Spike does Sunnydale (Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 2 (DVD))

Member Name: sandemp

Product:	Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 2 (DVD)
Date:	04/02/05 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Whole season in one boxset, Spike

Disadvantages: Picture quality could be better

Buffy the Vampire slayer is an enormously successful series from American. Spanning seven seasons it is a mix of sci-fi, action and comedy. It's creator Joss Whedon got the idea from watching horror flicks where the blonde girl was always the helpfless victim. He thought it would be cool to make the seemingly helpless blonde girl the heroine, and superstrong. Being blonde myself I can only agree and say yep its cool that we're not typecast as the helpless bimbo.


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The packaging
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The boxet contains 6 DVD's enclosed within a book, each DVD is contained in a seperate page protected by a "fluffy" sleeve. The book also contains a episode guide. The book then fits into a cardboard sleeve.
The actual boxset is somewhat larger than a standard DVD case measuring 16cmx20cmx2.5cm. The outer sleeve is a brownish colour and features a picture of Buffy on the front surrounded by 5 candles.
Unlike the first season, seasons 2-7 all have the same format and as such look very good when displayed together.

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The DVD's
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Each DVD has a picture of buffy on it, unlike the later seasons where they feature pictures of different characters.

All 22 episodes of the seasons are contained on the discs along with the extras.

Each DVD begins with the copyright warnings, and then goes onto a fancy motion menu. Now this is probably just me, but I find the motion menus annoying, I would prefer to get straight to the action.

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The Characters
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There are quite a few main characters in this boxset and I've split them into three groups, The Scoobies (who are the main group), The Vamps (the baddies in other words), and others (other characters that have some importance)

THE SCOOBIES

Buffy Summers - Played by Sarah Michelle Gellar

Buffy Summers is the slayer, the one girl in all the world chosen to slay vampires. (Well not quite the one, but we'll get into that later).

Rupert Giles - Played by Anthony Stewart-Head

Giles is the librarian at Sunnydale High School and is also Buffy's watcher. It's his job to train and guide Buffy in her slaying duties.

Willow Rosenberg - Played by Alyson Hannigan

Willow is one of Buffy's two best friends. A whizz on the computer and super smart.

Xander Harris - Played by Nicholas Brendon

Xander is still the class clown and the other of Buffy's best friends. And although still infatuated with Buffy gets into an unlikely relationship with Cordelia.

Cordelia Chase - Played by Charisma Carpenter

Cordelia (Cordy) is super rich, super popular and can be super bitchy, however in this season her however strange relationship with Xander does seem to bring out her niver side.

Oz - Played by Seth Green

Oz is the lead singer of the band "Dingo's ate my Baby". Willows love interest throughout the season, who just happens to be a wolf 3 nights of the month.

Angel - Played by David Boreanaz

The vampire with a soul, cursed to feel the pain of his misdeeds for eternity, or until he experiences even a moment of true happiness. The true love of Buffy's life.


THE VAMPS

Spike - Played by James Marsters

Bleached haired english vampire, also known as William the Bloody (due to his bloody awful poetry) Got his nickname from his use of railway spikes to torture his victims.
He has already fought and killed two slayers in the past.

I actually found a inconsistancy with who Spikes sire was, that is who turned him into a vampire. In School Hard Angel states he's Spikes sire, but in later seasons of Buffy and in the series Angel Drusilla is named as Spikes sire.

The character Spike was orginally only intended to be in this season, but he proved so popular he was brought back.

Drusilla - Played by Juliet Landau

Drusilla (Dru) was the daughter of a strict catholic family plagued with visions of the future. She became an obsession of Angelus' and after he drove her mad by killing all those that she loved, he turned her bad.

Angelus - Played by David Boreanz

Angel's alter ego, a vicious killing machine, who enjoys torturing his victims before killing them. A master of mind games he's looking for his revenge on Buffy who made him feel human.


OTHERS

Kendra - Played by Bianca Lawson

When Buffy "died" at the end of season one Kendra was called as slayer. She is a very different slayer to Buffy, she has no friends and has devoted her life to her calling.

Joyce Summers - Played by Kristine Sutherland

Joyce is Buffy's Mom and is still somehow blissfully ignorant of her daughters calling and the realities of life on the Hellmouth.

Jenny Calender - Played by Robia LaMorte

IT teacher at Sunnydale High. Giles' love interest for the season. Jenny almost becomes a fully fledged scoobie until its revealed that she's a member of the gypsy tribe who cursed Angel and has been sent to keep Angel and Buffy apart.

Principal Snyder - Played by Armin Shimmerman

The principal at Sunnydale High, who definatly has it in for Buffy. Although we don't see much of the shady side of his character a small part of it emerges in School Hard. He definately knows about vampires and the Hellmouth.

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Episode Guide
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1. When she was bad

Buffy returns from visiting her father requiring a definate attitude adjustment. When even Cordy notices her catty attitude you can tell things are'nt right. When her gung-hu behaviour puts her friends in danger its time for Buffy to deal.

My rating 8/10....I especially liked the very end of this one when Buffy, Xander and Willow are talking

2. Some assembly required

Two science geeks have got the ultimate science project, they're creating a girl from dead body parts. All they are missing is the head and they're after Cordy's. Buffy needs to find out who's to blame before Cordy loses her head.

My rating 6/10....not upto the standard of the rest of the season.

3. School Hard

It's the parent teacher conference and while Buffy is busy keeping her Mom and Snyder apart, new vamp in town Spike is after a meal. Buffy needs to save her Mom without revealing her secret identity.

My rating 10/10......this is one of my favorite episodes and very revealing.

4. Inca Mummy Girl

A student breaks a mysterious seal while on a school field trip and releases an Inca mummy princess who then sucks the life out of him. Buffy must discover who is sucking everyone dry. Willow is spotted by Oz for the first time.

My rating 8/10........this is a good episode, especialy as you can see Buffy relating to the Inca princess and the sacrifices made.

5. Reptile Boy

Cordy persuades Buffy to go to a frat party with her. Unfortunately these successful young college boys are secretly sacrificing young girls to a snake like demon in exchange for wealth.

My rating 7/10......you just gotta see Xander in drag as a pledge.

6. Halloween

Buffy gets roped into taking the local children trick or treating, unfortunately her and the other scoobies costume cause them to change into the actual characters they were dressed up as. Cue lots of choas with mini demons running around.

My rating 8/10.....pretty good episode especially Xander as a soldier.

7. Lie to me

When a friend from Buffy's old school turns up and even knows about her secret identity she is only to happy that she's found some else she can talk to. But he's secretly planning to turn her over to Spike in exchange for becoming a vampire.

My rating 7/10.....not the best episode, but a lot of Spike.

8. The Dark Age

Giles' rebellious past catches upto him when a demon he raised as teenager comes back to kill him. Just as his relationship with Jenny is getting off the groud she is possessed by the demon and she just can't forgive him

My rating 8/10

9/10. What's my line?

It's career day at school, and Buffy is feeling depressed because she can't have a career.
Then when Spike sets a group of asasinins on Buffy, everyone advises her to hide.
In the meantime there's a new slayer in town, Kendra who has been sent because there is a great darkness arising. I'm not going to say any more cos it'll spoil the episodes if you have'nt watched them.

My rating 10/10.....These episodes are pivotal to the rest of the buffy seasons

11. Ted

Buffy's Mom has a new boyfriend, who seems to good to be true. In fact he is too good to be true he has a collection of wives in his cellar.

My rating 9/10....a good episode with glimpses of what it would be like if Buffy did kill an innocent

12. Bad Eggs.

Buffy and co are given eggs to babysit to show them what it would be like to be parents. Unfortunately these eggs hatch into something a lot less nice than baby chicks.

My rating 7/10

13. Surpise

It's Buffy's birthday and her friends are arranging a surprise party for her. But this is interrupted by the arrival of the judge. While Buffy and Angel are hiding out they share a moment of passion and oops Angel experiences complete happiness.

My rating 9/10....

14. Innocence

Poor Buffy, Angelus is back and he starts tormenting her. Giles discovers the truth about Jenny and can't forgive her. And Willow discovers Xander and Cordy's secret.

My rating 9/10....Boy talk about the split up from hell.

15. Phases

When a werewolf starts haunting sunnydale, the hunt is on to discover who he is before the werewolf hunter does.

My rating 8/10

16. Bewitched, bothered and bewildered.

When Cordy dumps him on valentines day Xander turns to Amy to cast a love potion on her. But this misfires and suddenly every female in Sunnydale is in love with him, with hilarious consequences.

My rating 10/10....this has to be the funniest episode ever

17. Passion

Angelus is working harder and harder to demoralise Buffy, and Jenny is trying to redeem herself by restoring Angels soul. This episode is voiced over by Angel.

My rating 9/10....I found this episode very haunting and sad.

18. Killed by death

Buffy is ill and in hospital. The children are being killed by a mysterious monster that no-one can see.

My rating 7/10...I found this episode a bit far fetched

19. I only have eyes for you

Couples are being possessed by the spirits of two lovers from the past. Buffy and Angel must help them to move on.

My rating 9/10.....I enjoyed Angelus being manipulated into kissing Buffy again.

20. Go fish

The school swimming team are being killed off. Xander goes under cover to find out who's doing the dirty deed.

My rating 7/10

20/21 Becoming

This is the season finale, and to give any information on it would spoil the episodes. Needless to say it's a very good ending.

My rating 10/10

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The extras
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Disc 2

*Reptile boy scrpt
*Reptile boy commentary by writer and director David Greenwalt

Disc 3

*What's my line pt1/2 script
*What's my line pt1/2 commentary by co-writer Marti Noxon

Disc 4

*Innocence script
*Innocence commentary by writer and director Joss Whedon

Disc 5

Featurettes

*Designing Buffy
*A Buffy Bestiary
*Beauty and the Beasts

Art Gallery
*Still Gallery
*Monster Sketches
*Set Designs
*Set Design Blueprints

Biographies
*Sarah Michelle Gellar
*David Boreanz
*Alyson Hannigan
*Nicholas Brendon
*Anthony Stewart Head
*Charisma carpenter
*Seth Green
*Kristine Sutherland
*James Marsters
*Juliet Landau
*Joss Whedon

Trailers
Angel Season 1 Video Trailer
Buffy the Vamipre Slayer Season 2 DVD Trailer

TV Spots
UK TV Spots
US TV Spots

Although there were a great number of extras, I personally felt it was quantity over quality.


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Picture and Sound Quality
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I do not beleive that the picture quality for this boxset is the best that it could be. I use a LCD TV and at times the picture was very grainy. I also feel that although sound quality was good, Dolby 5.1 would have made it even better.

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Other Info
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First Aired : 1997
Total feature run time : 16 hours 30 min (approx)
Certificate : 15
Region : 2 (PAL)
Picture : Full Screen (4:3)
Audio : Dolby Digital 2.0 (Stereo)
Languages : English
Subtitles : English, French, Dutch

Price : I paid £29.99 for this boxset, but I beleive it is presently selling for £33.99 at Choices Direct.


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Final Words
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In this season Buffy seems to have started growing up and dealing with slightly more adult issues, than in the first season. And with the longer season there is more chance for character and story development, in fact all later seasons follow the same format of an underlying storyline, running throughout, with occasional standalone episodes.

At the present price this boxset is excellent value for money for both diehard Buffy fans and those new to the genre. Although rated a 15, there is a lot less violence in it than many films that are rated PG and I am quite happy to allow my 9 year old to watch it.

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