Take 5: The Top 5 ANGEL Episodes
March 25, 2009 by Sarah Curtis
It’s time for another installment of GiveMeMyRemote.com’s Take 5. With Each Take 5, members of Team GMMR pick their five favorite episodes of some of their favorite shows. After sharing their faves, it’s up to YOU to tell us which episodes stand out as some of the best. There are no wrong answers, just a lot of fond memories.
I’m tackling the top five episodes of ANGEL, which was tougher than I thought it would be. But I decided to be a Champion and just go for it.
I’ve decided that since there were five seasons of ANGEL, I’ll choose the top episode from each season.
So raise your goblets of Mountain Dew, and let your old pal SeeleybabyCakes try and do justice to our favorite Vampire and his crew.
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Season One: I WILL REMEMBER YOU (1×8)
I want to say straight out, that of all of Angel’s ‘relationships’ with women, Kate was my favorite (Lonely Hearts). So…there you have it. Having said that, I also loved Doyle, and Hero was so close to being my top choice for season one. But…
For my money, this is the episode where Angel became “Angel”, for good or for worse. He has a chance to be with Buffy, for as long as they both shall live, but he gives it up, and therefore accepts his mission as Champion. The moment where he asks her why she never told him about chocolate and peanut butter is heartbreaking to me, more than the part where they decide to turn back time.
Season Two: REDEFINITION (2×11)
This episode is one of the most artistic of the series. David Boreanaz pulls off a great deal of serious acting while the voiceover describes his readiness. And his work out regimen is intense, but when we see all of the action he takes later, we know he was just getting started. But in contrast, almost every other character in the show is grouped with another. Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn, while at the Your browser may not support display of this image.beginning move separate ways, end up together at the end (We are the Champions, a classic), and they agree to continue the mission, with or without Angel. Lindsey and Lilah join forces within and against Wolfram and Hart after surviving the massacre that was Dru and Darla.
But through it all, Angel separates himself to become ready for his mission. And it’s a very cruel Angel we’re seeing here, although Darla tells Dru he’s not Angel or Angelus. All in all, it’s a defining, or ‘re’-defining episode of the series.
Season Three: THAT VISION THING (3×2)
When I decided to give Angel a try, I DVRd some eps from TV, and it was in the middle of season three ( “LOYALTY”, I believe). I liked it okay, so I watched through the end of the series, and then started season one and watched the whole series in order. And so at first, I didn’t understand what the big deal was with Angel and Cordy, and all of that Connor nonsense. But as I watched Angel and Cordy in seasons one, two, and three, I began to feel ill just knowing what was coming, you know?
So I loved THAT VISION THING (3×2)
Angel’s “Don’t come at me though Cordelia ever again. You play that card a second time and I’ll kill you” to Lilah is about friendship and loyalty and love. And it feels like a beginning. And my heart breaks at the way Cordelia silently suffers at first with the visions, and as Angel slowly works his way into her confidence here, it’s very beautiful. But as the episode ends with Darla and what will be Connor, each time I see that scene, I think…it’s over. This is the beginning of the end. And I resent the emotion I’ve invested in them.
(For an interesting article, check out Jennifer Crusie’s The Assassination of Cordelia Chase http://www.jennycrusie.com/essays/cordeliachase.php )
And fun fact… That Vision Thing marked the 100th episode for both Charisma Carpenter and David Boreanaz for the parts, Angel and Cordy.
Season Four: HOME (4×22)
Season four starts out with one of the greatest quotes of all time, from any television show.
“Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. It’s harsh, and cruel. But that’s why there’s us – champions. Doesn’t matter where we come from, what we’ve done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world is as it should be, to show it what it can be.”
And it’s Angel, basically giving Connor the what for (quite rightly, as the boy tried to bury him alive (dead?) underwater for eternity)
And this is where I find ANGEL (the show and the character) so aggravating. On paper, Angel is not a character that evokes my sympathy. We haven’t talked much about Angelus, or Liam, or any of the unspeakable acts from Angel’s past (and not so distant past), and frankly, I don’t care to go on about all of those. I find Angel to be disturbing. But he’s also redeemable because for the most part, he suffers when others suffer. But I find myself conflicted on whether or not Angel deserves every bad thing that could ever happen. Does he? Has he done more harm than good? Thinking about it too much makes me crazy, but it’s an episode like Home, where Angel gives up Connor in order to give the boy what he wants/needs, where I think Angel is honorable. And what a perfect moment for the season to end as well, with Angel and the team preparing for their largest challenge yet: running Wolfram and Hart.
Season Five: NOT FADE AWAY (5×22)
“This was not the final grace note after a symphony…we are definitely still in the thick of it. But the point of the show is that you’re never done; no matter who goes down, the fight goes on.”
That quote isn’t from the episode, but it’s how Joss Whedon describes his series finale. And that rings true for me. Angel’s curse is that all those around him will die, and he must keep fighting. There’s not much more to say than that. Except…
- Spike: And in terms of a plan?
- Angel: We fight.
- Spike: Bit more specific?
- Angel: Well, personally, I kinda wanna slay the dragon. Let’s go to work.
And that’s that. Ok ANGEL fans, share YOUR five favorite episode of all time. Tell us why.
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What about Hero? Or You’re Welcome? What about the hilarious Spin the Bottle? Shells? Shells is a goodie.
Oh no! I am just doing Angel on Netfilx now (after just having finished Buffy for the first time), so I won’t even read the thread for fear of spoilage. But I’ve done season 1, and I do agree – I will Remember You was heartbreaking!
I unsterstand why Not fade away would be the main choice here…but Your Welcome was my personal favorite of the last season, matched only by the one I believe is called Smile time..whichever one it was where Angel got turned into the puppet…
1. Hero (1×09) – Not only for the presence of Kirk from ‘Gilmore Girls’, but for the wonderful, emotional performance Glenn Quinn gives in this episode (made all the more poignant when viewed now, with the knowledge of what happened to him in real life). I really loved Doyle, and thought this was a great send-off for a character that often felt like he wasn’t anything special.
2. Waiting in the Wings (3×13) – Summer Glau! Pretty boys in tuxes! I know I probably don’t need to say any more than that, but…. I loved the story here, even if it was partly a retelling of Buffy’s “I Only Have Eyes For You”. And I really felt for both Wesley and Angel here – both finally got up the nerve to tell their ladies (Fred/Cordy) how they felt, only to discover that Gunn had already made a move and that Groo had come to LA.
3. Soulless (4×11) – I loved it when Angelus reared his not-so-ugly ugly head. Plus, Angelus’s one-on-one time with each of the cast members really made me believe that he was saying things that Angel honestly thought about his friends, but would never dare to speak aloud.
4. Spin the Bottle (4×6) – Again, even though there was a similar episode on Buffy, I really enjoyed the glimpse into what everyone was like before they came to LA/Angel Investigations.
5. A Hole in the World (5×15) – I was really torn between this ep and Smile Time (5×14 – Angel the Vampire Muppet!). However, the raw emotion that Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof brought to the table in this episode after Fred got infected make this episode really stick with me after it ended.
I only watched the first season of Angel because I was a big Cordelia fan on Buffy and then Glenn Quinn won me over right away. Once he was gone, I only ever cared to tune in when Spike made an appearance. But I really enjoyed all of Season’s 1 episodes.
I haven’t watched Angel in a long while so I’ll just name episodes that still stick out from my mind.
1. I will remember you
-Damn you Joss for keeping Angel and Buffy apart. I cried like a baby at the end.
2. Spin the bottle
-We got to see the old Wesley from Buffy season 3 again! Yay!
3. Home
-The scene with Conner and Angel at the store made me cry like a fool.
4. Smile Time
-Hands down funniest episode ever!!!!!! Fighting evil puppets? Spike getting his bum kicked by puppet Angel? Comic gold I say.
5. Darla
-This following Buffy’s “Fool for Love” made it a great crossover episode. We got to see the fang gang all together for the first time.
Smile Time is still my favorite episode. It’s sick and funny and I loved it. It might be about time for me to go back and rewatch this whole series. Maybe this summer.
Here’s a list of my favorite episode of each season:
1 – Hero
2 – Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been
3 – Provider (great ending)
4 – Salvage
5 – You’re Welcome
Season 1: To shanshu in La. I agree Hero is incredible both I can watch over and over and it still makes me cry everytime. But To Shanshu in La will always be my number one fave. Charisma and David are incredible in this episode and my heart just breaks everytime.
Season 2: Epiphany. This one has always stuck in my mind and I didnt think I would say it was my favorite because I have a few others that I just watch over and over(Dead end, Disharmony). But I have to go with Epiphany. The end scene between Kate and angel, was just too perfect. One of the few good endings to a great character we get so few of them in the jossverse.
Season 3: Waiting In The Wings. I have so many favorites from season three but I would have to say this i my favorite. The storyline is great and I love seeing angel and Cordelia together after everything they go through. Its the peak of season three right before things all go to hell both literally and figuratively.
Season 4: Home. I’d have to agree Home is just an amazing episode. Especially after all that happened in season 4. Season 4 just pisses me off so much but the finale is so well done I have to give it it’s credit.
Season 5: You’re Welcome. It’s one of if not my Favorite of the entire series. Its an incredible end to an incredible character. While I would have loved to have Cordelia in all of season 5, having You’re Welcome is the only thing that makes it hurt less thats she dies.
I could never get through the rest of season one after first I Will Remember You and then Heros. Damn you Joss. You about ripped my heart out with the first, and then gleefully took a scalpel to it and cut slivers until it was pulp with the second. After those two, I never watched them except the occasional ‘nothing else on tv’ ep. *sigh* Why couldn’t B/A have stayed together? And I heard about Cordy and Angel. *shudder* very scary thought. I love her character, but always loved her best with Doyle.
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