Thoughts on Buffy: Season 2 (1 Viewer)

[BrianB]

As fairly new Buffy fans (only started watching it in the last 18 months), my wife & I are loving season 2. The boxset looks great, the menus are nice (and fast), and as Will said, the content's great
Yes, the early episodes are grainy, but that's life.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I have not yet listened too Marti Noxon's or Joss Whedon's

Feel safe that Lord Whedon's commentary is one of the best out there, bar none. It's even better than his commentary on the 2-part pilot. Bruce Campbell's best commentary is Army of Darkness, but he had people to bounce off of so it's not a fair comparison

 

[TheoGB]

The Greenwalt commentary is not useless. It's just not a good commentary. It has little flow, and he fails to realise you are watching the episode and you (almost certainly) know it very well - we don't need him telling you what's happening, that's all.

 

[Craig S]

As I mentioned earlier, these DVD sets are my first exposure to "Buffy". Last night I watched "Surprise" & "Innocence".

I think these are probably 2 of the finest hours of television ever produced.
Why the hell haven't I been watching this show all these years???

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Craig, you'll be replacing Suprise and Innocence with "Becoming Part 1 and 2" soon
Always good to see people accepting the joy of Lord Whedon into their lives
Of course, the finest hour of television ever produced would be "The Body" (Season 5)

 

[Robert Ringwald]

The Body
Once More, With Feeling
2 best hours ever...

 

[Craig S]

Always good to see people accepting the joy of Lord Whedon into their lives

Is there a secret handshake or chant or something???

 

[LarryDavenport]

I liked Marti and Joss's commentary tracks. After having two 12 hour marathons this weekend, I am ready for season 3 on DVD. I can't beleive I have to wait at least 6 months.

Since the Region 1 discs seem identical to the R2 discs, what bonus features do we have to look forward to?

 

[TheoGB]

Of course, the finest hour of television ever produced would be "The Body" (Season 5)

Hmm. Really not sure on that score...I mean it has it's moments but...

Actually, fantastic though Buffy is, my top place is probably taken by a Babylon 5 epsiode...The Coming Of Shadows I think it is. Though there were others...

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

The Body
Once More, With Feeling
2 best hours ever...

...and "Hush"...this could go on all day. It's like the "what did the Romans ever do for us" gag from "Life of Brian".
Keep in mind that father Kleist from the 1st Evangelical Church o' Joss will dock "Hush" a half star for having too much Riley, but don't blame him, he is only following his catechism. The sect I belong to allows the reinstatement of the half star if Riley is prevented from speaking for most of the episode.
Regards,

 

[TheoGB]

Well beat my arse blue with an Elephant's trunk...but I don't actually mind Riley particularly.
Certainly rates higher than Dawn in my book!!

 

[Joseph Young]

I just wanted to say that I am a relative Buffy newbie (have seen season 1, the first 7 of season two, and very little else). I purposely skimmed over this thread to avoid spoilers, in fact. I never caught this show before being introduced to the season one boxed set. I saw the musical episode (the full first broadcast version) and a few others.
There is no greater deal I can think of immediately, DVD-wise, than this gift set. 22 full episodes with numerous extras for under $40? It's unbelievable. The menus are great and the Pro-Logic running through them is atmospheric and moody.
I did notice extraneous amounts of grain in the first few eps of Season 2, however. I apologize if this was covered previously, but is is true that after Season 2 they switched the film stock? Does that mean the video quality will show a marked improvement in 'Winter 2003?'
Joseph

 

[Andy Sheets]

"Becoming" is BETTER??? OMG...

Nevermind Becoming, what about Passion? Got to have that one in the Hall of Fame too

 

[Dave F]

Since the Region 1 discs seem identical to the R2 discs, what bonus features do we have to look forward to?

For "This Year's Girl", Doug Petrie turns in a great commentary that is both funny and informational. Get this man in front of a mike more often!
-Dave

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yes, Buffy started shooting 35mm with Season 3, and protecting for 16:9 with Season 4

I don't knock Hush half a star for having Demon Spawn (Riley for the uninitiated) in it. "The Body" is just simply a better episode. No single piece of television (or movie for that matter) has ever broken me down so badly as "The Body". The pain of that ep is so intense you need therepy afterwards. Joss should have won an Emmy, make it TEN Emmys for that one, and as usual was denied

 

[Dave F]

Protecting for 16:9 implies that a 4:3 image is filmed, and that the critical action is protected within a 16:9 frame (this link mentions protecting, but in the context of 16:9 image with 14:9 protection). It's clearly the reverse in Buffy, where a 16:9 image is filmed, and the critical action in protected within the 4:3 framework.
-Dave

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Exactly, the image is filmed in 16:9 (most likely for syndication when HDTV becomes the norm) but all of the important images are held in the 4:3 frame.

After season 2, the image will be much better.

I can't thank FOX enough for this set.

I just hope they continue the trend with the pricing.

 

[StephanieC]

I'm a Buffy fan from the beginning (and a bit annoyed by the grainy complaints by first time viewers though...) but anyway, OF COURSE IT'S WORTH IT!!!!!!! I mean, Spike and Dru alone are worth the price.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Dave,
I think you have the "protecting" piece of it backwards. For instance, many theatrical features are "shot", "framed", or "composed" for 1.85, and some of these are "protected" for 4:3. In the case of many television shows shot on hi-def video or film such as Buffy, it is "shot", "framed", or "composed" for 4:3 and "protected" for 16:9. i.e. you are always "protecting" for the less restrictive aspect ratio by keeping the edges of sets, dolly tracks, and things like that out of the "safety" or "protection" area.

This applies to Buffy season 4 onwards and Angel seasons 1 & 2. Angel season 3 was shot 16:9 and protected for nothing, that is why it airs letterboxed. Similarly, "Once More with Feeling" from Buffy season 6 was only shot and aired in widescreen and should always be presented that way.

That, in a nutshell, is why I'm not too crazy about the idea of releasing Buffy seasons 4+ in widescreen (with the exception of "OMwF", of course). They were composed for 4:3, and removing the "side mattes" for 16:9 presentation is completely analogous to the compositionally challenged J6P notion of removing the "top and bottom mattes" of a 1.85:1 theatrical feature to get a 4:3 image.

Regards,

 

[TheoGB]

Ken - it's not at all. If you compare them you'll see immediately how 'chopped at the sides' everything is in later seasons.

Compare shots in the first two seasons to shots in later seasons and you'll see that the director is definitely looking at a 16:9 frame, and composing for that.

The 'protection' you talk about is actually just to make sure that no 4:3 owners have a confusing time, but 16:9 is as valid a ratio as 4:3 for these episodes - they are dual ratioed.

But I'd say, having seen Season 4 both ways the 16:9 image is far more pleasing and natural.