Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- The Complete Sixth Season
October 2004 Reviewed by: Rad Bennett Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

I have a friend who, knowing me to be an avid listener of symphonies by Mahler or chamber music by Brahms, finds it odd that I am an unabashed Buffy fan. He mentions fangs and blood, and I try to tell him that is not what Buffy is about, but he is skeptical. Well, it’s his loss. Buffy is a show about everything human, especially about growing up and facing what life has to offer. Its witty and pungent scripts make social commentary on just about every aspect of contemporary living. An ensemble cast of extremely attractive young people presents these ideas; it is quite probable that this show was going where no other could, and teaching teenagers a thing or two worth learning. Adults are welcome, too.

This was Buffy’s first season after leaving the Warner Bros. network. At the end of the fifth season, Buffy died, saving the world. At the beginning of the sixth season, her friends miss her beyond reason. Willow, who has become a powerful witch, casts a spell to bring her back from the dead. This is accomplished, and in another series that might be that. But in this one, there are ramifications: it seems Buffy thinks that she was in heaven and was happy, but now she must again trudge a demanding earthly life as the chosen slayer. Though she is back to work quickly, killing all the vampires and demons the episodes can throw at her, her personal life is a mess. She has to grow up and get a job, for one thing. She lands at a fast-food chain that satirizes all such institutions. She starts a loveless sexual relationship with her past enemy, Spike. And she has to deal with taking care of her younger sister, Dawn, now that her mother has passed on. And bit-by-bit, her friends realize that they selfishly brought her back for their own good, not hers.

During the sixth season the other characters go through almost as much change, and just as much growing up. Hapless Xander and sexy Anya plan to get married, although those plans eventually fall through. Willow becomes addicted to magic and nearly destroys the world, and one member of the main cast dies. That’s one thing about producer-creator Joss Whedon: he was never afraid to sacrifice a cast member for a good story line. And that kept Buffy fresh and alive. You could never be certain what was around the corner.

The most imaginative show of the season was "Once More With Feeling," which was done as a Broadway musical. Yes, all the characters break out in song. There is a plot connection, for it turns out that Buffy’s sister, Dawn, has conjured a Ben Vereen-style song-and-dance demon who can get people to sing and dance till they literally ignite and burn up. The characters all reveal, in song, their innermost thoughts, which has repercussions on ensuing episodes.

It is a dark, dark season dramatically, but the video is not at all murky. Throughout its seven-year run, Buffy’s video just kept getting better. The transfer to DVD is splendid, with rich and solid blacks, bright whites, and everything in between correctly balanced. The sixth season was still fullscreen. The sound is as good as that for previous seasons. Surround is used for atmospheric and dramatic effects, and the music has appealing presence and awesome frequency range.

Fan-pleasing extras include commentaries for several episodes. These are always intelligent and affably presented, no matter who is participating. Additionally, there are several documentaries and a season overview, which capsules the season and the philosophy and plan behind it. There is also a special documentary on "Once More With Feeling" as well as an A&E TV-ography, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Television with a Bite." This segment gives a reasonable rundown of the whole series, but don’t let that alone guide you into the sixth season -- watch seasons one through five in their entirety first. The character development is so complex throughout this series that this is the only way to receive the full message delivered in a later season.

The whole experience is well worth the time and effort. Drop in five years after it started and all you will see are fangs and kung fu fighting. And, like my friend, you will miss the point.

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