Angel 5.17 - Underneath
Hey, new credit sequence. More Illyria, less Fred. And Harmony. Joss probably wanted to put her name in so she could call herself a regular. He did the same thing with Andy Hallett last year, by the way.

This was a surprisingly good episode, seeing as how it came from the women writers who previously screwed up. The best dialogue was between Illyria and Wes. Illyria's lines were very Shakespearian and well written. Amy Acker is finally getting more comfortable and more convincing reading those Illyrian lines. Too bad the dialogue didn't really lead to anywhere important. Everyone got all philosophical this episode. Which is fine because you don't get as much of it in BtVS.

Funniest parts: When Spike and Angel both scream at the sunlight when Gunn opens the door of the car; Spike going "There's fire hell. Ice hell. Well, ice hell.."; Illyria complaining that Wes drinks all the time and makes that noise through his nose; Spike commenting that "Well didn't see that coming" after Marcus Hamilton dramatically pulls out his pen; and the beginning where Spike comes in with the briefcase and cracks open a beer.

The part where Gunn, Spike, and Angel confront Lindsey in his suburban hell smacks of The Matrix. Very blue pill, red pill. Only Lindsey didn't get to choose and he got the red pill shoved down his throat. And the gunfight was SO cool. Everyone just pulled out a machine gun, even the kid, and started shooting. It was well choreographed. Gunn sacrificed himself. He has character, man. I have newround respect for him. But he'll probably be saved in the next episode. Wait, that means Connor's coming back. *shudder*

Angel is television that thinks. And makes its audience think. No wonder it's so unpopular among the masses.