The premise is simple: Lorne's attempted spell to restore Cordy's memory misfires and regresses everyone's mind to their mid-teens (sixteen according to the fan boards).

The result is simple too: Fun! Lots and lots of fun, especially as Lorne gets off some great lines as the narrator of this little incident, toggling back and forth between the story and his nightclub act. (Or is it?)

Just don't expect much movement on the major story arcs. This is mostly a throwaway episode.

Also, best not to question some minor story flaws, e.g., Liam a.k.a. didn't notice he wasn't breathing? As movie critic David Ansen once said: "Just put your mind in park and enjoy the ride."

One story arc touched upon before the spell is the Wes-Fred-Gun love triangle. There is well done, tense exchange between the boys (how we yearn for the relatively peaceful days of "Mr. and Mrs. Bickerson") that ends with Wes very succinctly summing up why he's changed. Once again, though, his explanation fails to explain why he rejected Angel's olive branch a few episodes back.

The spell-gone-bad premise also sets up what many have wanted to see: An Angel – Connor slugfest. Perhaps Liam's comments about his own father will help Connor cut his own dad a little slack.

What is not adequately explained, again, is Cordelia's situation. Her ascension and subsequent celestial spitting out didn't seem to have any point. Well, other than possibly setting up more brooding for Angel. Maybe while in glow-land she did learn a few more tricks that will come in handy against the very menacing baddie she spies in a vision (perhaps the restoration of her memory also restored her visions).

Which may be what this episode is really about, i.e., the calm before the storm. Let's hope it's a good one because word has it that after next week The WB is holding off airing new Angels until the New Year. And that just sucks.

Chris Crotty