Product: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Angel - The Puppet Show [VHS] (1997)
Rating: 5.0
Buffy learns the truth about Angel (and about Sid the dummy)
This third and final tape in the collection of episodes from the first season of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" presents "Angel," one of the pivotal episodes, along with a rather pedestrian effort "The Puppet Show." What this means of course is that like most aficionados of Buffy I am stunned that the set concludes with "The Puppet Show" instead of the pivotal "Prophecy Girl" which wrapped up the whole story arc regarding the Master. Fortunately, Joss Whedon has been more selective in his collections for seasons two and three."Angel," written by David Greenwalt, really completes the initial set up for the series as Buffy learns that the mysterious man in her life is not only a vampire, but also a vampire with a soul. What a difference a kiss can make. This is where the ascent to the epic heights of "Becoming," which ended the second season, really begins as Buffy and Angel are established as two of the most star-crossed lovers in history. After the shattering revelation in "Angel," the adventure of Sid the talking dummy in "The Puppet Show," written by Dean Batali & Rob Des Hotel, is something of a let down, although the tag sequence of Buffy, Willow and Xander butchering "Oedipus Rex" is truly memorable. But when it comes to significant episodes in the Buffy mythos, "Angel" is definitely on the short list.