Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete Third Season [6 Discs]

Amazing show, amazing season. Of course it has flaws, but...

In third season, it's clear for everyone that the actors are totally comfortable playing their characters, everyone knows what to do, when to do it and how to do it. The level of confidence is rising and rising.

Of course it has flaws. You just can't produce 22 perfect episodes that will please everybody. The producers, writers and cast do the best they can in the short time and relatively small budget they have at their disposal.

One question, however, does not leave my mind: how can an actress (I'm talking about Sarah Mihcelle Gellar here) give such stupendous, gorgeous, solid, breathtaking, emotional performances episode after episode, season after season, no matter if the material that they give her is good or bad? She bears more than half of the credit for Buffy being the hit it was. She TOTALLY controls the show when she's on camera. I sincerely hope she has a marvellous and well suceeded movie career (away from Scooby-Doo movies, I mean...)

As for third season properly speaking, it has ups and lows. I particularly enjoy almost everything the show ever produced, but sometimes I did not. Faith, for example. She just not fit. Shés annoying. Of course it was a character created for us to hate, but not to ANNOY the viewer. Everytime she's on screen with her wooden dialogue, I simply wanted to go fast forward (but I didn't, of course!). I also agree with with a reviewer tha said that it would have been better if the Scooby-gang treated her like a basket case beyond help, instead of trying to save her. Anyway, Joss Whedon always suprise the audience doing the exact OPPOSITE of what we would expect (Example 1: Xander and Willow - their potential beautiful romance didn't last nothing, and it was never "officalized" - Example 2: Wesley and Cordelia flirting - the flirting lasts a lot of episodes and, when they finally kiss, there is no chemistry between them and the romance is over even before it starts.)

Also, we have someplot holes and weakness we must forget in order to remember that it's, after all, just a television show for entertainment. Even if the Ascension worked for the Mayor, what were his intentions? Sure, he would eat the entire school populace, but after that? The Army, police, Air Force, all of them would transform that giant worm in small pieces very briefly. No big threat indeed!

Season 3 is a mixture of things that worked very well and things that didn't work at all for the series.
Some of the episodes that worked well included "Homecoming," when Buffy goes up against Cordelia to win the Homecoming Queen election. This episode worked so well because it went back to Buffy's roots and remembered that Buffy started out as a blonde-bimbo-valleygirl who would have been concerned with becoming Homecoming Queen. I always thought that there would be much more tension between Buffy and Cordelia than was ever played up, so I was glad to see this episode recognize who Buffy used to be and have that hit head-on who she is now. The introduction of Anya in "The Wish" is a breath of fresh air. The episode is also interesting in and of itself because of the way it sets up a world without Buffy. Xander and Willow as vampires are brilliant and really drive home the importance of the slayer. Willow's first hint at her coming sexual exploration in "Doppelgangland" was just one of the highlights of that episode. The idea of an evil verion of Willow - the sweetest of the sweet - it intriguing and interesting to watch. Finally, "Earshot", the airdate of which was delayed due to the Columbine tragedy, is a great episode where Buffy has to deal with (what she thinks) is a new but real threat to highschoolers everywhere. The idea that Buffy should also deal with non-supernatural threats is a great moment away from the vampires and demons.
These few great episodes, though, are surrounded by many sub-par efforts by the Buffy writers and directors. Among the worst episodes are "Gingerbread" and "The Zeppo". In "Gingerbread" Joyce tries to rally Sunnydale residents against the supernatural forces trying to take over the town. The concept just doesn't work and the episode turns out flat and boring. "The Zeppo" which tries to give Xander a chance to play the hero is so poorly written and just boring in general that I haven't even been able to watch it all the way through. The Graduation episodes which highlight the Mayor's ascention are okay, but don't really affect the audience at all. I'd rather see Buffy fight a single vampire in a well choreographed fight scene than hundreds of teens running around pretend-fighting a giant snake. I think that Faith was also a thorn in the side of the show this season. She just never really fit into the stories at all and didn't even really provide that great of a doppelganger for Buffy. She was just more irritating than effective.
Overall, a mediocre season.

From its start in 1997, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" has been a pop culture phenominon that attracted a wide variety of audience-the people who loved soap operas, the horror buffs, the sci-fi people, the drama dwellers, and so much more. "Buffy" has so much to offer and so much to look foreward to each week. Weather its a character's changing or a spectacular looking monster, there's nothing quite like "Buffy". And if you thought that the greatness of the show was over after its awesome first two seasons, you couldn't expect season three. This is a great season for the show, and deals with Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her friends after the events of season two all the way up to their graduation day. Season three is great because of its clever story, great cast, and intense special effects. This is Buffy's last year of High School, and she's graduating with a 'bang'.
First off, the all out story is magnificent. After the heartbreaking season finale of season two, Buffy is drawn out of hiding in LA and realizes that she cannot escape her 'destiny'. She when she arrives back home to her worried mother (Kristine Sutherland), he watcher Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), and her group of friends including Willow (Alyson Hannigan), Xander (Nicholas Brendan), Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), and Oz (Seth Green) only to discover that while she was gone the monsters were growing bigger and badder. And her personal grief over the loss of her true love Angel (David Boreanaz) gets even more confusing when he mysteriously reappears from a hell dimension, untrusting of the slayer. Even with that, the real surprises come from the new slayer in town, Faith (Eliza Dushku), who is just like Buffy- confused and lost. Faith and Angel adjust to Sunnydale, and soon enough Buffy and her gang realize that the Mayor (Harry Groener) is really and evil monster planning an apocalypse. Sure, there's no real connection to Buffy and her friends there, and this seems just like a normal baddie. But things get even worse when one of Buffy's own turn the sides and after a mistake they take the side of the Mayor, creating a very uncomfortable and threatening enemy to the slayer. The relationships keep on building, with Willow and Oz, Xander and Cordelia, Buffy and Angel, and... Giles and Joyce? Willow loves Oz, but is still attracted to Xander, and Xander has grown an attraction with Willow even though he is dating Cordelia. Soon, that leads to trouble and breakup. Buffy and Angel begin to realize that their relationship is doomed, and with the troublesome Faith in town, Buffy has competition for all of her men- best friend Xander and boyfriend Angel. For sure, this season has a good storyline that is not as great as season two, but it can surely hold its own.
Second, the cast is great still, and they are only getting better as the show goes on. Sarah Michelle Gellar makes Buffy a likable and lovable girl who is really just human, and her choices she realizes effect her whole life. Gellar can be confused, happy, sad, and scared, plus be convincing above it all. Alyson Hannigan and Nicholas Brendan play the friends who don't know how to act around Buffy, each other, or really anyone. Hannigan is a perfect match as a best friend for Gellar, and Brendan can always be the guy you love, or the guy you just want to kill. Anthony Stewart Head still acts as the grown supervisor to Buffy and her friends, but we also get to see the wild side of his character and have fun with it. Head can be a child or a stucky librarian. Seth Green and Charisma Carpernter both are just perfect for their roles, and are both so funny with their witty lines. Kristine Sutherland is the motherly type and very convincing. Harry Groener is a different type of villain that distinguishes him from the Master and Angelus because he is a typical guy with a very evil streak. The real season stealer is Eliza Dushku, with her unforgettable Faith character. Dushku proves that she can act, as a confused girl trying to fit into the world, even if it means murder. The cast is great, and Joss Wheadon once again leads a crew of magnificent writers, and with his imagination, you have a great show.
Lastly, the special effects of this season are amazing. For a television show, there sure are a lot of effects that really capture you and amaze you. The magic spells and flaoting objects are cool enough, but heads splitting open, giant snakes, really fat vampires, alternate dimensions, and of course the improved vampire dusting. On the DVD there is a whole featurette on the special effects of the show and how they are done, which is pretty interesting.
In conclusion, this is a great show that will make your jaw drop for sure. Whether its the clever story, great acting and writing, or the spectacular special effects, Season Three is a must for any true Buffy fan. Loaded with tons of extras, this box set is unbelievable. Don't miss out on the best of the best, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Complete your collection today!