Rating: 
Summary: [Great]
Review: this is a great season the acting is extrodinary the love story is sooo passionite its real great episodes soo good
Rating:
Summary: Some of the best "Buffy" out there
Review: It is the opinion of most fans and critics that Season Three of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was the season in the run of the show, and while none can doubt the excellent story-telling, fluid continuity and superior presentation of Season Three, it is certain that Season Two took the viewer on the more emotional rollercoaster, and encompasses within it five of the most heart-rendering, shock-inducing and *best* Buffy episodes of all.Buffy Summers is the Chosen One, the Vampire Slayer: the only girl in the world with the mystical strength and skill within her who can defend the world against the forces of evil, under the guidence of her assigned Watcher - in this case Rupert Giles, the school librarian of Sunnydale High School. Season Two begins with Buffy returning from her summer in L.A. with her father, mentally scarred after her temporary death at the hands of the Master. After her bad behaviour puts all her friends in danger, she once more assumes the mantle of Slayer in order to save them and prevent the Master from once again rising. It is one of the quintessental Buffy episodes, and perfect for any new viewer of the show to grasp the basics of Buffy's duty, the dynamics of those around her, and the themes of the show that carry throughout the entire show. It ends with a scene that portrays the very heart and soul of the show: that of Buffy and her two dearest friends Willow and Xander simply sitting together, talking about nothing in particular. The beautiful relationship between the three characters, the way they bounce off each other and the extreme loyalty between them has always been the very core of what has made this show special for so long - all other characters have come and gone, but Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon and Alyson Hannigan have weathered the show from beginning to end. Throughout the duration of the Second Season Buffy comes across a range of foes, including one of the most original and "likeable" bad guys: Giles's old acquantice Ethan Rayne, a man who found savage delight in causing "glorious chaos" and in making his old friend miserable, and Billy Fordham, Buffy's old flame from L.A. with aspirations of becoming a vampire himself, leading Buffy to an immensely difficult decision. But foremost among the evil-doers of the show was the marvellous James Marsters as vampiric Spike, the dyed-blonde, leather-clad who became huge favourite among viewers, and his girlfriend, the insane and physic Drusilla, a character to both fear for her cruelty, and pity for her tragic back-story. But of course, the real big-bad was that of the sadistic Angelus... It begins in "Surprise": its Buffy's seventeenth birthday, and Spike and Drusilla have their own little surprise for her - a demon known as the Judge that burns all the righteousness from living beings. After a close escape, a shaken Angel and Buffy declare and consumate their love, with devastating results. The curse placed upon Angel's soul had a clause - should he ever experience a moment of pure happiness, his soul would be torn from him once more - and this moment he finds in Buffy's arms. Reverting once more into the loathsome Angelus, he joins forces with his old allies to make the Slayer's death long, painful and slow, a fate she faces in "Innocence". From here comes more painful revelations - friend and ally Jenny Calender confesses she was not who she said she was: her true identity is that of a member of the gypsy tribe that originally cursed Angel, sent there to ensure he remained tortured by his memories. The confession destroys her blossoming romance with Giles, and in "Passion" she goes about rectifying her mistake by finding the ancient curse, but with truly tragic consequences. The series comes to a head in "Becoming Part I and II", when the vampire trio find a stone demon Acathla with the power to swallow the world into Hell. Angelus is preparing to open it, and with her allies around her, Buffy must deal with both the supernatural components of her life, such as having to destroy her lover despite having his cure, an uneasy alliance with Spike and the death of yet another dear friend, with the (slightly) more ordinary - her explusion from school, her mother's unacceptance of her Slayer-dom and her being a wanted fugitive by the police. There they are - the five best episodes of the series: the most beautifully directed, written and acted moments of all time. Supreme moments are forever stamped upon the viewer's minds - Buffy taking out the indestructable Judge with nothing less than a rocket-launcher (courtesy of Xander), Spike stands from his wheelchair with a smirk, Xander confessing his love to Willow at her bedside, Drusilla hoisting her unconscious lover up off his feet by his arm, Buffy and Kendra facing off for the first time, Willow being suddenly and violently possessed during her first casting of a magic spell, Buffy running in slow motion down the school hall toward the library with her heartbeat echoing off the walls, Buffy gazing at her friends from afar in her silent goodbye to the strains of Sarah McLauchlan, and Buffy and Giles standing before Jenny's grave to the haunting melody of the "Buffy and Angel" theme. Most potent and heartbreaking of all: Buffy and Giles weeping in each others arms outside the burning factory, and of course, Buffy's final sacrifice - destroying the thing she loves most at the moment of reunion to save the world. I defy anyone not to get at least a little teary.
Rating:
Summary: Josh Sabbagh
Review: Probably the best season of buffy season 2 has a lot oof issues. first buffy getting over the fight with the master and a few of his warrioirs who try to bring him forth again. Spike and drusilla, the buffy and angel relationship getting deeper until angels soul is taken away and she must have to kill him, secrets are revealed about Jenny Calendar, and when angel kills her, plus other normal hellmouth issues! this is buffy's hardest battle having to kill the person she loves the most before he kills her and her friends
Rating:
Summary: Angellus Returns
Review: Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is back for her junior year at Sunnydale High along with her friends Willow (Alyson Hannigan), Xander (Nicholas Brendan), Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), and Angel (David Borneaz). But this year, she must face evil in the form of Angellus, the demonic version of Angel, who has teamed up with Spike (James Marsters) and the crazed Drusila (Juliet Landau), who plan to do whatever it takes to destroy the world. Angel's curse was broken when he and Buffy made love, thereby making Angel happy, which breaks his curse. In this season, we learn of the secrets of Giles's past, the truth about Willow's new boyfriend Oz (Seth Green), Willow's secret powers, and the true power of Angellus. This is a great season because of the powerful story arc of the trio of vampires and their relationship with Buffy, but it also has great individual episodes such as "Halloween" and "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered". Creator Joss Whedon once again proves his powerful writing ability and the actors do a great job in all of their roles. This is a box set to die for.
Rating:
Summary: One of the towering achievements in television history
Review: In season two of Buffy, the show transformed itself from merely a hip, funny new series to one of the truly great achievements in the history of TV. Abandoning the ?monster of the week? format of the first season, the show shifted to the season-long story arc that characterized all the ensuing seasons and focused especially on the relationships between the various characters rather than the creatures of evil. The results were electrifying in both regards. By focusing on personal relationships, viewers came to love the characters in a way they could never have in a straight forward horror show, and the season long story arc of the tragic love affair between Buffy and Angel brought television portrayals of romance to levels never before seen. In addition to the central story of the romance between Buffy and Angel, there are a host of subplots that are also developed over the course of the year: Buffy?s reluctant acceptance of her destiny as the Slayer; Willow?s romance with Oz; the introduction of the Slayer Kendra; the romance, against all odds and reason, between Xander and Cordelia, and the latter?s elevation to fulltime Scooby status; the relationship between Jenny Calendar and Giles; and, perhaps most importantly for the history of the show, the introduction of two new vampires, the psychotic Druscilla and the platinum-haired punk Spike. In interviews, James Marsters acknowledges that he was originally introduced in order to be staked a few episodes later, but he immediately established himself as one of the most popular supporting characters ever, and not only avoided being staked but eventually was elevated to one of the most important characters in the show (and now apparently will be the lone characters to survive the end of BUFFY to become a fulltime character in ANGEL) But Season Two is primarily about Buffy and Angel. As the attraction between Vampire Slayer and the vampire with a soul grows, the two consummate their love, with dire results. As all BUFFY fans know, the gypsy curse that restored Angel?s soul, also stipulated that if he achieved a moment of true happiness, he would lose his soul and return to his murderous state, all of which happens when he and Buffy make love. As likable as David Boreanaz is as Angel, he is probably always more interesting as Angelus, his demonic, murderous, soulless alter ego, proving, as both Milton and Dante did, that evil always plays more interestingly than good. The second half inversely mirrors the first half, focusing instead of the growing and deepening love between Buffy and Angel, on Angelus?s attempts at psychic torture, leading up to the season finale. Although it would be rivaled by later episodes like the final episodes of season five and the astonishing episode ?The Body? from that same season, the final episode of the season is without question one of the most emotionally overwhelming episodes in the history of television. By the final episode, BUFFY has gone to places rarely if ever experienced in television, with central characters shockingly being murdered, with some of the most realistic depictions of teen romance ever, and the apparently complete estrangement between Buffy and her mother. The final moments of the season, as an emotionally devastated Buffy leaves her friends, her mother, and Sunnydale on a bus heading to Los Angeles with Sarah McLaughlin?s ?Full of Grace? playing in the background, is as intense as any moment anyone could ever hope to see. Truly a magnificent culmination to not merely one of the greatest moments in the history of TV, but in our fin-de-siecle culture. An absolute masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: talk about the passion (spoilers below)
Review: I started watching BUFFY at the start of its fourth year (having missed the high school years, for the usual reasons-- "A show called *BUFFY*? Pah! What adolescent nonsense!"-- I thought the seeming clear break of college would be a good place to start). I was immediately hooked by its intelligence, humor and creative daring (Silent episodes! Musical episodes! Wow, they killed her! Wait-- she has a *sister*?). I started catching up with the high school years through the re-runs on F/X (and just a word here-- I think it's great that Buffy is syndicated, but F/X has made the unfortunate decision to cut minutes from episodes to make room for more ads. Such cuts are death to the intricate narrative rhythms of BUFFY, so I really would advise you to purchase the DVDs), but it was not until the heartbreaking finale of the brilliant, underrated sixth season that I finally broke down and bought the Season Two box. As I watched that season's final epiosde, "Becoming Pt. 2," and wiped the tear from my eye, I went from being just a fan to realizing that BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is probably the best show to air on television in the last twenty-five years (THE SOPRANOS and THE SIMPSONS run a close second and third), and certainly the most consistently excellent. I realize that praising a show for its "consistency" is something of a backhanded compliment, like saying your blind date has "a nice personality." But think about what a remarkable achievement it is -- until its disappointing final year, BUFFY never had an off-season in its seven-year run (and, like a great pop band, when the wear began to show, they called it quits). Not even THE SOPRANOS or THE SIMPSONS-- the only shows in the same period to show anywhere near BUFFY's daring or self-critical smarts-- can claim that. Season Two is the show at its best, buidling on the mythology established in the previous season, deepening the relationships between the characters, and setting up the emotional conflicts that would play out through season six. BUFFY started as a mid-season replacement in the spring of 1997, and only aired twelve episodes in that intial run. With the prospect of a full order-- and ten more episodes to play with-- in Season Two, creator Joss Whedon and his brilliant cast and crew took full advantage of the longer year, and the show pulses with the sense of creative folk energized and enthused by their success. Season Two is definitely where the passion is. "Passion," is, in fact, the title of season's most terrifying episode (and one of its best), but I think those coming to the show for the first time deserve to see it "unspoiled," so I will try to convey my enthusiasm without giving plot points and twists away. Season Two is all about the couple-- Buffy and Angel, Giles and Jenny, Xander and Cordelia, Willow and Oz, love and duty, magic and science-- and how all of these tangle together tenderly and tragically. Perhaps by thinking about some of the behind-the-scenes "couples," then, we can think about what makes the show tick: 1) Joss Whedon and Sarah Michelle Gellar: Yes, he's brilliant, and yes, she's beautiful, but try to imagine one without the other (or, just watch FIREFLY or SCOOBY-DOO). As the lackluster Kirsty Swanson proved in the initial film version, it takes a special kind of performer to play a cheerleader-turned-slayer with passion and sincerity; it also takes a special kind of writer-producer-director to make that character three-dimensional and empathetic, and to allow the viewer to get caught up in fantastic plot turns. 2) Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) and Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia): The entire ensemble of this show-- including Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendan, Robia La Morte, David Boreanaz, Seth Green, James Marsters, and Juliet Landau-- deserves praise, but I am continually drawn back to these two, who manage to imbue potentially hazardous stereotypes (stuffy librarian and school princess, respectively) with real humanity and wit. Neither Giles nor Cordelia are super-powered, like other characters on the show, but their honesty, intelligence and courage make them heroes, and the embodiment of the show's message that even the most extreme characters are deserving of sympathy and respect. 3) Michael Gershman (cinematography) and Christophe Beck (Music): The writing's great, the direction's tight and the cast is fabulous, but where would all those elements be without these two guys, the unsung heroes of the BuffyVerse? Working for the first two years of the show on 16mm stock (most filmed shows shoot on glossier 35mm), Gershman utilized the film's narrower range and slight graininess to create a world of sharp constrasts, haunting plays of light and shadow. Composer Christophe Beck tossed out the first season's synth squiggles for a lusher orchestral sound, which echoes famed composer John Barry's edict for scoring James Bond movies: "No matter how ridiculous the action on the screen, always make it sound like a million bucks." Working on a relatively low-budget weekly tv show, these two men gave BUFFY the look and sound of a big-budget feature. These are just some of the reasons for investing in this wonderful program, and if they sound too technical, let me put it like this-- BUFFY is pop culture at its best, a fabulous mixture of adventure, romance, drama, subtle social commentary, screwball wit and scary horror. In this season alone, you'll get swashbuckling sword-play, spellbinding magic, goofy demons, punk rock vampires, steamy love, and the most breathtaking finale in the history of the idiot box. Really, what more could you ask for from a TV show?
Rating:
Summary: Arguably the Best Season of a Great Show
Review: Buffy The Vampire Slayer aired from 1997-2003. It started out obscure but soon developed a cult following due to great writing (largely from Joss Whedon) and original ideas. The show produced seven seasons, with most fans in agreement that Season 2 was the best (Season 3 usually comes in a close second).
The 22 episode arc begins with the debut of Spike and Drusilla (old friends of Angel), and establishes them as the villains for the season. The central story-line focuses on Buffy & Angel and their battle against Spike & Dru. Even most of the stand-alone episodes contribute to the main arc. Along the way we see the first appearances of many supporting characters, some of whom stuck around for future seasons. In "Halloween" Ethan Rayne debuts (former friend now enemy of Giles). "Phases" focuses on newcomer Oz (musician/werewolf). And "What's My Line" Parts I & II introduces Kendra, the vampire slayer. However the biggest surprise takes place in episodes 13 & 14, when Buffy and Angel sleep together...and Spike & Drusilla are no longer the lead villains of the season...
The running commentaries on selected episodes are interesting for aspiring writers, directors, and casual fans alike.
If you are at all interested in drama, humor, horror, romance, or just interesting writing, buy this DVD...don't dismiss it just based on the unique title. Outstanding Episodes:
Surprise
Innocence
Passion
Becoming Part I
Becoming Part II
Rating:
Summary: Buffy Rules
Review: This DVD set gets 5-stars from me because of certain episodes, not because of the DVD itself. "When She Was Bad", "Becoming 1 and 2", "The Wish", "Surprise" and Innocence" are the reasons this gets 5-stars. Those episodes are fantastic, and the DVD quality was great and the sound was excellent. My UHF picture is horrible, so after Buffy went to UPN I never got a prestine picture like I used to on the WB, so I am happy to get them on DVD. The extras are another story. The commentary is to die for IF it had been on pivitol episodes. There was no commentary on myth-arc eps like "Becoming," "When She Was Bad" or "Passion." Commentary on Reptile Boy? Did we need that? Over Becoming? I don't think so. Not to mention that Joss isn't a fan of explaining a lot or really talking about behind the scenes stuff. I think this DVD set could have been tailored more to the fan instead of just any ole' joe who would buy it. After all, FANS are the ones buying it. The extras are few and weak, but there was a very good one on the set of Buffy where we get to explore the Summers' home, which is very cool. We'll never get commentary by Sarah Michelle Gellar, or any other cast members, but if I can get commentary on some of the best, controversial or plot-continuing episodes (Once More, With Feeling, Restless, Helpless, Fool For Love, Amends, Who are You?, Bad Girls, The Prom, Faith, Hope and Trick, Enemies, Revelations, Buffy vs. Dracula, Choices, Graduation Day 1 and 2, not to mention the entire seasons of 6 and 7) I'd be happy.
Rating:
Summary: epic
Review: this was by far my favorite season of buffy, i loved the whole angel turns bad twist. Watch this season for becoming though, it is by far the most emotional and intense finale on any show to this date. Many may argue and say that graduation day(season 3 finale)is better but i thought it was weak and buffy didnt really fight at the end she just ran from the giant snake that was the mayor.Though dont get me wrong,watch the season for every other episode aswell there all very good, just not as epic as becoming.Sarah michell geller is an amazing actor who should have won all kinds of awards for this season.The dvd set is so far also my favorite, the red color is awsome, and the pictures inside are nicely placed, and set the mood for the season...very romantic,and engaging while still looking action ish.Each dvd has a picture of the cast on it,and is designed with a 3d menu(the only season to have one so far).All in all this is a great set for a brilliant show.
My favorite episodes are:when she was bad, school hard, reptile boy,lie to me,whats my line 1 and 2,halloween,ted, suprise,innocence,passion,i only have eyes for you,go fish, and the epic becoming 1 and 2.Bottom line get this box set,if your a buffy fan or not,its great either way.
Rating:
Summary: Great Series...sad its gone
Review: Worth the wait & a must for any Buffy fan!
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