A Discovery: Fred likes the Dixie Chicks. — “Conviction” : The Rant

Warning: Spoilerish to the amount of 10.
It’s that time again – another rant from your poooooobah.

Yes kids, I loved the Angel premiere. It had everything a season’s first episode needs. Drama, action, comedy, and a cup o’ blood.

– The new premise and setting for the show works for me. I’m already interested in the wolfram & hart plotline, and I think Joss knows what direction he wants to go with it. For now, I’m with him in this exploration to an almost new series. It’s been overhauled and refurbished, but the general feeling of the last 4 years is still present.

– Harmony as Angel’s secretary…err…assistant. We need comic relief now that Connor’s hair is gone. This is perfection in using the right person from the show’s past. Harmony is a ditz. She doesn’t care about any of them really (yet), and she’s a tad evil. Her reaction to Cordy’s coma was priceless.

– So I’m assuming all of those who meet the big cat become lawyers. Either that, or I’m completely lost. It really makes no difference to me, because at least Gunn has a reason for being around. I’m just waiting until he slips up and gets all dark side on us.

– The only thing I’m a little iffy about is Wesley’s standing on the show. Now that Spike is here to stay, what will Wesley’s role be? Wesley has always been Angel’s right hand man. Will James Marsters’ entrance into the series lessen Alexis Denisof’s screen time? For that matter, will it lessen everyone’s screen time? Questions left unanswered for now. I’m hoping it doesn’t.

– I’m already convinced Fred will go evil. That whole schpiel that she gave the researchers didn’t sound like Fred, and maybe there’s a tint of precursor in that scene. Obviously Knox (aka Holden Webster) is working for team darkness, but they aren’t saying yet. Maybe he’ll have (or maybe IS HAVING) some influence over her.

– Spike. There he is…in the last 30 seconds of the episode. Many people are complaining about this, but I think it makes everyone want to see the next one. How could you not? It’s called a cliffhanger, people.

– I’m convinced now more than ever that Joss is a genius. The way Spike came back is the complete reverse of how he “died”. We saw him turn into a skeleton, then to particles, then a red light. Then came back as red light, then particles, then skeleton, then Spike. It’s brilliant. He never exploded – he went into the necklace. Joss just keeps making me more of a fan every day.

Final Verdict: To say I loved it would be an understatement of a ridiculous nature. While many of this season’s premieres left me unenthused, “Conviction” makes me want to jump up and say “WOOOOO-WEEEEE!” about the next 21 episodes.

Rating: 4 STAKES

Rant Over.

– Matt