Research on d^8-d^8 complexes is being actively pursued, owing, in part, to newly developed time-resolved optical, IR, and X-ray methods that directly interrogate bonding changes upon excitation. Our review covers work on the ground- and electronic excited states, as well as the oxidized and reduced forms, of these complexes. Recent experimental and theoretical results add a new chapter to the rich history of d^8-d^8 spectroscopic and chemical behavior.