Spoiler Slayer

This represents a brief summary of Angel: Smile Time (Episode 14). It will be updated as new articles or info is posted. More detailed and complete information can be found in the original articles or additional sources.

Written and Directed By Ben Edlund

Nina arrives at Wolfram and Hart for her monthly visit, while a mysterious illness is striking down the children of Los Angeles. Nina has set her sights on Angel, who is nervous about getting into another relationship. While Angel discusses this turn of events with Wesley, Fred brings the children's illness to their attention. After researching possible causes, all signs point to one thing, the children's show 'Smile Time'.

Angel goes to the set to investigate, and finds a mysterious man watching a large metallic egg. Before Angel can do anything, a beam of light shoots from the egg and strikes Angel, turning him into a puppet. He makes it back to the offices, and everyone goes into full-research mode. Gunn and Lorne decide to talk to the show's creator, Gregor Framkin. They discover that Framkin is the mysterious man that Angel saw, but fail to find out anything about the show.

Framkin himself is a puppet, being controlled by the actual puppets on the show. Their ringleader, Polo, decides that time is running out. Instead of slowing draining the children's lifeforce a child at a time, they will drain all the children who watch the show at once. Back at Wolfram and Hart, Werewolf-Nina has decided that Puppet-Angel makes for a perfect chew toy.

Gunn is also having problems, as he seems to be losing his legal knowledge. The process that Wolfram and Hart used is temporary, but they can make it permanent. They just need a favor from Gunn to do so. Gunn agrees, and with a newly-recharged mind, he realizes that Framkin isn't who's really in charge. The gang goes back to the studio, and after a fierce battle, defeat the demonic puppets. As the episode ends, Angel accepts Nina's offer for a date, while Fred decides it's time to make Wesley aware of her true feelings.

Official Descriptions

The WB
When a popular children’s show begins to steal the life forces of children by hypnotizing them, Angel (David Boreanaz) goes directly to the studio to uncover the evil doings. Upon entering the building, Angel triggers a spell that transforms him into a puppet. In a race against time, puppet-Angel and company must find a way to reverse the spell, save the lives of hundreds of children and return Angel to his normal vampire state. Meanwhile, Nina (guest star Jenny Mollen), the werewolf Angel befriended, returns to declare her romantic intentions, but puppet-Angel is too embarrassed to reciprocate.

TV Guide
While investigating an epidemic of comatose kids, Angel visits the set of the TV show all the victims had been watching when they fell ill and returns to Wolfram & Hart a changed man. In other developments, Gunn makes a secret deal to retain his enhanced intellect; werewolf Nina arrives for her full-moon quarantine hoping to make a date with her crush; and Fred drops a bombshell on Wes.

Tivo Guide
Angel has to stop a children's show from stealing the lives of its viewers.

Spoiler Slayer Articles

ATS: Wildfeeds
ATS: 'Smile Time' Images
ATS: Pandora On 'Smile Time'
ATS: More On 14 and 15
ATS: Episode 14 Info

Additional Sources

Pandora (Mythical Boards)