Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 3
Region 1 Season 3 DVD cover
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	22
Broadcast
Original channel	The WB
Original run	September 29, 1998 (1998-09-29) – July 13, 1999 (1999-07-13)
Home video release
DVD release
Region 1	January 7, 2003 (2003-01-07)[1]
Region 2	October 29, 2001 (2001-10-29)
Season chronology
← Previous Season 2 Next → Season 4
List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer 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 [edit]

After attempting to start a new life in Los Angeles, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) returns to Sunnydale in season three. 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.

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, until a fight with Buffy puts her in a coma.

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. Buffy and her friends organize the graduating students to fight back against Wilkins and 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 to begin his spinoff series in Los Angeles.

Cast and characters [edit]

Main cast [edit]

• Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
• Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
• Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
• Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
• David Boreanaz as Angel
• Seth Green as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne (Does not appear in "Consequences")
• Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles

Recurring cast [edit]

Crew [edit]

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 for the remainder of Buffy's run.^[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 [edit]

Reception [edit]

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 [edit]

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 [edit]

External links [edit]

• List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes at the Internet Movie Database
• List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 3 episodes at TV.com
• List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 3 episodes at BuffyGuide.com
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer at epguides.com