Although Later There Was an Ick Factor

Episode 1.7: Angel. Original Airdate 4.14.97

"Buffy discovers Angel's horrifying secret."

Zelda's Thoughts:

I'm going to start off just by saying I'd forgotten how fantastic this episode is. I think my general distaste for DB and who Angel becomes on AtS clouds my memory, because - this episode is really damn good. The writing is clever and clear - it's funny, it's character-developing, and the moral grey areas are all over awesome. It's also a great precedent-setter for the rest of the series - vampires are not guaranteed evil and (frankly?) dull, like they were in the film, or how they've mostly been up till now. Also? That dude is a vampire and we (theoretically) didn't suspect. And he killed that chick we expected to hang around being a villain for much longer (of course, that didn't stick, but how were we to know that then?) And of course the In Love Angst is perfect.

• The Fumigation Party is the grossest thing ever. Continuously throughout that scene: Daniel and me: Ewwwwwww!
• The Three aren't that threatening. Try harder, Master.
• Shenanigans! That Dude from The Three should not have been able to get his hand in the door - blatant violation of the Uninvited Vampires Anonymous credo.
• "What does your family think of your career choice?" "They're dead." CUZ HE KILLED THEM.
• Giles has a shitload of weapons hiding in the book cage. Shenanigans! Don't keep weapons in the same cage where you also like to lock dangerous people/demons. That's bad math. Also, that's a total violation of Zero Tolerance.
• Buffy kicking Giles's ass at quarterstaff is hilarious.

• Awww. I hate on Angel but their first kiss scene is great. Buffy babbles, it's all romantic, it's all kissy, and then it's all HORRIBLE.
• "How could you love an umpire? Everyone hates them!"
• Cordy's freakout about the knockoff copy of her one-of-a-kind dress is just amazing.
• I'm glad JB as Darla got better by the time she came back on AtS. She's kind of painfully one-note and mustache-twirling here.
• There are too many lines in this episode I love. So well-written.
• Also, Willow is unbearably adorable.
• Buffy uses her new crossbow skills! To shoot a poster about how smoking is bad 'mkay.
• Shenanigans! (sort of) Angel claims to have never fed on a single human since he got his soul. This is an out-and-out lie, but I'll give the writers a bye, since .... they thought it was true. This was only negated (more than once, I think?) later, on AtS.
• ...How many schoolgirl outfits does Darla own? We count two so far. That's sketch.
• Buffy pulls a crossbow. Darla: "Hmm. Scary. [pulls two guns] Scarier." Oh, Darla? These things? Never helpful.
• Pretty awesome fight choreography in the deserted Bronze between Buffy and Darla.
• I like that as Darla dies she says "Angel?" in the same quiet, childlike voice that Buffy uses when he comes back in Becoming Part 2.
• SMG is totally standing on an apple box for her close shot at the end with Angel. She's nowhere near his height.

Daniel's Thoughts:

Agreed with Zelda that this was a great episode setting the vampire lore for the rest of the series and pretty much for me forever.  BtVS has spoiled me for other vampire flicks and books and tv series.  It just makes so much sense that it's the soul that makes you good and that when you become a vampire, your soul is swapped for a demon.

• Roach Fumigation Party - so Gross
• Angel and Buffy fighting together is hot.
• Alyson Hannigan proves once again why I like first season Willow.  She has such great comedic timing:

Willow:  How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what's going on. I never know what's going on.

Giles:  Well, you weren't here from midnight until six researching it.

Willow:  No, I was sleeping.

• Worst. Mom. Ever. Joyce barely bats an eye when she finds an older man hanging out with her teenaged daughter.  And then goes up to bed and trusts that Buffy sent him packing.
• Cordelia is a glorified extra in this episode yet still remains awesome.
• I loved seeing Darla and Angel's past and the only reason I feel he killed her too quickly and unremorsefully is because I know what's to come.  [You think you know...what's to come? - First Slayer] At this point, I think the writers did a good job.
• I know Angel is supposed to be brooding and all emo and shit but I don't buy that he's survived so long by being stupid.  He knows, at this point, how strong Buffy is - why play with her and risk death instead of explaining right away who he is?  Is he that cocky that Buffy can't kill him? [I think he wants her to kill him. This is neither the first nor the last time his stupidity has led him down the suicidal path. - Z]
• Rare gun usage but effective...although
• Shenanigans! - Too many bullets came out of those guns...
• The Three are mighty warriors and I get that the big bads are ruthless, even if with their own, but...you're kinda gonna run out of strong allies if you kill them so quickly.
• Very romantic kiss at the end.  He doesn't even care that her cross was burning him!

Crossfire!

Zelda hates Angel. Daniel loves Angel. Both of them are having trouble articulating their positions at the moment.

Daniel:  Well...there's this:

Crossfire part deux!

Daniel: "Why is his voice like that?"

Zelda: "Cuz he's the annoying one."

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: "You have no idea what it's like to have done the things I"ve done ... and to care." - Angel

Daniel: "And 'A' doesn't even stand for 'Angel' for that matter, it stands for... 'Achmed', a charming foreign exchange student, so that whole fantasy part has nothing to even do with you at all..." - Buffy (I like rambly Buffy)

90s Factoid:

Mom hair

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

• Xander dances like a spaaaaaaaaaaaaz. Did he give Angel lessons?
• Buffy tells Joyce Angel is a student at first year community college (UC Sunnydale?) and is tutoring Buffy in history. Remarkably, since Joyce blocks out most of the alarming facts from Buffy's teenhood, she recalls this. Willow is the one who is actually tutoring Buffy in history. Darla also claims to be a history tutor. Good God.
• Giles has a shitload of weapons hiding in the book cage.
• Buffy quickly masters the quarterstaff and goes on to the crossbow.  
• Buffy and Angel's first kiss, which leads to ANGEL IS A VAMPIRE.



Angel is a Vampire???



• Angel/Darla mythology: Darla's been around for 400 years. Darla sired Angel, who is about 240 years old. Last time they saw each other, she was into kimonos (as we later find out - The Boxer Rebellion). Also he was evil when they were in Budapest.  Angel killed his family. Angel got cursed by g*psies with a restored soul. Angel's evil name is Angelus.
• Angel lives above-ground, which is unusual for a vampire (apparently). 
• The Master misses Angel - even though we later see (on AtS) that they didn't really get along so well.
• Angel kills Darla.
• Xander's skareboard is back!

Stats:

Voiceover - none

Angel's Character - A VAMPIRE.

Dead Humans - 0

Dead Undeads - 4

Giles Unconscious - 0

Giles Cleans His Glasses - 0

Buffy Breaks a Door - 0

Evil Reveal - 1 (Angel is a vampire!)

Unevil Reveal - 1 (But he's a nice vampire!)

Shenanigans Called - 4

Apocalypse Called - 0