*This is a review of season 2 as a whole. The rating above is for the season finale as opposed to the season as a whole.
Following a first season which I personally thought was rather poor in general and which only featured two really good episodes (Angel, Prophecy Girl), season two of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" doesn't exactly get off to a fantastic start, as with the exception of the very good "School Hard", doesn't quite get going until its sixth episode, "Halloween", an episode which is so much smarter and more creative than anything the series had seen up to that point.
Overall, the first half of the season, all the way through to "Surprise" feels like a developing series that isn't quite sure of itself, however when it gets to "Surprise" it becomes an entirely different series, a brilliantly effervescent genre-bending series which features some wonderfully creative and intelligent writing.
I was discussing this show with someone recently and they said it better than I could ever say it: "Buffy" was excellent in spite of its simplicity. I don't really care if I offend any fans in saying this, but the metaphors on this series are pitched at a fairly adolescent level and the depth the show has comes from the writing contained within that format as opposed to the format itself.
Indeed, the actual plot of this season is at first glance a bit silly and is essentially cookie-cutter fantasy fodder, but here's the twist: great characters. There is not a single character in this season (other than, occasionally Drusilla) that grates on me. None. The characters here are excellent, oddly enough Buffy herself may be among the weaker ones, but that's alright as this is much more of an ensemble programme than its title suggests (its title suggests a lot of things which aren't true).
Another reason the series excels in spite of itself is that it really is smart, well-written stuff, the majority of it anyhow. Season Two is not consistently great, in fact, the first half could be considered consistently average with an occasional burst of greatness. However, when this series is good, it is very, very good. Considering the idea behind the series it's really quite shocking what they have managed to come up with. Consider the basic diversity of the season's best episodes:
"Innocence"- you don't get much darker than this in terms of subject matter but the genre-bending nature of the series turns it into a stunning television tour de force that effortlessly combines some of the series' best humor, character development, action, and drama.
"Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered"- Marti Noxon wrote this cheery, utterly hilarious, and very inventive Valentine's Day episode which is really pretty flawless. When you can fit something like this into a season of such darkness and complexity you know you've hit on something.
"Passion"- playing it almost completely straight for once, this is a remarkably well-written dramatic episode that manages to be truly scary and effective.
"Becoming, Part 2"- "Innocence" on steroids
The diverse nature of the series allows for endless creativity and very solid writing throughout. One thing I absolutely loved about "Buffy" season two was that it only took itself seriously enough to manage to be compelling drama when it wanted to be. I was never part of "Buffy" fandom and I probably will never be as it honestly is not one of my favorite series, but it's easy to see what many admire in this show.
The excellent cast bring the characters to life very well and are very charismatic. Direction, photography, and music are better than the TV standard at the time. All things considered special effects are done excellently.
Avg. Rating based on all episodes: 7.1/10- a solid season with remarkable highs but far too many lows to be considered a great television season overall.
Following a first season which I personally thought was rather poor in general and which only featured two really good episodes (Angel, Prophecy Girl), season two of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" doesn't exactly get off to a fantastic start, as with the exception of the very good "School Hard", doesn't quite get going until its sixth episode, "Halloween", an episode which is so much smarter and more creative than anything the series had seen up to that point.
Overall, the first half of the season, all the way through to "Surprise" feels like a developing series that isn't quite sure of itself, however when it gets to "Surprise" it becomes an entirely different series, a brilliantly effervescent genre-bending series which features some wonderfully creative and intelligent writing.
I was discussing this show with someone recently and they said it better than I could ever say it: "Buffy" was excellent in spite of its simplicity. I don't really care if I offend any fans in saying this, but the metaphors on this series are pitched at a fairly adolescent level and the depth the show has comes from the writing contained within that format as opposed to the format itself.
Indeed, the actual plot of this season is at first glance a bit silly and is essentially cookie-cutter fantasy fodder, but here's the twist: great characters. There is not a single character in this season (other than, occasionally Drusilla) that grates on me. None. The characters here are excellent, oddly enough Buffy herself may be among the weaker ones, but that's alright as this is much more of an ensemble programme than its title suggests (its title suggests a lot of things which aren't true).
Another reason the series excels in spite of itself is that it really is smart, well-written stuff, the majority of it anyhow. Season Two is not consistently great, in fact, the first half could be considered consistently average with an occasional burst of greatness. However, when this series is good, it is very, very good. Considering the idea behind the series it's really quite shocking what they have managed to come up with. Consider the basic diversity of the season's best episodes:
"Innocence"- you don't get much darker than this in terms of subject matter but the genre-bending nature of the series turns it into a stunning television tour de force that effortlessly combines some of the series' best humor, character development, action, and drama.
"Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered"- Marti Noxon wrote this cheery, utterly hilarious, and very inventive Valentine's Day episode which is really pretty flawless. When you can fit something like this into a season of such darkness and complexity you know you've hit on something.
"Passion"- playing it almost completely straight for once, this is a remarkably well-written dramatic episode that manages to be truly scary and effective.
"Becoming, Part 2"- "Innocence" on steroids
The diverse nature of the series allows for endless creativity and very solid writing throughout. One thing I absolutely loved about "Buffy" season two was that it only took itself seriously enough to manage to be compelling drama when it wanted to be. I was never part of "Buffy" fandom and I probably will never be as it honestly is not one of my favorite series, but it's easy to see what many admire in this show.
The excellent cast bring the characters to life very well and are very charismatic. Direction, photography, and music are better than the TV standard at the time. All things considered special effects are done excellently.
Avg. Rating based on all episodes: 7.1/10- a solid season with remarkable highs but far too many lows to be considered a great television season overall.