sets then this is definitly for you, otherwise just buy the rest of your sets seperately. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The seventh and final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer begins with a mystery: someone is murdering teenage girls all over the world and something is trying hard to drive Spike mad. Buffy is considerably more cheerful in these episodes than we have seen her during the previous year as she trains Dawn and gets a job as student counselor at the newly rebuilt Sunnydale High. Willow is recovering from the magical addiction which almost led her to destroy the world, but all is not yet well with her, or with Anya, who has returned to being a Vengeance demon in "Same Time, Same Place" and "Selfless," and both women are haunted by their decisions.

Haunting of a different kind comes in the excellent "Conversations with Dead People" (one of the show's most terrifying episodes ever), in which a mysterious song is making Spike kill again in spite of his soul and his chip. Giles turns up in "Bring on the Night" and Buffy has to fight one of the deadliest vampires of her career in "Showtime". In "Potential" Dawn faces a fundamental reassessment of her purpose in life.

Buffy was always a show about female empowerment, but it was also a show about how ordinary people can decide to make a difference alongside people who are special. And it was also a show about people making up for past errors and crimes. So, for example, we have the excellent episodes "Storyteller", in which the former geek/supervillain Andrew sorts out his redemption while making a video diary about life with Buffy; and "Lies My Parents Told Me," in which we find out why a particular folk song sends Spike crazy. Redemption abounds as Faith returns to Sunnydale and the friends she once betrayed, and Willow finds herself turning into the man she flayed. Above all, this was always Buffy's show: Sarah Michelle Gellar does extraordinary work here both as Buffy and as her ultimate shadow, the First Evil, who takes her face to mock her. This is a fine ending to one of television's most remarkable shows. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (147)

cute midnight movie
Kristy Swanson (MANNEQUIN ON THE MOVE), stars as blonde, bouncy Buffy, who learns of her calling as "The Chosen One" in the cute cult flick BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.

Buffy's life changes when she meets tall, dark Merrick (Donald Sutherland) who tells her that she is the one to rid the world of the vampires and their ruler, Lothos (Rutger Hauer). Buffy is even more busy with her scruffy suitor Pike (Luke Perry). Between her boyfriend, school, cheerleading and vampire slaying, it's no wonder she's a nervous wreck!

For her role here, Kristy Swanson was trained in martial arts, cheerleading skills and gymnastics. The comedy also marked the screen debut of Luke Perry, star of the hit series BEVERLY HILLS 90210.

Also featuring Hilary Swank, Paul Reubens, David Arquette, Candy Clark and Liz Smith.

Buffy the (Boring) movie
We are far away from the smart and successful TV show in this lackluster movie. 16 year old valley girl and cheerleader Buffy (no last name) has dreams of past lives, and monsters in the night. And then a strange man named Merrick (Donald Sutherland) arrives and provides answeres; Buffy is a Vampire Slayer, one girl who is chosen to fight all the creatures that go bump in the night. This script is much different from the one I read by Joss Wheddon, it is a lot lighter, and that is not a good thing. I really would have liked to have seen the prom burned down to kill all the vampires. Buffy is played by Kristy Swanson, who is no where near as sweet and convincing as Sarah Michelle Geller. And while we are at it, do not be expecting Willow, Xander, Giles, or Angel. This movie was made long before the series. What we do have is Pike (Luke Perry), a slacker who is accendently cought up in the mess. The threat of the movie is Luthos, played by experienced bad guy actor Rutgar Hauer. Paul Rubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) is Luthos's main underling, and he is so silly it's impossible to take him seriously. There are also a few cameos by future stars; Hilary Swank is another vally girl. David Arquette plays one of Pike's friends who's turned into a vampire. And Ben Affleck is uncredited as a rival basketball team player. Anyway, this movie is too silly . I know that is the point, but it is still not dark enough, and Buffy's attraction to Luthos isn't enough. I know I am horribly biesed by the TV show, but I can't help it. It is still watchable, if it's on TV somewhere.

The one and true Buffy!
I can't really say it's better than the show, for I haven't watched the show. The only info I've heard is from friends and family. I can tell you, without a doubt, that I like Kristy Swanson more than Sarah Gellar. Whenever I hear the name Buffy, I think of Kristy. I like Sarah Gellar in many of her movies, but she just isn't Buffy to me. I would watch a show if someone paid/lend for it, because I can't get TV reception. But I don't buy stuff I'm unfamiliar with, especially when it's fifty dollars. And that's all I've got to say about that.

The Bad Buffy
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is definetly not as successful as it's counterpart T.V. series but it served up a pretty well rounded story.The characters were fairly likeable.Joss Whedon is very creative and intelligant ; I give him thumbs up for trying something new.I just kinda felt weird after watching it.I guess I expected to much from it.If you watch it ; thinking it will be sucky you probably won't feel as bad.Luke Perry did a pretty good job with Kristy Swanson who got very annoying after an hour and a half.The plot was really good but they didn't use it the right way.The vampires seemed to fake and when Buffy staked them they did not turn to dust; I always enjoyed that from the T.V. series.Check this one out only if you have nothing better to do.Blonde, bouncy Buffy is your typical high school cheerleader - her goal is to "marry Christian Slater and die" and nothing gets in her way when it's time to shop.But all that changes when a strange man informs her she's been chosen by ill fate to kill vampires.With the help of a romantic rebel, Buffy is soon spending school nights protecting L.A. from Lothos, The Vampire King, his sidekick, Lefty, and their determined gang of bloodsuckers.It's everything you'd expect from a teen queen in the valley.

"Not bad but pales to the terrific TV show."
-- Gerry Shamray, SUN NEWSPAPERS OF CLEVELAND

Not as Good, But Still Original
It's easy to bag out Kristy Swanson in the role of Buffy after many years of watching Sarah M Gellar, but you have to admit that the girl had talent, looks & the physical fittness to make a good slayer.
Many of the reviews have bagged out this film in relation to the series, however it did lay the ground work for the story and convince a network to green light the series which has made them millions.
The film itself has some good moments and a sense of humour.
If you are a die hard fan you should check it out simply to have the story which leads into the pilot episode and it wouldn't hurt to check out creepy old Don Sutherland as a watcher.
The film does have a simple finale, but on the bright side it comes to an end, unlike many of the open doors the series leaves.
Another great aspect is the cover of Oingo Boingo's 'We close our eyes', which The Bangles lead singer Susanna Hoffs does for the closing credits (unfortunately spoken over however). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) looks like your typical perky high-schooler, and like most, she has her secret fears and anxieties. However, while most teens are worrying about their next date, their next zit, or their next term paper, Buffy's angsting over the next vampire she has to slay. See, Buffy, a young woman with superhuman strength, is the "chosen one," and she must help rid the world of evil, namely by staking demons. The exceptional first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduces us to the treacherous world of Sunnydale High School (where Buffy moved after torching her previous high school's gym). The characters there include "watcher" Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) and the original "Scooby Gang" members--friendly geek Xander (Nicholas Brendon), computer whiz Willow (Alyson Hannigan), and snobbish popular girl Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter)--who aid Buffy in her quest. Those used to the darker tone that Buffy took in its later seasons will be surprised by the lighter feeling these first 12 episodes have--it's kind of like Buffy 90210 as the cast grapples with regular teen problems in addition to saving the world from demonic darkness. Fans of the show will enjoy the crisp writing, the phenomenal chemistry of the cast (already well-established within the first few episodes), and the introduction to characters that would stay for many seasons, including moody vampire Angel (David Boreanaz). Through it all, Gellar carries the series with amazing confidence, whether conveying the despair of high school or dispatching various demons--she's one of TV's most distinctive and strongest heroines. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (443)

"The music of pain." (or at least adolescence)
For a first time screenwriter, Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was a good effort for a feature film. I thought for sure the series was going to tank. When I started watching halfway through the first season, I quickly found that I was wrong. "Buffy" simply blossoms on television. I've been hooked ever since.

For the first time, Whedon has provided us with all the terrors of high school (remember those?) in a horror genre setting. Not only that, but he provides a confident, cool FEMALE character to trounce the bad guys. Whether you're a fan of the genre or a teenage feminist, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) provides a niche for the unpopular misfits in high school, but looks upon them as heroes. Were you as uncomfortable as Xander (Nicholas Brendon)? As geeky as Willow (Alyson Hannigan)? As quick with an aphorism as Oz (Seth Green)? The series proves that high school is indeed survivable no matter who you are, even if you're cliquish Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter). And in the end, the more unpopular you were - possibly the more important you were to your teenage community.

Mix in your favorite teacher (or librarian) played by Anthony Stewart Head (who should play "Doctor Who" after he's done with "Buffy") to be the requisite horror genre British pseudo-scientist, and Buffy's single mom (Kristine Sutherland) and you're all set to go with the most intelligent sci-fi TV series possibly written for this age group. (The next closest thing being the intelligent, yet non-sf "Freaks & Geeks".)

I'm not kidding. It's amazing how quickly these characters grow in the first season and their responses remain true to life despite the extraordinary situations they're thrown into. Creator Joss Whedon has become one of the most talented writer/directors working in the industry today, despite the fact that "Buffy" is most of what he's been doing for the last five years.

As far as what you get in this box set, you're in for a treat. This is the full first season, not just the half previously released on VHS; including the season finale "Prophecy Girl" - where we see just how heroic Buffy really is, despite her adolescence and fear of death. Also present throughout the series are teenage issues of emotional/sexual conflict ("Teacher's Pet") and problems with acceptance ("The Pack"). Specific highlights also include Whedon's commentary for the two part premiere as well as the first appearances of Angel (David Boreanaz) and Jenny Calendar (Robia LaMorte).

Remember, Buffy's not JUST about vampires. In fact I think it's safe to say that vampires are secondary to the emotional undercurrent of the show, if not a particular episode's plot. Forget "Felicity" and shove off of "Dawson's Creek", this is the one for the adults.

Finally!
Fans have waited this moment for years. We can buy The Complete Buffy's First Season at last. All the 12 episodes are more then worth the price.
Sara Michelle Galler, Angel's introduction in 'Angel', the pilot episode 'Welcome to Hellmouth', The grate villain The Master (the eldest and strongest vampire of them all), and a lot more inside this 3 disc set. It seems to have good bonus features, and did I mentioned Sara Michele Galler?. Definitely the best TV series after Dark Angel. It has it all, drama, comedy, love stories, action, Sara Michelle Galler kicking the you know what out of the vampires and demons, an amazing writing work (my own personal opinion is that Buffy has one of the best script works in TV production).
Every episode without any exception is smart, funny and every actor and actress give their best performance. The adolescence parody that Buffy the Vampire slayer offers is more then accurate for those who understand it. [....]
I think I don't have to say much, 'it's Buffy' after all, and the name says it all. Finally fans are rewarded for their patience. I just hope season 2, 3, 4, and 5 don't take to long.

Still fresh, funny and scary
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was a critical hit in