Whedonesque Links

I'm posting a couple of Joss Whedon-themed links I've got in my bookmark list.

First, "Joss Whedon's Top Ten Writing Tips." These are great--good advice for any writer. That Joss is so good at giving this kind of advice shouldn't surprise any of his fans. Dude can write.

Second, "The Armchair Critic's 25 Best (and Five Worst) Angel Episodes." This list is a blast to read and made me want to watch all my DVDs again.

Armchair Critic's list also got me thinking about what I would put on my own list of best episodes...I don't have the time to do as detailed and thoughtful list as this guy does, but I did come up with my eighteen favorite.

Here are my three favorites, in order:

1) "Not Fade Away" (5.22): Best finale ever--sadly for a show that had so many more stories to tell. Wesley's death (comforted by Illyria), Lindsey killed by Lorne?!?, and so much more. And what a great last line: "Well, personally, I kind of want to slay the dragon. Let's go to work!" That's just good advice for life--we fight on, in the face of unbelievable odds, we go to work in this world because it's the right only thing we can do. Love it.

2) "Hero" (1.09): This one still gets me every time, although admittedly it's only the last few minutes that are superb. When Doyle takes Angel's place and becomes the hero, you want to stand up and cheer even as you dissolve into tears. Glenn Quinn's untimely death makes the episode and it's closing line, "Am I done?" even more wrenching. Here's the whole exchange from that scene, as he films a commerical with Cordelia (courtesy of the Buffyverse Dialogue Database):

DOYLE: If you need help. Then look no further. Angel Investigations is the best! Our rats are low.

CORDELIA: Rates!

DOYLE: (RE: cue cards) It says 'rats'. Our rates are low, but our standards are high. When the chips are down, and you're at the end of your rope you need someone that you can count on. And that's what you'll find here. Someone who will go all the way, who'll protect you no matter what. So don't lose hope. Come on over to our offices and you'll see that there's still heroes in this world. Is that it? Am I done?

Brilliant stuff--and here, so early on, one of the major themes of Angel is beautifully illustrated. (One more disclaimer: I named my cat after Doyle and that cat was one of the sweetest creatures I've ever known. I lost him too soon as a result of veterinary negligence and it still hurts to this day to think about it, which might explain a bit more why I love this episode so much.)

3) "I Will Remember You" (1.08): Boy, did I sob like a baby the first time I saw this one. And the second time...and well, just about every time. What to say about it? We see Buffy and Angel happy--blissful, but it doesn't last. And as she tearfully swears to him that she will never forget, the day resets and she forgets. The Oracles ask Angel if he can carry the burden being the only one to remember what he had and has given up and we know he can. Like the female Oracle, we realize "This one is willing to sacrifice every drop of human happiness and love he's ever known for another. He is *not* a lower being."

The rest are simply in chronological order--if I start commenting extensively, I'll be typing for hours:

"Rm w/a Vu" (1.05)

"Five by Five" (1.18)

"To Shanshu in LA" (1.22)

"Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?" (2.2)

"Darla" (2.7)

"Reunion" (2.10)

"Epiphany" (2.16)

"Lullaby" (3.9)

"Waiting in the Wings" (3.13)

"Sleep Tight" (3.16)

"Spin the Bottle" (4.6)

"Orpheus" (4.15)

"Hell-Bound" (5.4)

"Smile Time" (5.14)

"A Hole in the World" (5.15)

Fellow Angel fans, what do you think of these lists? Which episodes would be on your list? You can find a handy list of episodes here.