Rating: 
Summary: "Buffy" finds its teeth... and heart -- but badly packaged
Review: With season two we begin to see the potential for "Buffy", what is to become on of the more interesting television shows of all time. Great stuff.However, I will agree somewhat with the folks who complain about the picture quality. However, they must consider that (I believe) the first few episodes of this season were still shot on 16mm. What I do have a very strong complaint about is the lack of printed notes on this (and the first) edition. Nowhere in the booklet are we told which episodes have special features such as commentary or interviews. Also, there is a lack of episode titles on the discs themselves. With the first season package, this was minor with 3 discs. However, with 6 discs in the flip out package (a very pretty product in itself, but...) they have provided, this becomes unwieldy, as one must unfold the entire package to access both the booklet and the first discs. If the episode titles had been included on the discs, this would be much less necessary. "Buffy" Season 2: Content 5 stars, Packaging atractiveness 5 stars, User friendliness 1 star
Rating: 
Summary: They cut at least one scene without forewarning.
Review: I remember watching "Surprise," the episode where Buffy and Angel finally do it, when it first came out. In the original, there was 15-20 seconds of Buffy and Angel rolling around in bed together. On the DVD, its been cut. Now, I do not think it is that great a deal, but two things bother me. First, in his interview about the episode, Joss Whedon references the scene and talks about how uncomfortable he was filming it. So I wonder if and when he was aware it was cut. Second, what else may have been cut from the episodes? I don't know.
Rating:
Summary: Reason for the Grain
Review: The first 3 seasons of Buffy were shot on 16mm. All other shows use 35-which is what most Hollywood films use. You just can't get around the grain using 16, but really I think it just enhances the look of the show-even the insane darkness.
Rating: 
Summary: DVD quality
Review: This is also not about the quality of the show but about the quality of the DVD
The special features (or most?)on disc 6 (last disc) do not work. I play my dvd's on my computer. When I take the last step selecting a certain special feature nothing happens and I have to stop and restart the disc to regain control again. I have tried most but not all the possible choices because I got fed up having to click through the FBI warnings and copyright messages everytime. The other disc's seem to be working fine.
Rating:
Summary: dvd quality
Review: There are great reviews about the show below, so I'm rating the quality of the dvd instead. It can be better. The lighting in some episodes were so dark that I had to turn up the brighter and picture way up to see what I'm trying to see. At times, the scenes look grainy like it's been previewed many times. Perhaps the original film reels were deteriorated, or maybe the lighting director did not do a good job. Some episodes were just fine though. At any rate, if you can grit your teeth and just try to enjoy the shows then go ahead and purchase it. If your friend already has one, view it first and save some moola. Joss, when are we going to have the other seasons? Don't tell me we'll have to wait another year!
Rating: 
Summary: Far Bette Than Season 1. . . As Far As Extras
Review: Season 1 had such a poor assortment of extras that I feared the next release. But this one was a much better presentation. Things seemed to click in this season and the ball really gets rolling. A few episodes have comentaries and there are a few short behind the scenes clips. A few other treats round off a very nice and well priced set.
Rating:
Summary: Undeniably the Best
Review: You want to talk brilliance in directing? Let's talk Joss Whedon! You want to talk great and believable acting? Let's talk Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, ect. You want to talk a critically acclaimed, underrated, brilliant television show with enough wit and guts to outplay any other horror dramedy every thought of? Let's talk Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Especially the highly praisable second season in which every future storyline for the show was set, and the relationships of the characters were set in complete line. Thumbs up and kudos to Joss Whedon and crew for coming up with the most interesting and heartfelt storylines for the show. There were so many twists and turns in the 22 episode season to fill up a dozen movies. Not to mention the many moments when you had to either fight back the tears or just let them flow. It was also neat to see the many references to classic movie monsters during this season. There's even one baddy and his storyline that resembles that of Freddy Krueger and the Nightmare on Elm Street series, and I must say that that one episode (Killed by Death) is one of the creepiest Buffy episodes ever, after the all-silent Hush. This season could not have been so awesome if it weren't for the superb cast. All the cast shined here, but big credit has to be given to the four main players. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, and Anthony Stewart Head. Their portrayal of friendship and loyalty is the best I've ever seen by a TV group of friends in a drama. In my utmost opinion, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the best television show ever composed. And I'm very thankful for having the second season on DVD. The DVD collection itself is a must-have. All 22 episodes are here. There is one problem I have with it, although it was expected. The picture of certain segments of some episodes turned out to be very grainy and almost hard to watch, but with the type film they shot this season on, it would be hard to have an almost perfect transfer. Although I wish FOX would have tried harder to clear it up. There are four commentaries to four different episodes here, with Joss Whedon's commentary for Innocence being the most entertaining. Three featurettes on set design, the villains, and costumes are also here and are sure entertainment and give full insight. Also available are interesting trailers, scripts for certain episodes, and an extensive photo gallery. The menus are very innovative too. Very neat. The second season DVD collection is certainly a high step up from the first season. Now, I must sit and wait for Buffy's third season to be released this winter.
Rating:
Summary: Warning about spoilers in DVD commentaries
Review: First, this is an awesome show and a great DVD set. But since dozens of people have already explained that, let me add my two cents about one particular aspect of the DVDs: the commentaries, specifically by Joss Whedon and Marti Noxon. These are two very talented people with a lot of interesting things to say, but at times they forget that some of the people watching these DVDs are Buffy newbies. At times they reveal key plot developments in future seasons without warning. So, anyone who hasn't seen BtVS beyond season 2 may want to skip the commentaries until after they have caught up. At the very least, they should wait until they have watched ALL of the episodes on the entire set to go back and watch the commentaries, because while they contain just a few important spoilers beyond season 2, they all contain LOTS of spoilers about the remaining episodes in season 2 beyond the eps being commented on (very serious spoilage, I might add). So, get the DVDs, enjoy them, but be forewarned about this aspect of the product so you don't get too much information before you really want it.
Rating:
Summary: THE best season of buffy!!!
Review: Angel turns evil! The first apperence of Oz! Zander and Cordelia become boy friend/girl friend! Buffy's mom finds out she is the slayer! Willow starts playing in witchcraft! The first apperances of Spike and Drusilla!! need I say more!!!
Rating:
Summary: Double-crossing the ironic age, Part Two.
Review: July 3, 2002 Plenty of shows today can boast of good writing and
earnest production. What separates Buffy, particularly
its second season, is the humanity that Buffy producer
and creator Joss Whedon instilled into his creation. I suspect Whedon took a long look around the television
universe and lamented at its glut of narcissistic
characters, particularly its YOUNG narcissistic characters.
Aware that he was making a show about and primarily for
young people, he seemed to forge Buffy as a rebuke to all
of television's cry baby teenager fare. The tribulations of growing into maturity are truly banal
and commonplace, unless couched inside of some suitably
entertaining allegory. How crushing is a nose pimple or a
relationship break-up compared to the possible invasion
of Earth by brain-eating demons? Demonic teachers and
vampire boyfriends don't only make strong metaphors;
handled correctly they make for razor sharp melodrama and characters that learn to live as much for their friends
and community as much as for themselves. It makes for
stories that aren't only fun, but spiritually uplifting. This balancing act, performed to perfection in Buffy:
Season Two (and again in season three) is near impossible
to perform at length. Even Whedon couldn't keep it going
forever, and Buffy's later seasons have adopted some of
the same whiny tones and character narcissism that infest
other, lesser programs. This collection, Season Two, is Buffy at its melodramatic
height (although Season Three perfected the show's pacing)
and can hardly be beat.
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