Angel - S1E17

Eternity
First Aired: Tuesday April 4, 2000

Angel takes on a case to protect a famous actress after he saves her life. She becomes enamored with him, even after finding out he is a vampire, because he doesn't know who she is and how much of a star she is.

The episode begins with Angel and Wesley trying to devise an exit strategy ... from Cordelia play. They try to reassure her about her acting afterwards, but Angel is distracted when he saves the life of Rebecca Lowell, a famous television star. The next day, she visits Angel's office because she can't believe there is someone who doesn't know who she is or care. Angel refuses to help her with her stalker problem, which Wesley postulates is because Angel is attracted to her and is afraid to get close. That evening after a party at Rebecca's house, Angel stops another attempt on her life. She notices that Angel doesn't have a reflection after the fight and she isn't freaked out by it. The next day, she wishes Angel to accompany her to a movie premiere, but as they are leaving the mystery man tries to shoot them. Angel again stops the guy and this time he is captured by the police. Rebecca's agent reveals to her that he was a stunt man he hired to make publicity for the woman, since she didn't get her latest role. She becomes distraught because the character Raven she played will be forever young while she continues to age. She then devises a plan to have Angel sire her. Angel becomes wise to her plan, as does Cordelia, but it is a little late because she had drugged Angel with a drug that induces euphoria. This in turn brings out Angelus, who confronts Rebecca, Wesley and Cordelia. Ultimately, Wesley is able to knock Angelus out a window and they chain him up. When Angel returns, he tries to apologize and while Cordelia and Wesley understand, they know he meant what he said.

This was a decent enough filler episode, helped immensely by the great acting of David Boreanz as Angelus. I have to check, but this might have been the last appearance of Angelus until season four when they tried to have him help kill the Big Bad. I found the character of Rebecca Lowell to be wholly un-interesting and bothersome. It was funny to actually see Cordelia trying to act ("line?") and this is perhaps a natural progression towards her realizing she can't act.

Score: 3 / 5