And so to the second part of season four – possibly the one series so far that managed to leave many fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer the most divided as to whether it was brilliant, just plain silly, or somewhere in-between. If you missed the summation of the first part of the season, you may wish to click this little link here.
So, with the transition to college life for most of the Scooby gang, a whole range of new dynamics and emotions has opened up. While Buffy and Willow deal in their own ways with adjusting to their new lives, Giles is left at quite the loose end and Xander is continually questioning his worth and place in the big scheme of things. The superb handling of relationship issues Buffy has become renowned for continues to dominate proceedings, with the boundaries of these spreading as the gang mature and different people fall within their orbits.
With the maturity of the characters a certain maturity in storylines takes place as well, with some truly stunning and profound episodes – and all balanced expertly with the more frivolous episodes and some downright silly plot twists, mainly involving the Initiative, which few, if any, other shows could get away with so expertly.
This season coincides with Angel sulking off to LA and into his own series, and as such there are a few crossover episodes between the two shows. If you’ve seen both then things will be more well rounded, however both work fine on their own as well, so it’s no biggie if you miss one or the other.
Unlike previous seasons, the big finale comes in the episode before the end, leaving the final one as more of a sort of prelude for things to come in season five, and as a really good indication of the slightly more serious nature of what’s in store. There are also some portents of plotlines to come often quite some time into the future peppered throughout this season, indicating the incredible level of planning that has gone into Buffy – they don’t just make it all up as they go along. Well, not all of it, at any rate...
A New Man
There’s a surprise for Buffy, but it kind of pales compared to that which is in store for Giles – who’s feeling a bit out of the loopy and superfluous. Oh crap, he’s horny – but certainly not for that harridan Walsh – maybe it’s because of an old friend who’s popped into town? Meanwhile, Buffy and her new dweeb discover each others’ strengths, Spike looks for a new little crypt to kick back in and what is the significance of pi without the dot?
The I in Team
Xander’s trying to make his fortune selling Boost bars – at least they don’t have hidden side effects though, they just taste yukky. Buffy the size queen gets into the Initiative – and we’re not talking about the relationship with Riley that’s hotting up. Hey, now she too can play toy soldiers – but for how long? Who’s the pervy fish wife who likes a nice cuppa while she watches a spot of murder, who spikes Spike, and is that any way to greet your Mommy?
Goodbye Iowa
Aww, the corn-fed Iowa-born meathead dorkboy is a confused little corn-fed Iowa-born meathead dorkboy, what with all these secrets everybody seems to be keeping from him and all. The gang gets to meet Adam, Willow and Tara get some hot mortar and pestle action – well almost, and dig those yummy sushi pyjamas!
This Year’s Girl
As if Buffy hasn’t got enough on her plate with Adam the cyber-demon hybrid thingy, now Faith’s back from the mostly dead to mix things up. She’s feeling five by five (whatever that actually means) and it’s payback time, but what’s with the men in black and that funky metal handheld doobrie thingummyjig she’s got? Oh, and did I hear mention of a little sis?
Who Are You?
This Faith chick is definitely dangerous, but she gets a chance to find out how the other half live – even if it is as a stuck up tightass with no sense of fun. So that’s who those men in black are, and Adam does some wheeling and dealing...
Superstar
OK, what’s the deal? Jonathon has gone all James Bondy, brainy, chessy, quippy, jazzy, Yoda-rific and... and... umm, cool and popular like. Luckily two people can see through it, Buffy and Adam – assuming you would call him a people that is...
Where the Wild Things Are
It seems those that slay together lay together – lots and lots and lots... Heightened emotions, relationship stuff and getting lost in lust abounds all around, with confrontations in ice cream vans, demons and vamps getting it together, Giles and an acoustic guitar getting it on, unhappy poltergeisty types and even jocks and walls getting all oohy with it...
New Moon Rising
There may not be much going on in the way of vamp action, but hey, Oz is back. Hey. Hey! He’s still got his killer sense of smell, but it looks like he’s found his inner cool – trips to Tibet and trading Radiohead music can do that, it seems. Willow is confused, Tara is confused – Buffy is confused – hey, we’re all one big ball of confused... Meanwhile, Spike gets a visit from a former boy scout – well, bits of him at least – with an offer and it’s crunch time for army loser-boy Riley.
The Yoko Factor
Willow’s considering taking drama, while Spike is actually causing it. There’s Scooby tension aplenty, Buffy’s back from a quick LA sojourn and somebody broody, mopey and sad looks to have followed her back, causing quite the green-eyed testosterone poisoned frenzy. Mr Bits may have quite the promising career in motivational speaking, and has El Dorko dweeby-head turned turncoat?
Primeval
The gang are about as gangy as the most non-gangy of non-gangy things, as a rather Frankensteinish vibe tends to permeate the Sunnydale air. With Adam’s plan out in the open a quick group hug gets things back to about as normal as things ever get, whilst maybe some of Willow’s witchy stuff may be handy in putting a rest to this Initiative silliness.
Restless
Things are all getting rather David Lynchian, as a vid fest turns into a nightmare fest. There’s dreams of cowboys, spiffy Spikes, empathic gestures, coffee makers that think and trips to the desert – but Willow’s, Xander’s, Giles’ and Buffy’s all have two things in common – a warrior beast spirit thingy and a guy with cheese slices. Still, all will be OK as long as Buffy’s back before Dawn...
Not surprisingly, just like the first part of season four we’re dished up a lovely 1.78:1, anamorphically enhanced, Buffy-vision – and the improvement the extra room to move provides is invaluable. The episodes here are presented as well as the first part of the series, with the only real annoyances in what are otherwise exemplary transfers being the presence of a reasonable number of white specks on occasions, and not the most perfect shadow detail in the world – a necessity for a series with so many dark settings. This isn’t to say that it’s a total murk-fest – in fact far from it – it just doesn’t look as yummy as the recent Angel season two DVD release (regardless of the ratio butchering it suffered), which I think is a fair yardstick for comparison.
Otherwise all is handled superbly, with the colour showing up delightfully vividly when called for whilst keeping skin tones entirely realistic – well, when they’re not presented as green as in Restless at least...
Blacks are as solid as Angel’s broodiness, grain and icky MPEG artefacts are not worth mentioning and to add icing to an already scrummy cake, no cuts have been made to this series at all, and the many ‘previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer introductions, with Giles’ gorgeous dulcet tones, are all present and accounted for.
Yays – Buffy’s finally in widescreen, the picture’s pretty darned spiffy, the sound is fine, there are some fabulous extras, some utterly superb and incisive writing and there’s lots and lots of yummy Spike-y goodness.
Boos – Riley, some of the silly soldier boy play acting, Riley, Riley and Riley.
Hmm, add it all up and season four certainly still comes up trumps – after all, even a weakish episode of Buffy makes most anything else on television pale miserably in comparison. If you’re a fan you quite simply need this, if you’re not you’re probably better off starting at the very beginning, as it’s a very good place to start with possibly the greatest series ever to grace television.
That’s it, bored now... bring on season five!