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* [[Alexis Denisof]] as [[Wesley Wyndam-Pryce]] (9 episodes)
* [[Alexis Denisof]] as [[Wesley Wyndam-Pryce]] (9 episodes)
* [[Armin Shimerman]] as [[Principal Snyder]] (8 episodes)
* [[Armin Shimerman]] as [[Principal Snyder]] (8 episodes)
* [[Danny Strong]] as [[Jonathan Levinson]] (7 episodes)
* [[Danny Strong]] as [[Jonathan Levinson]] (6 episodes)
* [[Larry Bagby]] as [[Larry Blaisdell]] (5 episodes)
* [[Larry Bagby]] as [[Larry Blaisdell]] (5 episodes)
* K. Todd Freeman as [[Mr. Trick]] (5 episodes)
* K. Todd Freeman as [[Mr. Trick]] (5 episodes)

Revision as of 15:42, 8 July 2013

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
season 3
Season 3
Region 1 Season 3 DVD cover
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkThe WB
Original releaseSeptember 29, 1998 (1998-09-29) –
July 13, 1999 (1999-07-13)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 2
Next →
Season 4
List of episodes

The third season of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered on September 29, 1998 on The WB Television Network and concluded its 22-episode season on July 13, 1999. It maintained its previous timeslot, airing Tuesdays at 8:00 pm ET. Two episodes, "Earshot" and "Graduation Day, Part Two", were delayed in the wake of the Columbine High School massacre because of their content.[2]

Plot

After attempting to start a new life in Los Angeles, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) returns to Sunnydale in season three, and is reunited with her friends and her mother. Her criminal record is cleared but Principal Snyder, who took a vindictive pleasure in expelling Buffy refuses to have her reinstated, until he is told down by Giles. Angel (David Boreanaz) is resurrected due to unknown circumstances. While Buffy is happy to have Angel back, he seems to have lost much of his sanity in Hell. Buffy helps Angel recover but, having seen Angel's demonic side, Buffy's friends distrust him until he saves them from a monster.

Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) is fired from the Watchers' Council because he has developed a "father's love" for Buffy, and towards the end of the season Buffy announces that she will also no longer work for the Council. Early in the season she is confronted with an unstable Slayer, Faith (Eliza Dushku), who was activated after Kendra's death near the end of season two.

Angel, after getting his soul back, is once again tormented by his guilt and personally by an entity called the First Evil, who goads Angel into attempting suicide. Buffy prevents Angel from killing himself but he still feels heavy remorse for his past actions.

Although the First is still out there, the antagonist of the season is shown to be the affable Mayor Richard Wilkins (Harry Groener), who has plans to become an Olvikan, a giant snake-like demon, on Sunnydale High's Graduation Day — a goal he had in mind after gaining immortality through a Faustian bargain with demons when he originally founded Sunnydale. Said goal is to occur on the eclipse, where the Mayor has vampire lackey's backing him up.

Although Faith works with Buffy at first, after accidentally killing a human, Faith becomes irrational and sides with Mayor Wilkins, whose charismatic behavior influences Faith's dark side. She helps Wilkins in his plan, and eventually she poisons Angel. To save Angel, Buffy had to feed him the blood of a Slayer, so she picks Faith. In the fight that follows, Faith falls from her roof and into coma. Buffy is forced to let Angel drink from her, putting her in a brief coma. Wilkins, who had a fatherly affection for Faith gets angry and attempts to suffocate her, but is stopped by Angel. During her time in a coma, Buffy shares a comatose dream with Faith where they make peace.

At the climax of the season, Wilkins speaks at the graduation ceremony, as the time for his transformation has come and he finally morphs into Olvikan. He kills several people, including Principal Snyder. It turns out Buffy and her friends organized the graduating students to fight back against Wilkins, with Angel leading the fight against his minions. Buffy confronts the demon, taunting him about Faith. She lures the provoked Mayor into the library which was rigged with explosives. The explosion is set off, destroying Wilkins and his Olvikan form.

Meanwhile, Angel becomes convinced that Buffy's love for him will be bad for her in the long run; after the battle with the Mayor he leaves Sunnydale, leading to the spinoff series in Los Angeles.

Cast and characters

Main cast

Recurring cast

2

Crew

Series creator Joss Whedon served as executive producer and showrunner, and wrote and directed five episodes of the season including the season premiere and the two-part finale. David Greenwalt was promoted to executive producer, and wrote two episodes (including directing one of them) and directed another. Marti Noxon was promoted to co-producer and wrote five episodes. New additions in the third season included Jane Espenson, who served as executive story editor and wrote three episodes, including an episode originally pitched from Thania St. John (who receives story credit). Douglas Petrie joined as a story editor, later promoted to executive story editor midseason, and wrote three episodes. Dan Vebber joined as a staff writer and wrote two episodes. David Fury returned and freelanced two episodes. This was the last season for Greenwalt as a writer/director on the series, as he departed to be the showrunner for the spin-off series Angel. He would serve as consulting producer until the end of the sixth season.[3]

Joss Whedon directed the highest amount of episodes in the third season, directing five episodes. James A. Contner and James Whitmore, Jr. each directed four.

Episodes

See also: List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes
№ # Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production
code
351"Anne"Joss WhedonJoss WhedonSeptember 29, 1998 (1998-09-29)3ABB01
362"Dead Man's Party"James Whitmore, Jr.Marti NoxonOctober 6, 1998 (1998-10-06)3ABB02
373"Faith, Hope & Trick"James A. ContnerDavid GreenwaltOctober 13, 1998 (1998-10-13)3ABB03
384"Beauty and the Beasts"James Whitmore, Jr.Marti NoxonOctober 20, 1998 (1998-10-20)3ABB04
395"Homecoming"David GreenwaltDavid GreenwaltNovember 3, 1998 (1998-11-03)3ABB05
406"Band Candy"Michael LangeJane EspensonNovember 10, 1998 (1998-11-10)3ABB06
417"Revelations"James A. ContnerDouglas PetrieNovember 17, 1998 (1998-11-17)3ABB07
428"Lovers Walk"David SemelDan VebberNovember 24, 1998 (1998-11-24)3ABB08
439"The Wish"David GreenwaltMarti NoxonDecember 8, 1998 (1998-12-08)3ABB09
4410"Amends"Joss WhedonJoss WhedonDecember 15, 1998 (1998-12-15)3ABB10
4511"Gingerbread"James Whitmore, Jr.Story by: Thania St. John & Jane Espenson
Teleplay by: Jane Espenson		January 12, 1999 (1999-01-12)3ABB11
4612"Helpless"James A. ContnerDavid FuryJanuary 19, 1999 (1999-01-19)3ABB12
4713"The Zeppo"James Whitmore, Jr.Dan VebberJanuary 26, 1999 (1999-01-26)3ABB13
4814"Bad Girls"Michael LangeDouglas PetrieFebruary 9, 1999 (1999-02-09)3ABB14
4915"Consequences"Michael GershmanMarti NoxonFebruary 16, 1999 (1999-02-16)3ABB15
5016"Doppelgangland"Joss WhedonJoss WhedonFebruary 23, 1999 (1999-02-23)3ABB16
5117"Enemies"David GrossmanDouglas PetrieMarch 16, 1999 (1999-03-16)3ABB17
5218"Earshot"Regis KimbleJane EspensonSeptember 21, 1999 (1999-09-21)3ABB18
5319"Choices"James A. ContnerDavid FuryMay 4, 1999 (1999-05-04)3ABB19
5420"The Prom"David SolomonMarti NoxonMay 11, 1999 (1999-05-11)3ABB20
5521"Graduation Day (Part 1)"Joss WhedonJoss WhedonMay 18, 1999 (1999-05-18)3ABB21
5622"Graduation Day (Part 2)"Joss WhedonJoss WhedonJuly 13, 1999 (1999-07-13)3ABB22

Reception

The series received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, for Outstanding Makeup for a Series for "The Zeppo" and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series for "Lovers Walk".[4]

The third season averaged 5.3 million viewers, which was its highest rated season.[5]

DVD release

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete Third Season was released on DVD in region 1 on January 7, 2003[1] and in region 2 on October 29, 2001.[6] The DVD includes all 22 episodes on 6 discs presented in full frame 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Special features on the DVD include four commentary tracks—"Helpless" by writer David Fury, "Bad Girls" by writer Doug Petrie, "Consequences" by director Michael Gershman and "Earshot" by writer Jane Espenson. Writers Joss Whedon, Jane Espenson, and Doug Petrie discuss the episodes "Bad Girls", "Consequences", "Enemies", "Earshot", and "Graduation Day, Part One" in interviews. Scripts for "Faith, Hope & Trick", "Band Candy", "Lovers Walk", and "The Wish" are included. Featurettes include, "Special Effects", "Wardrobe", "Weapons", which all detail the title subjects; "Buffy Speak", which details the language and dialogue used on the show; and "Season 3 Overview", a 20-minute featurette where cast and crew members discuss the season. Also included are cast biographies and photo galleries.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b "Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Complete Third Season (1997)". Amazon.com. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
  2. ^ "School Daze". Entertainment Weekly. May 25, 1999. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  3. ^ "A Brief History of Mutant Enemy". Whedon.info. May 24, 2004. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
  4. ^ ""Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  5. ^ "Final ratings for the 1998-1999 TV season". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2009-10-29. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  6. ^ "Buffy DVD and VHS". BBC. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  7. ^ "Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 3". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
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