Buffy the Vampire Slayer + Angel Watchthrough

Here we go!

Angel - City Of - Season One, Episode One

Notes:
- Clever title.
- Angel's in Los Angeles, drowning his sorrows and making me laugh.
- OH MY GOD IT'S SAWYER. AND HE'S A VAMPIRE.
- Angel saves two girls from a group of vampires.
- Angel's tricked out with some pretty sweet Assassin's Creed-esque hidden stakes.
- I recognize the theme music from my childhood! It's pretty fucking boss!
- Oh yay, Cordelia's in it too, right from the beginning!
- Angel returns to his hideout, where he finds a strange Irish man named Doyle. He's a demon.
- Doyle gives a succinct summary of Angel's life for the new viewers. Well, it's a nice idea. Bit awkward.
- Turns out Angel's still craving blood from when he drank from Buffy. Doyle warns Angel that the craving's only gonna get worse and that one day, Angel's gonna give in.
- Doyle reveals that he gets visions from "The Powers That Be", and that he does his best to follow what he sees. The visions led him right to Angel. Doyle tells Angel to meet with a girl named Tina.
- Angel tracks down Tina and tries to strike up a conversation. It's awkward, but Angel still manages to secure a date. Or so he thinks. As soon as she gets off work, Tina holds Angel at... mace-point and tell him she knows who he is. She believes he was sent by a man named Russell - an ex boyfriend. Angel convinces her he's legit, and she opens up some more. She moved to LA to be an actress and is going to a party to try and network. Angel offers her a ride.
- So Angel doesn't cast a reflection, but he can be caught on tape? Strange.
- At the party, Angel finds a very, very, very, very tanned Cordelia. She's an actress now.
- Tina is accosted by a guy who works for Russell, but she tells him to fuck off. She and Angel try to leave, but they ambushed by goons. Tina is kidnapped. Angel chases them down and gets Tina back.
- Cordelia's not as successful as she leads Angel to believe.
- Tina's actress is really familiar looking.
- Angel lets Tina crash at his place while he tries to find Russell. He does some research over night and returns in the morning. Tina panics, though, when she sees a note that Doyle wrote about her (giving Angel the place and time to find her). She goes to leave and Angel tries to stop her, but his hand accidentally enters sunlight and bursts into flame. Angel's vampire face come on though reflex and Tina flees in horror.
- Tina prepares to leave the city, but Russell corners her in her apartment. Turns out he's a vampire too and he attacks her. Angel arrives too late and finds her long-dead body.
- Angel and Doyle track down one of the henchman from the party the previous night and interrogates him about Russell's whereabouts.
- Russell turns his attention to Cordelia. He arranges a meeting with her at his private estate. Angel and Doyle plan to break in.
- Cordelia realizes Russell is a vampire. He does not take being discovered well.
- The vampire faces look all blotchy and weird. I think they're CGI now. Fucking CGI.
- Angel arrives just in time. Russell's security force shows up and shoots Angel a couple times. He takes the bullets like a champ and carries Cordelia to safety. He, Cordelia and Doyle make their escape.
- The next day, Angel strolls straight into one of Russell's business meetings. Angel kicks him straight out a sky scraper window. Fuck. Yeah. Angel.
- Russell is incinerated by sunlight before he hits the ground. A lawyer who represents a shady law firm makes a phone call warning that there's a new player in town.
- Angel making a phone call to Buffy. He put the phone down when she answers though.
- Cordelia tells Angel that he and Doyle should start a business where they help people. They call it Devil May Cry. No they don't.

Episode Rating:

10/10

That was... really, fucking good. If they can maintain this quality then I'll be amazed.

Quote :

The vampire prosthetics (excepting Angel's) were a newly-created prototype design for this episode, as the production team wanted to try a darker, scarier look. However, they were unhappy with the effect, and soon returned to Buffy-style vamp-faces.[2]

Jin and Bernard show up later in the series too. Bai Ling too (lol, she even stars in the worst episode of the series AGAIN).

Buffy - Living Conditions - Season Four, Episode Two

Notes:
- Fucking Cher. Do you beliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieve in life after love?
- I hope Cathy dies soon. She's too nosy.
- Buffy is stalked by some evil looking demon men with glowing green eyes.
- Cathy snoops through Buffy's stuff, but doesn't realize what the relevance is. She does borrow her clothes though.
- Buffy meets a guy named Parker while trying to avoid Cathy.
- Buffy has a nightmare about one of the demons eating her soul or something. Cathy has the same nightmare.
- Buffy and Cathy start sniping at one another.
- The demons plan to summon something called Tapperich.
- The army dudes are still lurking on campus, catching vampires.
- The nightmares continue to worsen for both Buffy and Cathy.
- Buffy decides to kill Cathy because she thinks she's evil. The demons have clearly been messing with her head.
- Worried, The Scoobies tie Buffy up and try to get to the bottom of it. Buffy escapes and returns to the room.
- Turns out Cathy really is a demon. Cathy has been trying to steal Buffy's soul so that she can escape other demons of her kind.
- Giles and Willow cast a spell that returns Buffy's soul to her body. Tapperich - Cathy's father - comes and takes Cathy away, back to Hell or wherever. I hope we never see her again.
- The episodes ends with Willow moving in as Buffy's new roommate. Hooray.

Episode Rating:

6/10

Just a silly episode through and through. Nothing special.

One of these days I should create a rubric through which I should judge episodes.

Angel - Lonely Hearts - Season One, Episode Two

Notes:
- Doyle has a powerful vision of a bar and a feeling of impeding disaster.
- At the bar, a suspicious guy named Kevin introduces himself to a girl named Sharon.
- Just quickly, is Angel (the show) just Angel (the character) trying to save a bunch of white, blonde women? Because okay, I get what they're going for already.
- I really love the opening music. Dat violin.
- Angel, Cordelia and Doyle arrive at the bar and scope out the place, but don't notice Kevin and Sharon slipping away.
- Angel meets with a woman named Kate. They bond, but Angel turns down her offer to go somewhere private.
- Meanwhile Doyle gets into a fight over defending Cordelia's honour. Angel joins in and helps dispatch the aggressors, but attracts the attention of another lady. Kate looks on jealously.
- Turns out Sharon is evil. She kills Kevin after sleeping with him. God help me if she's part mantis.
- Angel and the others (do they have a group name? ... Scoobies 2?) investigate and find that there have been several deaths around the bar recently. Angel returns to the bar, looking for the killer.
- Angel realizes the killer is Sharon and tracks her down. It turns out the killer is a slug demon thing that switches hosts after sex. It was in Kevin, then it moved to Sharon. Now it's in some new guy. Angel tries to fight it, but it beats him down and runs away. Kate arrives and finds Angel with Sharon's dead body. Turns out Kate's an undercover LAPD detective who was on the case. Angel gets away.
- Angel rendezvouses with Doyle and Cordelia. He tells them the killer is a Burrower.
- The Burrower switches host to an Asian girl.
- Realizing he needs help to track it down, Angel calls Kate and asks for her help. They arrange to meet.
- The Burrower - having switched host again - almost gets Kate, but Angel arrives and knocks it back. The Burrower manages to kick them down into the cellar and lock them in. It goes looking for a new host, but has difficulty because Angel injured it's host body.
- Angel and Kate escape just in time to stop the Burrower from passing host again. Angel kills the Burrower by setting on fire. In the aftermath, Angel and Kate part ways.
- Doyle and Cordelia just want to go home, so Angel dismisses them. He's relieved that he get to sit alone in the dark and brood.


Episode Rating:

8.5/10

Yeah, all-around a good episode.

Next Buffy/Angel batch crosses over so be sure to watch them RIGHT NOW.

And Angel's always got a bit of a thing for blondes. Remember Darla?

The gang is usually called Angel Investigations.

Buffy - The Harsh Light of Day - Season Four, Episode Three

Notes:
- Buffy's hot for Parker.
- Heyyyyy, Oz and his band are going to play a show in LA. I can see where this is going.
- Oh shit it's Harmony. I definitely remember her getting bitten by a vampire during the Graduation Day kerfuffle.
- Harmony is a vampire, and she attacks Willow. Nooooooooo!
- Oz manages to tear Harmony off Willow and send her packing. Harmony says they'll be sorry once she tells her boyfriend.
- JAMES MARSTERS IS IN THE CREDITS. YEAH.
- Parker and Buffy are walking each other home. Parker notices a scar on Buffy's neck from where Angel drank from her. Parker asks her out to a party the next night, and Buffy happily accepts.
- Anya's back. She still wants Xander.
- Yay, Spike. Dunno what he's doing with Harmony though.
- Spike's back in Sunnydale, digging a tunnel to something. Harmony raises a fuss about them not doing any fun, so Spike promises to take her to a party to shut her up.
- The same party that Buffy and Parker are at. The two couples run into each other, and Spike bolts. Buffy runs after him, but Spike tells her he's not interested in fighting her yet. Harmony lets slip that Spike is searching for the Gem of Amara. Spike, frustrated, leaves with her.
- Anya shows up at Xander's house, gets naked and tries to seduce him. Anya wants to bang Xander so she can move on.
- Buffy alerts Giles about Spike's plans. Giles says it's not real, similar to a Vampire Holy Grail.
- Parker and Buffy resume their date while Harmony and Spike have angry vampire sex.
- I really hate the bands that play in this show.
- Oh damn, Parker and Buffy do the dirty. On the first date, Buffy? Have you no shame?
- Xander and Anya bump uglies too. He and Buffy are tied for sexual partners, and Willow's just had the one, who would've thought?
- Giles finds information about the Gem of Amara. It's sealed in an underground crypt.
- Spike enters the crypt and finds the Gem but nothing happens when he puts it on. Harmony wanders around the crypt, getting more and more on Spike's nerves. He finally snaps and stakes her, but the wound regenerates and she is unharmed. Turns out the Gem was actually a tiny ring that Harmony slipped on in the background. Spike violently takes the ring back and gains ULTIMATE POWER. A depressed Harmony is left behind.
- Turns out that Parker is actually a shallow prick who played Buffy like a violin. Oh Buffy, when will you learn?
- Buffy's vagina turns guys evil. She's two for two right now.
- Spike ambushes an emotionally-troubled Buffy in broad daylight, demonstrating his new invulnerability. Buffy stakes him, but he shrugs it off.
- Willow, Oz and Giles find the crypt and a sobbing Harmony. She tells them about the ring.
- Buffy and Spike fight. Buffy's better, but she can't finish him off. Spike gradually gains the upper hand. Xander appears and tries to help, but he's useless. Spike mocks Buffy for spreading her legs and getting played. He goes to far and brings up Angel, and Buffy snaps. She manages to remove the ring from Spike's finger. He screams in agony as the sun begins to burn him. He dives back underground before he can be completely immolated.
- Buffy realizes what the ring can do for vampires. She asks Oz to deliver the ring to Angel in LA.

Episode Rating:

9/10.

Great episode. Can't go wrong with Spike. Harmony was annoying, but what can you do?

Angel - In The Dark - Season One, Episode Three

Notes:
- Angel rescues a young blonde, white woman named Rachel from her abusive boyfriend. From above, Spike taunts him, having tracked the Gem of Amara from Sunnydale.
- Oz arrives in LA and shows up the Angel Investigators' office (I'll come up with a snappier name). Cordelia's false enthusiasm dies pretty quickly.
- Oz presents Angel with the Gem of Amara. Angel is hesitant to put it on and he decides he wants to brood some more. For the time being, he hides it in the sewers.
- Rachel calls Angel and says her boyfriend is back on the street. Angel goes to meet her, but gets brained in the back of the head by Spike.
- The two of them fight, but Spike flees when Doyle and Cordelia show up. Angel tells them to go into hiding while he tracks down Spike.
- I appreciated the "Anne" reference.
- Spike lures Angel into a trap. Some... lion tamer dude... subdues Angel with a chain around the neck.
- The lion tamer - Marcus, a vampire who is a renowned torturer - tortures Angel on Spike's orders, trying to discern the location of the ring.
- Angel resists. Spike taunts him by saying Buffy's been promiscuous and then leaves Marcus to do his thing. Marcus makes several sinister references to his love of children.
- Spike searches Angel's apartment, but is cornered by Doyle and Cordelia. They demand to know where Angel is, but Spike just dismisses them and tells they have until sundown to find the ring, otherwise Angel will be killed. They manage to find it in the sewers, but realize just giving it to Spike will be foolhardy. They make a plan.
- Cordelia and Doyle give Spike the ring, but lure him into the path of Oz's van before he can put it on. Angel, Cordelia, Doyle and Oz make their escape. In the commotion, Marcus escapes with the ring.
- Spike doesn't take being betrayed too well.
- Angel tells the gang to turn around, and manages to track Marcus down because of his obsession with children. They corner Mark on a pier. Angel braves the sunlight and tackles Mark into the water. Underneath the pier, the two vampires battle. Angel impales Mark on a broken piece of wood and then removes the ring. Marcus turns to dust.
- Angel puts the ring on and wanders into sunlight unharmed for the first time in centuries. He savors the experience, but he decides to destroy the ring as a form of penance.

Episode Rating:

8/10.

I liked it, but it wasn't as good as the Buffy episode that preceded it. I am quite frustrated by Angel's shameless self-punishment. Also, Spike kinda got a goofy send off.

Okay, I've created a rubric on how I will now judge episodes:

I won't actually write this out, but I'll use it determine my scores.

Characters - /4
How did the characters act? Were they consistent? Did anyone do anything frightfully out of character? Did their relationships grow or develop? Is Buffy's Mum in it?

Villain(s) - /2
Is the villain lame? Is the villain cool? Is the villain entertaining?

Story - /2
Is it a decent story or is it a shitty filler episode? What's it's relevance the season story arc?

Interest - /2
Am I enthralled or am I not? Its the episode funny, cool, or enagaging?

Wildcards - /**
Just in case an episode doesn't reach 10 legitimately, was there any other thing in the episode that made it outstanding? An amazing moment, perhaps? A significant character death or introduction? Does Buffy have sex and then regret it... again?

Buffy - Fear Itself - Season Four, Episode Four

Notes:
- I hope this episode isn't just Buffy moping around about Parker.
- Xander's worried about being excluded because he's not a college student.
- Buffy sucker punching the black kid in the Halloween mask got me thinking... has there ever been a good black guy on this show? The only black guy I can think of is Mr. Trick, and he was evil. Hm. Makes you think.
- I haven't mentioned it yet, but I love carefree bachelor Giles who's living life and having fun.
- Anya shows up, Xander asks her to go to a Halloween party with the rest of the Scoobies.
- The party is at a Frat house that is designed like a haunted house, with the party at the centre. The Frat bros accidentally use a real arcane symbol while decorating. It activates in the party room.
- The Scoobies encounter the army dudes, but assume they're just guys in costumes.
- At the party, everyone is driven mad with fear - all the decorations become real and the house begins shifting around. The Scoobies enter the haunted house portion and find everything eerily quiet.
- The Scoobies makes their way through the house. Anya arrives late and can't get in, so she goes to get Giles.
- The house starts messing with the Scoobies' heads. Xander becomes invisible to everyone else and Willow gets angry at Buffy bossing her around. Oz begins transforming into a werewolf and runs away before he loses his mind and hurts the others. The other three split up thanks to the house's shifting geometry.
- The house plagues upon the Scoobies greatest fears: Buffy's scared of being alone, Xander's scared of being forgotten, Oz is scared of being a wolf, Willow's scared of her powers.
- Outside, Giles decides he has to create a doorway. So he uses a chainsaw.
- Buffy finds herself upstairs and is reunited with the rest of the Scoobies. They find the symbol that the Frat brothers painted on the floor. It's summoning a demon that feeds on fear. Anya and Giles burst into the room. Buffy accidentally triggers the fear demon's summoning prematurely. Fortunately, this means the demon is only a fraction it's size and is easily killed by Buffy's shoe.
- Actually, it turns out the demon was always going to be that small. Oh well, live and learn.

Episode Rating:

6/10

Rubric comes in handy!

Your rubric doesn't score FUN.

That's what the wild card was for.

Angel - I Fall To Pieces - Season One, Episode Four

Notes:
- Money troubles plague Angel Investigations, because Angel refuses to charge clients.
- Doyle has a vision of a woman in danger. Angel goes to investigate and finds her name is Melissa Burns, she's a blondish white woman. I should start counting them. Melissa is being hounded by an obsessive ex-boyfriend, Ronald. She feels threatened and suspects he's watching her constantly, so she calls Angel.
- Melissa tells her story: Ronald was a surgeon who operated on her and saved her sight. She took him on one pity date and he's been obsessed ever since. Melissa is scared because Ronald displays knowledge he shouldn't have.
- Angel wears a light coloured sweater for the first time... ever.
- Angel ponders how Ronald can watch Melissa at all times. I'm guessing he did something to her eye when he operated on her.
- Nope, not as simple as that. Turns out Ronald can tear out his eye and send it to watch her from the comfort his own home. It just... floats in mid air.
- Angel goes to Kate (the detective) for help. Meanwhile, Doyle escorts Melissa for the day.
- Two months ago, Melissa filed charges against Ronald but his lawyers got him off. Turns out he was represented by Wolfram and Hart, the same shadowy law firm from the pilot.
- Angel breaks into Ronald's office and snoops around. He finds a book that he manages to pocket, but Ronald catches him. Angel makes up a story about his wife having a malignant tumor in her eye and asks for Ronald's help and then leaves.
- Using the book he pilfered, Angel gets in contact with a health professional that Ronald knows. He tells Angel about Ronald's special powers.
- Ronald is revealed to be able to detach any body part at will. He uses hands to feel up Melissa while she's asleep. Ick.
- She wakes up and screams. A police officer who was stationed outside her house rushes in but is choked to death by the hands.
- Angel arrives to comfort Melissa. Ronald sees this and is not happy. Angel Investigations protect Melissa and prepare for an attack from Ronald.
- Ronald calls Angel to his office under the guise of operating on his 'wife'. Ronald uses a blow dart gun and tranquilizes Angel with a paralytic that will stop his heart. Leaving Angel to die, Ronald goes to kill Melissa. I suspect when Angel makes a surprise return to foil Ronald's plan, he will say something like "I can't believe it, no human could survive that."
- Ronald infiltrates the office by distracting Doyle and Cordelia with one of his hands. He dispatches of them both and then goes after Melissa.
- Angel makes a surprise return to foil Ronald's plan. Ronald says: "You can't be alive. You're not human!" Damn, I was close-ish.
- Fortunately, Angel kills a mannequin head and saves the day. I mean, he decapitates Ronald. But seriously, the after shot was just someone throwing a mannequin head (a plain one) across a room.
- Everything returns to normal. Angel awkwardly tries to ask for a bill, luckily Melissa does pay up.

Episode Rating:

5/10.

I'm slightly worried. The episodes are slowly decreasing in quality. Maybe the wow factor's wearing off.

Angel's quality increases over time. Common consensus is season 5 > 4 > 3 > 2 > 1

I also should've warned you about the next Buffy episode but you're probably already watching it.

no, new community's on soon.

Buffy - Beer Bad - Season Four, Episode Five

Notes:
- Oh please tell me it's not an alcohol aesop episode. We already did one of those.
- The episode begins with Buffy saving Parker from a trio of vampires. Actually it's a dream. Psyche.
- Buffy's still moping around, being a mopey shit. Just like she was in the first part of Season 3.
- Xander got a job as bartender at the campus pub so that he could feel included in college life.
- I love Xander's fake ID.
- So Riley is evil right? There's literally no other reason he would keep popping up. I bet he's with the army dudes.
- 1999 was a very different time if the profession of bartender was looked upon as anything other than a pussy magnet. Because that's what it is. Also, the preppy dude was a dick.
- Buffy you aren't a slut, but you are an idiot. A big one.
- If Buffy actually goes with the preppy dude (x4!) then she is actually a slut as well as being an idiot.
- Buffy don't do it.
- Seriously don't.
- Who cares about Parker?
- Seriously stop.
- Don't drink the beer Buffy. It looks cheap.
- Buffy, no.
- No, Buffy.
- Stop.
- Stop.
- Stop!
- BUFFY FUCK.
- GOD.
- Oz's ex girlfriend or something sings at the Bronze. He's clearly not over her. Welp, now I know how Willow becomes a lesbian.
- She's not even his ex, just some girl he saw once before in a previous episode. Now he's got a boner for her. Damnit I liked Oz.
- Okay, obviously Black Frost is an evil beer or some shit.
- Was that fucking Kutner from House as one of the preppy dudes?
- It is. Obama would be ashamed.
- Why is Buffy acting like she's high when she's supposed to be hungover. It's not like she blazed while I wasn't looking.
- I can't believed the Beer is evil. It makes people retarded. Not drunk. Actually retarded.
- As an alcoholic, I am offended by the portrayal of the inebriated.
- I can't believe SMG agreed to act this out. This is bordering on the exploitative at this point.
- The Beer makes people act like cavemen. The preppy (not anymore) dude attacks Xander after actually turning into a caveman.
- Nope. I'm done. I'm not watching this anymore. Don't care.

Episode Rating:

0/10

Angel - Rm w/a Vu - Season One, Episode Five

Notes:
- God, I hope this episode isn't about people losing their speech functions. That Beer Bad episode ruined me.
- A demon from Doyle's past shows up out of the blue. Doyle owes him money. Doyle flees.
- Cordelia is unable to put up with her dingy apartment any longer and (forcibly) moves in with Angel.
- "Do you have moose? Of course you do."
- "But no, handsome, brooding vampire guy has to swoop in, all sensitive mouth and overhanging forehead!"
- Angel realizes there's something up with Doyle and confronts him. The demon is an enforcer for some other person who Doyle is debt to. Angel offers to deal with the demon if Doyle can get Cordelia out of his apartment.
- Doyle finds Cordelia the perfect apartment. It's perfect except that it's alive.
- The demon attacks Angel, but Angel gets the better of him. Angel interrogates the demon and learns his name is Griff and that his employer is anonymous. Angel tells Griff he'll get Doyle to pay.
- I can't believe I haven't mentioned this yet, but I love that when Angel has his vampire face on, his voice changes because David Bollywood wears fangs. The voice is higher and is 'all teeth', so to speak. It's really cool, and in a small way, slightly frightening.
- Cordelia realizes her apartment is haunted once she experiences a lot of ~*paranormal activity*~. The house is haunted by an old woman. Angel and Doyle try to convince her to give up the apartment, but Cordelia doesn't want to lose such a nice place. They decide to try and exorcise the ghost.
- "How come Patrick Swayze's never dead when you need him?" -
- The ghost tricks Cordelia into returning to the apartment. It then tries to kill her.
- Angel goes to Kate again for information on house. Well, this particular relationship is clearly building up to something.
- The poltergeist lady is super familiar.
- The poltergeist torments Cordelia and gets under her skin. Angel and Doyle and exorcise the old lady, but they can't without Cordelia who is too traumatized to help. When things look bad, Griff bursts in all of a sudden along. He and Angel fight and Angel snaps his neck.
- The ghost pushes Cordelia too far: "I'm not a sniveling whiny little cry-Buffy."
- Cordelia completes the ritual and exorcises the old lady. Cordelia is suddenly possessed by another entity, who smashes down a wall to reveal a hidden corpse. Turns out the old lady died of a heart attack shortly after sealing her wayward son behind a brick wall.
- The wayward son's ghost - Dennis - destroys his mother's spirit.
- Doyle isn't ready to share his life story quite yet, but he says one he will tell Angel the truth.
- Dennis continues to live in the apartment with Cordelia as a benign ghost. Hm.

Episode Rating:

6/10.

Buffy - Wild At Heart - Season Four, Episode Six

Notes:
- What, is everyone going to turn into animals this week? I don't trust these titles anymore.
- I'm not being funny, but I hate Buffy now. Her dialogue is the worst in the show. And she talks to herself; who does that?
- Oh hey it's Spike.
- Spike gets blindsided by the army dudes and captured. Maybe we'll learn something about them today.
- Oz's weird fascination with Veruca continues.
- She's not even pretty.
- It's the night before a full moon, and Oz breaks out of his cage and runs amok. He attacks Buffy's psyche professor, but is distracted by the appearance of another werewolf. A female werewolf. Oh.
- Veruca is a werewolf too, thus explaining the weird connection she and Oz have.
- Veruca appeals to Oz's werewolf side. She tries to embrace his animal side.
- Willow shows up looking for some lovin', but Oz pushes her away because he wants to hide his scratches from the night before.
- Have I said before how much I love unemployed Giles? Because I do.
- Buffy investigates the two werewolves appearance.
- Willow worries Oz is growing distant and goes to Xander for some guy perspective. He tells her to talk to Oz.
- Oz is in the process of fixing his cage when Buffy talks to him about the werewolves. He admits he escaped, but claims he doesn't remember anything.
- Oz tells Veruca to meet him at his cage. She refuses to enter his cage, despite Oz's warnings that people will be hunting for her. The only way to get her to come inside is to kiss her. They presumably have hot werewolf sex.
- The next morning, Willow finds naked Oz and Veruca in an intimate embrace. Uh oh. Lesbianism rising.
- Oz tries to explain, but Willow isn't hearing it.
- It's hard watching Willow cry.
- Distracted by her thoughts of Oz, Willow is very nearly run over. Fortunately, Riley pulls her out of the way. He's too good to be true, he's evil.
- Willow tells Buffy the truth about Veruca. Buffy goes to track her down using Oz's super senses to help. Willow, burning with revenge, prepares a spell to ruin Oz's life but cannot bring herself to do it. Veruca appears, planning on killing Willow so Oz will have no reason to stay.
- Buffy is distracted briefly after she runs into an army dude. She cannot dwell on it, and continues on.
- Oz arrives in time. The two wolves transform and Oz kills Veruca. Buffy manages to stop a blood-crazed Oz from killing Willow too.
- Willow is clearly traumatized by the whole ordeal. So traumatized she becomes a lesbian no doubt.
- Buffy tells Giles about army dudes, and resolves to get to the bottom of it.
- Willow meets with Oz. He's planning on leaving town because he's scared of his wolf side. They share a tearful goodbye and Oz departs.

Episode Rating:

8.5/10

"Gentleman of leisure" Giles is a champion.

Angel - Sense and Sensitivity - Season One, Episode Six

Notes:
- I love when we see flashes of what the main characters do outside the episodes. We see Angel Investigations finish off a subterranean tentacle demon, and Angel expressly says he doesn't want it to come back... again.
- Kate asks Angel to help her with a case involving a mob boss who is evading capture, but tells Angel not get involved.
- Angel tracks him down and manages to delay the mob boss from leaving in time for the police arrive. The mob boss is arrested. Kate is angry that Angel got involved.
- The mob boss contacts Wolfram and Hart. The law firm uses lawyer trickery to antagonize Kate because she is allegedly too aggressive. They get her to take sensitivity training.
- Angel learns of a plot to get revenge on Kate. He warns her, but the sensitivity training has calmed her down and made her complacent. The counselor for the sensitivity training is shown to be special and working for Wolfram and Hart.
- Angel investigates the counselor and interrogates him. Turns out that 'talking stick' is the cause of the sensitivity. Angel touches it.
- The sensitivity training has made all of the officers in the precinct emotional wrecks. One releases all the prisoners because he feels guilty.
- Angel returns to the station, but the talking stick's magic effected him. He's funny when he's emotional.
- The mob boss takes the opportunity afforded by the situation and goes after Kate.
- Angel manages to dispose of the mob boss while spouting off sensitive observations.
- "You know, Anthony, you can be a rainbow and not a 'pain-bow'."
- Wolfram and Hart severs ties with the mob boss and begins to focus on Angel.

Episode Rating:

7/10

If you're already give such high grades to these Angel episodes, the later seasons will just be a constant stream of 10/10s.

I get the feeling that the mediocrity of Buffy at the moment is driving up the Angel episodes, but yeah, if what you say about Season One being the weakest Angel season then I have a lot to look forward to.

Buffy season 4 has a poor arc and its theme (identity etc.) is more important than the big bad. It has some of the best standalone episodes in the series though (all of which have yet to come up).

Angel also doesn't do seasonal arcs like Buffy usually does. Arcs begin and end at random points and season finales are usually there to tie up loose ends and set up new plots. It's kind of like The Wire with that (incidentally, GameFAQS Broadcast TV ranks The Wire and Angel the two best TV series ever).

Buffy - The Initiative - Season Four, Episode Seven

Notes:
- Spike awakens in an electrified cell. Around him, scientists study other monsters in similar cells.
- New credit sequence, I guess to account for Oz's departure.
- JAMES MASTERS' IN THE CREDITS
- Spike's cell is adjacent to the cell that holds the vampire that was caught at the end of the first episode. He warns Spike not to drink the blood the scientists' provide, saying it's drugged.
- Spike believes that Buffy is in cahoots with the scientists.
- OK, maybe Riley is just a normal guy.
- Riley decks Parker after Parker starts running his mouth about Buffy. Cool. Riley realizes he likes Buffy and goes to ask her out. He talks to Willow and manages to convince her that he's legit. She agrees to help him get Buffy
- Spike manages to trick his captors and escapes his cell. He returns to Harmony
- Buffy and WIllow go to a party because Buffy wants to take Willow's mind off Oz. Riley tries his luck with Buffy.
- Xander and Giles take over Buffy's patrol for the night. Xander encounter Harmony and picks a fight. It's kind of hilarious. She accidentally lets slip that Spike's back in town and looking for Buffy. Xander runs off to warn her.
- So Riley isn't a normal guy. He's a demon hunter who works for The Initiative, the secret organization that captured Spike. Welp.
- Maggie Walsh, Buffy's Psyche professor is actually a scientist who works for The Initiative. She sends Riley and his team after Spike.
- Buffy prepare to face Spike alone, Xander gives a flare gun to signal them just in case things go bad.
- The Initiative Team run across Buffy, pegging her as a civilian. Riley tries to get her out of there after removing all his armour and weaponry, but she resists. And awkward stand off ensues, with both parties trying to get the other out of the way.
- Spike infiltrates the campus and enters Buffy's room while Willow is still sulking it it. Spike vamps himself up and bites Willow. Or tries to at least. He can't touch WIllow without experiencing incredible pain.
- Spike and Willow having a relationship talk through vampire metaphors is amazing.
- Willow clues in to the fact that Spike's a vampire and she should be trying to escape. She clocks him with a lamp and goes for door when suddenly the lights cut out. Riley's team move in. Spike attacks, but still can't bite any of the army dudes. Spike sets off a fire extinguisher and Buffy arrives during the commotion and fire the flare. In the chaos, Spike escapes while Buffy fights the army dudes. Once their prey escapes, the army dudes (including Riley, who actually fought Buffy to a standstill) flee as well. The army dudes never get a good look at Buffy thanks to all the smoke. In their report, they assume a big burly dude is helping Spike.
- Riley reports back to Maggie. Although Spike escaped, Maggie is at least happy to learn that the 'implant' that prevents Spike from harming a living creature works.
- The next day, Riley once again tries to talk to Buffy. The two of them hit it off, unaware of the secrets between the two of them.

Episode Rating:

10/10

Loved this episode.

Angel - Bachelor Party - Season One, Episode Seven

Notes:
- I watched an episode of Bones today. Man, David Beekeeper is getting old.
- Codelia goes on a date with Pierce. We are given no indication that he runs a successful Moist Towelette company.
- Doyle finds a picture of Buffy in a book Angel is reading. Shortly afterwards, he has a vision of a young man held captive in a vampire nest.
- Angel and Doyle slay most the vampires and rescue the guy. One of the vampires follows them back and finds Cordelia returning home from a disappointing date. Before he can bite her, Doyle intervenes and manages to kill the vampire.
- Aw, Xander reference. I was wondering when someone other than Buffy was going to be mentioned.
- Cordelia is grateful and tries to ask Doyle out, but a woman shows up at the office. She and Doyle have history. A lot of history: she's his wife.
- Doyle's full name is Alan Francis Doyle.
- The woman - Harriet - is looking for a divorce so she can marry her new beau.
- Oh my god, it's the demon guy from Anne. I thought Buffy broke his neck?
- Doyle agrees to sign the divorce papers. After Harriet leaves, Doyle and Angel have a conversation about his past. Doyle only learned he was half-demon after he turned 21. Doyle asks Angel to follow "Richard" to make sure he is legit.
- I just checked my Anne write up - the guy used to go by the name Ken.
- We see Richard/Ken transform into a demon, ostensibly so a new viewer can understand he is one. He looks different than he did before.
- Angel bursts in and tries to kill Richard, but Harriet protects him. She reveals she always knew he was demon. That's nice.
- She doesn't understand what Richard really is, she believes he's a peaceful demon.
- Doyle (rightly) believes Richard is evil.
- The almost married couple are arranging a bachelor party. Richard asks Doyle to come.
- Okay, I'm beginning to get the idea that Richard and Ken aren't the same demon that live in LA and commit heinous misdeeds. What the fuck, Whedon.
- Anyway, the kicker with Richard is that a part of his demon culture is to eat the brain of the first husband. Welp.
- Angel and Doyle show up at the bachelor party. Richard welcomes them with open arms. While Richard engages Doyle in conversation, Angel slinks about.
- The constant whispering from Richard's siblings puts Angel on edge. He follows them when they sneak off into the backroom and sees them preparing to perform a ritual. The siblings attack Angel and they throw him through a window.
- Richard asks for Doyle's blessing, and Doyle gives it without realizing what it entails. He gets bum rushed by demons and they prepare to scalp him and eat his brain.
- Angel reappears and starts kicking some ass. Doyle manages to get free and uses his demon powers to fight.
- Harriet shows up with Cordelia and call a stop to it. Doyle manages to hide his demon form from Cordelia. Harriet calls off the wedding so that the demons will stop trying to eat Doyle's brains. Doyle is guilty for ruining Harriet's chance of happiness.
- Cordelia manages to cheer Doyle up, but suddenly he has an intense vision.... of Buffy.
- Oh man, Angel/Buffy crossover already!?

Episode Rating:

6.5/10.

Villains were lame, but the ending was super exciting.

Buffy - Pangs - Season Four, Episode Eight

Notes:
- Buffy takes down a vampire while out on patrol. From the bushes, Angel watches intently.
- He's been back for a minute and already he's frustrating me. I bet he's gonna be like "Oh I just wanna make sure you're alright Buffy, so I'll just watch you from the shadows and not talk to you or anything lol."
- I haven't said it before, but I feel really bad for Angel and Buffy and hate that they can't be together. Their story is just so sad and wish they could be happy. But then I'm reminded that whenever they are together they're both retarded.
- Willow is strangely insistent on how evil Thanksgiving is because it celebrates the subjugation and annihilation of Native peoples. I hope this episode isn't a shitty, shitty aesop episode about White Guilt.
- Xander accidentally discovers an underground cavern that contains a lost mission.
- It's Thanksgiving and Buffy wants to celebrate it with all her old friends.
- Riley and the Initiative are still hunting down Spike, who is suffering from withdrawal from his inability to feed.
- Xander's sick. He must have caught something in the cavern.
- Have I mentioned that I love Anya and her weird obsession with Xander?
- In the underground cavern, a strange green fog exits through the hole in the roof.
- The green fog becomes a Native warrior and slits some girl's throat.
- Please don't tell me they ruin Angel's return to Sunnydale with a shitty, shitty aesop episode about White Guilt.
- I'm getting flashbacks of Inca Mummy Girl fyi.
- Angel is shown to have gotten contact with Giles. Giles is skeptical of the nature of visions, especially with how vague they are. The knowledge of the murder is troubling for them both, however. Angel recommends they research the mission, and tells Giles to contact Father Gabriel, a priest who is intimate with the knowledge of the town's religious history.
- Buffy and Willow run errands, and they run into Riley. Willow sneaks off so they can be alone.
- Angel appears to Willow. He tells her why he's in town and, unable to help himself, asks about Riley.
- Spike tries to go back to Harmony... again... because he has no other choice. But she's been reading books and feels empowered and threatens him with a stake until he leaves.
- Buffy - on Giles' orders - checks out Father Gabriel. She's too late, however, and he's already been killed. She encounters the Native and they battle for a short while. Buffy can't bring herself to kill him because of literal white guilt (seriously), the Native turns into a bunch of ravens (?) and flies away.
- The Scoobies shows up at Giles house in preparation for Thanksgiving and try to decide how to deal with the Native. Spike shows up, begging for help.
- Spike's tolerance for sunlight is truly remarkable. Normally vampires burst into flames in seconds, but he stands in it for like a minute. Main character armour.
- The Native summons a whole tribe of warriors to help him.
- Spike manages to parlay his way into Giles' house by promising to tell all he knows about the Initiative.
- Spike is actually amazing for calling Willow and Buffy out on their misplaced White Guilt.
- Xander, Anya and Willow leave to warn the guy the Scoobies assume will be the next target. Angel shows up to them and tells them that they need to stay with Buffy. Oops.
- "Like famine pictures from those dusty countries, only not half as funny" Oh, Spike. You're the best.
- The Natives attack Buffy, Giles and Spike in their own home. Xander, Anya and Willow rush back to help.
- The Scoobies battle the Natives hand-to-hand, but find that they won't die. Angel shows up to help, but stays hidden from Buffy and Spike.
- Buffy find that the Natives' weapons can harm them. In response, one of the Natives transforms into a bear.
- This episode should have been called "Buffy fights a Bear" because that's the best part so far. It looks ridiculous.
- Xander distracts the bear long enough for Buffy to kill it. It - along with the rest of the hunting party - dissolve into green smoke and disappear forever.
- Angel, relieved that Buffy is safe, leaves quietly while everyone gathers their bearings. (GET IT!?)
- The Scoobies finally have that Thanksgiving dinner as Spike sits the table, starving. Buffy is disappointed it wasn't as perfect as she imagined. Xander tries to cheer her up, and accidentally let's slip that Angel was there.

Episode Rating:

I honestly don't know. The White Guilt was so thick I could taste it, but at the same time, the aesop was treated so haphazardly and there was so much lamp shading that I can't help but feel it was supposed to be like that and the whole thing is some kind of clever satire.

I'm going to assume it was tongue and cheek, and give it:

9/10.