Twenty-two years ago, a significant character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer underwent a transformation that fans still talk about today. After season three of Buffy, David Boreanaz moved on to star in his own show, Angel. The series followed Angel as he left Sunnydale and started a detective agency in Los Angeles, helping people with supernatural issues and battling a powerful, evil firm called Wolfram & Hart. The fifth and final season of Angel featured a particular transformation that became widely popular online as a meme.
The Angel episode “Smile Time” aired on February 18, 2004, and featured a storyline where Angel was transformed into a puppet.
Angel Turned Its Lead Character Into a Puppet
The fifth season of Angel was its last, cut short when the WB network canceled it mid-season. This forced creator Joss Whedon to quickly wrap up the story, leaving no room for filler. Fortunately, the cancellation happened after he’d completed the 14th episode, “Smile Time,” which became a fan favorite. By this point in the series, Angel and his team – Fred, Wesley, and Gunn – are working for the law firm Wolfram & Hart. In this particular case, Angel investigates a television studio that’s draining the life force from children, and accidentally activates a spell that transforms him into a puppet.
The puppet looked strangely like a mix between Angel and Bert from Sesame Street, creating some of the funniest moments in the show. Lorne and Gunn’s reactions to puppet-Angel are particularly hilarious, and when Spike sees it, he bursts out laughing, which quickly leads to a fight. Watching Spike brawl with the puppet is worth seeing on its own, but the real surprise – and the perfect ending to the joke – is when the puppet actually wins against Spike.
Angel had a rough time when Nina, a werewolf he was falling for, transformed and attacked him, leaving him to comically mend his own wounds. The episode culminates in a fight at a television studio, where Gunn, Fred, Wesley, and a miniature Puppet Angel confront the other puppets to prevent a terrible plan to harm many children. The image of little Puppet Angel marching in with a large sword, followed by the humans, perfectly encapsulates the entire situation. Ultimately, Puppet Angel defeats a puppet named Polo – proving he’s a skilled fighter, especially after unleashing his intimidating “vamp face”.
Puppet Angel Became One Of the Buffyverse’s Best Memes
The Angel episode “Smile Time” was a funny and enjoyable highlight of the series, but it’s best remembered for introducing Puppet Angel. The Jim Henson Company created the incredibly well-made puppets, including Puppet Angel itself. Essentially, the episode was a darkly humorous take on Sesame Street, and critics loved it, awarding it a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form. The puppet even made a return appearance years later in the Angel: After the Fall comic book series.
This episode also produced what many consider the greatest meme from the entire Buffy universe. Images of Puppet Angel – whether he’s glaring or appearing battered with claw marks – quickly spread online. While the episode featured several key moments, like Gunn making a bad deal and the beginning of a romance between Fred and Wesley, it’s the striking visuals of Puppet Angel that viewers still remember most.
This episode was particularly funny, largely thanks to the puppet, and is considered the show’s most comedic installment. There were clever references throughout, like Lorne calling the puppet his “Little Prince” and jokingly asking for Geppetto, a nod to Pinocchio. The episode even inspired a comic book miniseries called “Smile Time,” which in turn led to merchandise like plush toys – including a battle-damaged version, a vampire puppet, and even a life-sized replica. While many shows have tried puppet-based storylines, Angel really nailed it.
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2026-02-18 18:43