Info: from January to December 2011 join Nikki Stafford and a whole group of Buffy contributors and enthusiasts as we re-watch the entire series!

Episode 7: Angel
The episode most Buffy fans know by heart (whether they like it or not).  The secret that everybodynobody knows is revealed about Angel after a passionate smooch session with Buffy.  It does explain a few things...but oh dear Angel's got enemies with big grudges.

Episode 8: I Robot, You Jane
Its Willow's turn to prove that she too can be lured to the dark side of love.  After chatting up a new friend on the computer, weird things start happening around the school.  Could it somehow be tied in with the missing text of the demonic book Giles' owns?

Episode 9:  The Puppet Show
As Sunnydale High prepares for the Talent Show of Mandatory Attendance, classmates are being found dead (of course) but its not vampires!  Organs are missing, a shadowy creature is stalking the Scoobies--plus there's a Puppet on the loose!

"Angel" was, until my third rewatch of the series, my favorite episode.  He's tortured!  He's in love!  Its forbidden!  Despite what folks say I really liked Snarky, Swarmy, Cryptic Angel.  I was sad to see him turn into Tortured, Guilt-ridden, Angst Muffin Angel.  Though when he's Angelus I'm happy again (what kind of twist am I?).  Anyhow.  Many things happen this episode--Joyce proves to have remarkably resilient obliviousness, Darla gets toasted (but proves that bringing a gun to a battle with the Slayer is a proven technique, later utilized by Warren in "Seeing Red" in season 6) and Angel's secret is outed!

Even though it was pretty obvious that Angel was not human from the very beginning, it was nice to see some confirmation.  Also we learned some vampire lore (Darla was his sire!  She loved him!) and the beginning of the Buffy/Angel Romance is underway in full force.  Looking back I wonder if Angel ever said to himself "If I had just stayed in the shadows life would have gone much easier.".

Xander is jealous of course, Willow is 'aww how sweet' and Giles is indifferent...until Buffy is like 'Vampire!' and then he's 'Think of your duty!".  To be fair Giles had Watcher accounts of how evil Angel had been as Angelus (though and someone correct me, has Angelus killed any Slayers?  Spike boasts of 2 Slayer Kills, does Angelus?) and the idea of a 'vampire with a soul' is hilarious (too bad he can't sing with it).  But...well disapproval reigns supreme.  Until Giles needs his help in a couple episodes.

Also, and this was mentioned elsewhere, but the fact Joyce doesn't bat an eye at the fact that Giles is checking in on her at the hospital?  When he's just a school librarian?  She must really want to believe that Buffy is trying to improve...or the drugs made her not realize how weird that is.  My parents would have freaked.

"I Robot, You Jane" is our first introduction to Jenny Carpenter--Giles doomed love affair that torments him for seasons upon seasons.  We also see that other students occasionally use the library for...stuff?  I don't know--apparently Miss Calendar thinks the library should be more up to date, but honestly she must not look at the books too hard because does Giles have anything relevant to a normal HS education?

It struck me as weird that 'scanning' the Demon Book of Moloch counted as 'reading'.  Though its Sunnydale so whatever.  I felt so bad for Willow in this episode.  Much like Xander in "The Pack" or "Teacher's Pet" she thinks that something special--outside of the group--is formed.  How much does it suck that it was a demon?

Jenny isn't huge in this episode--ha that's a lie.  She outs herself as a technopagan (I still contend it was to impress Giles and get in his pants) and helps save the day.  She's not officially a Scooby yet tho.  Xander shows jealousy--though I really think he just likes being the only (young) guy in the group surrounded by women.  I love that their idea of cheering Willow up is to remind her that they all have tragic love lives.  This is pretty much true for the rest of the series--no one catches a break.

"The Puppet Show" the first episode with Armin Shimmerman (aka Principal Snyder) taking over for Principal Flutie long may he rest in pieces.  And he's a bastard from the get go!  I mention this below again, but Armin is an actor I watched for years on Star Trek as the Ferengi Quark.  Who is pretty much just like Snyder--just with make-up and more avarice for money.

This is also the first, non-Watcher related, mention of a Slayer.  The Puppet (Sid) mentions when he was human he worked with a Slayer in the 30's (a Korean chick he apparently got along with).  All in all its not a bad episode--in hindsight some of it is hints for later on and I really do love how Giles and Snyder interact--throughout the course of the next two and so seasons the two of them grow increasingly hostile towards each other, but still manage to stay professional with their jobs!  Their main bone of contention is Buffy of course.

Shaken not Stirred Fandoms:
Principal Snyder (aka Armin Shimmerman) also plays "Quark" in Star Trek Deep Space Nine--in fact from now until his departure in Season 3 he pulls double duty on both shows!

Mark Metcelf (the Master) also was part of a show called "Teen Angel", which was part of ABC's TGIF line-up (along with Sabrina: the Teenage Witch, Boy Meets World and another one season wonder "You Wish").  Like Armin he pulled double duty.