Angelwas one of the most successful spin-offs in television history because it proved to be tonally and aesthetically distinct from the originalBuffy the Vampire Slayerseries.Buffy the Vampire Slayerwas a rich coming-of-age story that often faced Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Xander (Nicholas Brendon), Willow (Alyson Hannigan), and the other members of the “Scooby Gang” off against new threats every week. Comparatively,Angelwas a darker, serialized mystery series that addressed existential issues about redemption, death, and peace.Angelonly occasionally showed signs ofthe cheeky sense of humorthat was present in manyBuffy the Vampire Slayerepisodes.
Buffy the Vampire Slayerwas often willing to break the structure of its own format with wildly inventive experimental episodes; betweenthe musical installment “Once More With Feeling,”the surrealist dream episode “Restless,” the crushing drama of“The Body,” and the silent horror of “Hush,”Buffy the Vampire Slayersucceeded by taking supposed “gimmicks” and fleshing them out into worthwhile standalone entities. Although it had a consistency of tone that its sister series lacked,Angelmade a drastic aesthetic shift with the puppet-themed episode “Smile Time.”
What Is ”Smile Time” About?
The fifth season ofAngelis often considered to be its best, as it forced the core characters into a compromising position where they were working for their biggest enemy. After spending years trying to thwart the villainous intentions of the malevolent law firm Wolfram & Hart, Angel (David Boreanaz), Charles Gunn (J. August Richards), Fred Burkle (Amy Acker), Lorne (Andy Hallett) decide to take on new jobs working under the organization. Their new roles allow them to continue their previous efforts as “Angel Investigations,” exposing them to a multitude of strange paranormal cases. In “Smile Time,”Angel discovers that a children’s television show is harboring a demonic entity.One of the show’s most seemingly docile puppets has drained the life force from a young boy; should the program continue to be on the air, many other children could be in danger.
While he goes to the television station to look for clues,Angel is turned into a sentient puppetthat resembles the characters on the show. It’s a surprisingly humorous moment that putsAngelin an uncomfortable position. He is now only gradually accepting his role of leadership within Wolfram & Hart and isdesperate to earn the respect of those working under him. It’s much harder to take him seriously when he’s a tiny, furry creature, leading to a particularly amusing brawl with his longtime rival Spike (James Marsters). Spike’s inclusion in the fifth season reignited a feud that had originated onBuffy the Vampire Slayer, as the two characterswere often at odds due to their shared historywith Buffy.Spike often enjoys getting under Angel’s skin, and seeing his new puppet persona gives him the perfect opportunity to make light of his rival’s vulnerabilities.
Seeing childlike puppets within a seriesas dark asAngelhas inherent comedic value, but“Smile Time” incorporates some surprising moments of horror. The demented puppet Polo has a sinister plan to warp children’s minds by getting them to obey his commands and uses his friendly outward appearance to mask his malevolent intentions. The episode also utilizes Angel’s puppet form to create some of its most dynamic action sequences.Angel is able to use his minuscule size to take his opponents by surprise, wielding weapons that he wouldn’t normally utilize.
“Smile Time” Showed a Different Side of Angel
Angel’s darkness was one of its best qualities, as the series was unafraidto kill major charactersand address the cyclical nature of evil. However, the downbeat self-seriousness of the titular character occasionally ran the risk of being far too moody.The showwas able to poke fun at itself in “Smile Time”by lampooning Angel’s brooding nature.Boreanaz would later show inBonesthat he was adept at comedy, but “Smile Time” allowed him to add a subtle satirical edge to hisAngelcharacter. The show seemed to acknowledge that Angel has become somewhat ignorant to his self-image, as internalizing his feelings of remorse has turned him into a caricature of himself.
Remarkably,transforming into a puppet also allows Angel to be more vulnerable.While his relationship with Buffy had given him a negative attitude regarding romantic relationships, Angel had been casually flirting with the Werewolf Nina Ash (Jenny Mollen) as the two worked alongside each other. Nina gets to see Angel when he is most insecure, allowing the two to be more open with each other. It signified thatas existentialist asAngelgot, he was still capable of finding moments of hope.
“Smile Time” Advanced the Supporting ‘Angel’ Characters
Angel’s puppet form is easily the most entertaining aspect, but“Smile Time” featured many important moments of development for the supporting characters inAngel.The episode teases the long-gestating romance between Fred and Wesley has finally reached its climax, makingthe season’s tragic twist even more heartbreaking. Gunn is also able to utilize more of the legal skills uploaded to his brain as part of Wolfram & Hart’s program, and Lorne continues to solidify his place as a concrete member of the team. Additionally, Harmony Kendell (Mercedes McNab) proves essential in revitalizing Angel, indicating thatshe evolved significantly from the haughty teenager she was onBuffy the Vampire Slayer.
The success of “Smile Time”makes it more unfortunate thatAngelwas prematurely canceled,as the series was just beginning to experiment with its more radical concepts. Whilethe series finale “Not Fade Away”proved to be the perfectly ambiguous conclusion, “Smile Time” indicated that the series’ greatest potential was untapped. It’s one of the show’s only installments that can stand alongside the genre-busting highlights ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer.
Angelis streaming on Hulu in the U.S.
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