"The Shroud of Rahmon" (Angel 2.8): An excuse for a glimpse of Angelus

So the titular shroud of this letdown episode is a pretty limp MacGuffin that exists seemingly only to reconcile Die Hard Kate and Angel (meh) and to remind us that a yellow-eyed demon lurks just beneath Angel's, well, brown eyes.

Not his best look.

Here's the ho-hum Angel guide to handling The One Shroud.

DO keep your friends close. Even if they happen to be annoying you. Gunn and Angel, both alpha males from way back, butt heads on the power dynamic in Angel Investigations, with Angel wanting Gunn nowhere near a demon plot to steal this shroud that makes people evil (or high--I couldn't really tell), and Gunn paying not a bit of attention. But despite their posturing, they do work well together, and manage to get each other out of a nasty situation.

Just whip them out and measure, boys.

DON'T miss an opportunity to make Boreanaz dress up and do a fake voice. Usually it's Irish Angeliam, but this hour finds Angel impersonating a lounge lizard vamp from Vegas.

Think Tony Manero meets Swingers.

DON'T ignore that this episode is actually about Kate. As much as I might want to. So despite the shroud-induced Angelus eyes, Angel keeps it together enough to save Kate, convincing her of his essential humanity.

Not so much biting as whispering life-saving instructions. 

Guess she never saw Buffy season 3.

DO take a moment to notice Cordelia's new haircut.

As Jenn points out, this shortening trend is a very bad sign.