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| Special Features: |
Full Frame
Chapter and episode selection
Season 4 Overview
Selected Episode Commentaries
Five Featurettes
Selected Episode Scripts
Still Gallery
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| Video Format: |
Full Frame (1.33:1)
[SS-DL]
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| Languages: |
English (Dolby Surround 2.1)
Spanish (Dolby Surround 2.1)
French (Dolby Surround 2.1)
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| Subtitles: |
English, Spanish.
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| Captions: |
Yes
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| Casing: |
6-Disc Keep Case
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Let's not start this review with any illusions. There are probably not any non-"Buffy" viewers who are going to read it. You were probably bored, sitting in front of your computer, maybe just getting out of some chatroom, and you decided to type in some keywords just to see if anyone had reviewed season four yet. Come on,
you know that's the case. Don't feel ashamed, though. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is the best show on television. Okay, so it's not actually on television anymore, but at least you can pick up the DVDs; and I'm here to let you know (if you don't know already) that season four is the best of the "Buffy" seasons yet released on the format.
Here's the deal: Buffy, Willow, and Oz go to UC
Sunnydale, and start their new lives as college
freshmen. Xander, who now lives in his parents'
basement, floats from job to job and adventure to
adventure, and occasionally (more than occasionally, actually) has sex with Anya. Spike gets a chip in his head that keeps him from hurting living things. Giles has sex with a hot British woman named Olivia, and he plays open mic nights with his acoustic guitar. Oh yeah, and then there's Riley and the Initiative. Need one say more?
Absolutely. See, the thing about the "Buffy" and
"Angel" series is that they are far more than the sum of their plots. The first three seasons of "Buffy" dealt skillfully with the problems of high school existence. "Angel" deals with the problems of being young and alone in the big scary city. "Buffy" Season Four deals (better than almost any other television show or film in history) with all of the problems faced by college freshmen. We have adjusting to the
roommate from hell ("Living Conditions"), binge
drinking ("Beer Bad"), and sleeping with someone, only to find out the next morning that it was a
one-night-stand ("The Harsh Light of Day"). Along the way we attack the idea of responsibility toward indigenous peoples ("Pangs"), and the harsh realities of celebrity ("Superstar"). As if that's not enough, Season Four treads ground that few television series dare to tread: the debate between philosophy and science.
The entirety of the second half of season four
concerns itself with the differences between the ways in which Buffy fights evil and the ways in which the Scientific/Military community fights evil. Is there such thing as evil? Does evil (or good, for that matter) come in degrees? Is magic the best way to deal with a foe, or is an M-16? These questions and more are broached in season four, and few solid answers are given. This fact makes Season Four of "Buffy" not only superior to its predecessors, but also eminently re-watchable. Oh, and by the way, this season contains "Hush," which is the Emmy-nominated "silent" episode.
If there are any naysayers out there, anyone who
thinks that "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is just a
stupid TV series about a "blond girl who hunts
vampires and demons," I can only say this: Sure it's about that. It's about that and much, much more. If you don't believe me, don't watch it. If you don't, though, you're missing out. Sorry.
Packaging and extras that are pretty much the same as all three of the earlier "Buffy" releases.
Picture Quality: 9/10
Great picture that occasionally gets grainy and ghosty in the darker areas. Nothing to complain about, though. The set comes with a "letter from Joss Whedon" that explains why the show is not letterboxed.
Convincing and really funny.
Sound Quality: 10/10
Great sound quality, especially for the music. Maybe this is asking too much, but it would be great to have the show in 5.1 instead of 2.1. Okay, I'm being picky. The sound is perfect.
Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs found during review.
Extra Features: 10/10
Great featurettes, as always. The best thing about
the set, though, are the commentaries. The best of
these is Joss's commentary on "Hush." Anyone who
wants to know how to break the rules on television
should give this a listen. It helps that Whedon is
extremely funny.
The Final Word:
Get it. Get it right now. If you're a "Buffy" fan,
you already have it. If you don't, shame on you.
P.S. Joss, Marti, Jane, David(s), and anyone else
from the series, CAN I HAVE A JOB? Feel free to
e-mail me at any time.
Michael Dzuria
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thousands victims left homeless with critical necessities. By making a financial gift to Hurricane 2005 Relief, the Red
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