Angel 5.01-5.04
Conviction
So CSI: Supernatural Unit Begins! I am not keen of this Wolfram and Hear set set, it looks so...boring and sterile. And we have lots of lantern hanging as the rest of the team ask themselves just what are they doing taking over an evil law firm. Yeah, nice job on motivation there, Joss. Angel has reasons, sure, but the rest of them? Nope. And just how much do they remember of the clusterfuck that was season 4 anyway? How does that all work again. Meh, no, I don't care, they work for evil law firm now, alright fine. And Gunn would totally let the evil law firm put things into his brain. That's not at all forced.
Oh God, Harmony. I forgot she was back. But it results in a Cordelia mention, as Harmony is so sad oh well moving on. It's funny because they got canceled.
I do like how hilarious Eve is, with the blatantly trying and failing at the whole evil seductress thing. She looks twelve!
Oh look, surprise Spike.
Just Rewards
Remember that time when Spike did that whole nobel sacrifice to save the world and we were all sad except not because we all knew he would be going to Angel? Lets see that again. (Grr, Chosen. Yeah, lets have a series dedicated to how unfair and sucky it is to shove a vampire slaying destiny on someone and then to finish shove a whole bunch of vampire slaying destinies on a bunch of someones. And Anya died.)
Spike has a soul now. Don't forget that. So that means Spike and Angel can fight over Buffy and who is the best vampire with a soul. Because Spike has one now. A soul.
Is it just me, or does James Marsters portrayal of Spike seem a little...off? He seems very subdued, which I suppose could fit where the character is at that time, all ghost-like and soulful. It's awfully similar to the despair of an actor who knows he'll never escape a leather coat and bottle of peroxide.
Unleashed
The whole CSI: Supernatural Unit really comes across here. It's not awful, it's just...sterile. It falls down by focusing on a guest star who I get the slightest impression was not hired for acting talent alone. Someone get that woman a bra!
The werewolf makeup is an improvement from the old one. Now it looks like a strange, wingless bat instead of an ugly ape in a fur coat.
Hell-Bound
The episode that manages to get back the atmosphere of the old Angel and it's All About Spike. Is that a good sign? I don't think that's a good sign. But at least Spike gets naked. And it does show that Angel and Spike can have nice interactions that don't involve petty posturing over Buffy. Will that last? I don't think that will last.