original air date:1/19/98
Surprise is another beautiful Buffy/Angel romance episode. It was also another episode that rewarded the Buffy faithful. Some people think that "Hush" is the greatest Buffy episode. I don't. I think that Hush is one of the most overated episodes and I think that the only fans who call this episode "the best" are the fans who just like the gory episodes. Surprise is the best episode because it strongly features the greatest thing about Buffy : the Buffy/Angel romance. In Surprise, Drusilla and Spike put the Judge back together to destroy humanity. At this same time, Buffy realizes that she is finally ready to take the next step with Angel and we see many beautiful scenes with them together. At the end of the episode Buffy and Angel make love as their beautiful love theme plays in the background and we see them hold one another tenderly afterward. We are also given a hint of what is to come in "Innocence" as Angel falls to his knees in pain and screams Buffy's name in the final scene. I was glued to my seat the first time I saw it and I still think that it is the best episode of Buffy.
The Buffy/Angel romance is one of the best, if not the best, part of the BTVS series. It was great to finally see them make love and become a strong couple and they really showed us how much they love one another in Surprise.
Interesting facts: This episode was the last episode of Buffy to air in the 8:00 PM Monday time slot. The second part of this episode, "Innocence" aired the next day and it started the "Buffy on Tuesday" era. Surprise was also interesting because it was the second time Brian Thompson made a appearance on Buffy. Thompson played Luke in "Welcome to the Hellmouth," and "The Harvest." Thompson is known for playing different creatures. Thompson played the Alien bounty hunter in the X-Files for six years and he played a Vampire on Fright Night Part Two. He also played the vampire "Eddie Fiori" in Kindred The Embraced.
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