So, first, Giles and Angel - since things are going to change here soon. From day one Giles has accepted Angel as legitimate help. United in their goal to protect and save Buffy they have always found a common ground. Even though Giles has looked into Angel and found out about his past as Angelus he still respected Angel and his offers of help and advice. Likewise, Angel respects Giles and often turns to him when he feels Buffy is in danger. Giles has watched on at Buffy and Angel's budding friendship and romance and never once objected. Indeed, Giles actually suggests to Buffy in an earlier episode this season that she go out on a date with Angel pretty much giving him the ultimate seal of approval.
There is also Giles and Jenny. After their relationship starts to finally take off Jenny is possessed by a demon from Giles's youthful days when he was rebelling against his future as a Watcher and worshiping a demon with his friends. While the demon is in control of her she tries to kill Giles, Ethan Rayne (who is back in town and is one of those friends from Giles's demon worshiping youthful days), and Buffy (who Ethan initiates against her will into their cult in the hopes of sparing himself). In the end Jenny is saved without the loss of her life but a distance grows between herself and Giles as she tries to cope with what happened to herself. She doesn't come right out and say to Giles "I am breaking up with you" but she does leave him with no doubt that she doesn't want him not only right now but not even any time in the foreseeable future.
Then we have more Cordelia, though this is actually pretty brief and just a couple of observations. During "Halloween" Willow actually refers to themselves as her "friends, sort of." And in "The Dark Age" Cordelia wants to help Giles and insists that Buffy give her a task too after giving Willow and Xander assignments. Later on that episode Xander actually shields Cordelia when the demon attacks them. Speaking of Xander, while Willow has seriously warmed up to Cordelia, and Buffy is still kinda on the fence, Xander still unquestionably hates her. Until the episodes "What's My Line?" that is. Locked in Buffy's basement, hurling insults at each other like usual, Xander and Cordelia finally kiss. Later on Xander tells her that they need to talk and points out to her that they can't keep avoiding each other. After another argument in which they both accuse the other of doing the kiss and both assure the other that they don't want anyone to know, they kiss again. This is the start of Xander and Cordelia's very messy relationship.
In "What's My Line?" Kendra is introduced. She is very much all business and at first doesn't like Buffy or approve of her relationship with Angel. She even disapproves of saving him which causes Xander to speak up on Angel's behalf by pretty much saying they save their friends even if they don't like them - which is an odd way to look at the Angel/Xander relationship. By the time Kendra leaves, however, she decides that Buffy is actually a pretty good slayer - and that Angel is not too bad either.
Final note is on Willow and Oz. They finally meet in "What's My Line?" Buffy even tells Willow that Oz likes her but Willow brushes it off and says that isn't the case. When the assassin attacks Buffy, Oz protects Willow - even getting shot in the process. Later on, Willow tries to thank Oz but he stops her. He makes some jokes about animal crackers and when Willow laughs he tells her that he likes her smile. Willow is surprised and Oz goes back to making jokes. The two of them walk away laughing together making the start of their relationship.
Favorite episode? "The Dark Age." Here we get a closer look at Giles's past. He's spoken before about how he didn't want to be a Watcher and even rebelled against it. Now, here, we see the fallout of that rebellion - as well as his guilt since it puts Buffy in danger and costs his relationship with Jenny. This is a very good Giles episode - and he doesn't get that many episodes - which helps to paint a more complete picture. It shows him as more then just a father figure for the group. Yes, he is still that father for them, but he's a human father and fallible. But perhaps his past mistakes make him even more determined to do right in the future. Perhaps his brushes with the dark in the past make him that more determined to stay in the light and protect those he cares about.
The five episodes:
Halloween - Season 2, Episode 6
Synopsis - Halloween is traditionally a night off for the forces of darkness but a costume shop comes to town that turns people into their costumes - causing Spike to take action against Buffy. This is Ethan Rayne's first episode.
Lie To Me - Season 2, Episode 7
Synopsis - A dying friend from Buffy's past comes to Sunnydale with a proposition for Spike - the Slayer in exchange for immortality.
The Dark Age - Season 2, Episode 8
Synopsis - Giles's past catches up with him when a demon starts killing his old friends.
What's My Line? (Parts One & Two) - Season 2, Episodes 9 & 10
Synopsis - Buffy finds out that she isn't the only vampire slayer when Spike takes out a hit on her so he can kidnap Angel to cure Drusilla.
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