Faith and Angel are linked through a coma as Willow, called on by Fred, arrives to attempt the reinstallation of Angel's soul, something Cordelia is not willing to allow.

Not as good as the episodes that have preceded it, there's something a little off-target about this one, although the resolution to last episode's cliffhanger is neat and effective. However, the flashbacks to a brooding Angel trudging the streets of various US cities don't add much to the story beyond curiosity value; it's hardly Angel's finest hour, and there's not a lot to be got out of it all except an understanding that Angelus is always within Angel but is far from being an entirely separate entity. There's a feeling that maybe Tim Minear could have handled this issue better than Mere Smith, but that's not to say she isn't putting the effort in. It's simply the fact that the old battle between the two sides of one person has been done once too often, and aside from Angelus's irritation when Angel doesn't seem to have noticed he's in a fight, there's no east way to make this more than it is. Faith's inclusion seems a little superfluous, and Angel's attempt to bring her back to her senses and fight the coma she's in is dealt with too simply and works too well without being given adequate time.

The more powerful and dangerous Willow fits nicely into this landscape, showing just what she's made of when she fights against Cordelia's attempts to get Angel's soul safely locked away. Her interactions with the rest of the team are fun, especially during her arrival, and although you can detect hints of the relationship between Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof transferring onto the screen, it does make for an enjoyable scene where Willow outdoes Wesley's darkness with her 'flaying someone alive and trying to destroy the world' card. Her belief that Fred is flirting with her is quite fun and does sow a seed of doubt that maybe Fred isn't quite as straight as she might think. My only real problem is that Willow seems to have no problems with some fairly black arts in this episode, while over on Buffy she's been steering clear where possible. It does make sense, however, to have her perform the restoration spell, and the simple way she accomplishes the task is rather tidy, especially with Connor inadvertently helping to save Angel's soul.

Speaking of whom, it's way past time Connor grew some brain cells. Things should be starting to fall into place for him at the very least, and while he may take after his father through not being hugely blessed in the brain department, he's easily taken in by Cordelia. More to the point, it seems odd that no one passes comment on why Connor felt he should do what he did and make the link between his random actions and the evil that was brewing within the hotel. Okay, so it's difficult to suspect Cordelia of something she's not likely to be involved in, but so far two plus two seems to be coming out as three for the Angel Investigations team.

It's certainly not a bad episode, it could just do with a little more work in places; it needs a bit more plot to bolster it and less comedy Angel hairstyles. It's not bad, but it could have been a little better, although it still does send chills down the spine when Cordelia starts to demonstrate just how much power and control she has. The question is, how long can she remain undetected, and what happens when she's found out?

***

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