The Top 7 David Greenwalt Episodes

Friday marks David Greenwalt's triumphant return to television with NBC's Grimm. Greenwalt worked as Joss Whedon's right-hand man during the first three seasons of Buffy before leaving the show to run the series he co-created with Joss in 1999, ANGEL. Greenwalt has worked for many other shows during his successful television career. He penned three episodes of The Wonder Years, one episode of Doogie Howser, an episode of The X-Files, and quite a few episodes of Buffy and ANGEL. In between these shows he created or worked on Profit, Jake 2.0, Miracles and The Commish. His post-Whedonverse career has included numerous consulting producer stints. Greenwalt wrote scripts for Surface, Kidnapped, and Moonlight.

Grimm is the newest series from David Greenwalt (and also Jim Kouf). Unfortunately, the series is getting destroyed by critics. The success of Once Upon A Time seemingly doesn't help Grimm because message boards and TV sites already consider Greenwalt's series inferior to the ABC drama. Some critics stated that Grimm belongs on Syfy, not prestigious network television. Instinctively, I think, "How dare you!" because Greenwalt's responsible for some of the best television I've watched in my life. So, today, I wanted to share my opinion of David Greenwalt's best episodes to show how talented a writer, director, and producer he is. I'm only writing about Greenwalt's work in the Whedonverse because I haven't seen any of his episodes from other series'.

As for Grimm, I will write about every episode because I trust in David Greenwalt to produce worthwhile television. A pilot is only one episode, after all, and even the ANGEL pilot wasn't perfect.

1. "Sleep Tight"

I wrote about "Sleep Tight" earlier in the year. I think it is ANGEL's saddest episode. Nothing is the same afterwards. The episode begins ANGEL's most personal and intense arc in the series. The last scene between Angel and Baby Connor is heartbreaking and contains ample amounts of dramatic irony. We know where Wesley plans to take Connor, but Angel doesn't, and the only person who can help is knocked out behind the Hyperion desk. The next time he sees his son, his son will want to kill him.

2. "Dear Boy"

Season 2 is a terrific season of television, and "Dear Boy" kicks off the major arc of the season. The episode's a culmination of weird, bizarre, vivid, erotic, and lucid encounters Angel has had with Darla, his sire. Angel's nemesis, the law firm Wolfram & Heart, brought her back to life in "To Shanshu in LA". Why? There's a certain ironic poetry to Darla returning to kill him once again, but we learn that Wolfram & Hart brought her back not because they wanted Angel dead, but because they wanted him dark. The Darla of it all drives Angel nuts. Angel is near madness as he searches for Darla. Their confrontation is an awesome scene--and an example of scene economy. it's so well-written. Greenwalt tackles their history, and a myriad of themes and ideas, in only five minutes.

3. "Faith, Hope and Trick"

Joss wrote the wittiest scripts throughout Buffy. Greenwalt, though, wrote some witty scripts himself. "Repitle Boy" abounds in wit. Sure it has flaws, but wit isn't one of them. This episode's delightful to listen to because of that witty dialogue. Did Joss polish the dialogue at all? I don't know. Greenwalt was the number two. I wouldn't think that Joss polished the script because of Greenwalt's rank; but what do I know?

 4. "Dead End"

"Evil Hand!" This episode explores the nature of evil and the power of influence as it writes out the Angel's most interesting and complex antagonist. The board room scene at the end shows more of Greenwalt's expertise in structure, pacing, blocking, dialogue, and characterization.

5. "The Wish"

Greenwalt directed this reality-bending episode in which Anya creates a wish world for Cordelia wherein everything is different. The characters, aside from Giles and Oz, are alternate versions of themselves, and Sunnydale's an apocalyptic wasteland. This episode includes several iconic images. Who better to oversee the vision and direction of Buffy's opposite Wish world than Joss' number two? (Joss was busy prepping to direct "Amends" during the production for "The Wish"). The episode is ambitious and epic in its scope, and a triumph for episodic television.

6. "Happy Anniversary"

A largely unpopular episode, I know, but I like it. I liked any episode when Lorne and Angel worked together. In this one they work together to try to stop a love-sick guy from accidentally freezing time and ending the world because his girlfriend wants to leave him. The best scene occurs after Lorne and Angel save the world. They dine with the broken-hearted man, and Lorne gives him the best advice after Angel offers nothing helpful.

7. "Angel"

Anytime one reads about Buffy's first season, someone mentions "Prophecy Girl" or "Angel" as the only good episodes. That's not entirely true, but "Angel" really sets off his and Buffy's romance, and his long, long arc in the 'verse.