Review of Episode 2, Season 5 "Just Rewards" The final element of what is now Angel v. 2.0 made his presence known with a swirl and a roar in the opening seconds of the David Fury and Ben Edlund penned script, "Just Rewards." This episode is all about the arrival of Spike (James Marsters), who is sucked back into existence after his sacrifice to save the world during the series finale of Buffy. After a nice flashback to his final moments with the Slayer, it's not surprising that Spike is less than enthused to reappear in Angel's new offices at W&H. Adding insult to injury, Spike's ex-girlfriend Harmony is there to harass him and oh, guess what? He isn't corporeal either. Seems Spike is kind of ghost-y now and unexplainably attached to the pendant sent to Angel. All of which means, he can't leave the L.A. city limits to find Buffy, he can't fight and he gets to spend his new existence with his least-favorite person ever, Angel. Bad news for Spike means great fun for the audience. David Boreanaz and James Marsters have an excellent and thoroughly entertaining chemistry that crackles with energy. They trade some first-rate barbs and it's refreshing to have some genuine levity back in the series. The two alpha males are equally matched, like quibbling siblings forever at each other's throats. While that could easily get old real quick, like an undead-Odd Couple, the writers and the leads add a lot of texture and history to the snark. Their quiet scene in Angel's apartment was a great moment of calm and showed the depth in their relationship that will be exciting to watch unfurl. As for this ghost business, it works for now but hopefully, he won't linger in such a limiting state for long. Plot B of the episode revolves around an evil W&H client and very powerful necromancer named Hainsley (Victor Raider-Wexler). He's a cool villain of the week but Angel better be careful with the excessive thinning of his client list or Eve is gonna come back cranky. Yet, the dual plotlines nicely weave together culminating in a climax, which offers a relatively clever twist for new fans if not for long-term fans that know the souled Spike a little better. The rest of the gang is relegated to helping solve the Spike puzzle, which they contribute to in some exposition-y segments. Harmony gets some great moments berating Spike for being a "Slayer Loving Freak." And the end offers a quietly chilling scene with Spike confiding to Fred (Amy Acker) that when he disappears from this plane, it's not all hearts and puppies. Rather, Spike is ever closer to being sucked into the chasm of Hell and he'd rather actually exist after all. A great close on an excellent effort. I give it... Review by Staff Writer, Phoenix

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!

Fred: So Spike and Buffy are... Wesley: He was, um, an ally of hers for some time, at least that's what Angel told me. That's all Angel told me. Gunn: So he's a good-guy vampire like Angel. Angel: (annoyed) He's nothing like me. Spike: Got that Right. Fred: Weird. I'm getting electromagnetic readings consistent with spiritual entities, but there's no ectoplasmic matrix. Gunn: Meaning? Fred: Ectoplasm's what makes ghosts visible to the human eye. If he's a ghost, technically we shouldn't be able to see him. And I'm detecting brainwave activity. Angel: On Spike? That is weird. Fred: Also, ghosts generally absorb light and heat energy making the area around them a few degrees cooler. Spike's radiating heat. Spike: Think I'm hot, do you? Fred: Mmm lukewarm. Just above room temperature. Fred: Maybe he's here for a reason. You know, some higher purpose or something he's destined for. Sent to us by the Powers That Be to help us or... Spike: Who gave them the bloody right to do that? (scoffs) Can't a man die in peace without some high almighty deciding it's not his time? Let's have a little more fun with him, eh? You'd think that saving the sodding world be enough to earn me a rest. You'd think. Fred: Spike? Spike: Hmm? (looks down at his body, he is disappearing) Oh, balls. Wesley: Did, did you just say, Spike has a soul? You never said. Angel: Didn't seem worth mentioning, you know. Gunn: Seems to be a lot of that. Spike: Or maybe Captain Forehead was feeling a little less special. Didn't like me crashing his exclusive club, another vampire with a soul in the world. Angel: You're not in the world, Casper. Angel: (re: Angel's 3pm appointment with a Grox'Lar beast) I'm meeting with Grox'Lars?! They eat babies! Harmony: Just their heads. Harmony: (to Spike) Listen, I know I was a little crabby before. I mean, hello?! A little akward seeing you at my work. But if you want to talk or something, you know, about us or... (Spike walks away) Ok. Too soon. I understand... Slayer-loving freak. Angel: (to Butler) We're--I'm from Wolfram & Hart. Spike: I'm his date. Butler: Mr. Hainsley has asked that I send you back to Wolfram & Hart, gentlemen. In a manner of speaking. (He takes out two butcher knives and swings them around) Spike: Uh-oh. Looks like it's buckets for you. Butler: (Angel takes a spoon from a teacup and throws it in the Butler's forehead) Aah! Spike: A Spoon?! That's just... (Butler removes the spoon) Well, Ok, That's more... (Butler falls down dead) Disappointing, really. Angel: What is your problem? Spike: You are, ya ponce! You're my problem. You got it too good. You're king of a 30-floor castle, with all the cars, comfort, power, and glory you could ever want, and here I save the world, throw myself on the proverbial hand grenade for love, honor, and all the right reasons, and what do I get? Bloody well toasted and ghosted is what I get, isn't it? It's just not fair. Angel: Fair?! You asked for a soul! I didn't. It almost killed me. I spent a hundred years trying to come to terms with infinite remorse. You spent 3 weeks moaning in a basement, and then you were fine! What's fair about that?! Spike: Are you getting blurry, or is it... (Spike disappears) Angel: (throws his hands up in aggravation) Unh! Spike: I'm slippin'. Fred: What? Spike: Don't wanna go, but it's like, it's like the ground underneath me is, splitting open and my legs are, straddling both sides of this bloody big chasm. It's getting wider, pulling me in. Fred: Is that, is that what's happening when you keep vanishing? Spike: I know what's down there, where it's trying to take me. And it's not the place heroes go. Not by a bloody long shot. It's the other one. Full of fire and torment. And it's happening. And I'm terrified. (he pauses and turns to her) Help me? Quotes by Staff Writer, BCangel