Here's how I explain it - Angel and Angelus are not two different people. He and the people around him like to pretend they are because it makes them all feel better about his place in the world, but in reality Angel's life is a constant struggle to overcome his true nature; his first impulse is always to hurt/kill…

Oh, you're right. I forgot about Something Blue, for some reason I thought we never got any of Anya's backstory until the eps about her in later seasons.

That post might have been a spoiler. I can't decide.

The dialogue!
I totally agree with your comment about the dialogue in New Moon Rising. Unfortunately, I think this is something that happens more and more often throughout the next couple seasons. With distressing frequency, the "Buffyspeak" is less endearing and more cringe-inducing. I've never tried to go through…

Re: Saving the world, that's kind of the point Cyrus was making. When someone is about to destroy the world, there aren't a whole lot of delicate moral choices that need to be made. The fact that the entire world is so rarely endangered on Angel is what allows the show to tangle more with shades of gray.

Wow, a 2-pack of S1 of both shows is downright baffling marketing.

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Wow, really TomWaits? I'd say The Yoko Factor is the standout bad episode of the back half of S4, and would take the crown for the whole season if not for Beer Bad. Primeval I actually kind of enjoy if just for Xander as Ma-Ti.

Great Anya line from season 5: "I, for one, didn't want to start my day with a slaughter. Which really just goes to show how much I've grown!"

Very minor SPOILERS

He's been neutered as a direct threat to innocents, but he repeatedly demonstrates that he still hates the Scoobies and is willing to work toward their deaths if possible. On the other hand, Anya integrates (relatively) smoothly into society and develops sincere relationships with each of the major characters. I…

Semi-SPOILER

If it's equal opportunity bashing you want, I hate hate HATE Go Fish. And Dead Man's Party really rubs me the wrong way too.

Well, it's a little different to post about a show you just don't like than it is to post about a show that was YOUR FAVORITE SHOW OF ALL TIME and then suddenly turned into a show you don't like. I didn't watch Buffy when it aired so I'm not one of those people, but I can definitely understand where they're coming…

YES TomWaits, that bugged me for the entire season. Of course, my biggest complaint about S7 generally is that it brings the whole Slayer mythology front and center and I always thought that mythology was the weakest part of the series.

Speaking of Angel ripping off The Wire, I've often wondered how much better a show Angel would have been if they'd gotten someone like J.D. Williams to play Gunn. J. August Richards was always by far the weakest link in Angel's cast IMO.

Personally, my favorite Fred is teenage stoner Fred.

I've been rewatching Angel S1 along with these writeups and have been surprised how much more I like it the second time through. I guess knowing where things are ultimately going makes me more forgiving of the early episodes. I have to say that although I enjoyed the somewhat high-minded epic that Angel became, it's…

CONTINUING ANGEL SPOILERS

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