Part one of two

Buffy is asleep, she wakes up, gets out of bed and out onto the landing. She doesn't see Drusilla following behind her. She opens the bathroom door and walks into the Bronze, there are lots of couples on the dancefloor. She peers through the crowd and spots Willow sitting at their table talking to a capuchin monkey dressed in red. Willow waves hello. Buffy turns around to see Joyce standing there, she says 'do you really think you're ready?' and drops a plate. Buffy walks towards the stage. She hears something behind her and turns around to face Angel. They walk towards each other when Drusilla appears behind Angel and Stakes him in the back. Buffy screams as Angel turns to dust, his claddagh ring falling to the ground.

Buffy wakes up, it was all a dream, but a disturbing one all the same. She goes around to Angel's flat and tells him about the dream. he tells her not to worry, he's here isn't he? and they kiss.

Buffy and Willow are wlaking through the school grounds, talking about Buffy's relationship and whether she is ready to take it further. They spot Oz sitting under a tree, practicing and Buffy convinces Willow to go and talk to him. Willow does and Oz tells her that he is planning to ask her out, but he isn't sure whether Willow would accept. Willow assures him that she would, so he does. Then Willow remembers about Buffy's surprise birthday party. She invites Oz and he agrees to come along.

Meanwhile, by the lockers, Xander is trying to ask Cordelia out to Buffy's party, but as usual she blows him off, she doesn't want to be seen with a loser, even though everyone at the party knows about them anyway.

Across town, at the factory, Spike and Drusilla are preparing for a party of their own. Drusilla is invigorated, (proof that the duLac ritual worked) but poor old Spike is wheelchair bound and cranky. He is also badly scarred from the fire (but notice over following episodes how the scar tissue heals, one of the pluses to being a vampire). Drusilla might be revived but she's still a nutcase.

Jenny is working in the Computer Studies room when her Uncle walks in. He reminds her that she has certain duties to be responsible for, and at the moment she is not doing that. It transpires that it is her job to make sure Angel stays cursed. Her uncle tells her to keep Buffy away from Angel so that there is no chance of Angel-happiness, and the curse holds.

The next morning it is Buffy's birthday. After some cheerful birthday banter, Buffy tells Joyce that she believes that she is ready to start learning to drive. Joyce responds with 'Do you really think you're ready?' just like in Buffy's dream. She goes to school all wigged out by her dream coming true. Xander, Willow and Giles hold an emergency meeting in the library, Xander and Willow wonder whether the party should go ahead if Angel's in danger. Giles tells them that the party WILL go ahead, no matter what happens.

After school, Buffy heads off towards the library, but she is waylaid by Jenny who tells her that Giles wants to meet her at an address that he gave her. Buffy comes along. Jenny is driving along by the Bronze when Buffy spots some vampire activity. A group of vampires are unloading boxes similar to those in the factory. Buffy goes over and fights them, slaying most of them.

Meanwhile, inside the Bronze the finishing touches are being done for the surprise party. They hide behind the pool table while they wait for her to arrive. And does she make and entrance! While fighting the last vampire she is thrown through the window behind the stage and drags the vampire through with her. They fight a little more, until Buffy stakes him with a handy drumstick.

Oz is a little surprised by seeing someone turn to dust in front of his eyes, but he takes it well. Well, it does explain the strange things that happen around Sunnydale. Buffy is surprised and very pleased that her friends organised a party for her. Jenny brings in the box the vampires were unloading. When they prise it open a hand shoots out and tries to strangle Buffy. Angel saves her and voices his thought that Drusilla is trying to resurrect the Judge. A creature that judges all other creatures, killing the humane and leaving the demonic unscathed. He says that it took an army to defeat the Judge the first time and that he is dismembers and he parts scattered to tbe corners of the earth. Angel says that he will have to leave the country and take the arm to the most inaccessible place on earth to keep it safe from Drusilla.

At the factory, Dru is threatening to gouge Dalton's eyes out for losing her present. Spike convinces her to give him a second chance, which she does.

Buffy and Angel go to the docks where Angel is going to get on a boat to leave the country. He gives Buffy her birthday present, a claddagh ring, the symbol of his love for her. She tries to convince him to stay, but he refuses. As the kiss goodbye, they are attacked by a group of vampires led by Dalton. Buffy is thrown off the pier into the water and Angel dive sin to save her. The vampires make their escape with the Judge's arm.

Back at the factory, Dru's party is getting underway, they have all the parts of the Judge now, it is only a matter of time.

At the library everybody stays up to do reseach to try to find a way to stop the Judge. Buffy is worn out and is asleep in Giles' office. Buffy dreams of where Drusilla is. When she wakes up she comes up with a plan which involves her and Angel going to the factory and spying on Drusilla while the others keep a watch out for any more parts of the Judge coming into town. Giles admits that it is a good idea and lets Buffy go. Her and Angel go to the factory and find that the Judge is fully assembled and up and running. They are about to creep out when the Judge senses them and are captured.

Angel asks Spike and Dru to take his life instead of Buffy's but they refuse. The Judge is about to burn the humanity out of her when she kicks him away and breaks free of the vampire's grips. Angel drops a collection of televisions on the Judge and him and Buffy use the distraction to escape into the sewers.

Buffy and Angel climb out of the sewers and into the pouring rain. They head to Angel's flat to dry off and regroup. At his flat, Angel gives Buffy some clothes that she can change into. She begins to change when she feels a cut on her back. Angel asks to take a look at it, see how serious it is and she lets him. She ends up in his arms crying, too much in her life is going wrong. They kiss and things progress, (That's all we're going to say on the matter, we're sure that you can work out what happened...)

Later, they are both asleep in Angel's bed. The storm is still raging outside and Angel suddenly wakes up, obviously in pain. He staggers out of bed and somehow manages to get dressed and get outside. He collapses in the rain and screams out Buffy's name. The camera cuts back inside his flat. Buffy is still sleeping and does not hear his cries.

Our view
Ooh, excitement! Doesn't *anything* run smoothly in Sunnydale? Obviously not. Oz takes the whole vampire slaying thing in his stride which reminds us of when Willow and Xander found out and their reactions. The script is great, the direction is fantastic, this is a brilliant epsiode!

Our Score - 10

The Professional View
This is teen-drama? An astonishingly sensual, erotic episode, Surprise is about as far removed from traditional horror cliches as it is possible to get. buffy takes her first faltering steps into the adult world of passion. And the real horrors to come. Grown up, intelligent, beautiful television.

Their Score - 9