Angel: Awakening

“What is it about evil that jacks up the IQ points?”

Ah, I begin to see where this season may be going...

The whole episode is a splendid piece of misdirection; first Angelus is coming back, then he isn't, then he is. And it's happening because Angel and Cordy finally get their moment of perfect happiness is perfect. Shame it was (mostly) all a dream, though; not sure how I feel about that. Still, putting that Dallas moment to one side, it's a good episode. And even the dream has a twist in Angelus returning precisely when he's no longer needed.

Interesting that the episode starts with Wes as only semi-part of the gang. And Connor has never been such an obtuse, annoying and unlikeable brat. But the episode oozes camaraderie, mainly because of Angel's charisma and will to keep the gang together- precisely the things that they've just lost.

It;s ironic, I suppose; this episode has one job, to turn Angel int Angelus at the end. But in order to get there it trolls us, manipulates us, just like Angelus himself. It's effectively done, if evil. And I'm getting the distinct impression that the Beast may not be the season big bad after all...