If you're a fan of BTVS or "Angel," if you're just a casual viewer BTVS or "Angel," if you're ever thinking about watching BTVS or "Angel," at all, then you really MUST see this episode. It effects everything that comes after it on both shows. As I said in my review of "Suprise," don't read any spoilers if you haven't seen this episode, yet. I didn't start watching BTVS until after the series had been canceled. (The first full season I saw was season three, on DVD, in fact.) So, I knew what happened in the season two story arc long before I saw the actual episodes. I still love it. It's still wonderful. But, if you can watch it and be surprised at the twist, I'm betting it would even be better.
"Suprise" ends with Buffy and Angel sleeping together and the Judge preparing to burn the humanity out of every living creature in Sunnydale. Angel, feeling that something is very wrong, stumbles outside and collapses in an alley. A woman smoking a cigarette hurries over to help him, asking if he's okay. Within seconds, she's dead. Angel rips into her throat, drinking her blood and letting her body drop to the pavement. Then he casually exhales the smoke he's sucked in from her windpipe and smiles. He feel just fine, he drawls. And right then you know... He's not Angel anymore. He's lost his soul. He's Angelus now. And Angelus is a real bad guy to have around.
Angel is a sweetheart. A hero and champion who loves Buffy with all his heart. Angelus is pure evil. He delights in torturing his victims, inflicting pain and generally being the rottenest Big Bad that Sunnydale's ever seen. Angelus' first stop is Spike and Dru's place. After all, the three of them (and Darla) spent a lot of years terrorizing the population of several continents. Where else would he go? Spike and Dru, for their part, are delighted to have Angelus back on the Darkside again. They immediately include him in on the fun of Dru's newest "destroy the world" plot. And Angelus, well, he's got a plan too. See he's got a real yen to hurt Buffy...
Buffy had no idea what's happened to Angel. Like a lot of young women, the morning after dawns and she's confused and worried about what will happen next in the relationship. Angel's behavior has her baffled. At first she thinks that he's been hurt of killed. But when she finally finds him, he's physically fine. Her relief if short lived, however. Angelus begins taunting her, belittling their love-making and dismissing her feelings. He walks away laughing and Buffy's heart breaks. Angelus isn't done, though. His next stop is Sunnydale High, where he attacks Willow. Certain now that the real Angel is gone, it doesn't take long for Buffy to realize that Jenny knows a lot more than she's let on. Giles, Buffy and the Scoobies now have to fight Spike, Dru, the Judge and Angelus. Xander comes up with a pretty cool loop-hole to the "no weapon forged can kill the Judge" thing. And the whole episode comes down to a showdown in a shopping mall. Buffy wins the fight, but in the end, she can't kill Angelus. She can't destroy the man she loves, even if he's completely vanished inside of a monster. It's flat-out great television.
I love this episode, so there are a lot of good parts to mention. The scene with Oz and Willow in the van is wonderful, as is the conversation between Giles and Buffy at the end of the episode. As always, I love Spike and Dru. This episode reunites them with Angelus and begins the countdown to "Becoming, Part Two" where their relationship comes to a head. Spike is temporarily out of commission and Angelus immediately takes at advantage of his weakness. He begins shutting Spike out and Spike doesn't like it. I also like the scene where Angelus attacks Willow. Xander has never liked Angel, but even he is genuinely shocked that such a thing could happen. I love Cordy's confusion over her role in Xander's plan and Oz helping to collect the Judge's body parts. "Arm." One of the littlest gems in the episode is the ring Angel wears, pledging himself to Buffy. Angel wears it with the heart facing in, which means you belong to someone. Angelus switches it around, so the heart faces out. He doesn't belong to anyone. How cool is that?! Seriously, I could gush on and on about this episode.
I don't have any real complaints about the episode. I am confused as to why they choose the Shirley Temple movie "Stowaway" for Buffy and her mom to watch at the end. I'm sure it must have some meaning or significance, but I honestly don't know what. I kind of wish they had used the movie again in the series to connect it to something. (Maybe the scene where Spike is watching TV at Buffy's house in "The Barginning" in season six, for example.) As it is, I'm not sure what "Stowaway" means in "Innocence." It's a cute movie, though and I really don't have a problem with it.
My favorite part of the episode: Spike's line, "Let's destroy the world already... I'm bored." It perfectly sums up his impatience with Dru and Angelus's complex "ending humanity" plots and all other battles he can't fight hand to hand. Ya gotta love him.
"Suprise" ends with Buffy and Angel sleeping together and the Judge preparing to burn the humanity out of every living creature in Sunnydale. Angel, feeling that something is very wrong, stumbles outside and collapses in an alley. A woman smoking a cigarette hurries over to help him, asking if he's okay. Within seconds, she's dead. Angel rips into her throat, drinking her blood and letting her body drop to the pavement. Then he casually exhales the smoke he's sucked in from her windpipe and smiles. He feel just fine, he drawls. And right then you know... He's not Angel anymore. He's lost his soul. He's Angelus now. And Angelus is a real bad guy to have around.
Angel is a sweetheart. A hero and champion who loves Buffy with all his heart. Angelus is pure evil. He delights in torturing his victims, inflicting pain and generally being the rottenest Big Bad that Sunnydale's ever seen. Angelus' first stop is Spike and Dru's place. After all, the three of them (and Darla) spent a lot of years terrorizing the population of several continents. Where else would he go? Spike and Dru, for their part, are delighted to have Angelus back on the Darkside again. They immediately include him in on the fun of Dru's newest "destroy the world" plot. And Angelus, well, he's got a plan too. See he's got a real yen to hurt Buffy...
Buffy had no idea what's happened to Angel. Like a lot of young women, the morning after dawns and she's confused and worried about what will happen next in the relationship. Angel's behavior has her baffled. At first she thinks that he's been hurt of killed. But when she finally finds him, he's physically fine. Her relief if short lived, however. Angelus begins taunting her, belittling their love-making and dismissing her feelings. He walks away laughing and Buffy's heart breaks. Angelus isn't done, though. His next stop is Sunnydale High, where he attacks Willow. Certain now that the real Angel is gone, it doesn't take long for Buffy to realize that Jenny knows a lot more than she's let on. Giles, Buffy and the Scoobies now have to fight Spike, Dru, the Judge and Angelus. Xander comes up with a pretty cool loop-hole to the "no weapon forged can kill the Judge" thing. And the whole episode comes down to a showdown in a shopping mall. Buffy wins the fight, but in the end, she can't kill Angelus. She can't destroy the man she loves, even if he's completely vanished inside of a monster. It's flat-out great television.
I love this episode, so there are a lot of good parts to mention. The scene with Oz and Willow in the van is wonderful, as is the conversation between Giles and Buffy at the end of the episode. As always, I love Spike and Dru. This episode reunites them with Angelus and begins the countdown to "Becoming, Part Two" where their relationship comes to a head. Spike is temporarily out of commission and Angelus immediately takes at advantage of his weakness. He begins shutting Spike out and Spike doesn't like it. I also like the scene where Angelus attacks Willow. Xander has never liked Angel, but even he is genuinely shocked that such a thing could happen. I love Cordy's confusion over her role in Xander's plan and Oz helping to collect the Judge's body parts. "Arm." One of the littlest gems in the episode is the ring Angel wears, pledging himself to Buffy. Angel wears it with the heart facing in, which means you belong to someone. Angelus switches it around, so the heart faces out. He doesn't belong to anyone. How cool is that?! Seriously, I could gush on and on about this episode.
I don't have any real complaints about the episode. I am confused as to why they choose the Shirley Temple movie "Stowaway" for Buffy and her mom to watch at the end. I'm sure it must have some meaning or significance, but I honestly don't know what. I kind of wish they had used the movie again in the series to connect it to something. (Maybe the scene where Spike is watching TV at Buffy's house in "The Barginning" in season six, for example.) As it is, I'm not sure what "Stowaway" means in "Innocence." It's a cute movie, though and I really don't have a problem with it.
My favorite part of the episode: Spike's line, "Let's destroy the world already... I'm bored." It perfectly sums up his impatience with Dru and Angelus's complex "ending humanity" plots and all other battles he can't fight hand to hand. Ya gotta love him.