Angel # 3: Smile Time

Season 5, Episode 14
First Aired February 18th, 2004

I feel a little bad putting this episode on the list because to fit it in, I had to cut out the Faith two-parter from Season 1, which is much more emotionally powerful than this episode. But "Smile Time" is just so hilarious and well-produced. The idea of Angel turning into a puppet sounds so silly, but the execution was incredible. That's basically the episode: Angel becomes a puppet, and the group needs to figure out how to break the spell. Ok, Wes and Fred finally got together, Angel decided to date Nina the werewolf, and Gunn made a fateful decision, but mainly, this was all about puppet-Angel.

Joss Whedon co-wrote this episode with Ben Edlund (who has done some work on The Venture Bros.), and there are few funnier episodes of either Angel or Buffy. The various reactions to Angel as a puppet were incredible, espeically Spike's "wee little puppet man". The script called for Spike to laugh uncontrollably, but I've heard that James Marsters blew takes because he was laughing too much. The puppet choreography was really good, especially the puppet fight at the climax. And then there were all the various puppet jokes ("Is there a Gepetto in the house?").

This episode didn't significantly advance the plot of Season 5, but it did plant the seeds for things to come. And it was absolutely hilarious.

Up next: Angel #2...