Thoughts on Buffy: Season 2 (1 Viewer)

[Robert Burkes]

Haven't seen much posted on this set lately, but it seems to be selling really well. I went to Best Buy yesterday, and they were out. What do you guys think of the set? Worth $40?

 

[Chris M]

Considering X-Files has about the same amount of eps and dics, and this is half the price... definately worth it. Just wish I could afford it!

Chris.

 

[Michael Fennessy]

I am enjoying it. This is my first time watching the season(s). The one thing I noticed is the night scenes seem to be grainy. Not sure if it is my setup or the DVDs themselves.

Mike

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Buffy was shot on a very low budget on 16mm film the first 2 seasons
The DVDs accurately replicate what was seen on TV, and improves on it quite a bit
It's Buffy, it'd be totally worth it at 3x the price (Fox, don't get any ideas )

 

[Craig S]

The DVDs are my first viewing of Buffy. I'm 10 eps into the 2nd season. It rocks!!
My only comment on the video quality is that there is some terrible blooming in black areas on a couple of the early episodes. The worst is "Inca Mummy Girl". The review at DVD Angle noted this as well.
Nevertheless, if you have any interest in BTVS at all, the set is a must-buy - especially given the price. We're talking around $7 a disc, with 3 or more hours of well-written, marvelously entertaining material per disc. That's a screaming bargain in my book.

 

[Brian Kleinke]

I've watched the 1st 4 episodes, and these discs are better done then the Buffy ep1 discs. Its nice to see Fox knows how to release seasons on DVD, even if it meant learning by releasing X-files 1st (I want a new outside cardboard cover for my season 1, it fell apart :frowning
Brian

 

[Chris M]

Brian, you're not alone on the case falling apart. There was a thread in Manufacturer's Feedback seeing how much interest there was for it. It's since disapeared and there was no resolution from it unfortunately.
Anyway, back to the regular Buffy thread!
Chris.

 

[Mark Lee]

It's certainly great to finally have a full season of Buffy on DVD; the graininess of the picture does bother a bit at times, but I'll take your word for it that this is as good as it's gonna get. It just sucks that we've now gotta wait until next year for Season 3 (and the appearance of Evil Vamp Willow)!
I do have one minor question -- I never noticed this before, and I'm just trying to make sure it's not some mastering quirk: at the 1:46 mark on Chapter 11 of "Becoming, Pt. 1," the camera seems to jerk slightly, as if someone accidentally bumped into it. Was this present before, and I just didn't see it until now?

 

[Derek Miner]

One thing about the picture quality I noticed is that it does get better as the season progresses. "Reptile Boy," for instance, has the same look as the first season - the black levels are horribly crushed and the grain reduction adds some ghosting to the image (not as bad as in season one, though). But when you get further into the season ("What's My Line?" and "Surprise" were the specific episodes I've watched so far), shadow detail improves IMMENSELY. There's still a little bit of that grain reduction, but the image overall looks much, much better.
I'm finally getting around to seeing the Season 2 episodes that I missed on FX, but I'll just add a shout out for a couple of my favorite lighter episodes, "Halloween" and "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." "Ted" is pretty cool as well. I know the favorites are usually "Surprise"/"Innocence" and "Becoming."
I'll also echo a comment I read about David Greenwalt's commentary on "Reptile Boy" - it's terrible. Too much reiterating the onscreen developments and plugging 'Angel' But don't miss Marti Noxon's commentary on the two-parter "What's My Line?" Very informative, humorous and candid.
The lengthy "featurettes" on Disc 6 are also way cool. Did anyone else notice the brief shot of the blueprints for "Dawn's Room"? Copyright is 2000, so they were probably just gearing up for Season 5 as they shot all the supplements.
The ad suggesting we go buy "Angel Season One" right now was just cruel.
My only complaint about the set so far is the placement of the pocket for the booklet. I left the ads in there and put the backing sheet in there as well. But when I fold open the package, all the stuff slips out and I have to hold it in while folding it back up.
Oh yeah, I found it interesting that even Spike got an image on one of the discs, Buffy got two, and Angel got none.

 

[Dave F]

Has anyone else viewing 480p noticed a "combing" during scene changes? As similar anomaly was mentioned in a Star Trek NextGen thread, and it sounded like the disc had been improperly flagged for 3:2 pulldown. The effect is particularly pronounced on this set when played on my Toshiba 5109. So much so that I've taken to watching StarTrek and Buffy on interlaced players. :frowning:
-Dave

 

[Jeff Kleist]

The supplements all appear to have been shot around Season 4 judging by hairstyles, the sets in use, and the fact that Cordy is shot in her Angel Apartment
I did shut off Greenwalt,but I'm looking forward to Marti Noxon's commentary, and of course, I'm saving the best for last

 

[David Williams]

I'll also echo a comment I read about David Greenwalt's commentary on "Reptile Boy" - it's terrible. Too much reiterating the onscreen developments and plugging 'Angel'

Oh my god, it's worse than that it's the... everyone together now.... WORST. COMMENTARY. EVER. I felt like going for a murder/suicide after listening to the first 20 minutes of nothing but 'here's where Buffy gets asked out by the nice guy' and plugs for Angel (You'd think he gets a nickel for every time he says the word!). I listened on in hopes of gleaning some BTS factoid (I think there were maybe 4), but I think I could have lived with his lame commentary had it not been for the commentary voice from hell. I swear to God, his voice sounds like he's taking constant hits off a bong. About the time he mixed up the nice guy's name and started retelling one of the earlier factoids, I was wondering if he had the munchies.
I am really enjoying this set... it's so hard to catch a full season of episodes in daily reruns on FX if you have any kind of life. I just watched Halloween for the first time last night and it was a riot! ("You went mental, when?")

 

[TheoGB]

In the UK S2's video quality was definitely of a lower standard than S1's.
There was also a chapter screw up on the discs without supplements where the start of the first chapter past the credits was set 'into' the scene rather than just after the credits.

 

[David Williams]

There was also a chapter screw up on the discs without supplements where the start of the first chapter past the credits was set 'into' the scene rather than just after the credits.

That would be Lie to Me. I just finished watching it and was a bit perturbed that I had to reverse about a good 5 minutes.

 

[TheoGB]

It's in more than just one ep. Every one on the first disc was like that, I believe...

 

[Kurt N]

The only Buffy I've seen so far is Season 1 on disc (watched the whole set through 5 or 6 times) and now Seaso 2 on disc. I've watched it all once and listened to the commentaries discussed above (agreeing the first one's pretty awful--not Fawlty Towers bad, but pretty lousy) and I'm amazed at how much the series improved in the 2nd season.

Definitely worth having-I'm ready for Season 3.

My complaints:
a)no play all feature
b)booklet doesn't want to stay in package
c)no list (unless I'm blind) of which episodes have commentaries
d)WHAT!!!! Season 3 isn't out yet???

 

[Citizen87645]

Buffy Season 2 is a GREAT deal. I paid 42.44 at Wal-Mart, even though I could have paid 40.00 at Circuit City. CC is across town for me so I figured time and gas expense would have made it balance out anyway. I am a little shocked by some of the technical problems in the early episodes - particularly the softness (i.e. blurriness) of certain scenes (Inca Mummy Girl I believe). But the stories are great and more than make up for any gaffes.

I can't wait for Season 3 and Angel to come. By far the Buffy series is the best value for TV shows on DVD.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

A good way to keep all the slips from falling out is to put them all inside the little booklet, and then put the booklet in the slip area. It's still loose, but it's easier to keep in there with just one large packet, and not all the pieces of paper flopping around.
I was really happy with the set. Buffy season 1 rocked, and I was hoping that season 2 would be good too. It's weird, I haven't been able to see some of these since they originally aired, and they're just as good as ever.
This show never gets old. It's just a pity it always is branded as a "dumb, kiddy show." by most of the public.

 

[DeborahK]

On the other hand, Angel is on the front, back and every inside page of the packaging, so I think he got a pretty good showing overall.

Deborah

 

[MaxY]

Is there more then one cover image for this set?

The one that came in from DVD Profiler was not the same as what they had at DVDEmpire or mine.

The one that came from DVD Pro had Buffy and Angel on the cover but she was holding a stake?

Max