Angel: Eternity (1.17)

While Eternity follows the same general concept as something like I Fall to Pieces (a damsel in distress needs protection from a stalker), it also features some fascinating ideas about Hollywood and vampirism, while the script tumbles down several unexpected detours before it hits the closing credits. Most will remember Eternity for the brief return of Angelus more than anything else, but the rest of the episode does in fact have some interesting moments, mostly related to Tamara Gorski's has-been actress at the center of the story.

Rebecca Lowell is the classic example of an actress who has fallen off. She's aging, she's forever associated with one character she played years ago, and she's struggling to find new parts. The stalker angle of the story and the involvement of her management felt a little under-developed, but I loved Rebecca's attraction to the concept of becoming a vampire, and the lack of any fear she had when discovering it.

David Boreanaz is really spectacular as Angelus. He's mean, sadistic and completely fuckin' nuts, and his cold cruelty towards Wesley and Cordelia was particularly hard to watch. I also cringed at that horrible scene where he squirted the pig's blood into Rebecca's mouth. Yikes.

Helpfully, Wesley clarified to Cordelia that Angel's curse doesn't automatically mean that 'perfect happiness' equals sex of any kind. Episodes like She appeared to imply that intimacy of any kind for Angel would result in the loss of his soul, but here it was made clear that he needs to find that abject perfection for the curse to be lifted. I always preferred that reason, since it made his relationship with Buffy really worth 'something', like it was something spectacular and important. So I'm happy they cleared that up.

Eternity takes its bones from the early season 'detective mystery' hours, but at the same time crosses it with character-driven intensity. The first couple of acts drag a little, but the inevitable conclusion to the Rebecca story raises the bar. Fun standalone hour. B

Credits
Guest stars Tamara Gorski (Rebecca Lowell); Michael Mantell (Oliver Simon)
Writer Tracey Stern Director Regis B. Kimble