SPOILERS

THESE SPOILERS WERE BORROWED FROM ANOTHER WEB SITE, BUT PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT SCOOBY_GANG@BUFFYMAIL.COM IF YOU HAVE ANY NEW ONES.
General Season 4

Thanks to Mysty Mage for some of this new casting info and spoilage.

CASTING: Buffy, Willow, Xander, Oz, Giles, and Spike will all be regular characters in Season 4. Joyce will remain a recurring guest star, Anya will join the cast as a recurring guest star, and they are introducing a new character, Riley Finn.

Official Season 4 Press Release: In its first two and a half seasons, Buffy The Vampire Slayer has left an indelible mark on our cultural psyche, and continues to grow in popularity. Now the series that always delivers the unexpected will metamorphose again as Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and friends embark on the ultimate adventure - college.

The new season finds Buffy, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Oz (Seth Green) entering their freshman year at the University of Sunnydale. Still reeling from Angel's abrupt departure, Buffy thinks her love life is over - until she happens upon the new Mr. Right. Now living away from home for the first time, Buffy learns to juggle the pressures of college and the challenge of saving mankind with the fatherly guidance of her new mentor, Giles (Anthony S. Head). Returning to Sunnydale are Xander (Nicholas Brendon) - back from his travels - and Spike (James Marsters), the punk vampire whose bad attitude has taken a mysterious turn for the better. But all of their lives will change forever when they meet the university's Professor of Demonology.

Contrary to what I posted earlier, Juliet Landau (Drusilla) will not be returning to Buffy. There is a chance she'll make guest spots sometime in the future, but she won't be back for a while. A movie career is keeping her busy and away from Buffy.

All the rumors going around now about Buffy and Xander, and the episodes titled, "Eye of the Beholder" or "One for Luck" are not true. (This does not mean that a Buffy/Xander combo will never happen, just not right now, and not in those episodes, because they don't exist. I have yet to receive one bit of true info that even hints that Buffy and Xander will get together in any way.)

Oz is expected to be returning, but I don't know when. According to Joss, and other crew members (posting on the official board) it is in the works for Oz to return, but as far as I know right now, he has yet to return to the set and begin filming. His status on the show will remain a guest star, and he will no longer be a regular cast member.

Willow and Tara will be pursue a relationship of sorts. I am not sure how far it will go, the reasons behind it occurring, or how/when it will end. It has been stated that the two supposedly do kiss. Oz is expected to return during the course of these events.

A Colonel Haviland will be introduced in an upcoming episode, but unlike previously reported he's a very minor character in just ONE episode. He does not take over the Initiative permanently and there are no extended plots connected to him.

Emma Caulfield (Anya) has been signed as a regular for the show. Bailey Chase (Graham) has signed to be a recurring guest star now on Buffy.

Someone does die this season, but despite the rumors, it's not a member of the core Scooby Gang. I do not know specifically who dies though, so please don't ask. (This info does come from an extremely reliable source, and I see no reason for it to be wrong. The core SG all have 5-year contracts and no one from the cast has expressed any desire for leaving the show. They've all been nothing but happy with the show and looking forward to continuing with the show as long as the material remains good and respectable.)

Tara does not die this season, and instead is expected to return next season when her "secret" is revealed.
Where the Wild Things Are


This is episode 18, and should air in April sometime. Despite rumors going around, according to everything I have, Oz does not return in this episode. It's possible though he returns in the very end, but I don't have any confirmation on that.

The ghosts of abused children at a former orphanage cause the guests of a frat party to...have a little fun. Among other couples, Buffy and Riley are under influences that keep them doing it, over and over and over again. (I don't have any pairings besides Buffy/Riley confirmed, but Xander and Anya as well as the relationship between Willow and Tara will definitely be a part of this episode.)

Xander nearly drowns in a bathtub.

This episode also covers Giles having a mid-life crisis. In addition to it being a frightening experience for Giles, it has an effect on others, specifically Willow.

LOST IN LUST - Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Riley (Marc Blucas) unleash a powerful supernatural force that awakens during a Lowell House fraternity party and causes everyone's hormones to kick into overdrive, threatening the very lives of Buffy and Riley. In order to free them, the gang must battle the spirits of children from the 1950s who have come back to avenge past abuses. Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, James Marsters and Anthony Stewart Head also star. David Solomon directed the episode written by Tracey Forbes (#P4ABB18).
New Moon Rising


This is episode 19, to air either in April or May sometime.

This is the episode Oz will be returning in. Oz return, claiming to have control over the werewolf. He expects a second chance with Willow, but Willow's new relationship with Tara makes that complicated.

In werewolf mode, Oz is captured by the Initiative and Riley betrays the Initiative to get him out.

OZ COMES HOME TO WILLOW - Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and her friends are stunned when Oz (guest star Seth Green) returns to Sunnydale claiming he still loves Willow and has his full moon frolics under control. Meanwhile, Willow tries to sort out her feelings for Oz and finally tells Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) about her new relationship with Tara (guest star Amber Benson). But when the moon sets, a transformed Oz is captured by The Initiative and an unlikely source breaks his alliance to come to the rescue. Marti Noxon wrote the episode directed by James A. Contner. (P4ABB19).
The Yoko Factor


This is episode 20, and is supposed to be the first half of a two-parter.

Spike is the "Yoko" in this episode. Adam recruits Spike to help him tear apart the Scooby Gang by separating Buffy from her friends.

Angel crosses over in this episode.

DAVID BOREANAZ GUEST-STARS IN A SHOWDOWN FOR BUFFY'S HEART - Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is even more certain of her love for Riley (Marc Blucas) when Angel's (guest star David Boreanaz, "Angel") surprise visit to Sunnydale brings Riley and Angel to blows. Meanwhile, Spike (James Marsters) joins forces with Adam (guest star George Hertzberg) and devises a plan to tear the Slayer apart from her gang, leaving her wide open for her enemies to attack. David Grossman directed the episode written by Douglas Petrie. (P4ABB20).
Primeval


This is the second part of the two-parter. I don't have a confirmed air date for this episode, but it can be assumed that the episode will air on May 16, 2000.

Much to the dislike of the new Initiative leader, Colonel McNamara, Adam gets on the inside and sets all of the demons and vampires free.

After a major battle with the free demons and vampires, Buffy and friends do escape, but there are many fatalities. After all the carnage, and the important Scooby Gang escape alive, the Initiative project is shut down by higher authorities. Everything is destroyed.
Restless


This episode is the season finale episode. The air date is May 23, 2000. This is a Joss Whedon episode, and therefore, the majority is very top secret. I have very little on this episode right now, as it is still being filmed, and what I do have is sketchy. I will add more as soon as I can, but I will not reveal any information that isn't posted here. So, please don't ask me to reveal things that aren't here on the site.

(Apparently, I need to word this spoiler differently, because rumors are getting started, and I'm getting credit for them.) In this episode, it appears that Xander is actually killed, but he's not. I do know for a fact that Xander WILL be back next season, and is committed to more than just 5 seasons. The only explaination for this scene is that it's a dream. While the method of killing Xander leaves no option for survival, the scene screams "dream sequence." Xander does not die for real, and does not return next season as anything but a human.

Finally, I can offer more that will deny all these rumors. The entire episode is based on people's dreams. A large portion of everything that goes on in this episode is a dream. It allows us to see deep into the characters and get a more emotional connection with them that we didn't have before. Especially for Xander, we will see more into his family life and how difficult things really are for him.