The Phoenix Top 10 Angel episode list (from the home office in Cherry Hill):
#10. 1.08 I Will Remember You - I'm not one of those lingering B/A fans but as an overall episode, it perfectly demonstrated the sacrifices Angel was willing to undertake to achieve his redemption. It's was also just great heartbreaking TV.
#9. 1.03 In the Dark - Ok, I like Spike, so sue me. Even more, I love the interaction between Spike and Angel, and the unspoken history that just oozes from these vamps when they get together. Great snark, great drama, and great chemistry. One of the best indicators for how great season five should be.
#8. 1.09 Heroes - Overall, an odd episode with a Nazi-esque subtext but the standout portion belongs to Glenn Quinn and his heartbreaking performance as Doyle. His epiphany about purpose and sacrifice parallels Angel's own but alas Doyle's journey just ended much too soon. A crowning achievement for the late actor and it gave Angel fans their first taste of true loss.
#7. 2.07 Darla - A fantastic journey into the past and a new exploration of the Rat Pack of Vamps for fans. Julie Benz was amazing.
#6 2.10 Reunion - I like my episodes dark and you don't get much darker than having the hero lock a bunch of lawyers up with two nasty lady vamps like Dru and Darla.
#5 4.06 Spin the Bottle - A comedic farce and a much welcome stroll down memory lane to reflect on just how far these characters have all come. Each actor was brilliant and together - their timing was perfection.
#4 3.06 Billy - More of the dark I love, as well as, a lovely chance for the two bitchiest characters west of the Mississippi to face off and set some things straight. Charisma Carpenter and Stephanie Romanov shine.
#3 3.11 Birthday - We get to see "What If" Cordelia never met Angel in LA and what a great life she would have had. Yet for all the perks, the much changed Cordy still choses to be a champion, despite the demon side effects. Oh, and we get lots of Skip the Demon - what's better than that?
#2 4.14/4.21 Release/Peace Out - A tie because it just got too hard to choose. Release had fantastic Faith & Wesley interaction along with more Angelus. Peace Out had an incredibly satisfying climax between Jasmine and Angel over the meaning of freewill and the costs to keep it.
#1 3.16 Sleep Tight - The best Angel episode ever. Period. I was glued to the screen and there was so much happening, it felt like I was riding on a freight train barreling down the track. It all led to a fantastic cliffhanger which had me howling in pain and excitement for the resolution.

Well there you have it, the best of the best according to CityofAngel.com. As you can see, opinions varied between writers, but there were a few episodes that made all three lists. Stick around for Season Five, which will undoubtedly offer more great episodes to make our Top Ten list! Also, be sure to visit the CoA Angel forum where we will be setting up a Top Ten thread where you can agree or disagree with us and debate away!

Written by CoA Writers, Jeff Ritchie, Kristy Bratton, and Tara DiLullo