Ballad of Fallen Angels

This is the first masterpiece of an episode in a series with several.

In this episode we first meet the main antagonist and Spike's ex-partner in crime, Vicious, and we glimpse some of Spike's dark past. It's the first episode to address this main running storyline: the conflict between Spike and Vicious which will be a dominant presence throughout the series, always looming and occasionally sweeping in as it does here.

Intensely creepy, with a fantastic action sequence at its climax, and not to mention a very funny scene at the end involving Spike and Faye. Damn near perfect in every respect.