Angel (David Greenwalt)

I want to say this is the first great episode but I'm not sure that's true. There are too many things that annoy me about it. Like Willow's mooning over Buffy's love life. It's pathetic and tiresome and her excuse for not tackling Xander is amusing but poor ("No, no, no, no. No speaking up. That way leads to madness and sweaty palms"). Cordelia needs to be given something meaty to do and soon. Yes, she's funny but there's no substance. What bugs me most is Buffy's hesitation over killing Angel when she finds him in her home with his game face on with her unconscious mother. He looks like he is the process of murdering Joyce and all Buffy does is throw him out of a window and say "you're not welcome here". Xander is right (he is occasionally): "Let's take a breath and look at this calmly and objectively. Angel's a vampire. You're a Slayer. I think it's obvious what you have to do." Yes, very obvious…

Angel's dark past was darker than I remembered (or did I just not really care about him initially?) and does explain the broodiness. I certainly had blanked Darla's guns in the climax (I just couldn't remember seeing it before though I have). She was a good villain; it's a pity she's been dusted...

I was really scared for Joyce despite knowing that, of course, she was going to be all right. Buffy on the phone to 911 - "1630 Revello Drive" - prompted a chilling flash forward.