I get a kick out of reading TV critics’ complaints about DVD box sets, like the Midwestern critic who was frustrated by the little grave marker affixed to the 24-disc set of "Six Feet Under." It was "stuck poorly in place and kept coming off the box." Horrors!

Then again, that set costs $180. How can you blame a critic for hoping the packaging won’t fall apart?

A critic in the Southwest wrote a good point about the $140 "Alias" collection: "The stories are still ludicrously contrived." Yes, now that the show’s off the air, they still are ludicrous.

And a DVD writer for a magazine dutifully points out Sacha Baron "Borat" Cohen isn’t always consistent in the $35 "Da Ali G Show: Da Compleet Seereez," because "in season 1, episode 2, the theme is ’War,’ but that’s the episode where Borat takes etiquette lessons."

That crazy Borat. So unpredictable.

We critics know that box sets are mostly review-proof. Little grievances won’t keep hard-core fans from buying favorite shows. More to the point, many people will continue to buy these sets to give as gifts this holiday season, whether gift receivers want them or not.

Some time ago, a family member asked if I wanted the box set of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" as a gift. "God, no," I said.

"Buffy" is my favorite series. But I watched every episode that aired. If I need a fix, "Buffy" still re-runs on FX. And sometimes, box sets freak me out. I look at them and think, "Which one first?" I can’t decide, then play Xbox 360 instead.

On the flip side, who doesn’t want to catch up on a series they didn’t always tune in for? I own the apparently grave marker-flawed "Six Feet Under" box and the "Ali G" anthology, so I’m sure I’ll check out episodes I didn’t catch over the years.

Much has been made in the press about the "24" effect. "24" is a 24-episode movie every season, and quite a few fans would rather watch them all in a row than an hour at a time. The same is true for serials like "Lost" (which, like "24," is only on season-by-season DVDs, not yet a box set).

But there’s also the living-in-the-past crowd. New TV’s not good enough for them, so they go all auld lang syne on "Sex and the City," "MASH," Johnny Carson and "Homicide." But a $200 "Get Smart" box? A $384 "Transformers" collection? Whatever flips your skirt, man.

And then come the "completists" who simply want to own everything a show has to offer. If I were a "Buffy" completist, I’d covet that box set for the usual DVD bonus items, like behind-the-scenes footage, and commentaries by creator Joss Whedon and actor David Boreanaz.

Hmm. OK, maybe I do desire "Buffy’s" box. Damn you, "Buffy"! Damn you and your $170 wiles!