The Return Of "You Know Who"

[white avenger]

Were you surprised when Angel literally popped back into Buffy's life, or had you suspected all along that his absence wasn't permanent?

As for me, I didn't see that episode, or even that season, first run, so I knew that it was gonna happen, sometime, somehow, and I pretty much expected it.

 

[FaithsFollower]

No, I wasn't surprised. He was just there.

Also, I started watching S3 during "Doppelgangland" so that makes this post a moot point. 😉

 

[JCoatsworth]

I can't really remember what I was thinking, but I wasn't that surprised. I mean, something like that was predictable.
Maybe not that soon, but it was obvious that it was gonna happen sooner or later.

But I think it was really peculiar that Angel had just spent some hundred years in a hell dimension and his hair was just amazing! 😱

 

[SlayerFest]

I never really thought "Oh my gawww" back when I was a kid. I didn't seem to have those moments. Now I freak out and go insane. My mom thought there was an earthquake when Wesley took poor baby Connor :cry2: (I liked him as an infant). If I had seen it now for the first time I would have thought, "Oh.snap." but I remember feeling rather indifferent the first time I saw Angel fall from the...pits of hell (how does that work exactly?).

It also didn't help that I watched season 4 first, heh.

 

[WWGD]

Not in the least. I don't think anybody really expected Angel and Buffy to never meet again...

 

[RogueDemonHunter]

I knew there was a spinoff series dedicated to him so I pretty much knew it wasn't permenant; also, I watched season 3 before watching season 2. I watched the rest in order from then on out, though.

 

[Jodast]

I can't remember if I knew that the spinoff was coming or not by the time season 3 started over here. But I went into the season wondering how they were going to bring him back. It never ocurred to me that for a second that he was actually gone from the show.

 

[Gum Gnome33]

I wasn't at all surprised that he came back, but rather how and when. I was shocked at how "simple" it all was; "poof" he was back. But I loved that it happened just as Buffy was starting to move on and get her life back. Perfect, classic Joss!

 

[Oshawott]

Wait . . . from what I remember he was in the title sequence for season three, from the first episode . . . right? In cool Buffy font it said "David Boreanaz" in the title sequence . . . unless I'm crazy? That was the indicator for me that he'd return.

 

[nmcil12]

I wasn't at all surprised that he came back, but rather how and when. I was shocked at how "simple" it all was; "poof" he was back. But I loved that it happened just as Buffy was starting to move on and get her life back. Perfect, classic Joss!

I was not surprised but that he would be returned only with how it was treated - just dropping in like that - was extremely effective as a visual and as drama. One thing that I do recall was that Angel look like an Mature Adult Male - powerful and strong sexual image that I found disturbing knowing the age of the Scoobies. Even now, I find that image disturbing and I don't really know why, but I think that for me it made such a strong statement about the very different ages between Angel and Buffy and all the young characters.

I was not a young person when I watched the series and the age and life experience differences were a big factor for me with my perspective on this character.

 

[Taake]

I was quite young at the time and Angel's return I think might have been my happiest tv-moment ever... I remember how upset me and my sister were at the end of season 2 (serious 'noooooooooooooo' screams) so seeing him back on the show was major for me. In fact I remember throwing myself on the phone to tell her even if she was far away (Brook, IN) and woke her up in the middle of the night. So yes, I was surprised and eternally grateful!


🙂 🙂
(aw, Angel... my boy, always!)

 

[Jeff86]

I really wasn't surprised. Of course, I never got to see the show during its original run, I got to see it all on DVD. Since Angel appears on the U.S. DVD cover with Buffy and Faith, yeah I was not surprised at all. 🙂

 

[dexeded]

I was surprised in a bad way. My brother had asked me if Angel was going to be resurrected earlier that day (I watched loads of eps in a row for my first time), and I said that I hoped not because that would cheapen his death (which also applies to Spike, but I love Spike too much to view it the same way). I didn't know about the spinoff, obviously. So I was disappointed in the show when he returned.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I used to avoid spoilers like the plague, so I remember being shocked when it aired first run. I heard not long after that he was getting his own show, though, so I wasn't surprised when he told Buffy he was leaving again in "The Prom".

 

[Gum Gnome33]

Wait . . . from what I remember he was in the title sequence for season three, from the first episode . . . right? In cool Buffy font it said "David Boreanaz" in the title sequence . . . unless I'm crazy? That was the indicator for me that he'd return.

Well since he was technically in the first episode of season 3 but only in Buffy's dream, that mention of his name didn't necessarily give his official return away. 🙂

 

[AmelRIOT]

I watched Buffy when it was first aired and watched them in order, I was 9 I think when season 3 first aired and I didn't know he was coming back in the first episode it kind of gave it away cause David Boreanz was in the opening credits but show clips of him playing Angelus so I thought maybe memories, dreams and I don't know human Angel might of came back and he forgotten everything.

So it shocked me when he came back plus I cried cause she was saying to goodbye to Angel from his ring and so when he came back I was like WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT??? I was very happy 🙂

 

[VisionGirl]

I'm not sure if I was surprised (I didn't watch it during its original airing, so I knew it was going to happen, but not when or how). But I was very pleased. Especially since it happened right after Buffy put his ring down. So no matter what was said in Amends, I will stubbornly persist in believing that it was Buffy's love (not The First, not the PTB) that brought him back. And nothing you can say will change that. 😉

 

[Angel6]

He was in quite a few dream sequences before, and even those early episodes of season 3 he was kind of very much present if you know what I mean, so no I wasnt surprised at all. Bloody happy though. Love that Beauty and the Beast episode. Im really glad I managed to see it all first time round to avoid spoilers/knowing things like the spin off.

 

[Valjavertjinn]

I kinda felt bad for the guy. Poor Angel had to run around in a Hell Dimension Nakee-Noo-Noo. ;p
But seriously, no. I was really spoiled for that.