Angel: Somnambulist (1.11)

Undoubtedly the strongest episode so far, Somnambulist utilizes Angelus' history, fuses it with standalone elements (a serial killer on the loose), and sets out to actually 'say' something. It's the first Angel episode which feels truly confident about what its doing, depicting the twisted relationship between a vampire and his sire, made even more complicated by the sire's soul. Angel and Penn had a ton of chemistry together, a pre-fame Jeremy Renner reliably disturbing as a vamp with even less conscience than normal, who sadistically enjoys the thrill of the chase and enjoys making a spectacle out of his killings.

The story makes a great contrast between Angel and Penn, made evident in that great scene with Kate describing the personality of Penn, which conveniently matches that of Angel. No matter how much Angel redeems himself, he can't entirely escape his past, Penn a violent embodiment of his history and the chaos he created.

Kate finally discovered that Angel is a vampire, which throws a spanner in the works of their already annoying flirtations. I still don't like the character, and there are numerous loopholes via her involvement in this episode, but I appreciate that they're taking the relationship to new levels, instead of going down obvious routes.

I really liked the dynamic between Angel and Cordelia here. Their last scene, which was written for Doyle originally, was especially notable. While she wasn't meant to actually be there in the first draft, I enjoy seeing Cordelia as a confidante for Angel, having a friendship with him that seems so strange at first but makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Cordelia's scenes where she was prepping her conversation with a client were also a lot of fun, and I loved that great reveal of Cordelia talking to Penn right there in the office.

Somnambulist, while standalone in tone, is the first real indication of where the series is heading, tying together serialized elements to create something that feels fresh and exciting. Kind of a series classic, in my opinion. A

Credits
Guest stars Elisabeth Rohm (Kate Lockley); Jeremy Renner (Penn)
Writer Tim Minear Director Winrich Kolbe