I am – Hercules!!

“Angel” returns to the WB at 9 tonight with a new episode.

But almost as excitement-worthy for the Strong household is FX’s early-evening Monday airing of “Welcome to the Hellmouth,” the very first hour of the WB version of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Are you sitting down? When “Hellmouth” originally aired some four and a half years ago, it made no positive impression on me. Whatsoever. Of course I was probably just half-listening to it while balancing my checkbook or downloading porn.

Understand. It was another time. I had no faith in the WB Network and even less in Buffy’s nobody creator, Joss Whedon. Like so many others, I’d seen the Kristy Swanson “Buffy” movie and decided it represented some pretty poor filmmaking.

Moreover, as “Buffy’s” short, 12-episode first season wore on, I kept checking in with it casually and sporadically and remained wholly underwhelmed. I remember thinking its monster-of-the-week formula was off-putting and confusing. She’s a vampire slayer; why is she beset by mantis-ladies and hyena-boys?

I was, of course, a big giant idiot. With the second season came Spike and Dru and Angelus, and I’ve since grown to regard “Buffy” as the best TV show in production -- perhaps even the finest ever crafted. About a year ago I got to see the original (rejected) half-hour sitcom version of “Buffy” created for the Fox net and thought it superb.

But I’ve not seen “Hellmouth” since March 10, 1997.

And I can’t wait for tonight.

I am – Hercules!!