Rating: 
Summary: New school vs. Old School
Review: As Buffy and pals leave High School and prepare to face the exciting world of uh, adulthood? The show itself shifts in terms of a new school of demon-fighting, centered on the military-operated group the Initiative. Buffy and the gang find themselves deeply contrasted by the super-tech group, especially when Buffy makes a new love interest in a member of the Initiative, Riley Finn, who joins the show as a regular this season. Spike, the evil vampire from two years ago, gets his just desserts and is also made a regular when a surprising turn of events happens in hsi life.A noticeable characteristic of the show is that seasons 1, 3, 5, and 7 all battle outward forces of evil, while season 2, 4, and 6 are more focused on the evil within the groups connections. While the big evil in this season is the techno-god Adam, its really the betrayal by members of the initiative that cause the most stir for fans of the show. There are some standout episodes for sure, with yet another one of the greatest Halloween episodes ever, "Fear, Itself" where htey get trapped in a haunted house that feeds on fear. "Something Blue" shows Willows growing magic skills as a hilarious turn of events happens for just about every character, including a funny subplot with Buffy and Spike that foreshadows events in Seasons 5 and 6. Perhaps the most powerful episode is "Hush" which is almost entirely silent the whole show, and was nominated for an emmy. The two-part episodes with the return of Faith are also exciting and a fun -with devastating consequences- way to show the contrast between the two slayers. The humor of the show is again exemplified in "Superstar" where supergeek recurring guest actor Johnathan foreshadows his part in season 6. The final episode of the season serves as both an epilogue and prologue, supposedly predicting the future of the show, and if you watch it again you will see some hints. Very avant garde! All in all this is a good season, lots of action, good twists, and probably the season that sets up the msot for the next three seasons. The essential theme is sort of about control; losing it, gaining it, who should have control (a theme that comes back in season 7). Buffys new relationship is very well done, the Willow, Oz, and Tara storyline starts to blossom, while Xander and Anya's feelings for each other also begin to really show. A good season to help prepare you for the explosive final 3.
Rating: 
Summary: We're Off to College
Review: "The books were too high and then everything was bad."
- Buffy to future hubby Riley Just when you thought Buffy couldn't get any better, it does. The fourth season followed the remaining scoobies (Cordy followed Angel to LA) as they either went to college, or started living in their parents' basement. That's okay Xander, we still love you. The first episode shows Buffy trying to cope with the bigger world of college, both as a student and a slayer. We get introduced to Riley, the corn-fed Iowa boy (or Kansas, it's hard to remember) and future love interest to Buffy, and we get Spike returning, as cool as ever, as a main character, this time "neutered" by a group of mysterious commandos who deal with the supernatural in Sunnydale. Of course, we find that mild-mannered Riley is a veteran member of these army guys, called the Initiative, and that the organization will soon be the breeding grounds for disaster. You mean a situation with trained military personnel and strange beasts where things go horribly wrong? Say it ain't so! Still, this season is great. Xander and Anya go from being just disturbing to being a genuinely cute couple, and Willow, after losing Oz, finds out that she swings both ways when she meets a fetching fellow witch named Terra. It's really funny that people kept asking and asking whether or not the two where an item, and Whedon eventually had to spell it out on the show. As for Buffy's new flame, you either love him or hate him. Personally, I thought that Buffy dating a normal (relatively speaking) guy was a great turn for the show, and the episode "Hush," where the two learn of the other's secret identity, is simply phenomenal, and more than deserved the Emmy nomination it landed. In addition, we get gems like Faith's brief return to Sunnydale, where she switches bodies with Buffy, as well as a season finale that easily holds its own against the heart wrenching "Becoming" and the marvelous "Graduation Day." The villain this time takes the shape of Adam, a man-made (well, technically woman-made) amalgamation of demon, human, and machine. Oh, and he's practically indestructable, along with being about five times as strong as our slayer. He makes for some interesting moments, some chillingly valid philosiphy. Oh, and did I mention that he's practically indestructable? In the end, it takes the entire Scooby gang along with Buffy to take him down, all the while as all manner of hell breaks loose in the Initiative with an all-out war between demons and humanity. Great stuff. Once again, the extras on the DVD are top-notch. Commentaries, features, cast bios, still galleries, original scripts, and much more, it just makes you want to thank the powers that be for DVD. For Buffy fans, you know you want it. For everyone else, get it anyway. For the sake of puppies and Christmas.
Rating: 
Summary: the year buffy should have ended
Review: this is the year of buffy where all of the cast got on stage to begin filming this season and all plumitted into there death. this show sucks from here on out. nothing is good aBOUT THIS SHOW. poor btvp slayer fans had to watch as there favorite charachters became annoying little whiners whose probolems nobody really cared about anymore. buy the first 3 seasons of buffy and just end the collection right there. you want some good sci fi pick up stargate sg-1 or smallville. steer clear of this one and the rest to follow. curse you josh whesdon for turning this great show into a hell hole.
Rating:
Summary: a breathtaking series with an unforgettable cast
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Buffy Season 4
Review: Most of the original cast is gone starting this season. James Marsters (Spike) returns for good and looks better than ever. Just have to say James turned 41 a few months ago.
Rating:
Summary: The Beginning...
Review: The forth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the seaosn before the show took a new direction. It was the season where it got a breath of fresh air (not being in high school anymore) and the characters became so much more. Buffy in college at UC Sunmnydale. The government involvement. Willow realizing she's a lesbian. Xander and Anya dateing. Rylie entering Buffy's life. And "Hush" and "Restless" in the same season. All that equals out to one amazing season. The characters grew up in this season, a season of a change in the winds. I really want to talk about one episode in particular, "Restless." "Restless" is the seasons finalie. It was the one episode that changed everything. It told of what was to come in the next three seasons and it named Buffy's little sister, Dawn. It's probably one of the finest hours on televison to ever air.
Rating: 
Summary: A big letdown.
Review: After three brilliant seasons, this was a lousy followup to the third season, and is often considered the worst season of Buffy. While that title goes hands down to seasons 6 and 7, this one isn't that far behind. The loss of characters Angel and Cordelia to the Angel spinoff was greatly felt in the beginning of the season. The loss of Oz only a few episodes later didn't help the situation, either. But perhaps the biggest blow to the head was the introduction of Riley, the most unbearable character Buffy has ever had, and a sad choice to replace David Boreanaz's footsteps. The once brilliant stand alone episodes were starting to lack in quality as witnessed by such horrendous episodes as Beer Bad and Living Conditions. And the transition from high school to college didn't exactly gel over too well, the show working so much better in the high school atmosphere. And finally, the choice of Frankenstein-esque Adam as the season's villain was a questionable choice indeed, headed up by the melodramatic Professor Walsh. The charisma of the cast is also missing this year as characters begin to drift apart and spend less screen time together. But the set is almost worth owning for episodes such as Hush and Restless alone. So should you buy this? If you loved the first 3 seasons, sure, but be aware this is a big change in pace for the show and the turning point for what was to come later. After 2 brilliant seasons, this was a lackluster followup that didn't quite live up to what had come before. Of course, some episodes are worth buying the set on their own, but be warned of the majority of stinkers.
Rating:
Summary: Buffy -- Season Four
Review: Buffy fans already know why this is the best thing on television in a long time. For me, it's the combination of great dialogue and super acting by the entire cast that creates characters who draw me into the story, whose motivations and feelings I can understand, and who, in the end, I can care about. You don't have to be a troubled teen to related to these people as they struggle through the dangers and difficulties of life. Everyone's life has its monsters -- it's just that some of Buffy's are visible.
Rating:
Summary: My faveorite season out so far!
Review: Buffy and her friends are finally out of high school, and the show begins to mature and explore other options... such as willow and tara... The best episode is the one when oz leaves town...heart-wrenching!
Rating:
Summary: A Turning Point for the "Scooby Gang"
Review: This season is often mistaken as one of the worst seasons in Buffy history. Some of the complaints are understandable: Angel leaving, Oz leaving, and even Cordelia leaving. Buffy Season 4 has it's flops, but every TV series does, and considering the show ran for 7 seasons, Joss Whedon still has much to boast about. Buffy going to college was a big change for all of the viewers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The gang could no longer meet in the library to talk about the recent evil and how to overcome it. Now, they had to meet at Gile's apartment. This is fine, except for the fact that each meeting had to be carefully planned out in order for everyone to be there. The nickname "scoobies" and "scooby gang" were way to emphasized in this season. However, the season had many episodes considered as some of the best even today. In the episode "Hush" the entire town of Sunnydale is unable to speak (talk), completely silent. Joss Whedon displays his talent to produce an Emmy nominated episode without any of his catcy dialogue, which some critics believed that it could not be done. Along with the wonderful "Hush", there were of course some flops such as "Where the Wild Things Are". This episode was the most loathed out of the entire season because of how the evil was produced. But, this episode was definately made up for with later episodes. The plot of Buffy the vampire slayer was somewhat weak in this season. The government program used to capture and experiment on demons ("The Initiative") was a poorly brainstormed idea for this season's "Big Bad". But, the writers wanted to keep Spike in the show to the extent of a main character. The Initiative putting a chip in Spike's head (which prevented him from harming any living thing) was a true stroke of genius and was well integrated into the main plot of the show. The season itself probably would have flopped however if it weren't for the two main comic relief characters: Anya, a former vengeance demon who is currently dating Xander; and Spike, a "neutered" vampire. Their dialogue makes for some of the truly histerical moments of season 4. I believe the relationship between Buffy and Riley (who worked at the Initiative) was completely misinterpreted and over-criticized. I myself, thought the relationship between Buffy and Riley was a necesity. Buffy needed a rebound boyfriend who wasn't a demon or a player for a change. It was the perfect time for Buffy and the show itself to discover ways to make the show romantically interesting with the departure of the much loved vampire, Angel (David Boreanaz). Their relationship had gone above and beyond and the loss of a major character in a show is hard for any writer to compensate for. This DVD box set is a great buy and I truly enjoyed watching it. It was the much needed turning point for Buffy to make to transition from teenage highschool student, to adult college student. It was a perfect way to show the pros and cons for the "scooby gangs" new surroundings.
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