DVD review - Angel season 5 episodes 17 and 18

Continuing my viewing/reviewing of Angel season 5...

SPOILERS

A5-17: Underneath (written by Craft and Fain, airdate 4/14/04)

Love how Spike shows up for the meeting with a briefcase and beer. Now that's how to handle a transition to corporate life. And, dang, Adam Baldwin makes his "Buffyverse" debut as Marcus Hamilton, a bad-to-the-bone new liason to the Senior Partners. Nice. Joss sure likes to recast from his pool of favorites from other shows, doesn't he? Oh, and finally Harmony gets into the show's credits. Nice too. I actually find her character enjoyable so seeing her have a bigger part in the last six episodes is good. Loved the version of Hell - a holding pergatory if you will - that Lindsey is put into and how the guys have to mount a rescue. Hey, Spike watches Knight Rider - too funny. But, man, is this a deadly place with bullets a flying. Nice move on Gunn's part to sacrifice himself to stay behind - he is really feeling he deserves the punishment for his part in Fred's death. Speaking of, loved Illyria's reference to the one world where there is nothing but shrimp (a reference to something Anya brought up many times over on Buffy). A good episode.

A5-18: Origin (written by Drew Goddard, airdate 4/21/04)

Ugh...Connor is back. I so never liked Connor before (grown up Connor, the baby was acceptable). Naturally the writers felt they had to tie-up this loose end before the show's finale. Still, blah. And all this talk about Angel getting back to the mission and what do we do? We get a personal thing. Yawn. Not even seeing old Sahjhan helped here. Vail is sort of interesting in a creepy way. Oh, and Wes makes a fateful decision that only ends up causing him more grief and confusion. Two saving graces: Spike testing Illyria (or was she testing him?) and Hamilton's brief talk with Gunn (where Gunn shows he's not about to make the same mistake twice).

Four left...still waiting to be really blown away...