Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete 4th Season
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete 4th Season
Review By: Staff
Staff@TheCinemaSource.com
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete Fourth Season
Review by Tom Johnson
(tomjohnson@thecinemasource.com)
On one of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete Fourth Season"Â's commentaries, Joss Whedon calls the year "schizophrenic"Â. That's a good way to sum it up. Viewers enthralled by the solid, linear story progression of the first three seasons were certainly thrown off by the fourth one's decidedly unique feel when it first aired four years ago. Instead of heading in an obvious direction, Season Four veers off one way only to turn around and go somewhere else the next minute. It's a whirlwind. It's unbalanced. In other words, it's college.
While, for whatever reason, a lot of fans dismissed Season Four as sub-par when it first aired, it actually plays as one of the best seasons of the show on DVD. Upon reflection, I might even put it up there with the third one. The main gripe fans have is the scattered main arch that drove the season. Admittedly, the main story seems a bit more random in its progression than those of the previous two seasons, but it makes sense. The show reflects the season's theme in its structure, intentional or not.
After shipping off two of its cast members(Charisma Carpenter and David Boreanaz) to "Angel"Â and gaining a lot of newfound media attention, Whedon and company are facing a brand new challenge with the show, just as Buffy(Sarah Michelle Gellar) is facing a brand new challenge with college, so the strangeness is understandable. While story-wise, it may be one of the weaker seasons, thematically, it may actually be the strongest. While characters and sub-plots move through revolving doors over the course of 22 episodes, themes and ideas are constant. In addition to the whole college-like issue of finding oneself, mysticism versus science is explored in the battle between a secret military squad, the demons of Sunnydale, and Buffy herself. While the set-up to all this is a bit awkward, the pay-off is bigger than expected, culminating in an explosive, "Aliens"Â style finale before receding for an in-depth character study of our main heroes. A different season, but a very entertaining one.
DISC ONE: "The Freshman"Â, "Living Conditions"Â, "The Harsh Light of Day"Â, "Fear, Itself"Â
The first four episodes throw Buffy into college as brutally and painfully as possible. Whedon wouldn't have it any other way, and the show ends up satirizing college life as well as it ever satirized high school. Buffy gets disoriented in "The Freshman"Â, deals with the literal roommate from Hell in "Living Conditions"Â and makes some very bad decisions in "Harsh Light of Day"Â. "Day"Â also features the return of Spike(James Marsters) who comes back to town seeking a mystical ring, with the newly transformed Harmony(Mercedes McNab) in tow. In the Halloween
DISC TWO: "Beer Bad"Â, "Wild At Heart"Â, "The Initiative"Â, "Pangs"Â
The "Initiative"Â storyline begins to develop with some interesting twists. With Buffy's 'big mistake' out of the way, undercover demon hunter Riley(Marc Blucas) begins to court her and establish his plaxw as the true post-Angel for the Slayer. "Beer Bad"Â kicks the disc off in a less-than stellar way. Alcohol turning college kids into cavemen is just too silly a metaphor to be taken literally, even in the "Buffy"Â universe. "Wild At Heart"Â makes up for it, however, by delivering a heart-wrenching twist for the Oz/Willow relationship that hurts the viewer a lot more than you'd think. It leaps over the sappy territory of the Buffy/Angel break-up and propels its tragedy by simply showcasing two beloved characters falling to pieces. "Pangs"Â is the show's hilarious Thanksgiving special, and features the first "official"Â appearance of Angel since he left the cast. He returns to Sunnydale in secret, hoping to protect Buffy from the spirit of a very pissed off Native American. It also marks the writers' first attempt at bringing vampire Spike(James Marsters) into the heroic mix, which doesn't really work, but is mighty fun to watch anyway. The final shot of the episode is also series classic.
DISC THREE: "Something Blue"Â, "Hush"Â, "Doomed"Â
The third disc in the set is undoubtedly the main attraction for everyone. Not for either the first episode or the last, but for "Hush"Â, the classic silent episode that most fans(including me) consider the very best of the series. When the Gentlemen, creepy, polished, "Nosferatu"Â/"ÂDark City"Â inspired villains, roll into town, they steal speech from all of Sunnydale's residents before setting off on their quest to collect seven hearts from specific victims. Proving that the power of Buffy reaches far beyond its razor-sharp dialogue, Whedon crafts a classic dark fairy tale where characters speak even more clearly than normal when forced to communicate through actions alone. By the end of the creepy, operatic masterpiece, we've not only been sufficiently freaked out, but have a whole new perspective on the show's already distinct players, not to mention the essence of Buffy itself. It's probably for the best that the other episodes on the disc are sub-par, since even the show's usual genius looks shallow by comparison to "Hush"Â.
DISC FOUR: "A New Man"Â, "The I in Team"Â, "Goodbye, Iowa"Â, "This Year's Girl"Â
Here the season rebounds from its post-"Hush" slump with the clever, Giles-centric "New Man"Â, before throwing in a sinister twist to the plot and introducing the new Big Bad in the middle episodes. The remainder of the season is beautifully set-up with the inevitable treachery of the Initiative rearing its ugly head and the unveiling of Adam(George Hertzberg), a human/demon hybrid looking to understand the world by destroying it. Once everything's set in place, however, the season takes a slight detour, beginning with "This Year's Girl"Â. It's a detour well worth taking, as dark slayer Faith(Eliza Dushku), pummeled into a coma by Buffy a year earlier, returns with a vengeance, not to mention a nifty new trick. By the end of the episode, the two have switched bodies, and a wealth of creative possibilities are laying on the table"¦"¦
DISC FIVE: "Who Are You?"Â, "Superstar"Â, "Where the Wild Things Are"Â, "New Moon Rising"Â
"¦..possibilities that "Who Are You?" takes full advantage of, not only lending some fun moments for Buffy and Faith's rivalry, but beginning Faith's most vital character arc, to be concluded over on an "Angel" two-parter. Representing the Platonic Eudemonism(yes, I stole that from the Buffy essay collection) that grounds the show and serves as a base for its moral values, the Faith storyline is perhaps the best display of the solid messages that the show subtly infuses its episodes with, crafting such a powerful result. "Superstar" is a very funny gimmick episode that I won't ruin, while "New Moon Rising" ties up all the loose ends between Oz and Willow in a satisfactory manor. The only bump in the road is the bizarre, borderline pornographic "Where the Wild Things Are"Â.
DISC SIX: "The Yoko Factor"Â, "Primeval"Â, "Restless"Â
And so it all ends. Angel makes his last non-flashback appearance on the show for a while in "The Yoko Factor"Â and gets it on with Riley(not like that, thankfully; the fun, violent way). Spike reminds everyone that he's still evil, and the core group of four comes together after a strange, isolating year. This is all groundwork, so that by "Primeval"Â, we can skip the heavy stuff and move on to the action. The large-scale war between man and monster is surprisingly impressive for such a low-budget show, re-affirming that Whedon and company can always get the job done in a squeeze. The final battle between Adam and a super-powered Buffy is particularly interesting, and concludes the season-long fight between science and mysticism. Guess which one wins? Finally, in "Restless"Â, we take one more strange but rewarding side trip in a season full of them. Tying together the largely disconnected episodes into one confusing,
"Restless"Â sums the season up perfectly: it's all one big precursor for the rest of the show. An awkward transitional period between the horrors of high school and the horrors of the real world to be sure, Season Four is not always a smooth ride for the viewer. Along with the dark, gritty Season Six, it's probably the most challenging year of the show, just because of the non-linear way it tells its story. But despite the unique pacing, you'll find that every character progresses greatly here: from Xander's growing infatuation with Anya and the beginnings of their doomed romance, to Willow's lesbian discoveries with Tara(Amber Benson) and the beginnings of their doomed romance, to Buffy's slow, dark realization that the Slayer is ultimately alone, some of the best stuff found in the whole series is here. Sure, Tara's a one-dimensional character, sucking the life from nearly any scene she's in(thanks mainly to Benson's flat performance), and the Buffy/Riley romance doesn't exactly blaze up the screen, but the good far outweighs the bad when all is said and done, especially after seeing the season again on DVD. In particular, I remembered Riley as unlikable character, but found him oddly appealing the second time around. Maybe it's because of Blucas' subtle, effective acting, maybe it's because as the only normal male lead in the show's run, he's unique, or maybe it's because I know what's waiting for Buffy around the corner in the romance department is depressing and occasionally unwatchable(I can't imagine the hate-mail I'm about to get from fans of a certain over-exposed character for saying that). Whatever the reason, I like Riley, even if the relationship between him and Buffy didn't rock my world. Of course, I never really cared for the Buffy/Angel romance either. I must have just been waiting for the Buffy/Me one. Well, whatever. I also enjoyed Adam a lot more as head villain this time around. Like Riley, he's a unique character to the rest of the show, and gets away with doing some pretty despicable things that other baddies haven't had the chance to. All
Show Grade: A-
The picture and sound on the DVD is the probably the best we'll ever see from the show. Whedon even includes a special message to the fans on why the show is presented in full-screen instead of widescreen, letting everyone know that the quality is still the best possible. The extras are just as good as previous seasons. Much needed Whedon commentary tracks are supplied for both "Restless"Â and "Hush"Â, while features explore everything from Oz to Spike to sets to music. There's even bonus footage of Nerf Herder rocking a live crowd with the show's theme song! All in all, it's a job well done by Fox.
DVD Grade: A
The Bottom Line: Season Four isn't perfect, but it's Buffy, so it's still mighty close. It's not a horrible place for new fans to jump onboard, as a brand new story is being told here, but I wouldn't recommend skipping the High School years, as you'll be missing out on material very different from what the show eventually becomes. This is the beginning of its bold transformation, and all things considered, it's quite impressive. Whedon had so much to juggle that it's amazing he was able to pull off as much as he did. It's not the best season of Buffy, but it definitely contains some of the best stand-alone episodes, with "Hush"Â obviously leading the way. If you were an initial bandwagon jumper that started to tune out here, you should give it a second chance. I have a feeling you'll get sucked into Buffy all over again. As Whedon himself says on a commentary, some of the very best work done on the show was done here. If anything, it proves that the writers aren't afraid to try out new ideas, and the cast isn't afraid to go with them. The fourth season is an oddity, even when compared to the other unique seasons of the show, but it's a beautiful one worth experiencing over and over again in this killer set. On DVD, Buffy is finding a brand new audience, and seems on the verge of getting even bigger. With the fantastic jobs being done with each season thus far, the show, despite ending last May, is far from undead. It's alive and kicking.
Final Grade:A
To prove my point on the series’ new growth, I present an article by Aaron Gordon Michael, who likens “Buffy” to another franchise that really began after the show ended:
“You know, back in the day, I was quite the little Trekkie, voraciously watching the reruns, attending a
This Trek love continued through the brilliant “Next Generation” television series, the ever-more-tepid “Original Cast” movies … even through Sisko’s scenery chewing on “Deep Space Nine” and the waste of Kate Mulgrew’s phenomenal abilities on “Voyager.” But, around the early nineties, Star Trek-as-obsession morphed into Star Trek-as-tradition, as I began tuning into the shows more out of rote than out of unbridled passion. This mindset change is partially due to personal growth. The awkward, geeky boy had been replaced by a confident, over-the-top adult ready for sex, drugs and rock and roll! What can I say? Ear-wearing dorks don’t get past the bouncer.
And yet, my own Trek into Sin is only part of the dimming of the Star Trek enterprise (yeah, THAT’S a theory! Star Trek the franchise is failing because some anonymous writer got laid. Maybe if more current Trek writers were getting some …) I’m certainly not going to rehash what has been covered in the media … but Star Trek has lost some of its energy as a franchise due to the diminishing quality of the scripts, an over-saturation of the market (both of things Star Trek and of things Sci-Fi), and a lack of innovation regarding the look-alike/interchangeable series. Plus, Star Trek had ceased being a fan-based cult a long time ago. With six television series (including the animated Trek), 10 films, countless games, and even more countless products, Star Trek is less a fledgling movement than a cash cow … less about quality, more about profitability.
Now, I’m not going to beat Paramount Pictures down for trying to squeeze Trek for every dime its worth … they are simply attempting to do their job, by making the most profit with the least amount of overhead (indeed, it sounds a lot like the contemporary Disney method). Instead, imagine ten years into the future. Where Trekkies are replaced by … Scoobies worshiping at the altar of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. That’s right: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, already a cult hit, has the makings to become the next Star Trek phenomenon. (On the television series, Buffy and her demon-killing friends refer to themselves as the “Scooby Gang,” or the “Scoobies.” And, in a weird example of pop culture synergy, Sarah Michelle Gellar, the actress who portrays Buffy, also portrays Daphne Blake in the “Scooby Doo”
Much like the original Star Trek series, Buffy The Vampire Slayer is an original before its time. Kirk and Spock didn’t truly find an audience until the show hit syndication in the 1970s, and once it did, Star Trek became the primary model to build a science fiction series upon. Battlestar Galactica, V, and even Star Wars owe a huge debt to Gene Roddenberry’s yarn about a future utopia. In essence, the network audience wasn’t ready for this unique take on space fantasy … but a few years later, legions of fans, who were catching the repeats locally, were eager for more.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer has seen the beginning of this trend. Rarely getting a sizeable audience on the small networks (WB, UPN) which aired it, Buffy has nonetheless built a huge fan base in repeats on the FX cable network, in addition to traditional syndication. Frequently over the past two seasons, the two-hour Buffy blocks on FX met or out-rated the new episodes airing on UPN. (I didn’t even tune in until midway through their sixth season … and now, I’m hooked.) Plus, Buffy The Vampire Slayer has already been used as the archetype for a fantasy-based series. Dark Angel was Buffy-as-Brunette. Smallville is Buffy-as-Superman. Alias is Buffy-meets-Bond. Charmed is Buffy-With-Babes. And, much like the Trek knock-offs, most of these series will fade into Buffy’s background, resurfacing on the Sci-Fi Channel, or as a question in a game of Trivial Pursuit.
The original Star Trek became a phenomenon because of the fans. Trekkies moved Star Trek far beyond the realities depicted on the show, taking the basic themes and expanding them, writing fan fiction, creating uniforms from felt and dreams … all the while organizing conventions to meet other members of the cult. Now, while Paramount may have overdone the amount of products currently licensed with the Star Trek name … early on these licensees were inexpensive to obtain, rarely discussed, and frequently resulted in homegrown products.
Similarly, Buffy The Vampire Slayer is more than the sum of its television episodes. Don’t misunderstand me: 20th Century Fox has plenty of official merchandise available to scratch your Buffy itch (and they’re making plenty of cash off the Buffy license.) But there are now BuffyCons: literally a Star Trek convention featuring the Buffyverse. There are unofficial books about the series, and quite a few academic treatises about the effect of Buffy on pop culture. Despite the ratings (and the near-impossibility of classifying the show), Buffy The Vampire Slayer has arrived … and more and more Scoobies are signing up daily.
Finally, Star Trek succeeded through “The Next Generation” because its creators found an ideal balance between art and commerce, thereby protecting the franchise from losing its luster. Too much of a good thing is still too much, and with each successive episode, each repetitive film, Trekkies have learned
So, the signs are there. An innovative show, building an audience in repeats, with fan clubs the world over, is poised to take the mantle from Star Trek and create a new version of that old phenomenon. However, if Buffy’s handlers don’t heed Star Trek’s lesson, 20th Century Fox may lose Buffy’s potential. For example, it’s extraordinarily wise that there isn’t a new Buffy spin-off this year. In fact, once Angel is off the air, Joss Whedon and 20th Century Fox should take a decade or so off, and just let the franchise cook in its own juices. Keeping fans waiting for new filmed material was a perfect fit for Trek; overloading fans with new episodes is what’s killing it.
Plus, Buffy The Vampire Slayer has an ace in the hole over Star Trek: Sarah Michelle Gellar. It’s easy to equate Roddenberry to Whedon, and series to series, but to compare William Shatner to Sarah Michelle Gellar isn’t balanced. William Shatner is great as Kirk … because Shatner’s ticks, quirks, and general wackiness are part of our memory of the original, fun, campy Star Trek series. Sarah Michelle Gellar, on the other hand, is great as Buffy Sommers because Ms. Gellar is a phenomenal actress, conveying a three-dimensional person with each and every episode. Cardboard versus flesh and blood.
And since Gellar is pursuing movie work full time, the franchise may again be blessed: in ten years, should Sarah Michelle Gellar make good on her potential, building a film career that’s both profitable and artistic, the return to the role that made her a star should boost Buffy’s potential in ways that Shatner, funny though he is, couldn’t hope to duplicate with T.J. Hooker, or any of his other non-Trek work. (Not that I don’t like T.J. Hooker … but it’s no Rescue 911.)
Trek is dead, rotting under the weight of its own excessive success. But in its wake is a little show just starting to build momentum towards Trek-like greatness. So, eager readers, its time to get in on the ground floor of the next big thing. See Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Even if I’m wrong, you’ll get to experience an exceedingly well-written, acted, produced and filmed work of art … from a medium that rarely goes outside the box. And, if you’re an old school Trekkie, watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer will rekindle a certain geeky, manic energy inside. Space may be the final frontier, but the voyages of the new generation will take place with The Chosen One. The Slayer. Staking staleness …
See all you Scoobies at the convention!”
-Aaron Gordon Michael, Jim Hill Media
Official Notes for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete Fourth Season”
College student by day and vampire slayer by night best describes the title character of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, a thrilling action-packed television series cleverly laced with comedy and horror which is loosely based on the 1992 feature film of the same name. In its fourth season, the critically acclaimed hit stars Emmy Award-winner Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy, Nicholas Brendon as Xander, Alyson Hannigan as Willow, Seth Green as Oz, Anthony Stewart Head as Giles and James Marsters as Spike, who joins the series as a regular after two seasons of wreaking havoc as a blood-sucking vampire. Buffy is a quick-witted heroine whose birthright as a vampire slayer is to protect the world from the undead, yet she pines to be normal. Trying to balance teenage life with saving the world, Buffy remains cheerful and fierce throughout — even though her hometown just happens to sit atop a Hellmouth, a mystical portal where demons of all sorts converge. This year, with the horrors of high school a distant memory, Buffy, her best friend Willow, and Willow’s unflappable boyfriend Oz embark on a new world of all things collegiate at the University of California at Sunnydale. With her former underworld love, Angel, out of the picture, Buffy embraces the world of dating boys she can actually go out with in the light of day. While Xander abandons college in favor of gainful employment and his parent’s basement, Willow leaves her wallflower status behind as she blossoms in academia. Featuring all 22 episodes from the fourth season, Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Four DVD is jam-packed with exclusive bonus features including six featurettes, which provide an in-depth look at the characters, music and sets of Buffy. Available as a collectible six-disc set, the Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Four DVD also includes audio commentaries by series creator Joss Whedon and actor Seth Green, scripts for several episodes, photo galleries, biographies, and much more.
Academy Award-nominee Joss Whedon (“Toy Story,”) who wrote the screenplay for the feature film “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” created the series. He serves as executive producer along with Sandy Gallin (“Father of the Bride,”) Fran Rubel Kuzui (the feature film “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,”) Kaz Kuzui (“Tokyo Pop,”) and David Greenwalt.
Format: DVD
Rating (MPAA): NR
Originally Released/Aired: 1999
Run Time: 990 min
DVD Special Features:
– Number of discs: 6
– Disc 1: Script for “Fear Itself”
– Disc 2: Commentary by Writer Doug Petrie for “The Initiative:, Commentary for “Wild at Heart” by Joss Whedon, Marti Noxon and Seth Green
– Disc 3: Commentary for “Hush” by Joss Whedon, Featurettes: Hush,
– Script for “Hush”, Cast Bios – Still Gallery
– Disc 4: Commentary for “This Year’s Girl” by Writer Doug Petrie
– Disc 5: Commentary for “Superstar” by Jane Espenson, Script for “Who Are You”
– Disc 6: Commentary for “Primeval” by Writers David Fury & James A. Cotner, Commentary for “Restless” by Joss Whedon, Featurette “Season 4 Overview”, Still Gallery
– Full screen format.
Audio: Dolby Surround
Video: Full Screen
Close Captioned: Yes
Color: Color
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