This episode is mainly important because of Gunn and Darla. He's becoming a real part of Angel Investigation and she's started her plan to drive Angel insane. The two of them are an important part of the show and "First Impressions" does establish some new things about their motivations and characters. This isn't my favorite episode, but it does have some cool parts to it. If you're watching the season on DVD, you shouldn't skip "First Impressions."
"First Impressions" revolves around Gunn. He's spending more and more time fighting along side the Angel Inc. gang. Now, he wants Angel to help him stop a demon who's been terrorizing Gunn's neighborhood. Angel agrees, of course, but he's having some problems of his own. He's having trouble with his dreams. He's sleeping all the time, but not feeling rested. Plus, he keeps dreaming of Darla. He's not sure what's going on. Little does Angel know that Darla is back from the dead, and she's been sneaking into the Hyperion and plying him with a magical sleeping powder.
Cordy has a vision where she sees Gunn in danger. Leaving messages for Wes and Angel, Cordelia heads off in Angel's car, determined to help Gunn on her own. Gunn is far from impressed with her heroics and tries to get rid of her. Unfortunately, Angel's car is stolen and Cordy is desperate to get it back. Gunn has to help her track it down. Along the way, they fight some vampires and confront that demon who's been moving into Gunn's neighborhood. Wes and Angel arrive in time to help with the fighting and the demon is defeated. Cordy realizes that her vision was really about Gunn's death wish attitude. He's going to get killed unless he starts taking better care of himself. She promises to look after Gunn from now on.
There are some good parts to this episode. The fight with the demons in the parking garage is pretty fun. Cordy's lamenting her ruined outfit, Wes' beeper gets broken, Angel's worn out from Darla's dream scheme and Gunn is angry at all of them. Somehow they go from battling vampires to discussing Denzel Washington's performance in "Malcolm X." It's just really cool. And I love Angel in this episode. He's so adorable in his scenes with Darla and his pouty annoyance over riding on Wes's motorcycle is hilarious. Angel is so embarrassed that he has to wear the pink "lady's" helmet, that you just have to smile. (He'll have a similarly frustrating experience with a Vespa and Spike in season five's "The Girl in Question.") Also, I really enjoy Cordy in this episode. From talking to Dennis, to tripping all over her words with Gunn's friends at that party, to macing the huge demon... She's great. And I really like that Alanna's death was brought up again. Gunn's sister was such a big part of his motivations and it's good that the show remembered her. Finally, I really like that David back for one last scene. I think he's cute.
On the down side, I think that this episode is trying out the possibility of a Gunn and Cordy pairing. It puts them together, but nothing really comes of it. Cordy and Gunn really don't share a lot of one-on-one scenes together after this, which is sort of a shame.
My favorite part of the episode: Angel and Darla "moon-bathing" together in his dream.
"First Impressions" revolves around Gunn. He's spending more and more time fighting along side the Angel Inc. gang. Now, he wants Angel to help him stop a demon who's been terrorizing Gunn's neighborhood. Angel agrees, of course, but he's having some problems of his own. He's having trouble with his dreams. He's sleeping all the time, but not feeling rested. Plus, he keeps dreaming of Darla. He's not sure what's going on. Little does Angel know that Darla is back from the dead, and she's been sneaking into the Hyperion and plying him with a magical sleeping powder.
Cordy has a vision where she sees Gunn in danger. Leaving messages for Wes and Angel, Cordelia heads off in Angel's car, determined to help Gunn on her own. Gunn is far from impressed with her heroics and tries to get rid of her. Unfortunately, Angel's car is stolen and Cordy is desperate to get it back. Gunn has to help her track it down. Along the way, they fight some vampires and confront that demon who's been moving into Gunn's neighborhood. Wes and Angel arrive in time to help with the fighting and the demon is defeated. Cordy realizes that her vision was really about Gunn's death wish attitude. He's going to get killed unless he starts taking better care of himself. She promises to look after Gunn from now on.
There are some good parts to this episode. The fight with the demons in the parking garage is pretty fun. Cordy's lamenting her ruined outfit, Wes' beeper gets broken, Angel's worn out from Darla's dream scheme and Gunn is angry at all of them. Somehow they go from battling vampires to discussing Denzel Washington's performance in "Malcolm X." It's just really cool. And I love Angel in this episode. He's so adorable in his scenes with Darla and his pouty annoyance over riding on Wes's motorcycle is hilarious. Angel is so embarrassed that he has to wear the pink "lady's" helmet, that you just have to smile. (He'll have a similarly frustrating experience with a Vespa and Spike in season five's "The Girl in Question.") Also, I really enjoy Cordy in this episode. From talking to Dennis, to tripping all over her words with Gunn's friends at that party, to macing the huge demon... She's great. And I really like that Alanna's death was brought up again. Gunn's sister was such a big part of his motivations and it's good that the show remembered her. Finally, I really like that David back for one last scene. I think he's cute.
On the down side, I think that this episode is trying out the possibility of a Gunn and Cordy pairing. It puts them together, but nothing really comes of it. Cordy and Gunn really don't share a lot of one-on-one scenes together after this, which is sort of a shame.
My favorite part of the episode: Angel and Darla "moon-bathing" together in his dream.
