Angel: The Trial (2.9)

The Trial falters a little because it's clearly an episode which only exists to set the scene for the real action occurring over the next couple of weeks. There are obviously some interesting character moments spread throughout the story, but the bones of the episode are taken up with the annoyingly rote 'trial' sequences. There isn't a whole lot to that element of the script, and even Julie Benz struggles to make some of her dialogue work.

But it's the first couple of acts and that insane cliffhanger that raises the episode beyond filler level. At the heart of the story is Darla's continuing madness, and her struggle between pursuing humanity and returning to what has become her true nature. What pushes her toward one direction here is the news that she's dying of the same illness that plagued her in her brief human life centuries ago. It adds a cruel irony to her story, implying that she was given this 'second chance' but was always destined to stay dead in the long run.

Another cruel irony is in that doozy of an ending. Darla finally accepts her destiny and you're fully prepared for a couple of episodes with Angel showing her the world or whatever, only for Drusilla of all people to arrive with Wolfram & Hart and sire her right in front of Angel. The wheels are flying off this show in the best way possible.

There were a couple of great scenes at the top of the show, especially that fun moment where Darla tries to get sired by some pathetic vamp who himself only got 'turned' in 1992. Elsewhere, I loved Darla's scene at Caritas, and Gunn is becoming more integral to the group dynamic. He seems to be a stronger detective than both Wes and Cordy at this point. The Trial is an interesting episode, but it feels a lot like scene-setting more than anything. B

Credits
Guest stars Christian Kane (Lindsey McDonald); Andy Hallett (Lorne); Sam Anderson (Holland Manners); Jim Piddock (The Valet); Julie Benz (Darla)
Teleplay Douglas Petrie, Tim Minear Story David Greenwalt Director Bruce Seth Green