School Hard

While it's not a stand-out, there's a lot to like about this episode: the intro of Spike and Drusilla, Angel's pretending to be evil as he tries to trick Spike, Armin Shimerman's always entertaining performance as Principal Snyder, the very welcome death of the Anointed One.

I think it actually marks a turning point for the series, too, as it's the first time we receive hints that folks in Sunnydale know that everything in their town isn't necessarily on the up-and-up. For starters, there's the fact that Joyce has to start acknowledging that what she perceives as Buffy's rebellious behavior is something more than that - the moment when she saves Buffy from Spike is goosebump-giving. More explicitly, though, as Snyder throws out the "gang related, PCP" story to cover up for the vampires, we realize that the town's leaders know much more than they're letting on... it's fun to watch knowing that, eventually, that will lead up to the season 3 Mayor arc.