The Great Tragedy of the 'Buffy' HD Remaster

SPOILERS FOR ALL OF BUFFY
Suggested versions
(links support the channel)
Note: Unfortunately I can't keep up on the what digital service is carrying which version of the show (especially internationally) as they change too frequently. However, a LOT of people have asked me which to buy so these are the two versions for purchase that are currently the best choices for the original experience of the show.
Buffy Seasons 1-7: The Complete Series (Region 1)
This is the current print DVD, American, stand definition, 4:3 boxed set for the series. This is the format as originally intended by Joss Whedon.This version will ONLY work in a Region 1 (North American) DVD player unless ripped.
amzn.to/2JcAPKZ
Buffy Complete Season 1-7 - 20th Anniversary Edition [DVD] [2017] (Region 2)
This is the 16:9 Standard Definition European DVD printing. This is the second best version of the series currently available for purchase. Second best because the show was not protected for 16:9 so SOME onscreen errors are present (vignetting, mics, etc.) but NOTHING on par with the current HD remaster. These DVD's will ONLY work in a Region 2 (Eurpopean) DVD Player unless ripped.
amzn.to/3kuWNqe
For more info, checkout the Buffy HD Facebook page:
/ buffyhd
Social Links
Patreon: / passionofthenerd
Twitter: / iannitram
Facebook Page: / thepassionofthenerd
Subreddit: / thepassionofthenerd
Website: www.thepassionofthenerd.com
Discord: / discord
Sources:
Co-Written by Nicolas Respaud: / rem_nico
and Kévin Hérieau
Vox - How Buffy the Vampire Slayer transformed TV as we know it
Todd VanDerWerff and Caroline Framke
www.vox.com/culture/2017/3/10...
Cahiers Du Buffy
Emily Nussbaum
www.newyorker.com/culture/cul...
Buffy Summers Is Responsible For Everything You Like On TV
KADEEN GRIFFITHS
www.bustle.com/p/buffy-summer...
10 Shows influenced by Buffy the Vampire Slayer
BBC America
www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia...
AV Clubs Interview with Russel T Davies
tv.avclub.com/russell-t-davie...
Force Awakens: George Lucas Special Edition
timtimfed
• Star Wars: Episode VII...
Music Credits:
"Favorite Secrets" by Waylon Thornton
/ waylonthornton
0:00 Introduction
1:10 Why Buffy matters
4:42 Absent Color
8:31 Broken framing
11:54 Digital noise reduction (DNR)
14:38 Special effects
17:00 What the creators think
17:50 How to be heard
#buffythevampireslayer #btvs #sarahmichellegellar #mutantenemy

[@PassionoftheNerd]

Questions you may have: 1. Didn't you already do a video on the remaster? I provided the voice over for one 4 years ago, yes. Jump to 3:05 for an explanation why we're covering it again. In brief, the remaster wasn't finished when we did that last video and we felt it warranted a final word. Also...the remaster still EXISTS so...the battle goes on. 2. This SEVERELY chaps my nethers. What can I do to help? First of all, follow the team on Buffy's HD Facebook: facebook.com/BuffyHD/ Second, and if you follow my channel you know I NEVER ask you to do this, so I mean it: Share the video as much as possible on social media. Tag and ask @primevideouk and @FacebookWatch to replace the HD version with the original. Tag @20centuryfoxTV and @DisneyABCTV to express your frustration. Sign the petition (that's not ours btw): www.ipetitions.com/petition/make-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-on-blu-ray 3. When are the episode guides coming back? And don't say soon. You know I hate it when you say soon. Soon. I took a week or so off and then promptly got food poisoning followed by the flu. It's been a good month. But I'm back and working every day again. There are a few videos in front of Buffy vs Dracula. Then we're rolling. TRUST me. I'm wanting to start Season 5.

[@sbyamibakura]

Awesome video. And thank you for all the hard work you put into all your BTVS and Angel guides. You're easily my favorite YT person when it comes to BTVS and Angel videos.

[@r0w5tortion84]

On point 2), I confess I don't follow all the news from this channel so excuse my ignorance, but weren't there plans to do a Buffyverse hiatus in order to do Firefly first? Just wondering, be it Firefly or Buffyverse, both are awesome options in my book!

[@thelegendofthem6120]

Im excited for Season 5 and 6 especially! Can't wait for your analysis and breakdown! Feel better and hurry up! Jk. We just love your vids.💘👍🏻

[@Buffy8Fan]

I have a question about what software you use to put your videos together? I am intrigued and would like to see what software like that can do.

[@vmp916]

So how do we feel about the European DVD’s? I just realized I may have been watching that version all along.

[@jaynedavis3388]

Buffy has NEVER gotten the respect it deserves

[@tamsinmccormick]

Well written and funny throughout !!

[@jaynedavis3388]

Buffy was my age so she was a big part of my teenage years & still affects the way I speak (the movie was sh*t tho)

[@rendy2205]

totally agree

[@briannabrickey444]

Jayne Davis I thought it is now since more famous bloggers and screen rant and buzzfeed have been talking about it. Plus the fans and people who've seen it respect it. It's listed one of the best tv shows of all time on Rolling Stones and probably on other lists.

[@GeneralG1810]

You're kidding right? The show had a cult following, I think it's safe to say it was respected by it's fans

[@bobgray6498]

Poor Buffy. Despite literally changing TV, influencing almost every show that came after it, it still gets no respect. I'll stick to my DVDs

[@reyqueenie]

Gary Benjamin Holt Jr. Amen.

[@brianwingel2570]

No respect? Are you dumb? Do you know how many classes there are in colleges that have to due with buffy? They still do conventions to this day for it. And how many shows movies books video games and not to mention just people that buffy have inspired?

[@bobgray6498]

Was that really necessary? :/

[@omarcomming722]

Cuz it’s horrible cringe, Sopranos was influential as fuck as well but it’s still a masterpiece, you don’t get points if your show is relevant and good only in the year it comes out

[@pokipwet_]

@@brianwingel2570 yeah, no respect. It was huge in France when it came out. But now... All my friends thinks it's trash and it had no, or almost no impact on television and storytelling. I'm fighting so hard to prove my point. Even their older co-workers think it had real bad acting and was kitch. I feel we didn't even watch the same show. Yes it aged a bit. But it was huge. (also, I'm 22, watched the first re-run of the show, they are between 25 and 32, so a bit in between the first run and the re-run, it might explain their opinion since they where older than me when the re-run started.)

[@ragabashmoon1551]

A heads up for everyone, HULU has the original cut, not the HD, so thank you Hulu!

[@TabbyeLynne]

Hulu is only available in the US 😭😭😭

[@ragabashmoon1551]

@@TabbyeLynne Oh damn. :( Well, then DVDs are the only answer right now, unless you can get a VPN.

[@timf7413]

To some extent. Hulu does use the unprotected widescreen versions of both Buffy and AtS, which does still cause some shots throughout both series'' to appear broken TPN has even discussed several specific examples. (though some of them are actually a bit cool IMHO as they give you a glimpse of how certain setups etc. were done)

[@dreadcthulhu5]

@@TabbyeLynne VPN.

[@Johnwhyplays]

@@timf7413 So you mean the uncropped widescreen versions he shows, or are they still from the HD nightmare version?

[@ihateunicorns867]

I'm showing Buffy to my daughter. We recently watched Angel (the Episode) and the part where he touches Buffy's cross, causing him to go full-on vamp-face (the big reveal), has the cross completely cropped out. My daughter was like "What happened? Why did he turn into a vampire?" That pivotal reveal scene no longer makes sense.

[@ethanf6136]

I’m sorry, but I hope your daughter is enjoying Buffy tho

[@adaswedentr]

buy the old dvd box sets!!!!

[@ihateunicorns867]

@@adaswedentr I had the old DVD box sets, but I sold them years ago. I haven't had a DVD player for about 15 years. Buffy is so dark, most of it is just big pixely blocks if you try to watch the DVDs.

[@adaswedentr]

@@ihateunicorns867 isnt that the whole point of this video? Or am i understanding you wrong?

[@ihateunicorns867]

@@adaswedentr I can’t remember. I watched it 2 years ago.

[@gabriela9044]

they should do a remaster of the remaster called the re-vamp

[@deviantartguy0]

Eyyy!

[@niclasneziru1854]

This is one of the best comments i've seen in this entire platform

[@tracexl]

Honestly I'm surprised they didn't call it that.

[@hildegunnurdahl5130]

Strictly speaking they should trash the remake and make a completely new one as I honestly don't see the value in the remaster.

[@GonzoDaWicked]

nicely done

[@lsb2623]

I did a little research... the remaster was done by wolfram and hart.

[@SeeAndDreamify]

That can't be right, can it? They usually do quality work.

[@kathrynck]

@@SeeAndDreamify Oh, that's a good point. Perhaps they have an ulterior motive for making a great 90's tv show look like it was a home camcorder project? For example, it might still be an entertaining and relevant show, but if it hasn't kept pace with 'political agenda creep' it could make the shift more 'visible'... We can't have that, can we? Yeah, that sounds like Dis... err Wolfram & Hart.

[@honestgoat]

Ba ha ha ha ha. Brilliant... It makes total sense.

[@kathrynck]

@@JaggedMercenary hehe, well i was half-kidding ;) (half). Actually a change in an old movie that really cracked me up recently, was watching a more recent cut of Demolition Man... first off, FANTASTIC MOVIE, and frighteningly prophetic... but in the movie "all restaurants are Taco Bell" originally... but some sort of liscencing split-up forced recent cuts of the movie to awkwardly dub in Pizza Hut in place of taco bell, hehehe

[@kathrynck]

@@JaggedMercenary hehe, well i know at one point pepsi owned both pizza hut and taco bell (and a few other restaurant chains). They bought some chains to overcome exclusive coca cola contracts :P And then they were sold sometime in the last 20 years (with lingering exclusive pepsi contracts). I think initially all the pepsi restaruants were sold as a bundle, but they may have since been split up. Sounds like whatever copyright permissions existed for those restaurants got all legally wonky in the process at some point. Poltergeist scared me silly when i was little hehe. I started on horror movies pretty young hehe. People seem to think that's bad now, but i turned out completely normal ...

[@glennwahlberg8780]

"physical media is dying" and thats why piracy matters. its probably going to be the only way to get some of this stuff in the future.

[@kurtsnyder4752]

Shiver me timbers matey! Arrrrggghh!

[@tzuyu8788]

piracy is never wrong ❤️

[@cristianofurquimbianchini5842]

The great tragedy is that now you can see more clearly all the moments when the actors are replaced by stunt doubles, which does not happen in risky scenes, but all the time.

[@lilyheym5570]

Right! I mean, you could always kinda tell but it was usually blended in enough to where you could ignore it. But with the remaster it’s like they’re not even trying to hide it

[@dickyveto1164]

If it wasn't so Sarah might not be abled to do the 2nd season.

[@ChrisPeteG]

HD shows off the cheap nature and corner cutting of the show. It was made 4X3 for the Standard Def Age of TV. Cold hard facts.

[@cristianofurquimbianchini5842]

The fact that it was made in 4:3 does not justify the excessive appearance of stunt double, so much so that at the time it was already noticed

[@ChrisPeteG]

@@cristianofurquimbianchini5842 I didn't say it did. I said that HD showed off the cheap nature of the show. Cheap...as in, made for the 4X3 era of standard def TV. Meaning no version of it was ever designed with an HD presentation in mind. It can't have a great HD presentation no more than a black and white film can have a great color presentation. It is a cheap, Standard Def, 4X3 flavor of the decade show that was never going to have a lasting legacy or leave a lasting mark.

[@kathrynck]

Buffy: "HD bad ...DVD pretty"

[@brigidoleary2483]

kathrynck only true btvs fans understand that reference

[@PrinceArtorias]

Me like cavewoman Buffy

[@Deffine]

I think the color grading and goofs looks bad in the HD version, but i still watched it, because of the higher definition. The DVD version looks like mud, while still being the superior color graded version.

[@dayceem]

Remaster team: 'I may not deserve this, but - do you think you could forgive me?' Buffy: (Bonk)

[@LefevreCharlie]

@@Deffine i think the issue now is when you watch an SD show on a HD screen, if you were to watch the dvd version on an older SD tv screen it would look very good. i remember when dvds came out, everyone was raving about the superior image quality compared to vhs.

[@BadWolf739]

It's really disheartening to realise that they forgot to include the filter for the eclipse during the Mayor's Ascension. That's not just a level of subtext you lose, the students are literally now looking up into the sky for no apparent reason.

[@PassionoftheNerd]

NO reason. It's maddening

[@calicoc1335]

I'm actually a new buffy fan and first watching it on netflix, and I remember thinking that they were looking up at the sun because they knew shit would go down at a certain time.

[@quinnsinclair7028]

Calico C How many high school students do you know that tell time by the position of the sun?

[@thelegendofthem6120]

@@quinnsinclair7028 He does make sense though...they knew something WAS going down because they had been prepped by the Scoobies and once the battle starts we see them with an asernal of weapons, so it isn't exactly for no reason...though as a true Buffy fan...yes exclusion of details is maddening as F.

[@quinnsinclair7028]

100% Stratusfied Yeah but none of that explains why they look up at the sun in the remaster. If anything to Mayor transforming would be a more pressing sign of what’s about to go down than, the position of the sun. It has literally no relevance in the HD version where the eclipse they are supposed to be looking at is missing.

[@sabrina_jessica]

the people who are saying buffy is a “bad” show, don’t understand it. full of metaphors and not for the faint of heart, buffy shaped me as a woman.

[@bottomofastairwell]

seriously. buffy taught me that it was ok for a girl to be tough and to fight for what she wants. that show is everything. silly on the surface, but when you get to all the nuances, it's incredibly deep, and had such a lasting influence on television period. sci-fi/fantasy just wasn't on mainstream tv before that, except things like star trek, which everyone dismissed as only for nerds. buffy was the first "nerdy" show to really be mainstream. and one of the first tv shows to really blend genres and play with that crossover. buffy was groundbreaking in so many ways, not least of which was being empowering for an entire generation of women.

[@aprilbrookexo]

Saaaame

[@elizabethification771]

Absofuckinglutely! People who say its bad have probably only watched very few episodes from the first two seasons. It progressively got more nuanced, complex and so much darker. And the way the show handled all of it, it was a milestone in TV for me and definetely shaped me as a young woman. We had Buffy and Faith and Willow before we had a Wonder Woman.

[@alexisparks6135]

So much so that I named my daughter after Willow. Completely agree.

[@elizabethification771]

@Scott Whatever And we're supposed to care about that why exactly?

[@tessaviolet]

YES. YES. YES. thank you for explaining this i was like!!! Recently started again without knowing what was up and i was like why does this feel so insufferable to watch???

[@jaimeesummer5334]

Tessa Hiya!!

[@Elliszz]

Before I opened this video I thought "how can there be anything wrong with a remaster? It's just the original but in HD' but APPARENTLY A LOT

[@mazzyve]

A Hellmouth Lot!!

[@fe5018]

Yeah, who'd have thought?

[@briannabrickey444]

Ellis Tolsma yeah same lol

[@gateauxq4604]

HERE LIES BUFFY SUMMERS SHE SAVED TV A LOT

[@jobethgraves7338]

I am 75 years old and watch this show all the time. My youngest daughter watched the show and I started watching with her. She got me hooked!! Anyone saying it is “bad”, doesn’t know what they are talking about!!!

[@Real_SkyRipper]

Buffy was the best series of the 90's, it made the growth of a character be as good as it gets, can't believe they failed the 1080p version so bad.

[@LymanGreen]

And this is why my DVD set of the series never leaves my collection.

[@FaerieGirl456]

Same here!!!

[@nylesandrews]

Same Here as well.

[@hmtc222]

do they still sell the dvd sets or is it all remastered now??

[@michaelhenry3234]

@@hmtc222 Sail the high seas. You'll find the originals. If you really care about having a physical copy, you can always just burn the files to disc.

[@bernhardkuettner2470]

You have to take a close look, but the original is still available on DVD.

[@Rspsand07]

Buffy is already the best American show ever made, it doesn't need a graphics update.

[@GeneralG1810]

Personally I think Whedon is the best writer in Hollywood right now

[@thejeremiahrivera]

They have to update the graphics because to remaster it, they have to go back to the original scans without effects so they have to add them again.

[@pushitlpvo]

Supernatural is the best show of all time.

[@edbeasant9494]

Graphic update lol its not a video game dude

[@Knowbody42]

There's upscaling software now based on machine learning that could do a pretty good job. Topaz Video Enhance using the Gaia HQ v5 model works well for DVD upscales. Actually, you could probably just use it to upscale certain scenes, and replace the shitty scenes in the HD remaster with them.

[@k.g.1861]

The "remaster" is a slap in the face to all us Buffy fans. Like we're not good enough for them to put in the time & effort for an HD version, just some half-assed attempt someone got bored with doing not even half way through. Grr argh!!!

[@greenmrkitty1]

So glad I have the original DVD box sets

[@yooowhatupribs]

It's on Hulu right now in beautiful original SD

[@yooowhatupribs]

@@Balletified yep!

[@gorillafoot1372]

@@turbodavy68 hulu is available in the US and Japan only.

[@saviswaste]

I am heading to Hulu to RE re watch 💀

[@watersnake5319]

Does it give u the option between the 2 somehow? Because I'm watching it (well 2/3 of it anyway) right now.

[@ch3rri3girl]

@@watersnake5319 yeah, it's the garbage version on hulu for me too. I just watched the scene where they're trying to get past the police to get into the church and Willow is talking but she's now in the shot and her mouth isn't moving.

[@javoff08]

I can’t believe FOX made such a celebration of the 20th anniversary but didn’t fix this crappy remaster. I treasure my DVD box set, best impulse-buy of my life.

[@thelegendofthem6120]

How much does it go for? I was searching for it at Barnes and Noble...but all found was a girly book of Buffy empowerment quotes..and being 27 ...everyone looked at me weird so i put it down.😔

[@sethlong9118]

@@thelegendofthem6120 I would just like to point out, it doesn't really matter what anybody else thinks, if you feel awkward pickin' that book up in front of other people. Channel your inner Willow, and embrace your weirdness. Don't let other people manipulate how you feel about getting something you want. Fuck them. If you want a damn silly book filled with 27 powerful female quotes, grab it put that shit under your arm and walk out of the store proud. Don't steal it, I know how the line above reads. 😅

[@thelegendofthem6120]

@@sethlong9118 lol. You have it? I should've bought it you're right.

[@DrRockso1987]

I have mine sitting in my DVD collection. I don't touch it though out of fear of wearing down the DVDs. Instead I ripped all of my DVDs to my hard drive and watch them that way. Not to sound too over-dramatic but a world without the original versions is one I don't want to live.

[@anthonylosego]

@@DrRockso1987 burn everything to stone tablet (CNC stone data routing equipment). Then put those tablets in a humidity and temperature controlled environment. Then you're golden. (Thank me later!)

[@markcarter6832]

Thank goodness I have Buffy on dvd

[@whedonobsessed]

This is just so depressing. I was so happy to see that Buffy was on Disney Plus and actually told a bunch of friends to pleeease please watch this show, as it is one of the greatest of all time. But now I've just realised that it is the HD remaster and that absolutely breaks my heart. Even if they do watch it, what an awful way to be introduced to this show. It is a sacrilege.

[@Flarilein]

europe has the original, get a VPN

[@LilAdultMan]

Hulu has the original

[@RodneyisGodney]

The original is on HULU!

[@ytotiany3111]

I'm a cinematographer and 35mm film is one of the hardest mediums there is!! The cinematography of Buffy is brilliant!! if I had done it I would be even more infuriated. We work so hard to get the right frame and color in a movie or series and then it can all go to shit because of a lazy group of people.

[@stevegordon9179]

Ele G What makes it such a difficult medium?

[@Warriorsghost]

@@stevegordon9179 great now I really want to know

[@sarahjones1120]

@@Warriorsghost same 😂

[@AnimeWars2002]

I thought you were exaggerating before watching this video. Now I think you sugarcoated the title. Heroes Reborn is a tragedy This is just an abomination.

[@KC-fi2or]

Buffy is, arguably, the most iconic t.v. series as of yet. Not only was it revolutionarily progressive, it brought in a new wave of radicalism in storytelling

[@EloiseAwesomeballs]

I *KNEW* something was wrong with Buffy when I watched it on Amazon UK!!!!!!! I couldn't put my finger on it but I FUCKING KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for this video. The mayor's ascension was the worst. I was literally furious at that.

[@vvnt8410]

It never occurred to me this was the reason why I hated watching Buffy via Netflix and preferred watching the series on my DVD set. There was always something not quite right. Thanks.

[@pensacolian211]

You know I never even watched Buffy, and this still pisses me off. It upsets me to no end when they change things that don't need changing. My heart goes out to the fans of this show, they deserve better. This ain't even right.

[@mariareed5238]

I never did watch it either

[@TraumaQueen65]

I didn't watch it for years because I thought it was a show for tweens. I was wrong! And, it turned into one of my top 5 shows of all time. You really should give it a watch... now, before Fox/Disney completely fk it up :D

[@antonbrakhage490]

Its not even that they changed things. Its that they made blatant, obvious errors like having fucking crew in the shot, because they were incompetent and didn't give a shit.

[@nyctophobia787]

Once you watches it you will regret you never watch it before lol

[@RodneyisGodney]

As a Buffy fan, Thank you!

[@mavez6322]

Absolutely disgusting what they've done to my baby. I suggest we find the people responsible and throw them in to the Hellmouth.

[@salvation7362]

The tragic irony is that She closed the Hellmouth a few years before this abomination was released. 😄

[@GreyDeathVaccine]

But.... Spike destroyed the Hellmouth. We have to go to Cleveland.

[@TPRM1]

@@salvation7362 There’s one in Cleveland.

[@buddyroach]

When they finally do it right they should call it Buffy: Re-Vamped

[@archvaldor]

To this day a great many people who encounter Buffy assume its essentially shallow, bubblegum television of no real artistic aspiration or interest because of its superficial silliness and gloss. They completely miss all the subtext. I suspect the remaster team had that attitude.

[@krickrack]

I suspect that they wanted to make some quick and easy money on an old popular tv serie... they did it like they do it with cheap video games remastered... they don't care about the product, they only want to capitalize on the popularity of the franchise. What they care above all is easy money.

[@Vampwars]

Archvaldor's Warcraft Hacks, those are the people I avoid. If they’re not down with Buffy, they can’t sit with me.

[@yooowhatupribs]

Archvaldor in the wild! Your hacks are amazing

[@eleanoreandthelost]

I watched The Gift episode the other day and couldn't help crying. I still can't talk about the time Buffy had to kill Angel without getting a little over dramatic. Maybe Buffy would say her show 'had the feels'!

[@user-mr1hs4fx7z]

If people watch the episode where her mother dies and still think that, I just need to shake my head. The complete absence of music and usual sarcastic jokes was fucking unnerving.

[@TimTYT]

I clicked on this video accidentally and I have never watched Buffy, but this was fascinating. The HD remaster is like a car crash. It's so horrible you can't look away.

[@kyles6964]

Tim T you should watch Buffy, it’s good.

[@brittanylegg6410]

It was fate. You are meant to watch Buffy.

[@ninaamaral4434]

My father worked 25 years in color correction and this would have made his day, to finally see the recognition of his lifelong passion reaching greater audiences... Thank you so much for this!

[@doctor-jw]

The flavor of Buffy does not stay the same. It's like going from authentic Italian pizza (in Italy) to Domino's Pizza. I still watch the original on DVD.

[@yasao_art]

Oh my god o_o This randomly popped up on my feed and...I am shocked to see how terrible that supposed "HD" version is. I am so glad I own the DVD box of the original version.

[@Stellarfractre]

I was just about to type what you just said, nearly verbatim.

[@laura-327]

Same

[@rachelleggett1634]

Me too.

[@milowolfface9392]

@@Stellarfractre Whats werider is that I was about to type exactly what you said...how far does this rabbit hole go?

[@whitedragon7]

Me too. I'm never getting rid of my box set DVD...for any of the old shows. Greed has backfired on them, and I'm glad.

[@FilmHerald]

Amazing work. I especially appreciate the time you took to compare the aspect ratio/crop changes in multiple scenes. That must have taken forever.

[@PassionoftheNerd]

Thanks. The gentleman over in the Facebook group did the bulk of the comparison and example building. I just recreated their examples in Premiere and did the script. But there was certainly PLENTY to choose from. What a mess.

[@alexatkin]

@@PassionoftheNerd I assume you had to convert the PAL footage down in frame-rate to match it up? I've never managed to get that to work quite right myself, although I don't have Premiere.

[@meapantz1983]

😂

[@emanuellandin7403]

He invested more time in this video of what they invested in the remaster.

[@esmewvimes2901]

Bffy is one of the best most influential shows of it's time. It deserves to be done right.

[@brnmths]

Watched all the seven seasons of Buffy for the first when the remaster was done only until season 2 and, even not knowing all these problems, the gap on mood between the seasons was HUGE. I remember feeling that, from season 3 onwards, the show really felt dark and serious, something that was missing on the previous seasons

[@NicoAngelus]

That's the most upsetting thing, hearing that first time viewers are now discovering the show looking like a sitcom, and maybe thinking it's normal. Season 2 is probably the most dark looking of the entire series, losing that aspect is just tragic. Glad you got to see the rest of it in the proper version.

[@PogieJoe]

Beautifully done. You really sold why this isn't just some nitpicky fan whining. This is an embarrassment as to how we preserve an important show. You also did a great job explaining these upscaling concepts to people who don't normally pay attention to these kinds of things. I'll be taking some pointers for when I try and explain that stuff to my non-film friends!

[@NetAndyCz]

Makes me so sad that the HD version was not done with the care and love the show deserves.

[@GreyDeathVaccine]

Watched 7x22 for the first time few days ago on disneyplus. Running across the roofs of collapsing buildings looked terrible.

[@jeepjeep4762]

Guys it's obvious... The guy who hates Joss Whedon, who canceled Firefly... HE'S STILL AT FOX!!!! *GASPS* and he was in charge of the remaster.

[@gateauxq4604]

Hopefully he (or she?) finally got the axe. Fox trashed so many great shows before their time it’s appalling, not the least of which is Firefly and Dollhouse.

[@hiridavidfeign]

Now it makes sense.

[@x23sagittarius37]

maybe disney "release them out of the contract" after they bought fox

[@Amy-oo7mm]

Do you know that for a fact? Because I was becoming very suspicious of exactly that myself while watching this.

[@HabukiKuragari]

Bout to say, Fox hates Joss Whedon.

[@amberleestine]

I'm glad I bought the box set many years ago. This is my absolute favorite tv show EVER and I've watched A LOT of tv in my lifetime.

[@averyalyse]

Why does nobody talk about the error in Hell's Bells? When Anya is supposed to be in a completely black room you can literally see an exit door.

[@Firenutz]

May I have your permission to use this in my Film Editing classes? This is fantastic. And heartbreaking. The entire team behind this disaster should meet Mr. Pointy.

[@PassionoftheNerd]

Absolutely

[@dahdoc1614]

Its kind of sad that a generation of people will never see some of these amazing shows in the original form they were intended to be in. Sad to see that the Art Director died before this was rectified. Well done on this presentation. Made a lot of sense and provided very clear arguments. Cheers Mate!

[@wishbee947]

the original version is on hulu if you're in the US

[@notacompleteidiot...1285]

"Disney" and "care". Words that don't go together.

[@Perstephany]

Thank you for explaining this so in depth. I was so excited for the remaster, especially for the earlier seasons that were so dark, but when I saw it I thought something was off. The washed out faces, Angel looks like a twilight vampire in the daylight, and cropping out important details/props that show you what’s going on. The faces in some shots look like a Snapchat filter and iPhone sharpening tool lol. I thankfully have the show not remastered, but it sucks that this is how new viewers are going to experience it. It changes the storytelling completely.

[@jamesstrode6133]

i legit said "oh my god" out loud when i saw how much some of the scenes changed.

[@UTU49]

Many of the shots change from looking like a horror movie to looking like a soap opera. That will absolutely affect how the show feels to the viewer.

[@BaseballPlayer0]

@@UTU49 how does it go from horror to soap

[@SAPProd]

Hey Disney, now that Buffy is one of your princesses, while not give her show the royal HD treatment it deserves?

[@sethlong9118]

I heard quite a while ago that they're remaking Buffy the vampire Slayer, they're replacing Buffy Summers actress Sarah Michelle gellar with I believe someone of a different cultural background, but here's the thing. Since it'll be a reboot of the series, they're rebooting Buffy, body and soul, I think that's a terrible idea, when the show originally ran they introduced many other Slayers, I personally would be overjoyed if they somehow managed to bring Kendra back. but instead of having original characters, they're just going to recycle.

[@SAPProd]

“Buffy” was created as a riff on the genre conventions, where a vacuous valley girl teen that would be an early target of a monster would instead be the ass kicker. But honestly, “Buffy” doesn’t work anymore because the valley girl stereotype is no longer the norm. When Whedon wrote it for the movie, it was still a thing, and it was arguably out of date by 1997, when the series occurred. To do “Buffy” properly now, you would have to find a new “easily dispatched” character with a stereotypical name and personality to take up the mantle, which I think they are going for, and I’m not opposed to them exploring.

[@sethlong9118]

@@SAPProd neither am I, I just wish that instead of completely paving over a rich history of a show, they would add to it. Keep Sarah Michelle gellar in to do a couple Cameo appearances, but focus on a different Slayer. There were quite a few of them by the end of the series.

[@travisspazz1624]

When you think about it, the entire whedonverse is now a Disney owned franchise!

[@sethlong9118]

@@travisspazz1624 it's true what I've heard, Disney ruins everything.

[@kellycummings1474]

It all looks like it went through a Snapchat filter. When they show the eclipse, the shot doesn’t even get darker! What a disgrace to the show and the fans.

[@GarageStudio7]

*One of the Greatest TV Shows if time* 👑 It deserves much better ✨

[@emmarie2930]

This actually hurts. Buffy is beyond art - it is something so close to our hearts. A part of us. And they butchered the intention. Thanks for the information!!

[@tomcollins5512]

Buffy is unique in so many ways, some teen shows are fun to watch when they first air, but they don't seem to age well. Not so with Buffy, 20 years later and its still some of the best TV I've ever watched.

[@YOSUP315]

Really? The whole thing sorta collapses by the time you watch the last episode. It relies on mystery boxes that aren't interesting when reopened, and the characters seem flattened too.

[@EposVox]

I'm so glad I got the DVD box set. This is embarrassing.

[@davidharding542]

I have my original DVD's also :)

[@rp8812]

Can someone explain me the difference between the remaster and the dvd version? Is the dv version recent or like the old one from tv?

[@lilyheym5570]

@@rp8812 if you bought them before the restoration than yes

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

Sadly, in 20 years from now you won’t be able to watch them.

[@jacksonteller3973]

@@AlphaGeekgirl you will still able to see them via torrent sites like TV Vault

[@Kap00rwith2os]

I'm so grateful I have the original DVD releases 🙏

[@louisegodfrey7078]

Buffy was and still is my favourite series of all time. I'm 31 and still watch it every year... it's not outdated or needs to be remastered at all. To this day I think it fits right in and the graphics were and still are above standard. It moved with the times and the age group, it made every young girl want to be a slayer... maybe even believe in magic thanks to willow. It also knew when to end the series and not drain it out to the point it was embarrassing. Even at 31 years old I wish we could have one more series! And that's what makes it brilliant... we only have our minds, Hope's and dreams to plan our own 8th series! No1 will ever know obviously but we all can talk about what might/didnt/ wish had happened.

[@KaylaKasel]

Fun fact: there are comics that continue the story that are referred to as "season 8". I haven't read them, so I can't speak to their quality, but a season 8 does kind of exist if you count the comics.

[@n3cotraf]

Being a fan of Supernatural and iZombie, I felt the need to finally watch Buffy, as I heard multiple times it was the show "that started all". I downloaded it in HD, of course, this is 2019, I watched 2 episodes being like "this seems interesting but that fucked up 90s picture is making me sick, even in HD". Thank you for your explanation, I will retry in SD.

[@kyeanletofsky3316]

Thank you for giving it another chance

[@topsoil8690]

I also started watching Buffy because of iZombie!

[@tsukigalleta]

Buffy crying over the HD Remaster is the best part of the video XDD Thank you, Ian!!

[@BadWolf739]

I would have gone with her line to Giles "You must be so disappointed in me." but it still makes the point well.

[@reyqueenie]

The crying scene was fitting though.

[@albertothrist3568]

this show got me through high school I literally cried when I saw this how they could treat such an iconic show so poorly breaks my heart

[@rivertide3228]

I watched Buffy when i was at high school. This show is still my favorite and has special place for me. Because it was the first tv show that i saw story telling with metaphores, references, season with story arc, compelling characters. The season 4 finale episode Restless was above for tv in this times.

[@starbird3939]

The rule of cropping on people is to: 1) Never crop at the joints (knees, waist, fingers, wrist, elbow) 2) don’t crop the chin 3) When doing the face, keep the eyes around the the upper third of the frame 4) Don’t do awkward neck crops where it looks like you decapitated the person.

[@PassionoftheNerd]

I believe we broke every one of those in the first 10 seconds of the cropping section?

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

Rule 0) Just don't crop at all and keep the ORIGINAL aspect ratio, you revisionist scumbag. ;)

[@AlexanderAzarov]

@John Jalas Not like this!

[@andiran23]

​@John Jalas No we don't. Would you crop Mommy in 16:9 while it was filmed in 1:1? Aspect ratio matters. Don't fuck with it. Respect the filmmaker's vision.

[@jimdigitalvideo]

Speaking of cropping: One time I caught "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" on cable in widescreen. I had a copy on DVD so I compared the two and realised the widescreen cable version was severely cropped! It was my 4:3 DVD copy that had the whole picture! Baywatch has also been remastered into widescreen by cropping the picture. I'm glad I have all of Buffy on DVD!

[@ciceroflores1999]

This is heartbreaking. We need a better remastered Buffy The Vampire Slayer. If they are worried about cost, then give the original footage, soundtrack to the fans. I’m sure we would make the best remaster in history and it would have so much love and attention. It would be just GLORIOUS!

[@Eric-yt7fp]

Anything shot on actual film can be scaled up beautifully to full HD, 4K and beyond. There's really no excuse for a remaster to look worse than the original SD broadcasts when it was shot on film.

[@PetervanRij]

Well, due to costs I think the visual effects and color correction where done in SD as well as all the repositions/cropping of the shots. So if you go back to the original camera negative, all those (manually) cropping and also the vfx needs to be redone (matched with the SD version). Also a lot of the vfx were done in a software package called Flame. Nowadays storage and disks are big enough for everything. But probably the effects were stored in archives on tape. I don't know exactly what the workflow was in those times, so these are only guesses. But sadly it's not as easy as people think. I work in television commercials. And sometimes only to crop/reposition shots of a 30 seconds commercial can take 15 minutes and I'm saying this in 2021. So yes you're right that it's quite easy to blow up/scale up-down/resize/ something shot on film. But all the other post production steps are not on the actual film, so those need to be redone/fixed/converted which can take months or even years maybe. I never see this happen, so I'm happy to watch my DVD's.. It would be best to upload the SD versions on the streaming platforms. But those streaming platforms are only accepting 4K now I'm afraid.

[@rob21]

I'm not sure how this hit my feed, but I'm glad it did! I have the original Buffy DVD's and happy that I do now!

[@WillowfromBuffy]

Your last point is so important, because we *need* a remaster. When I tell friends to watch it, I tell them to get the original version, but most are drawn to the convenience and seeming attractiveness of the HD version. And the quality of S2, especially, just doesn't hold up anymore. It is too dark and muddy. A proper remaster of beautiful episodes like "Passion" would be such a dream. For ourselves and for the fandom to keep growing, we need that.

[@thelegendofthem6120]

Hi Willow! I love you and the show! I agree. And also hide the stunt doubles a little more. I hate when i see the Lunch Lady turn into a man or Dark Willow vs. Buffy turn into hulking ladies...muscular i mean. I cry..lol

[@WillowfromBuffy]

@@thelegendofthem6120 I think a good HD remaster will only make the stunt doubles more obvious. I don't get why they used a stunt double for lunch lady, because she does not do any stunts. Couldn't the actor just stand still and pretend to be hit by Buffy's stunt double?

[@thelegendofthem6120]

@@WillowfromBuffy I honestly thought the same thing you did. It doesn't make sense to see a man in lunch lady's clothes in some frames when Buffy lays into her. I know Ian(Passion of the Nerd) isn't a fan of Faith's and Buffy's stunt doubles in Season 3 for example because their hair is always on their face most of the time, but i prefer that to seeing someone else entirely. And also, to me it makes sense their hair is all over the place lol. Especially if you compare that to when the muscular stunt doubles for Dark Willow and Buffy look like in Season 6 during their fight before Giles returns. I cringed a little. Obviously all these mistakes can be forgiven because we're Buffy die hards, but still fix it damn it! If Disney owns it, they should. They're not short on money and they can repackage them with new interviews from cast and crew. Do another reunion even.

[@WillowfromBuffy]

@@thelegendofthem6120 I kinda like that BtVS has a bit of a home-made feel to it. There's a charm to obvious stunt work and practical effects. And the stunt people on BtVS and AtS are really *fucking* good at their job. You're not going to find a tiny SMG sized stunt double. You need a bit of muscle to do those things they do.

[@travisspazz1624]

Yes! The cinematography is damn good for a low budget 90s show. There's that panning upwards shot in Passion with Buffy fighting Angelus that just looks and moves so beautifully!!

[@HyperWolf]

17:50 "It may seem daunting..." *shot of dawn on screen* DAWN-TING

[@PassionoftheNerd]

tee-hee.

[@atomicdancer]

"Okay, so let's remaster this thing! First, let me just fix the settings on my remastering software..." *Brightness* : 🎚 100% *Digital Noise Reduction* : 🎚 100% *Auto aspect ratio cropping* : 🎚 100% *Color Correction* : 🎚 00% "Cool, now it's ready to go! I just need to click 'render,' and then go off to watch the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe on my phone, until the computer has completed remastering this 'Buffy and the Killer Vampire' thing."

[@danpetitpas]

I'm guessing someone at Fox imposed an insane deadline on slapping these HD transfers out, so as you said, they relied on automated software to do it quickly with no one who was familiar with the show supervising or even looking at the original transfers. It's a shame. Disney may fix it if enough people complain.

[@elainegilmartin7103]

Buffy is the best television EVER. Miss it so much.

[@tricjoseph9879]

Buffy shaped my whole identity, this remaster breaks my heart 💔 Who do I have to write a letter to to have this fixed? 😭

[@ivylasangrienta6093]

Disney. Unfortunately they do not gaf.

[@HOTD108_]

Hey maybe don't shape your whole identity off a TV show? That's kind of a toxic concept. Liking a show isn't a replacement for having a real personality.

[@eddierascalhaskell4954]

"Shaped my whole identity..." Yikes. Y'know some people just say they liked the show...A lot.

[@Robinem]

Friends’s HD remaster has had some of those problems mentioned around 11:00 - 11:15 in their later seasons (can definitely tell it was shot 16:9). Another one in the same vein as crew members and characters talking without their lips moving that has popped up online is when actors were switched with the worst body doubles imaginable appearing in the areas that was later cropped out for the original SD 4:3 broadcast. Also seen the where the set ends leading into where the audience was sat, the studio ceiling and missing wall panels revealing parts of the set that should be there but not in frame a few times too.

[@WildWaver]

This was a really good video! Very thought-provoking, and taught me some things about what goes into a film or television show that I had never heard of before. Thank you!

[@Ash800]

Now Angel and Spike are like the Twilight "vampires", walking in the light of day... and shining. Shame!

[@Sco6014]

I like them sizzling under a heavy blanket or cloak trying to run through the daylight

[@liaisanxious425]

I just checked and Hulu has the original format rn. Makes me happy

[@kmaezz]

One of the hulu apps have it. Idky there is 2 ...well actually 3 my 4k tv Samsung app has a different format...its weird. But one of the hulu options has the HD version of buffy lol so weird

[@Stayfnay42]

watching your channel always makes me want to cry/weep for various reasons. I think the root of which is your 'passion' for these shows and what they mean to you. Thank you for being such a magnificent dork with the rest of us

[@Kwistoweeish]

Thank you so much for including recommendations for DVD sets to buy in the description!

[@perrimadden6964]

Wish I could like this more than once. What they did to Buffy is a crime. Thank goodness for my old DVDs

[@brandon17760]

Did they ruin the Blu rays or something

[@reyqueenie]

Amen.

[@davecool42]

I had no idea there were HD remasters at all. So disappointing to learn they botched it. Sticking with my DVD boxed set.

[@pjw616]

This is maddening. This would look amazing with a proper HD restoration. The DVDs, while preserving the original vision of the creators, leave a lot to be desired as far as picture quality goes. We can hope that sometime on the future a proper HD conversion will be done with correct colors, no DNR, re-rendered CGI, and, except for “Once More With Feeling,” in the 4:3 ratio. I know people will demand widescreen, but Joss Whedon says it’s 4:3, and that is the final word on the subject.

[@thema1998]

I had known about this infamous remaster for a few years. However, I had never seen what it looked like until now. Fox *really* dropped the ball! 😆

[@travisspazz1624]

Come on Disney, you literally bought (among other things) the entirety of the whedonverse last week!! Present your new franchises with top tier presentation, remaster Buffy properly!!

[@hangryzombit535]

Do it. Do it. Do it!

[@MissPandora]

Careful, it's Disney they may remove all the blood and violence to fit their image if they remaster it.

[@tenbeat]

Actually Whedon still owns Firefly.

[@stealthslide2723]

Mickey the Jedi Slayer

[@travisspazz1624]

@@MissPandora They now own the Alien franchise, I think Buffy will be ok on that front.

[@Treblaine]

"Did you hear the Tragedy of The Buffy HD Remaster?" "No..." "It's not a story 20th century fox would tell you".

[@BrittanyDawson]

Amazing video! Absolutely spot on. Buffy is and will always be an incredible show, even despite the lackluster remaster.

[@aneehur]

Your efforts are really appreciated, please make more ruckus!!! The neglect that has been shown is sacrilegious !!!!

[@nebula0024]

As a VFX/Editor myself, I want to scream out loud right now. This is so abysmally amateur and terrible, I'm having trouble finding the words to describe it. Wholly unprofessional, embarrassing and sub-par work; how this made it past quality checks is *completely* beyond my understanding. When I went to college for this stuff I learned about color correction and how it sets a tone *in my first year* - it's literally foundational knowledge.

[@PhoebeStudioHabbo]

This is the first thing we learn at school. True shit!

[@charliericker274]

Clearly they hired people who never went to college. Probably just some dude with passing knowledge of how to use the software required.

[@JustaGuy_Gaming]

@@charliericker274 Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if to cut corners they gave it to some high school computer class to work on. Just say "Hey kids here's 50 bucks, remaster the series for us for an easy A". Though even that might be unfair, high school kids could do better than this as proven by half the video's on KZbin.

[@cattysplat]

​@@JustaGuy_Gaming You give them too much credit. It's pretty obvious that almost the entirety of the remaster was automatically done by a computer with automatic settings for all it's digital enhancements. There is literally no input, it's like dialling all the digital enhancement on your TV up to max. Most likely the person responsible just queued it up on some software overnight and had it finished encoding by the next morning. That this got approved shows how little big companies caring about classic shows right now with the Blu-ray market dying and every casual viewer watching HD content on their tiny phone screen not noticing the painful differences and horrendous treatment of the original source material, besides most millennials having never seen it before.

[@transcuber]

my guess is they hired people who had never seen a movie or tv show before

[@bacon575]

This is literally the first time I've ever commented on a KZbin video. But this is spot on! Buffy is my favorite show of all time. Everyone gives me shit about it in till they actually watch it. Such an amazing show treated so poorly. The old crappy versions with all of the black crush do it more justice. The stories and the writing are the main points, but the visual cues add so much extra

[@PassionoftheNerd]

Happy to be the source of your first internet comment. This channel is nothing but Buffy lovers. With some Angel lovers dropped in for good measure. :-)

[@bacon575]

@@PassionoftheNerd thx. Reposted on my Facebook

[@alexandrabellville4179]

This is sad people will never get to experience the buffy we did 😥

[@natf7942]

And then you see comments on this video saying they don't care and it's like 😖

[@endezeichengrimm]

Well they can, if they find the DVD's.

[@LadyVenomWay]

My absolute fave. Loved it as a kid and love it now as an adult. No other show will ever match it

[@BurhanDanger]

The amount of time and care you've given for this video is greater than what remaster team given for whole 7 seasons.

[@aiskun]

I live in Italy and this is the first time I hear about a Buffy Remaster and it's only just because a random video popped on my feed and I'm so angry right now. This is shit streamed in full hd glory. Shame on Disney/Fox. God damn it.

[@giacomodagostino8539]

Davvero una vergogna, non c'è che dire

[@STASlayer]

This really makes me appreciate the care and attention paid to the Star Trek TOS and TNG remasters.

[@BenPole90]

Glad I got them on DVD...Just proves that a remaster isn’t needed for everything. Excellent video! Subscribed.

[@sonablom]

Omg finally I understand the uncanny valley weirdness i feel watching some stuff on my folks fancy tv, it’s DNR! Great breakdown thanks

[@Zefrem23]

It's not only DNR, it's also 60FPS upframing. Content filmed at 29.976FPS gets software-"enhanced" to 60FPS, which makes it look like cheap soap-opera video footage. If you can find the setting to turn that crap off on your folks' TV, DO IT!

[@sonablom]

@@Zefrem23 I wish I could but they actually like it! No accounting for taste I guess.

[@scottyscoper]

sonablom or...preference? There’s nothing wrong with having a preference that differs from another, as long as there’s no harm to others as a result. Preferring a high frame rate doesn’t make one less-than, wrong, or lacking taste, simply because it doesn’t equal yours. It is an available setting after all, along with a multitude of other picture and sound settings, to adjust to the viewer’s liking. Live and let live.

[@sonablom]

@@scottyscoper true true. The ribbing banter I have with my folks didn't translate well in this context. They can do what they want with their tv. Just drives me nuts especially if they're watching something I saw previously unmastered or not HD etc

[@batsshadow]

@@sonablom Turn it off when they aren't in the room. They won't notice, but everything will suddenly just look better.

[@KiLLaBushWooKiE]

The shot of the crew haha. Totally agree, damn them bright filters are embarrassingly piss poor. Needs to be all done correctly again. I don't mind the wide-screen from S4 onwards, the EU versions on Netflix Amazon have them by default.

[@KiLLaBushWooKiE]

@S C Lee do they, what all seasons or just from S4 onwards ? They better than what is shown here.

[@aprilnelson9044]

btw, I'm so damn happy I found this channel! Can't believe there are so many of us still left. I didn't discover Buffy until the 4th season or so, and it quickly became a "must do". Here's the funny part: I'm 51 yrs old now and I still love the show and all those characters. Watch it frequently, still.

[@Skywalker_Alex]

Thank you very much for your work. I was looking for a video where they explained the differences to me well

[@freezeraystop]

I really hope Disney sees this!!! Amazing work Ian, I agree 100%. It's a shame that the HD version might be the version some people watch for the first time. We can only hope that with Disney at the helm they go back and do it right.

[@ChairLEEtheUNICORN]

I only just started watching Buffy on Netflix and I was so disappointed because so many people love it and it has everything I love in a show but I just didn’t get it ???? This has brought so much clarity, guess I’ll hunt down a standard version

[@cheekybabe666]

Get through season 1, it's a but campy. Season 2 it really heats up.

[@MovingAcrossTheOcean]

if you watch it on hulu it's a lot better

[@imalwaysright]

The remaster changes the show completely. It removes subtext, and is difficult to watch

[@TheYoghurt42]

Season 1 had a lower budget, and there wasn't any guarantee that the show would keep going afterwards. So I agree with cheekybabe666 that it gets better as you go.

[@zeetuslupeedus]

Definitely get through season 1 first lol. It's a really incredible series.

[@pulpted9937]

What’s funny is that I watched this before rebinging Buffy. Suddenly, I had the urge to watch a Buffy episode review. I completely forgot it was the same you. You really care a great deal about Buffy and I appreciate it!