These episodes of Buffy and Angel elevate both shows from monster-of-the-week procedurals to something poignant, moving and totally original. In other words, they're five by five.
85. Dead End
Angel Season 2, Episode 18
Written by David Greenwalt
Directed by James Contner
Lindsey receives a new hand from Wolfram & Hart (after Angel chopped his off) but something is wrong with it. This leads to his discovery that the law firm is harvesting human body parts. Christian Kane's understated performance makes Lindsey very compelling. That dude could serenade me on a guitar any day.
84. City of…
Angel Season 1, Episode 1
Written by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt
Directed by Joss Whedon
The Angel opening credits are a lot darker and moodier than Buffy, as demonstrated by the (awesome) score and the final visual of Angel’s angsty walk down an dark alleyway. Cheesy or not, the first episode establishes early on what will be the best part about the show: an overarching, series-long villain in the form of the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart. And boy, does the rivalry start off hot when Angel kicks one of their clients out of a high-rise building window.
Side note: Yeah, the transitional shots in early Angel are basically seizure inducing. Is it weird that I still find them charming?
83. The Dark Age
Buffy Season 2, Episode 8
Written by Dean Batali & Rob Des Hotel
Directed by Bruce Seth Green
Turns out Giles was not always an uptight yet sexy librarian. He was once a roguish troublemaker nicknamed “Ripper” who conjured a demon that murdered one of his friends. Scary stuff. In the end though, this imperfect, more honest side to Giles brings him and Buffy closer in a way that tugs at the heart strings a little.
82. Seeing Red
Buffy Season 6, Episode 19
Written by Steven DeKnight
Directed by Michael Gershman
Without a doubt, this episode is the most difficult to rank. On the one hand, I hate it because so many terrible things happen. Xander is a dick to Buffy. Spike tries to rape Buffy. Warren shoots Buffy and a stray bullet kills Tara, a true Hufflepuff. But on the other hand, it is an intensely well-done bummer. The end scene where Willow’s eyes go red is superbly ominous.
Side note: A lot of the problems with this episode come in subsequent episodes with the show's treatment of Spike. I don't think it was bad to remind the audience that Spike is really, truly evil, but the show never really deals with the ramifications of his attempted rape in a meaningful way. Instead, Spike has this weird arc of getting a soul and then in season 7 the shows seems to ship him and Buffy again, leading to his redemption by self-sacrifice. More was needed than a few arguments about why Buffy decided to let Spike live.
81. Storyteller
Buffy Season 7, Episode 16
Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Marita Grabiak
Andrew films Buffy and the Potentials for a documentary-style video and it is truly a breath of fresh air. His narration is hilarious, especially the way he says “Slayer of the Vampyres." Even better when he deliberately points the camera away from one of Buffy’s horrendous speeches. Though some aspects don’t really work when you think about it too much (it’s weird that the seal wanted tears to close), the episode gets the benefit of the doubt because it’s so damn enjoyable.
80. To Shanshu in L.A.
Angel Season 1, Episode 22
Written and Directed by David Greenwalt
If Angel Season 1 was shaky, the ending sure wasn’t. Angel’s discovery of the Shanshu prophecy is super significant and will have ripple effects for the rest of the series. Not to mention that this episode has a great bad guy (Vocah), Angel cuts off Lindsay’s hand, and Darla is resurrected from the dead. That’s gotta make you come back for Season 2.
79. New Moon Rising
Buffy Season 4, Episode 19
Written by Marti Noxon
Directed by James Contner
Even though this episode has a lot going on - Oz’s return and being captured by the Initiative, Willow recognizing her love for Tara - it's a really beautiful episode. The Willow/Tara stuff is so good, it almost makes me forget about Adam's existence. Almost.
78. Ground State
Angel Season 4, Episode 2
Written by Mere Smith
Directed by Michael Grossman
Gwen brings a refreshing, playful energy to Angel. She is basically a hot mutant superhero with electric powers and a deep sense of vulnerability. As a bonus, she has great chemistry with Angel and the ability to briefly restart his heart. And speaking of awesome female characters, Lilah and Fred have some great scenes in this episode, too. If only Cordelia would just stay put in that other dimension…
77. Supersymmetry
Angel Season 4, Episode 5
Written by Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain
Directed by Bill Norton
Fred and Gunns’ relationship ends in the most complicated and heart-wrenching of ways. Fred is set on exacting revenge against the physics professor that sent her through the portal to Pylea. But in the end, Gunn kills the professor to save Fred from doing it, which kills something in himself that Fred loves. That’s some real shit.
76. Superstar
Buffy Season 4, Episode 17
Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by David Grossman
The Jonathan-centric opening credits are baffling at first but glorious upon a rewatch. The way the show portrayed the all-encompassing effects of the spell Jonathan cast to make himself a celebrity is brilliant. So many Easter eggs, like the Jonathan swimsuit calendar or his rat-pat style singing group. The effects of the spell are so fun that the conclusion really doesn’t matter (though it turns out Jonathan is just a super sad person in desperate need of approval from others).
75. Darla
Angel Season 2, Episode 7
Written and Directed by Tim Minear
Essentially Darla’s origin story, this episode is key to understanding her relationship with Angel. Darla, it turns out, was dying of a venereal disease when she was sired by the Master. Because of that experience, she believes she did Angel a favour by turning him into a vampire. Angel, on the other hand, now views it as a damning. It’s a great episode on its own, but it’s so cool that the flashbacks actually a crossover to the Buffy episode “Fool for Love”.
74. Habeas Corpses
Angel Season 4, Episode 8
Written by Jeffrey Bell
Directed by Skip Schoolnik
The Beast as a villain can be equated to the Pokemon Graveler: An intimidating opponent but so uninteresting you never choose it for your roster. “Habeas Corpses” succeeds because it focuses less on the Beast himself and more on the consequences of his rampage. The scenes of everyone trapped inside Wolfram & Hart are exhilarating, especially Lilah’s near-death encounter. The action gets even more intense when everyone turns into zombies and Connor remains stuck inside. Hell, even the cringey post-coital scene between Cordy and Connor is tolerable because Angel tells Cordelia “Now take your boyfriend and get the hell out of here.”
Side Note: RIP Daniel Dea Kim. You were far too hot for Wolfram & Hart.
73. Conviction
Angel Season 5, Episode 1
Written and Directed by Joss Whedon
Season 5 of Angel feels fresh because the characters are placed in entirely new situations at Wolfram & Hart. It’s especially fun to see Gunn as a savvy lawyer rocking a pin-striped suit. But it's Angel who really steals the episode when he utters the line “the only thing better than conviction is mercy” before straight up murdering an employee (granted, the employee was going to kill children, soooo). It perfectly sets up the moral quandary of the fifth season: Can you do good at the helm of an evil corporation?
72. Bargaining, Part One
Buffy Season 6, Episode 1
Written by Marti Noxon
Directed by Grossman
“Bargaining” provides insight into life in Sunnydale after Buffy’s death. Everyone is sad, Willow is hella powerful and not afraid to use dark magic, and the Buffy Bot says things like “marzipan”. It’s basically a roadmap for the dark and bizarre storytelling of Season 6. The final visual of Buffy’s corpse becoming reanimated inside the coffin really seals the vibe.
71. Dirty Girls
Buffy Season 7, Episode 18
Written by Drew Goddard
Directed by Michael Gershman
Yeah, Caleb’s religious/misogynistic shtick becomes kind of annoying after a while, but he is truly terrifying in his shocking introductory episode. Case in point: he kills two potentials and gouges out Xander’s eye.
70. Fredless
Angel Season 3, Episode 5
Written by Mere Smith
Directed by Marita Grabiak
Before this episode, Fred was a cutesy character with very little depth. Thankfully, that changes. After running away from her parents (but really from her trauma of being in a demon dimension for years), Fred has to figure out where she belongs in the group. Turns out she has mad innovation skillz, which enable her to save everyone’s asses from giant bug demons. All hail Fred, the soul of Angel.
69. Halloween
Buffy Season 2, Episode 6
Written by Carl Elisworth
Directed by Bruce Seth Green
Ethan Rayne episodes can all be summed up with one word: “shenanigans”. His introduction involves him turning everyone into their Halloween costumes, which is very clever, even if it’s not really explained why he does this. Regardless of how developed Ethan Rayne’s motives are, the results are highly entertaining.
68. Entropy
Buffy Season 6, Episode 18
Written by Drew Greenberg
Directed by James Contner
"Entropy" is all drama and I am here for it. Anya, back as a Vengeance demon, tries to get everyone to wish ill upon Xander. It doesn’t work, and she ends up having sex with Spike in the Magic Box, which Xander sees on camera. Cut to a massive confrontation, hurt feelings, and Xander's worst qualities on full display. Apparently you don’t need magic or demonic capabilities to hurt someone because you can just use jealously and insecurity. Yay?
67. Ear Shot
Buffy Season 3, Episode 18
Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Regis Kemble
Buffy gets the ability to hear other people’s thoughts and discovers that someone is planning to kill students. She thinks it’s Jonathan but eventually realizes that he only wants to kill himself. It is ultimately revealed that it was the cafeteria lady who wanted to poison the entire student body. And that’s after Buffy nearly goes insane. Pretty dark. At least we get funny moments, like Buffy finding out that her mother had sex with Giles. Twice!
66. Home
Angel Season 4, Episode 22
Written and Directed by Tim Minear
Season 4 of Angel is so bonkers that the only appropriate ending was a reboot. This episode is great because it gets rid of Connor via memory-wipe, it features a lot of Lilah, and it gives the folks at Angel Investigations control over Wolfram & Hart. The complex examination of morality, culpability and redemption that Angel excels at only gets better within this new dynamic.
Side note: I can't say enough good things about Lilah. I will forever be enraged that she was killed off because she is the hottest and most interesting evil person in the Buffyverse I will die on this hill.
65. Helpless
Buffy Season 3, Episode 12
Written by David Fury
Directed by James Contner
Buffy loses her powers and is forced to experience the world as a woman without super strength. Not only does she have to rescue her mother from a creepy horror house that contains a murderous woman-hating psychopath-turned-vampire, she also has to walk home alone at night and pass by catcalling men! Seriously though, that scene in the house is one of the most heart-pounding in the series.
Side note: Fuck the Watcher's Council.
64. Guise will be Guise
Angel Season 2, Episode 6
Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Krishna Rao
Wesley is great, but Wesley pretending to be a vampire to protect a wealthy heiress is even better. Everything about this is hilarious, especially when Wesley drinks actual blood to maintain the ruse. He even sleeps with Virginia (aforementioned heiress), which is not at all significant when her father tries to virgin sacrifice her because she’s already had a lot of sex. It’s kinda nice when a woman’s sexual experience saves her life instead of resulting in her mythical pregnancy/boyfriend losing his soul/imminent death. As always, thank you, Jane Espenson.
An exchange worthy of noting: Angel asks “Were you in Virginia?” Wesley: “That’s besides the point”
63. Villains
Buffy Season 6, Episode 20
Written by Marti Noxon
Directed by David Solomo
The one where Dark Willow flays Warren alive. It’s hard to feel sorry for Warren but maybe flaying him alive was a bit much. As a fun exercise, watch “Villains” and then immediately watch an earlier episode where Willow rocks a fuzzy sweater and talks about animal crackers. Man, what a contrast.
Side note: How weird is it that the two characters with the most alarming devolution into darkness – Willow and Wesley - are married in real life?
62. Surprise
Buffy Season 2, Episode 13
Written by Marti Noxon
Directed by Michael Lange
This episode makes my method of ranking two-parters separately tricky. “Surprise” is basically just a rollercoaster of ups and downs between Angel and Buffy who are so in love that they decide to have sex, which causes Angel to lose his soul at the end of the episode. It is certainly a game changer, but it’s not quite iconic on its own.
61. The Price
Angel Season 3, Episode 19
Written by David Fury
Directed by Marita Grabiak
The "price" refers to the consequences of using dark magic, which in this case takes the form of demon slugs that dehydrate their human hosts until they die. Fred becomes infected and it is a race against time to save her life. But the "price" also refers to Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, who has been banished from the group but is the only person who knows how to save Fred. Wesley's arc from here on is one of the best in all the Buffyverse.
60. Homecoming
Buffy Season 3, Episode 5
Written and Directed by David Greenwalt
If you spent early Buffy wanting more Cordelia, this episode is for you. Not only is “Slayerfest ’98” a brilliant idea, watching Cordelia in a homecoming gown beat dudes with a spatula is basically perfection. If GIFs were a thing back then, this episode would have killed on Twitter.
59. A New Man
Buffy Season 4, Episode 12
Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Michael Gershman
Giles running around as a Faryl demon and scaring Professor Walsh is laugh out loud funny, as is every scene with Ethan Rayne. The fact that there are so many funny moments in an episode that is actually quite sad – it focuses on Giles’ isolation and loneliness - is one of the many reasons Buffy is such a great show.
58. Underneath
Angel Season 5, Episode 17
Written by Sarah Fain & Elizabeth Craft
Directed by Skip Schoolnik
Though the suburbia-is-hell concept has been explored before, this episode feels unique. Maybe it’s the fact that in this case, suburbia really is hell, or at least a holding dimension, where Lindsey is forced to spend the majority of his day having his heart cut out of his chest by a demon in the basement. Seems like an appropriate representation of suburbia, no? Lindsey's rescue is also exhilarating, particularly because Gunn voluntarily takes his place to atone for his role in Fred's death.
Side note: The “two men walk into a bar” non-joke that Wesley tells Fred in his dream is a wonderful and intriguing piece of dialogue.
57. Loyalty
Angel Season 3, Episode 15
Written by Mere Smith
Directed by James Contner
The first in the trilogy of episodes I call “the trifecta of awesome” features ominous brooding and a talking drive-through hamburger oracle. Wesley’s alliance with Holtz is tragic, maddening, and definitely the biggest mistake of Wesley’s life. But it’s thrilling to watch him make it.
56. Becoming Part One
Buffy Season 2, Episode 21
Written and Directed by Joss Whedon
As a two-parter, “Becoming” is unstoppable. But assessed alone, this episode is slightly less than perfect. The imperfection lies with Slayer Kendra, who returns only to be easily murdered by Drusilla. It's hella disappointing that one of the few Black characters on Buffy was basically killed off with a shrug.
55. Awakening
Angel Season 4, Episode 10
Written by David Fury & Steven DeKnight
Directed by James Contner
The entire episode is a fake-out and I love it, right up until the end with Angelus’ cold, chilling laugh. Angelus’ return basically saves Season 4.
54. Fear, Itself
Buffy Season 4, Episode 4
Written by David Fury
Directed by Tucker Gates
Two amazing things happen in this greatest of Halloween episodes. First, frat boys accidentally summon a fear demon, who turns out to be this little tiny dude easily squashed with a shoe. Adorable! Second, Anya wears a terrifying bunny costume, thus beginning a string of references to her hilarious fear of the adorable creatures.
53. Angel
Buffy Season 1, Episode 7
Written by David Greenwalt
Directed by Scott Brazil
This is the episode that made me fall in love with Buffy. Angel is revealed to be a vampire with a soul and an incredible history of torture and cruelty. The lengths the Buffyverse will go to unpack Angel's redemption is impressive and results in complex storytelling you don't get from many other shows. But I also just love the romance. The scene when Angel and Buffy kiss and her cross imprints on his skin is kind of perfect. First-timers be watching like “sign me up for 6 more seasons of this and a spin-off!”
Side note: Season 1 Darla is kinda lame. What was with those guns? Buffy really needs to stay away from gun choreo.
52. Lie to Me
Buffy Season 2, Episode 7
Written & Directed by Joss Whedon
This episode ends with Buffy asking Giles to "lie to me" in order to have a brief reprieve from all the darkness in the world. It’s one of the most thematically rich moments in the series, not to mention it adds significance to the events that precede the question. Not just Buffy attempting to save a group of naïve vampire worshippers from gruesome death while unpacking Ford’s motivations for wanting to be turned, but also learning that Angel tortured Drusilla into insanity, slowly and sadistically. Lie to me, indeed.
51. After Life
Buffy Season 6, Episode 3
Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by David Solomon
Finding out that Buffy was ripped out of Heaven by her friends (and also by us, the audience) is a punch to the gut. I really love this episode for the same reasons I like Season 6 – it doesn’t shy away from being dark and personal. Like the scene where Spike sees Buffy for the first time. Watching him realize it’s really her, and that she had to break out of her own coffin, is one of the most moving moments in the series. James Marsters ability to convey so much in just a look is something to behold.
50. Epiphany
Angel Season 2, Episode 16
Written by Tim Minear
Directed by Thomas Wright
Finally, we can dispense with all the references about Angel simply having sex to lose his soul because THE CURSE WAS ABOUT PERFECT HAPPINESS NOT ORGASMS! Aside from vindicating me, “Epiphany” is about not being overwhelmed by the darkness. When Angel tells Darla he did not lose his soul after sex with her because she gives him “perfect despair”, it also makes him realize why he has to stop being a dick and continue to fight the good fight.
49. Damage
Angel Season 5, Episode 11
Written by Steven DeKnight & Drew Goddard
Directed by Jefferson Kibbee
“Damage” is a necessary episode, for two reasons. First, it highlights the brutal consequences of Buffy’s scheme to turn all Potentials into Slayers. Dana, a woman with a traumatic past who became a Slayer in a psychiatric facility, does not fair well in the transformation. That’s putting it lightly, since she spends the episode murdering innocent people and cutting off Spike’s hands. It’s also necessary because it features Andrew, who brings a hefty dose of nerd that has been missed since the end of Buffy.
48. I Only Have Eyes for You
Buffy Season 2, Episode 19
Written by Marti Noxon
Directed by James Whitmore Jr.
This episode is so haunting and sad. Giles mourns Jenny and thinks a poltergeist in the school is her. Turns out it’s a former student who killed the teacher he loved and is now recreating that scenario through other people. This leads to Buffy and Angelus re-enacting the couple’s brutal break-up with the genders switched. It’s one of the most memorable scenes in the entire series.
47. Five by Five
Angel Season 1, Episode 18
Written by Jim Kouf
Directed by James Contner
This is the episode that started Faith’s redemption arc on Angel. It takes a lot for Faith to finally ask Angel for help (she takes the scenic route to this realization, which involves brutally torturing Wesley with shards of glass). Faith's present is juxtaposed with flashbacks to Angel’s past, which include him murdering a man after he got a soul. All to say that a person can have a soul, feel remorse, and can still do evil things because it is, ultimately, a choice.
46. Intervention
Buffy Season 5, Episode 18
Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Michael Gershman
A high point for all the Buffy/Spike shippers out there, this episode is equal parts funny and intense. The Buffy Bot enters the scene for sexy times with Spike and general hilarity. Hard to pick the best Buffy Bot moment. Is it her greeting Anya with “How is your money?” or her riding Spike and cooing “You’re the Big Bad”? But in the end, the most significant moment of the episode involves Buffy herself. After Spike gets abducted and tortured by Glory, Buffy pretends to be the Bot to find out how much he divulged to her about the Key. It's in this moment that Buffy realizes Spike genuinely cares about her, which leads to their first real kiss. Pretty swoon-worthy, notwithstanding their terrible future relationship.
45. Graduation Day, Part Two
Buffy Season 3, Episode 22
Written and Directed by Joss Whedon
