Rypro 525

I know, sort of what happens, with out having seen the episodes, but after how many seasons, should i start listening to the commentaries. i am on episode 7 on season 1 btw.

shaggy

If you don't want spoilers don't listen at all. I have six seasons on DVD and i won't listen until i have watched all 7 seasons. They are assuming you have seen all the episodes, they often refer to stuff that happens in the future.

Sir_Fireboard

Most definately do not listen to any of the commentaries if you haven't seen it all. The commentators drop some serious spoilers, some even two seasons ahead!

matome

Yeah, I've been dying to listen to the commentaries myself, but since I haven't seen the entire series I'm holding off till I get through S7 (hopefully this year!).

Rypro 525

so some of the season 1 and 2 commentaries discuss season 6 and 7 stuff?

rfduncan

Yes - far reaching story arcs are mentioned in addition to other minor spoilers. STAY OUTTA THOSE COMMENTARIES! Actually you're probably safe with the Seth Green one from season 4.

Adam Tyner

Not that far. The commentaries for season one were recorded, what, in 1999?

JasonF

Actually, not even that one -- in his commentary Seth talks about the way in which they developed Alison Hannigan's character. I listened to about 5 minutes of that commentary -- thinking there wouldn't be spoilers -- before I turned it off. Fortunately, I already knew about the spoiler Seth mentioned, but it's definitely a spoiler, and it's definitely in the commentary

(I'm being intentionally vague here, but Seth mention that (Big Season 4 spoilers within)


Season 1 was released on DVD while Season 5 was being broadcast, so technically, you can probably listen to the Season 1 commentary after you've watched through Season 5. But, like most people, I'm going to wait until I've seen all the episodes from all 7 seasons before I go back and listen to commentaries.

Rypro 525

jason, in regards to your spoiler, does fx "tone down" that storyline?

JasonF

Beats me -- I only watch Buffy on DVD, not FX. But the show is pretty tame. They depict the relationship in such a way that if you want to be in denial and pretend they're just friends, you mostly can.

Cartload

I wouldn't say that's the case with Season 5.

otmetrud

Definitely do not listen to any commentaries or watch any of the featurettes in a particular season set until after you've seen all the episodes in that season. As for the commentaries, about half of them will spoil something one or two or three seasons ahead. Jane Espenson's commentaries are very bad about that. She just can't stop herself from telling you nearly everything that happens in the next two or three seasons, and for no real reason. Her spoilers are strictly gratuitous. Joss's commentaries spoil on occasion (particularly his commentary on "Restless" in S4), but at least his spoilers help him make a point about something in the episode he's commenting on.

JasonF

Yeah, I guess you're right -- about halfway through Season 5, they started getting explicit about the relationship (I mean explicit about saying there was a relationship, not showing Cinemax-style sex). It aired on WB, so it's nothing that couldn't air on FX, but I don't know whether it does air on FX.

My guess is FX trims the epsidoes to make room for more commercials, and that trimming may or may not include scenes of the relationship in question. I'd be surprised if FX is specifically picking out those scenes to cut, but like I said, I'm watching on DVD, not FX.

Speaking of which, 2 and a half months until Season 6 is released!

Josh Z

That's absolutely true. She even goes so far as to spoil episodes and plotlines that hadn't aired yet at the time she recorded the commentaries.

Rypro 525

also, the only reason i know that one is because Adam Corolla had the person who played the character on Loveline a couple of times, and couldn't stop talking about it.

also, are there any rights problems with the music?

Josh-da-man

Not really.

There's only one case of changed music that I know of, and it's not a biggie. In a second season episode, "Lie to Me," certain characters are in a "goth" club, and in the original broadcast of the episode, a Sisters of Mercy song, "Never Land (a fragment)" was heard in the club. The song in question appears on the album "Floodland," (which I happen to own).

On all subsequent airings -- and on the DVDs -- there is a substitute music track. Not to worry, though, it's really only background music playing in the club, so it's not really significant to the scene.

MEJHarrison

It may not be a big deal, but it's still a great song and it would have been nice if it could have been included. But I also have Floodland, so I guess I can hear it whenever I want.

JasonF

Look, everyone! It's a thread from 9 months ago!

I've finally watched all 7 seasons of Buffy, so now I want to go back and listen to the commentaries, including the Angel commentaries. Before I do that, I thought I'd check to see if any of the commentaries have spoilers for Angel Season 5. Also, is there a single source which lists all of the episodes that have commentaries in one easy-to-use list?

areacode212

I haven't heard all of the AtS S4 commentaries yet (I think the Minear "Home" commentary is the only left to go), but no, nothing for AtS S5 is spoiled anywhere. Well, except for one casting spoiler that everyone probably already knows about.

critterdvd

If memory serves, season 1 of buffy has spoilers through season 5, season 2 goes around season 5 aswell, where as 3 goes through season 6, and the season 4 commentaries talk about season 7. I would bascially wait til i was through with season 5 to eventhink about listening to the commentaries... But you will be happy when you do, the Joss Whedon commentary on "Welcome to the Hellmouth / The Harvest" is handsdown the best commetnary I've ever listened to.