Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34730 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-10-18
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 6
• Formats: Box set, Full Screen, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 6
• Running time: 930 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
After the first season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer became a ratings success the show was renewed with a bigger budget and twice as many episodes. Seeds are sown through the early episodes for many of the stunning plot developments later in the season: there's a slow burn for the relationships building between Buffy and Angel (no surprise), Giles and Jenny (nice surprise), and Xander and Cordelia (huge surprise). Most importantly, we're introduced to important semi-regulars Spike and Drusilla ("School Hard"), Oz ("Inca Mummy Girl") and fellow Slayer Kendra ("What's My Line Part 1"). Their appearances tackle youth issues such as sibling rivalry, sexual maturity and rejection.

But nothing that came before it prepared audiences for the latter half of season 2. In the extraordinary double act of "Surprise" and "Innocence" every aspect of the show grows up in a big hurry: the result of Buffy sleeping with Angel is a series of tragedies everyone is powerless to predict or prevent, a piece of powerful storytelling conveyed with pared-down dialogue and remarkable performances from the young cast. All of these threads are tied together then torn apart by the two-part finale "Becoming". With a cliffhanger ending to rival The Empire Strikes Back, the second chapter of Buffy The Vampire Slayer closes in tantalising style leaving everything at stake. --Paul Tonks

On the DVD: The computer-animated menu opens this gorgeous box set in style with a tour through a dark and oppressive cemetery, a lavish display of graphics that's all the more impressive when compared to the uneventful DVD for the first season. Most of the extra features are concentrated on the last disc, which includes the obligatory biographies, trailers and TV spots that add little value to hardcore fans but serve as a good introduction to the world of Buffy for non-adepts. The three featurettes are captivating: "Designing Buffy" offers a wealth of information about the set designs, and even includes a walk through of Buffy's home; "A Buffy Bestiary" features every monster from the second season, and "Beauty and the Beats" explores the make-up artistry and special effects. There are also brief cast interviews, in which James Masters ("Spike") reveals his American accent. All in all the extras make a worthy accompaniment to the spectacular season 2 episodes, though one might regret that Joss Whedon did not offer a commentary on the double bill season finale "Becoming". --Celine Martig

DVD Description
Contains all the episodes from Season 2:

• When She Was Bad
  
• Some Assembly Required
  
• School Hard
  
• Inca Mummy Girl
  
• Reptile Boy
  
• Halloween
  
• Lie To Me
  
• The Dark Age
  
• What's My Line? - Part 1
  
• What's My Line? - Part 2
  
• Ted
  
• Bad Eggs
  
• Surprise
  
• Innocence
  
• Phases
  
• Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
  
• Passion
  
• Killed By Death
  
• I Only Have Eyes For You
  
• Go Fish
  
• Becoming - Part 1
  
• Becoming - Part 2

Special Features

• Three featurettes
  
• TV Spots and trailers
  
• Four audio commentaries
  
• Set designs
  
• Character profiles
  
• Stills Gallery
  
• Monster sketches
  
• Biographies of the cast and crew
  
• Slip sheet with book imagery

DVD Technical Information:

• Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen 4:3
  
• Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
  
• Subtitles: English, French, Dutch
  
• Total Running Time: 16 hours and 30 minutes approx.
  
• Region Code: 2

Customer Reviews

The series that defined Buffy - never bettered since!
In Season 2, Buffy the Vampire Slayer transformed from a cutesy tongue-in-cheek horror-fantasy romp into a TV milestone. Certainly, the show subsequently may have managed to equal highlights from this season but it has never managed to exceed them. Stand-out episodes are too many to mention, but the stellar quality comes from the slow-burning backplot of surprise reversals, unexpected deaths and an apocalyptic series finale. The ratcheting-up of tension, drama and moral seriousness never tips over into long-faced solemnity (as it does in later series) and the crisp, exciting storyline elicits a new calibre of performance from the young cast. This is the season that got us hooked on Buffy in the first place and it stays fresh, funny, alarming and provocative after many repeat viewings.
Cannot be praised highly enough.

WORTH EVERY PENNY!
This boxset is amazing. The animated menus are spectacular, and the extras are cool. This series of Buffy is the second best series (series 5 being the best). It has plenty of Spike and Drusilla - the two best characters on the program. The best episode of this series is School Hard, which sees the arrival of Spike and Dru. Also the season Finale - Becoming pts 1 & 2 are fabulous, with a terrific shocking ending. Buy this. Its the best!

Excellent series, but poor DVD execution
While Buffy season 2 was excellent and very much worth buying on DVD, this package has a few serious flaws that will hopefully be rectified by the manufacturer. First off, the packaging looks nice but is VERY poorly designed and actually SCRATCHES the DVDs as you take them in and out of the tight cardboard sleeves. Secondly, episodes 1 and 2 have SERIOUS mastering problems, as the picture often breaks up and goes all pixelated.