Review of Episode 5, Season 2 "Dear Boy" "David Greenwalt, David Greenwalt, David Greenwalt!" I understand that if you repeat that three times in the mirror and then turn around quickly you’ll see one of the best episodes of the season. The Executive Producer of Angel has taken the complete helm on this one and steered us on a course of pure pleasure! After watching this episode, I pondered the question, ‘Does Darla have a greater purpose in the overall scheme of all things Angel?" Unintentionally I’m certain, but still a happy coincidence would be Darla’s ongoing play in Angel’s life. Darla spots Liam, a rebellious young man ripe for the unlife and turns him, creating the most vicious Scourge of all Europe, Angelus. Darla introduces Angelus to Drusilla who will eventually become an obsession for many murderous decades. Darla presents Angelus with the Kalderash Gypsy girl, inadvertently providing the catalyst that curses him with a soul and forces her departure. And ironically enough, Buffy’s first vampire foe encounter in Sunnydale is . . . Darla. Finally, Angel, to save Buffy’s life kills his own Sire and stakes her to dust in Ep7/Season 1 ‘Angel’ [BtVS]. Now Wolfram & Hart brings her back in her most captivating role yet. Interesting how she has become so pivotal! Julie Benz’s performance is outstanding! Usually she portrays Darla as whimsical and conniving with lusty overtones. Here we see, perhaps for the first time, a truer side of Darla, vengeful, vulnerable and most of all, still enraptured by Angel. We discover that she is truly human again and, like Angel, with a soul, something that may have new and exciting ramifications for them both. The last two scenes between Angel and Darla are riveting! Lindsey’s comment regarding Darla, "Woman should have her own series." Touché! Also, Angel’s not so out of character here. As a matter of fact, he is closer to his original profile then he has ever been. If you go back and view Angel in the premiere season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer he reflects more of that personality you see in the final confrontation with Darla; snide, sinisterly playful, mildly arrogant. This is actually refreshing to see in a way. Mirroring the fine line that exists in his personal struggle to keep his dark side at bay. This is the first episode that Kate [Elisabeth Rohm] reappears. (Due to Liz’s duel schedule on Angel as well as TNT’s Bull, her character will be reoccurring this season.) We see inside Kate’s perspective for the first time since last season where she felt betrayed by the one person she needed to trust. While she struggles with her decision of Angel’s place in Good vs. Evil, her main concern are the innocents caught in the crossfire. She will have to come to terms soon and this gives Kate the interest her character provides. Far too little of Drusilla [Juliet Landau]. This is the first return of Angel’s past love obsession since Spike took her away from Sunnydale in ‘Becomming II of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Season Three. Juliet is brilliant as the mentally inhibited Dru and we can only hope that she will be back! This week the Cordelia and Wesley bickering teetered on annoying. I love their banter, I think it is intelligent, humorous and true to their characters' natures but there’s a gray area of childish behavior which I hope we can carefully avoid here. Best Line: Darla, "Please, he was an actor!" I give it...

CoA Stakes Rating Guide = Disappointing, stake it, bury it! = Not too bad, Lacking a few graves. = Typical Dark Avenger saves the day Saga. = Better still, Quality Headstones. = Outstanding! Reward it with mortality!

Wesley: We made you some tea. Angel: Great. Cordelia: It's on the table right there in front of you. Angel: Table seems far. Cordelia: Aw, you must be all worn out from sleeping for the last three days. It's like living with the worlds oldest teenager. He couldn't be having growth spurt at 248 could he? Angel: 247. Cordelia: What if, every time you identified a demon in one of your big ole books we give you ten bucks or a chicken pot pie. Wesley: Wait, I have another idea, no! Get a vision. Cordelia: It's not like you can hit me in the head and 'wham' it happens. Wesley: What if we test that theory with one of my big ole books. Cordelia: If I sit, I'll throw up in my head. Angel: This is why personally I rarely go to church. (Silence) I thought it was funny. Angel: I got thing for convents. Darla: I ran into Lord Nichols. Horrid little man. he was proposition a street walker and dickering over the price. Can you imagine. I told him I come for nothing. Angel: Oh, you're very charitable. Darla: Hmm. I loathe cheap royalty. Angel: They all taste the same to me. Darla: My boy does have the touch. Angel: Darla? Darla: Yes? Angel: Why did you kill the street walker? Darla: Oh, I just liked her. Guess what's next. Angel: What is it. Darla: Surprise, you have to guess. Angel: The three daughters. All virgins. Darla: Close. Angel: The one in the middle has something delicate and unique did you find me a saint? Darla: Better than that, she has the sight. Angel: Visions. She sees the future. She is pure innocence. Yet, she sees what's coming. She knows what I'm going to do to her. I'm really going to have to come with a snuff for this one. Darla: Now your learning. Down boy. Let the plum ripen. You always come up with something new. Angel: Keeps me young. Husband: Do you think my wife is cheating on me? Angel: Probably. Cordelia: Personal bubble! Personal BUBBLE!! Wesley: Vampires don't come back from the dead. Angel: I did and I saw her. I'm not crazy. Wesley: Where? Angel: Right between the clowns and the big talking hot dog. Darla: He did that to you. What's it feel like? Lindsey: It doesn't feel like anything. Darla: Can I? It's very smooth. You don't feel anything? Lindsey: Not in my hand. Angel: Guess you didn't take that whole Dust to Dust thing to heart, did you? Cordelia: ... And the outfit that seemed to say 'pet me, I'm a whore.' Angel: It was Darla. She's back and she's human now. But, I know her scent. Wesley: Angel you can't just sniff a person and know. Angel: You had sex last night with a bleach blonde. Wesley: Good lord how did you... ? Cordelia: That's unbelievable! I didn't think you ever had sex. Cordelia: Imagine Bonnie and Clyde if they had 150 years to get it right. Angel: Hello, love. Darla: You made quite a mess out there. Blood and habits everywhere. Angel: Convents, there just a big cookie jar. Darla: What's she doing here? I thought you killed her. Angel: No, Just her family. Angel: You remember how much I like convents. Angel: It's been a long time since I've said this to anyone. But, you can scream all you want. Darla: Oh, I'm not gonna scream. There's my boy! Angel: Yeah, but the bitch is, you have a soul now. Angel: You took me places, showed me things, you blew the top off my head. But you never made me happy. Darla: But that... that cheerleader did? We were together 150 years. We shared everything! Your saying never... ? Angel: You couldn't understand. Darla: I understand, all right! Guy gets a taste of something fresh and he thinks he's touching God! Angel: It wasn't about... Darla: Oh, you bet your ass it was! There was a time in the early years when you would have said, I was the definition of bliss. Buffy wasn't happiness. She was just new. Angel: You know - you're getting awfully bent over this, Darla. I couldn't feel that with you because I didn't have soul. But then I got a second chance, just like you have. Darla: What a poster child for soulfulness you are. Darla: Well my boy's still in there and he wants out! Kate: That's right he's good. I'm sorry. And why did he kidnap that woman again? Angel: Your gonna feel it, you know. What you did. That man you got killed. Darla: Please, he was an actor. Angel: I'm serious. Darla: Like a heartache and just about as much fun. Angel: Darla, you hurt anyone else and I'll kill you. Darla: Will you? Isn't that against your cub scout code? Darla: See? No matter how good a boy you are, God doesn't want you... but I still do. Cordelia: It's us. We haven't seen you all day. We were just wondering if everything was, you know, copasetic? Angel: I didn't go bad, Cordelia. Cordelia: Oh, I was never worried about that, Boss. Of course, Mr. Fussypants always assumes the worst. Angel: There's gonna be a lot of trouble and I say bring it on!