Angel

Angel
Written by David Greenwalt
Directed by Scott Brazil

Original Airdate: April 14, 1997

Plot: The Master enlists the aid of his three most dreaded vampires allies to destroy the slayer--not realizing that one of them in love with her.

Review

Warning: If your mission is to avoid SPOILERS under penalty of death, I suggest you turn back now. There are major ones just around the corner for "Angel."

In short: A fun episode.

I've got a confession to make--I was really hesitant about finally getting to see this episode. Why you ask? Well, a major part of it is that every time I bring up the first season episodes I've missed, a lot of people tell me, "You've got to see 'Angel'! It's one of the best Buffy episodes ever!" That kind of glowing praise makes me anxious to see a story, but also makes me hesistant. I'm afraid that for some odd reason the expectations I have may have been so raised that I will end up not liking the episode or overlooking what could be a classic story simply because there's been too much hype and build-up surrounding it. (And the WB certainly didn't help, at least not in my area, where we got commericals every five minutes yesterday for this episode!)

So, I had mixed emotions as I tuned in last night to watch "Angel" for the first time.

And my reaction...

Well, I hope you're sitting down for this one.

I enjoyed it. "Angel" is easily one of the best season one episodes I've seen. In fact, if anything, it feels like a season two episode more than it does season one, because it's got so many of the elements that hooked me on season two--threats to Buffy, Buffy/Angel moments, some nice scenes with the Scooby gang, and a bit of screen time for Buffy's mom. It all added up to a good episode.

For the most part, large chunks of this were spoiled for me by havng watched the second season. Knowing Angel is a vampire with his soul restored to torture him wasn't any major shock, though I can imagine that it would be if I'd seen this back in season one. But, I will admit it did lend a bit of an interesting slant to the scenes that take place in Buffy's room, such as Angel referring to hiding out in her closet during the day and not being able to read her diary. That and the sequences in which he is framed by Darla for attacking Buffy's mom. Her resolve to kill him despite her feelings for him will be paralleled in some of the final episodes of season two, especially in the Becoming. I liked seeing those parallels.

Another thing I enjoyed was that the Master refers to losing a large portion of his forces to the Slayer. It gives a sense of urgency to him because it shows that he doesn't have an unlimited supply of vamps to send against the slayer. It's nice to see that Buffy is having an impact on him and his plans to rule the world. I also get the impression that vampires are beginning to give Sunnydale a wider berth than normal due to the fact that Buffy's there to take them out should they show their pointy fangs in town. Those are some nice touches. I like the fact that Buffy is having an impact on the resident vampire community and having success as the slayer.

Another portion I really, really liked was the fact that Buffy continues to grow in her slaying skills. The scenes with Giles in which she trained with the new weaponry were nicely done. But, also seeing Buffy using the crossbow was nice as well. Her obvious excitment at getting to upgrade was nicely handled. A small detail that really helped the story out was that she was immediately proficient with it, as was shown when she battled Darla using the crossbow. It gives the overall series a sense of movement. I only hope that we see Buffy using the crossbow again soon and becoming more effecient with as the series progesses.

And speaking of Darla, after seeing her here, I was sorry to see her get the old stake. She was manipulative and devoius in ways the Master isn't. I understand the Master is going to be tough to take down because of his sheer power, but I think Darla was far more dangerous. She had the creative streak to be a major thorn in Buffy's side and it was a shame to see her go. Not that she didn't deserve to be staked for the hell she'd put both Buffy and Angel through (and I really found myself a lot more sympathetic toward him knowing future plot details than I might normally have been had I seen this episode back in season one!). I think the Master has lost a major, major asset with the death of Darla and I think it will begin to show in these final episodes of the season. I have to admit that I can't wait now to see Prophecy Girl to see how some of the events set in motion here play out.

But, when it all comes down to it, I've got to admit that Angel didn't quite have the same effect as Lie to Me did. Not that it wasn't good, but I will tell you that it while it was good, it certainly doesn't rank up there in the top five all time great Buffy episodes. Top ten, yes. Top five, no.

So, that about wraps it up for now, except for a few small things...

--The Annointed One, just exactly what's the point to him? I found Darla a far more capable second in command than him. Is his only purpose to bring Buffy to the Master? I just feel there's more that could be done with him.

--I liked Joyce's remarks about the teachers really caring at Sunnydale High when Giles showed up at the hospital. Taking some of these scenes in the light of her attempted flirting in Lie to Me, I get the impresion a Giles/Joyce relationship could be a good possiblity.

Anyway, that's about it for now. All in all, a good story, but not quite the classic I'd hoped for.

My rating: 9.0 (out of 10.0)

Next up: A teacher/student relationship gone bad haunts the halls of Sunnydale...