Angel

[harryandginnyfanatic]

Oh, don't even get me started on that train wreck of an arc.

I spent the whole time wishing for the real Cordy to come back. Instead she was put into a coma, brought back for only one episode and then killed off.

[Fat Elvis 007]

Oh, don't even get me started on that train wreck of an arc.

I spent the whole time wishing for the real Cordy to come back. Instead she was put into a coma, brought back for only one episode and then killed off.

I mostly liked that arc. I found Jasmine and what all this did to Connor especially fascinating. But was it worth the loss of Cordelia, after a season of her not even being the real Cordelia? I'm still not sure.

[Hopefulsuicide]

i absolutely hated evil cordy... she was creepy in this entirely disgusting way. i'll never get over the cordy and conner sex thing...

but when conner killed the pretty blonde girl and then when Jasmine was born it was like it was all worth it. the end of the arc is one of my favourites...

[ginnyfan]

I'm disappointed in the way they finished up the Illyria/Wes storyline. :( What a let down.

Better or worse than Doctor 10/Rose... I'm not sure. Probably worse though.

[Super Maverick]

***major spoiler****








Connor is dead.

[Forever Lex]

***major spoiler****








Connor is dead.

Who cares? Like he can't "come back", right... :rotfl:

[KSiteTV]

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b106789_Angel_Star_Andy_Hallett_Dies_of_Heart_Fail ure.html

:( Such a nice guy, too. I met him at one of the press tour things, and he was in FULL MAKEUP as Lorne. I remember thinking "what a good sport."

And only 33.

[Hopefulsuicide]

OMG that's awful :( RIP

[Vergon6]

:( Another Angel actor dies too young.

[origin]

OMG, that's so awful. Only 33 and his heart failed:(

RIP


:( Another Angel actor dies too young.

Definitely. While I was reading the article I couldn't help but remember when Glenn Quinn passed.

[Clark/Lois-fan]

RIP Andy :(

[takethatbabe]

RIP Andy :(:(

[Pesk]

:(

[Superboy2]

Who's Glenn Quinn? I'm a fan of the show but I don't recognize the name.

[Pesk]

Glenn Quinn played Doyle in the first 9 episodes of angel.

[Clois4eva89]

That sucks Lorne was one of my favorite characters besides Angel and Wesley on the show. The Irony is if I saw Andy in person I wouldn't be able to spot him,but in make up i'd be like 'hey Lorne'. Out of all the Lorne scene of Angel my favorite moments would be.When Lorne sings to get his friends out of a jam,like in his home world where humans are 'cows'. Or when Eve is sucker punched by Lorne when Angel and Spike confont her about Fred.

R.I.P. Andy we'll miss you.

[Superboy2]

I didn't know Doyle died as well.

[Vergon6]

I didn't know Doyle died as well.
Yep. It's sad, but true.

[Superboy2]

Wow.

[Clois4eva89]

Ironicly I didn't know Doyle died until around Season 3 or 4 of Angel.Though I had no idea Andy flirted with David on the set hopefully that was a joke. Cause i've got some friends offline who sometimes 'fake' flirt with each other.But even that is kinda creepy if a guy tried to hit on me i'd keep my distance from 'em.

[Fat Elvis 007]

So sad. I loved Lorne. Hallet managed to make a scary looking demon the most human and compassionate character on the show, so I can only imagine he was a great guy in real life.


Though I had no idea Andy flirted with David on the set hopefully that was a joke. Cause i've got some friends offline who sometimes 'fake' flirt with each other.But even that is kinda creepy if a guy tried to hit on me i'd keep my distance from 'em.

Not only is this completely insensitive, it's also inaccurate. The article was talking about Lorne flirting with Angel, not Andy flirting with David.

[Vergon6]

Well Glenn Quinn didn't die until December 2002 (during Angel's fourth season), but Doyle had died back in "Hero" (Season 1, Episode 9) which was broadcast during November 1999.

----- Added 32 Seconds later -----


So sad. I loved Lorne. Hallet managed to make a scary looking demon the most human and compassionate character on the show, so I can only imagine he was a great guy in real life.



Not only is this completely insensitive, it's also inaccurate. The article was talking about Lorne flirting with Angel, not Andy flirting with David.
I agree on both accounts.

[jon-el87]

R.I.P. Andy. You'll be missed.

[ColdPlay3r]

oh no:(
R.I.P

[Clark/Lois-fan]

I gotta watch this show again

[Sam and Dean's Girl]

i just recently started watching the series and it is good as. i watched a season of buffy too but just cant get into it.

[Fat Elvis 007]

i just recently started watching the series and it is good as. i watched a season of buffy too but just cant get into it.

Which season of Buffy did you watch? The first is not all that fantastic by itself, but the second gets MUCH better, and it will give you a better understanding of the characters on Angel.

[Hopefulsuicide]

Which season of Buffy did you watch? The first is not all that fantastic by itself, but the second gets MUCH better, and it will give you a better understanding of the characters on Angel.

Second that :)

[Super Maverick]

he already did.

[InactiveUserID]

You know what I'm saying? So, say someone wants a summary of what's happening so far in both comic book series. Where would she look for that? Because this person is not interested in spending real actual cash on comic books, you know what I'm saying? For Buffy, all this person found was the wickipedia listing for season 8, and that might not be up to date.

[Syn]

Does anyone remember the word necropane? I type it into google and bugger all comes up.

[Super Maverick]

You know what I'm saying?

[Waycap13]

Awwww...They were my favorites to see. The Comic Relief to all the rising action. Truly be missed and God bless.

[NYMeggi]

Wow...how did I miss this? He was always so full of life. I had no idea he had heart problems. That is so sad.

RIP Andy. You will be greatly missed. :(

[wingster55]

Really sad


But thank goodness this exists. I love this show more than Buffy overall.
I actually refer to that world as the Angelverse

[Vergon6]

Really sad


But thank goodness this exists. I love this show more than Buffy overall.
I actually refer to that world as the Angelverse
While I loved Buffy too, I think I could relate more to this show or at the very least, I enjoyed the more adult drama tone of it. I know Buffy dealt with adult themes too, but I hope you know what I mean.

[wingster55]

I do :nod:

[takethatbabe]

i really miss this show why did they have to cancel it for :(

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Unfortunately the mods have combined the rewatch threads so I'll alternate between Angel and Buffy.

I FALL TO PIECES

The Good;
Great horror concept, you could almost imagine a feature film based upon it, some excellent emotional stuff too and as always Cordy brings the funny. My favourite scene is where Meltzer throws his teeth at Angel and then recoils in pain as Angel smashes them against the wall.

The Bad;
The severed limbs scenes don't really convince, when you see Thing in The Adams Family it's much better

Best line:
Cordy; "Here's this poor girl, she hooks up with a doctor. That's supposed to be a good thing!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Virtually all of the Beast with Five Fingers stuff

Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; yep, making 2. However, Doyle says there's 4 in total and 3 very much alive, Presumably the girl from City of Angels is the dead one and the girl from In the Dark is another making 2 more we don't see.
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 1. Angel poses as a successful businessman but no disguise
DB get's his shirt off; not this ep so still 1

Fang Gang in bondage: no
Cordy: 5
Angel: 4
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out: all of them
Cordy: 7
Angel: 7
Wes: 1
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: none this ep. 3 vamps, ½ a demon from her time in Sunnydale
Angel: 1 human for Angel. So that gives Angel 8 vamps, 2 demons, 2 humans.

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 1
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 1
Angel: 3

Characters killed: the poor cop Kate sends to guard the building
10

Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel, Doyle and Cordy

Angel Investigations shot: Angel with the tranquiliser gun (as with Dopplegangland in Buffy why not use that to knock vamps out then cut their heads off?)
Angel: 5,

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 1?
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
What the heck do Meltzer's hands do under the sheets?
Captain Subtext;
Doyle admits that Angel holds a certain attraction to him
Know the face, different character; 1
Andy Umberger who plays Dr Meltzer is also D'Hoffryn on Buffy.
Parking garages; seemingly a staple of the series, one here and in COA
2
Questions and observations;
This is the 4th ep of the series and we're told that Cordy has been working for him for a month so this suggests the series is in real time, one ep per week. Angel drinks coffee now, presumably to keep him up for his cases as he told Joyce he didn't drink it in The Prom. Isn't it a bit unpatriotic for Doyle to drink Scotch, shouldn't he drink whiskey with an e? Cordy gives the Angel Investigations motto 'We help the hopeless'. Oddly here Cordy 'Scullys' Angel, suggesting a non-supernatural solution. He's actually open to the suggestion but points out correctly that Doyle has a vision. Angel just appears to be able to walk into Kate's police station no problem at all. Meltzer actually shows a lot of compassion for Angel's story of his wife. I don't know if it's deliberate but Scrubs has a character called Dr Zeltzer who's also a major weirdo and even looks quite like Dr Meltzer.
It's noticeable that at this stage of Angel the supernatural underworld is just that, it's not out in the open as it will be later, we're still dealing with the everyday clashing with the incredible.
Marks out of 5; 4/5 one of the classic eps of season 1

[Vergon6]

MOD NOTE: Since this thread seemed hard to find, I have placed a link to it here:http://www.kryptonsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69644 as we had seemed to have missed putting it in the master list of shows having existing threads previously.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Brilliant, thanks

Rm w/a vu

The Good;

Everything, an emotional rollercoaster for Doyle and Cordy and the introduction of Phantom Dennis. Great performance from Beth Grant, a great actress you can also see in Speed, Six Foot Under, Donnie Darko etc

The Bad;

Bit of a reach that the ghost can do a perfect imitation of Angel's voice, is she the Terminator or something?

Best line:

Cordy (of Angel) "Do you have mousse? Of course you do!"


Jeez, how did they get away with that?

Doyle's hand getting jammed in the drawer, Cordy almost getting hanged, Maude Peirson walling her son up.

Apocalypses: 4

Angel Cliches

Damsel in distress; nope, 2.

Inverting the Hollywood cliche;

In disguise; 1.

DB get's his shirt off; wet, dripping and nearly naked 2

Cordy's tatto; our first glimpse

Fang Gang in bondage: Cordy almost hung, don't think thats counts
Cordy: 5
Angel: 4
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out: yep, Cordy
Cordy: 8
Angel: 7
Wes: 1
Doyle; 1


Kills:
Cordy: none this ep. 3 vamps, ? a demon from her time in Sunnydale
Angel: 1 demon for Angel. So that gives Angel 8 vamps, 3 demons, 2 humans.

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 1
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang: possessed Cordy
Cordy: 2
Angel: 3

Characters killed: Dennis and a trio of the flat residents offscreen

14


Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel, Doyle and Cordy

Angel Investigations shot: loads of gunplay but no
Angel: 5,

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 1?
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:

Maude calls Cordy a tramp and streetwalker, good thing they didn't go through with the storyline of Corrupt huh?

Captain Subtext;

Know the face, different character; 1

Parking garages;

2

Guantanamo bay;

Once again Angel doesn't hesitate to beat his way to the answers

Questions and observations;

Excellent ep with loads of good scenes and some real emotional impact, easily one of the best of season 1. I for one find it heartbreaking that Cordy has only five names in her LA phonebook and 3 are crossed out. Aura, her Sunnydale friend is the girl who finds the corpse in her locker in Welcome to the Hellmouth on Buffy.

Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Sense and sensitivity

The Good;
Very funny to watch the cops acting supersensitive but also affecting to see Kate's father and all his little putdowns of her and her emotive speech is a heartbreaker if there ever was one

The Bad;
Hard to put your finger on it but sometimes this ep feels almost too clever for it's own good

Best line:
Angel "My parents were great, tasted a lot like chicken" (and as we later learn he's not joking)

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Nasty the way little Tony keeps calling Kate a *****

Apocalypses: 4

Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; yep 3.
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; supersensitive cops rather than the macho LAPD we're used to seeing
In disguise; 2. yep, Herb Saunders from Baltimore again
DB get's his shirt off; 2
Cordy's tatto;2
We see it when she's breaking into the police station.

Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 4
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 8
Angel: 7
Wes: 1
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: none this ep. 3 vamps, ½ a demon from her time in Sunnydale
Angel: 1 demon for Angel. So that gives Angel 8 vamps, 4 demons, 2 humans. It looks like the thing that attacks Fred in Supersymmetry

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 1
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang: supersensitive Angel
Cordy: 2
Angel: 4

Characters killed: one cop shot although we don't know if he dies?
14

Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel, Doyle and Cordy

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 5,

Packing heat; unlike the Sunnydale Scoobies Angel Investigations periodically resort to firearms, here Doyle with a shotgun
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 1?
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Kate wants to picture Angel in his underwear. Kate observes the crush of Doyle on Cordy. One of the cops states that the stress of his job makes it impossible for him to make love to his wife. AI group hug.

Captain Subtext;
Kate's dad comments that its been so long since he's seen her with a guy he suspected she might be gay. Angel is once more referred to as a 'Nancy boy'. Angel calls CC 'precious'.

Know the face, different character; 1

Parking garages;
2
Guantanamo Bay; Kate's interrogation technique leaves a little something to be desired. Angel beats up another of WR&H's lackey. Trevor comments that in his day they didn't need sensitivity as anyone who read Elmore Leonard knows. Cordy's mum calls for her, one of the few references to her family in the series. Angel uses a mobile phone and night vision. Our first sight of WR&H's HQ and Lee. You've got to hand it to the sensitivity coach, he has a point about Kate and co. How lovely does Kate look in her dress? Rather similar to Dawn's in season 5?

Questions and observations;
Could have been great but just lacks that certain something? Nice to have Kate ask Angel for help and be the focus of the ep. First appearance of Lee. We're later told that WR&H 'own' the police but obviously not yet.
Marks out of 5; 4/10

[Superboy-Prime]

I really miss buffy and angel theres nothing else like it on tv. Epic fights actual character development and damn good story telling.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

I really miss buffy and angel theres nothing else like it on tv. Epic fights actual character development and damn good story telling.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

Yeah, for me TV really peaked at this point and really never will be as good again, we've had our Concorde moment:(

The Bachelor Party
The Good; a lovely ep for Doyle adding a lot more depth to his character whilst providing some pretty gruesome comedy. Also like Doyle and Angel vetting CC's date, really gives them a sense of family.
The Bad; SUCH a shame we never see Harry again, that would have been terrific. Does she even know Doyle died?
Best line:
Cordy; "Doyle taught 3rd grade. The kind with children. Are you sure he wasn't just held back and that was his cover story?"
I also like Harry's aghast "Stripper! There was a stripper?"

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Eating brains? Yuck! Would anyone really like Quails' tongues?
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; nope, 2.
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; friendly demons for the first time
In disguise; 2.
DB get's his shirt off; 2
Cordy's tatto;2
Cheap Angel; the first sign of Angel's notorious meaness as he refers to the resteraunt's suprisingly expensive windows

Fang Gang in bondage: Doyle in the box
Cordy: 5
Angel: 4
Wes: 1
Doyle; 1

Fang gang knocked out: Angel
Cordy: 8
Angel: 8
Wes: 1
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: none this ep. 3 vamps, ½ a demon from her time in Sunnydale
Angel: 2 vamps for Angel. So that gives Angel 10 vamps, 3 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp
What happens to the female vamp at the nest? Does she just run away? Note Cordy actually bites the vamp who attacks her?

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 1
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 4

Characters killed:
14
Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel, Doyle and Cordy

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 5,
Packing Heat
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Cordy has a date with Mr Armani but he doesn't even get a kiss
Cordy: 1?
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
The stripper. Is she human or demon? Either way she wears WAAAYYYY too much eyeshadow. Also Harry has bought herself a a nightie for her honeymoon small enough to fit into a matchbox. The girls meanwhile play pornographic pictionary. Doyle asks if Buffy likes men with an Irish accent (has she ever met one?). Apparently the demon women have legs that can bend multipile ways and this is an aid in the sack?
Captain Subtext;
Doyle and Angel's charm seems to be gradually working on CC.
Know the face, different character;
2 Carlos Jacott who plays Richard was Ken in the Buffy ep Anne.
Parking garages;
2
Guantanamo Bay;
Questions and observations;
A good episode, fun and fleshing out the characters. Cordy refers to Xander as a fixer-upper. Our first set of friendly demons but not THAT friendly. It seems very much that demons in the Buffyverse are slowly being won over to the ways of humanity (ESPN). Some great heroism from Doyle and a very nice double act from Cordy and Harry. Despite Doyle's relating Angel's lifestory to him in City of Angels it seems he's never actually seen Buffy.
Marks out of 10; 6/10, good ep

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

I will remember you
The Good;
Love the Oracles to bits, they're just wonderful. Some great fight scenes and pretty much a Bangler's dream come true.
The Bad;
If the demon can regenerate and make itself stronger through salt why doesn't it just do that all the time?
Best line:
Female Oracle; "I love time, there's so much of it, yet so little"

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; nope, 2.
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 2.
DB get's his shirt off; 3 not only that but SMG licks ice-cream from his chest. Really is a Banglers' dream.
Cordy's tatto;2
Cheap Angel; According to CC he's too tight to hire a cleaning lady
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 4
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 8
Angel: 7
Wes: 1
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: none this ep. 3 vamps, ½ a demon from her time in Sunnydale
Angel: 1 demon for Angel. So that gives Angel 8 vamps, 4 demons, 2 humans.

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 1
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang: human Angel
Cordy: 2
Angel: 5

Characters killed: two plant workers but then the day resets so no one
14

Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel, Doyle and Cordy

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 5,
Packing heat;
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Buffy and Angel for the second time and it goes a whole lot better than the first. Trouble is she'll never remember any of it.
Cordy: 1?
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Loads of Buffy/Angel action. Cordy comments that when they get 'all groiny' the world falls apart.
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
2
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters appearing in Angel; (unless someone can correct me no original Angel character ever appears on Buffy?)
5; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy
Questions and observations;
Cordy's family used to have a cat as well as her pony. Buffy refers to her (and presumably Dawn?) visiting their dad in LA, the last positive reference to Hank Summers we'll ever have. The only time Doyle and Buffy meet. This eps gives us a useful way in which to make vamps human, much used in fanfic as is the reset day. Question is if a non-souled vamp was hit with Mohra demon blood would it be resouled?
Marks out of 10; 6/10, literally an ep that never happened?

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Hero
The Good;
Actually I rated this ep pretty weak until the last 5 minutes when it then became spectacular. Cordy's advertisement idea and the one she films with Doyle are hilarious but ultimately incredibly poignant. Good scene too when the kid tells Doyle his Halloween story.
The Bad;
I didn't really dig the demons in peril storyline and I thought the Naiz allegory with The Scourge was a bit thick (nowadays they'd be the Taliban). Also they seem to accept Angel into their ranks a little too easily. Even their vehicles look Nazi-like and DB's hair looks very 1940s.
Best line:
Doyle; Is that it? Am I done?

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Doyle's melting face
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches (Cordy's ad is one big Angel cliche)
Damsel in distress; nope, 2.
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
The sidekick sacrifices himself to save the day rather than the hero
In disguise; 3 as a Nazi/scourge
DB get's his shirt off; 3
Cordy's tatto;2
Cheap Angel; 2. Exactly what do all these people owe Angel money for?
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 4
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 8
Angel: 7
Wes: 1
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: none this ep. 3 vamps, ½ a demon from her time in Sunnydale
Angel: 2 Scourge for Angel. So that gives Angel 8 vamps, 6 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 1
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 5

Characters killed: the treacherous first mate so we won't count him
14
Recurring characters killed;
1; Goodbye Doyle

Total number of Angel Investigations:
2, Angel and Cordy

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 5,
Packing heat;
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 1?
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
The wonderfully named Big Randy.
Captain Subtext;
Doyle imagines Angel in tights.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
2
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters appearing in Angel; (unless someone can correct me no original Angel character ever appears on Buffy?)
5; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy
Questions and observations;
So goodbye Doyle, we hardly knew you. A good ending for the character but all the more sad by Glenn Quinn's death shortly afterwards. Cordy refers to 'one of the cheaper Baldwins' in her description of the advert. I always thought Adam Baldwin was one but according to IMDB no he's not. Angel on a motorbike, Cordy drives a truck, is there no end to her talents? Once again we see demons who are slowly being won over to humanity. The Scourge are trying to stop this but are unwittingly aping human's themselves.
Marks out of 10; 7/10, a weak ep rescued by it's awesome finale

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Parting Gifts
The Good;
Wonderful reintroduction for Wes and a nice period of mourning for Doyle. Plus Cordy's audition and the Oracles again.
The Bad;
Once again, Alexis Denisoff's name is in the titles, ruining the suprise a little
Best line:
"Grass stains!" (all in the delivery). Also liked Wes "I bet you always wondered what became of your old pal Wesley?"
Angel; "Tell you the truth I never gave it much thought"

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Barney's plans for Cordy are beyond horrible. But she teaches him not to mess with Queen C
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; nope, 2.
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 3
DB get's his shirt off; 3
Cordy's tattoo; 3 yep she bares that beautiful midriff again
Cheap Angel; 2
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 4
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out: yep, Cordy
Cordy: 9
Angel: 7
Wes: 1
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: none this ep. 3 vamps, ½ a demon from her time in Sunnydale
Angel: 1 demon for Angel. So that gives Angel 8 vamps, 4 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 1
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 5

Characters killed:
14
Recurring characters killed;
1;

Total number of Angel Investigations:
2, Angel and Cordy

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 5,
Packing heat;
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 1?
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Wes in motorbiking leathers which are so tight they 'chafe'. He and Cordy share a second kiss, Cordy is sold as a slave for the first time.
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
2
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters appearing in Angel; (unless someone can correct me no original Angel character ever appears on Buffy?)
6; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes
Questions and observations;
Another WR&H lackie but this one doesn't become a recurring character. Angel says that vamps don't sleep in coffins but Dracula does. Angel recognises talent when he sees it, Wes' translation skills alone make him invaluable.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Somnambulist
The Good;
Very good ep, we geninely suspect that Angel might be going bad, Penn gives a real sense of menace and some lovely stuff with Kate
The Bad;
Penn's haircut but apart from that not much. Would the police really let Kate go in by herself?
Best line:
Penn; "You know you'll never get to it the exit before I..."
Cordy (opening blinds letting the daylight pour in) "...go up like a match?"
(nothing more satisfying than seeing arrogance shot down)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Penn kills his sister and presumably goes on to massacre his family as Angelus did
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; nope, 2.
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 3
DB get's his shirt off; 3
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; 2
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel
Cordy: 5
Angel: 5
Wes: 1
Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 8
Angel: 7
Wes: 1
Doyle; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, ½ a demon from her time in Sunnydale
Angel: 8 vamps, 4 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp
Kate; 1 vamp
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 1
Angel: 1
Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 5
Characters killed: Penn's victims
20
Recurring characters killed;
1;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
2, Angel and Cordy
Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 5,
Packing heat;
Doyle; 1
Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 1?
Angel: 1;Buffy
Kinky dinky:
Cordy comments that she makes the coffee and gets to chain the boss to the bed. The everyday life of a Hollywood assistant.
Captain Subtext;
Angel(us) is obviously Penn's father figure. Angel(us) is also obsessed with his father
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
3, once again, Angel and Wes just seem to be able to drive into the police station.
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters appearing in Angel; (unless someone can correct me no original Angel character ever appears on Buffy?)
6; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes
Questions and observations;
Very nice reminder from Angel(us) past and the beginning of the real tension between Kate and Angel. Another hint that vamps share some link with those they sired. Love Kate's white sweater. Wes is now in the title sequence. Angel Investigations has a runaway case so they're obviously taking ordinary PI cases in addition to their supernatural work. Does Angel figure out Penn's plan because he knows him? Or is he heading to the police station to speak to Kate over the school bus plan? Or do Wes and he just overhear what's going on at the station with their police scanner? Penn in some ways is reminiscent of Scorpio in Dirty Harry (who also hijacks a school bus).
Met Jeremy Renner at a convention and a fascinating guy, plays in a band, old friend of DB's from their acting classes, went on to star in 28 Weeks Later (as a character called Doyle?), SWAT, The Hurt Locker and Jesse James with Brad Pitt
Marks out of 10; 9/10 would be 10/10 if it had more arc.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Expecting
The Good;
Cordy hits the town with the girls but gets more than she bargained for. Great to see Phantom Dennis back and his scenes with Cordy are beyond lovely.
Love the reaction of the doctor and nurse during the ultrasound. Very good ep
The Bad;
How come Cordy is dressed after sex?
Best line:
Angel; You're not alone
Cordy; That's kind of the problem

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Cordy and co in the goop, yuck
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 8, a whole bevy of them
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 3
DB get's his shirt off; 3
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; 2
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 5
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out: Wes by Cordy
Cordy: 8
Angel: 7
Wes: 2
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: I'll give this one to Cordy. 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: half a demon so 8 vamps, 4 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon

Fang Gang go evil: yep, Cordy overwhelmed by her maternal instincts
Cordy: 2
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 5

Characters killed:
20
Recurring characters killed;
1;

Total number of Angel Investigations:
2, Angel and Cordy

Angel Investigations shot: yep, Angel
Angel: 6,
Packing heat; Wes with a pistol (presumably taken from the gun club?)
Wes; 1
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: I thought it was Xander who had the thing for demons?
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
How gorgeous are CCs friends, especially Sarina? Obviously this goes some VERY dark places, it smacks of GOT fetishism (beautiful women being raped and impregnated by demons/monsters/aliens who they then fall in love with), the ultrasound reminds me of the infamous maternity ward scene in Aliens vs Predator; Requiem (of course Joss wrote Alien Ressurection so he's no stranger to the concept). Considering that Joss is supposed to be this great pro-feminist he puts his heroines through a lot of nasty stuff, almost like he wants to have his cake and eat it. Wilson apparently nearly had phonesex with the resteraunt manager to get them in. Cordy drinks Angel's pig's blood, Angel states he never realised how disgusting it was until just then. At the end Cordy states she's learned sex is bad and men are evil. Angel agrees.
Captain Subtext;
The girls assume Wes and Angel are a couple. Angel says it adds mystery. Angel describes Cordy as family and she says she trusts him and Wes implicitly.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
3,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters appearing in Angel; (unless someone can correct me no original Angel character ever appears on Buffy?)
6; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes
Questions and observations;
Fun story, putting Angel Investigations together more and more. How wonderful that when Wes has to come up with a name for him and Cordy he decides on Mr and Mrs Penborne. Angel comments that their French client made him want to drink a lot. Alcohol or blood? CC refers to Angel giving her date the 3rd degree which he and Doyle also did in the Bachelor Party. Wes refers to David and Goliath, the Watchers Council occasionally make biblical references.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SHE

The Good;

Angel and Wesley dancing at Cordy's party is possibly the funniest thing you've ever seen. A laudable if slightly heavy-handed rant against female circumsision. Also love the scene where Angel pretends to be an art guide and Angel and Phantom Dennis.

The Bad;

The scene where Wes tries to chat-up the girl at the party is cringeworthy, he's pretty much treated as the comic relief for this ep. The scene where the camera wheels around whilst Angel and Jiera talk, growing increasingly worked up carries on for so long and is so over the top it's almost parody.

Best line:

Mars; "The little sisters are chilling"

Also like Cordy's;

"I'm so glad you came. You know how parties are, you're always worried that no one is going to suck the energy out of the room like a giant black hole of boring despair but there you were in a cinch"


Jeez, how did they get away with that?

The whole 'unmaking' scene is just unwatchable. The contrast between it and the obvious affection between the 'unmade' girl and her captors when they send her back is incredibly creepy, especially her 'dead behind the eyes' expression and the way she refers to herself in third person.

Apocalypses: 4

Angel Cliches

Damsel in distress; 15, a whole bevy of them

Inverting the Hollywood cliche; Wes and CC snooping at the garden centre amazingly don't get caught.

In disguise; 3

DB get's his shirt off; yep, he feels the need for a shower

4

Cordy's tattoo;3

Cheap Angel; 2

Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 5
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 8
Angel: 7
Wes: 2
Doyle; 1


Kills:
Cordy: I'll give this one to Cordy. 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: half a demon so 8 vamps, 4 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp

Wes; 1/2 a demon


Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 5

Characters killed: 5, the poor guys burned to death by the demonbabes

25

Recurring characters killed;

1;


Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes officially joins the firm for the first time

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 6,

Packing heat;

Wes; 1

Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:

I'd say that Bai Ling is lovely but that seems quite redundant even with the ridges and violet eyes (she's also in Southland Tales with SMG). Cordy's friend Laura also sounds like a fun girl as is her friend 'Pants on' Diego. Naked hotties on ice who seems to have a strong effect on both Wes and Angel. Mars says his Shaman could never turn away 'Scantily clad women in distress'. Wes refers to the girls at the party as 'fillies'.

Captain Subtext;

Obviously this is an allegory against female circumsision (once watched a documentary on it and afterwards went and got drunk for the first time in my life to try to blank the memory). Although you wonder if the males' fear of the females is more to do with them burning people to death rather than just simple chauvanism? Note that the male demons don't hurt any humans, it's Jhira and co who killing and she's quite prepared to let Wes and Cordy die for her cause. Not to stereotype but Wes has a knowledge of flowers in addition to the occult.

Know the face, different character; 2

Parking garages;

3,

Guantanamo Bay;

Angel once again beats his way to the truth

Buffy characters on Angel;

6; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes

Questions and observations;

Angel refers to his time in Hell again where he remarks he knew many of the people. AI use their mobile phones to good effect. It'll take the Sunnydale Scoobies another 3 years to get theirs. Great performance from Sean Gunn as the spa manager, always thought he was in Desperate Housewives but he's not. Wes handles himself well in a fight for the first time. The only ep of Angel with a sequence over the end titles (Buffy does it in The Puppet Show). It seems unlikely that Angel actually knew Manet or Baudelaire as he would actually have been Angelus at the time?

Marks out of 10; 7/10, Keith Topping loathes this ep but I think it's quite good.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN
The Good;
Nice counterplay at the end when the family get back together and Angel Investigations walk away as if they are a family too.
The Bad;
Rather an uninvolving story although a nice twist
Best line:
Wes; "It's for killing extinct demons"

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The cross into Wes' neck, yeesh!
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 15,
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
The dad is shown smoking cigarettes in front of his kids which is rare indeed nowadays
In disguise; 3
DB get's his shirt off;
4
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; 2
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 5
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 8
Angel: 7
Wes: 2
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: one demon so 8 vamps, 5 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 5

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed;
1;

Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 6,
Packing heat;
Wes; 1
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Wes owns a 2 thighmasters and a 'buns of steel' video
Captain Subtext;
Our first hints on Wes' relationship with his father
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
3,
Guantanamo Bay;

Buffy characters on Angel;
6; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes
Questions and observations;
Cordy can cook, who'd have thought? Angel mentions Doyle in poignant moment. Cool bait and switch, we think the dads the villain. Also we have Kate in her middling phrase, aware that Angel's a vamp but not totally anti.The scenes with the circle are very reminiscent of classic Brit horror flick The Devil Rides Out (Christopher Lee as a good guy!) Ricks magic, the LA branch of The Magic Shop. Cordy puts her shopping skills to good use. A lot more christian than normal. 'Three blind mice' is actually about 3 bishops executed by Bloody Mary. Anyone know what rock-a-bye-baby is about? Lizzie Borden was actually found innocent but the circumstantial evidence against her was overwhelming.
Marks out of 10; 6/10, ok ep but still supernatural threat of the week

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THE PRODGAL
The Good;
Clever opening scene with Liam. Darla, yay! Her words about love infecting the heart always are just incredible. Some nice paralells with Kate and some nice comedy with the alarm system.
The Bad;
The head demon looks stupid and looks rather like the guy Cordy will save Gunn from in season 2
Best line:
Liam's dad; "I was never in your way boy" (the most tragic line in the whole of Angel AND Buffy!)

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Cordy sawing up the demon. Angelus slaughters Liam's family, even his little sister which we thankfully don't see.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 15,
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 3 no Angel but love Cordy as a blonde, only in Hollywood would that mean you could blend in.
DB get's his shirt off;
4
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; 2
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 5
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 8
Angel: 7
Wes: 2
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: 1 demon and 3 vamps for Angel so 11 vamps, 5 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp
Kate; 2 vamps for Kate making 3 in all
Wes; 1/2 a demon

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 5

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed; Trevor Lockley
2;

Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 6,
Packing heat;
Wes; 1
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:

Captain Subtext;
Trevor asks if Angel is 'West Hollywood', the term for LA's famous gay district
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages; yep, that's how Angel gets into the police station
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; Darla
7; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Darla
Questions and observations;
All the scenes between Kate and her dad are heartbreaking but pale compared to the tragedy of Liam and his family. We find that Trevor Lockley does care about Kate, he's on the take partially to provide for her (which explains how she can set herself up as a supernatural version of The Punisher in season 6). It seems that Angel(us) got the idea for his name from his sister.
Marks out of 10; 7/10, the flashback scenes a lot better than the modern day stuff

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THE RING
The Good;
Lilah! I know she's an evil ***** but I can't help loving her anyway. Cordy and Wes' police double act is also a highlight
The Bad;
Pretty much the rest, Angel as Spartacus, not bad but not very involving. The brother's plan to get Angel into the ring seems unnecessarily complex? Also Angel seems to be very easily overcome by their thugs considering what we know him to be capable off?
Best line:
Wes; Something's going down, something with 'The Man'

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Wes pinning the guys hand to the wall with his crossbow bolt then twisting it. Fingers in a box One McNamara brother casually killing the other.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 15,
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 3
DB get's his shirt off; no but he wears his vest top most of the time
4
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; 2
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel in the cuffs
Cordy: 5
Angel: 6
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out: Angel, twice
Cordy: 8
Angel: 9
Wes: 2
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: one demon. 11 vamps, 6 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 5

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed;
2;

Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot: yep
Angel: 7,
Packing heat; Wes for the second time
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Wes states that Cordy wears high heels and a push up bra.
Captain Subtext;
Cordy insinuates that Angel cross dresses.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Wes tortures the bookie
Buffy characters on Angel;
6; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes
Questions and observations;
Cordy considers calling the police. Even if they believed her is demon fighting illegal? Cordy mentions her pony, Lilah's talk with Angel foreshadows him joining WR&H in season 5
Marks out of 10; 5/10, an ep mainly notable for the introduction of Lilah

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

ETERNITY
The Good;
Nice central concept, lovely to see Oliver again and the scens with him and Rebecca and Angel and Rebecca are also good. Tamara Gorski is very good as she also was in Hercules although her Irish accent is just as bad as DBs.
The Bad;
The explanation that the drugs effects are only temporary is stupid, it's not like the 'happy' Buffy gave Angel lasted for weeks (or if it did I'm doing it wrong?) In season 4 when they need to bring Angelus out why not just give him some of this? Why does Angelus cut the phones, who are they going to call?
Best line:
Rebecca (after Angel tells her he doesn't kill any more) "There's a support group for everything in this town"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Angel(us)? spraying the blood over Rebecca
Apocalypses: 4 Cordy tells Rebecca that Angel saved the world but he also points out he tried to destroy it
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 15,
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; Angel tries to act casual about saving Rebecca but you can see he's miffed when the papers don't mention him.
In disguise; 3
DB get's his shirt off; yep, after Rebecca spills her drink on it
5
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; 2
Fang Gang in bondage: Cordy chains the boss to the bed again
Cordy: 5
Angel: 7
Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out: Wes and Angel(us)
Cordy: 8
Angel: 10
Wes: 3
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: 11 vamps, 6 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon

Fang Gang go evil: Angel and how!
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang: Angelus
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed;
2;

Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot: just blanks this week
Angel: 7,
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Cordy calls Rebecca a ****. How long did she know Wilson for before jumping into bed with him and his Hackslaw beast?
Captain Subtext;
Cordy says she'd have picketed the studio but lacked 'sensible shoes' (interesting considering the furore surrounding Angel's cancellation). Angel says that Ernest Borgnine is a 'skilled lover'?
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel;
6; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes
Questions and observations;
Can't quite imagine Doyle and Angel at an Ibsen play? Wes and Angel seem much more at home. Wes' remark of ET meaning Emma Thompson is SOOO him. Angel thinks Frank Langella is the best Dracula (did he ever meet the real deal? Langella doesn't physically resemble him). Wonder what he'd have made of his Oscar nominated turn in Frost vs Nixon? Angelus says he never killed a famous person which is reassuring.
Marks out of 10; 8/10 good ep, nice character development and a little to say about Hollywood
Stay tuned, hurricane Faith is on her way!

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

FIVE BY FIVE
The Good;
All of it, brilliant episode that gives Angel it's first 10/10 story. It's my all time favorite Angel ep AND contains my nearly all time favourite Angel moment, Wes coming across the weeping Faith in Angel's arms and dropping the knife.
The Bad;
If you think there's anything bad in this ep, go to the doctor because you're clearly crazy
Best line:
Cordy 'Generally you don't change a guy. Scratch the surface and what do you get? More surface!' (the events of Expecting still sting obviously)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Faith tortures Wes, horribly. She hurts Lee too but who cares? Darla describes killing children who 'squeal like little piggies', eugh!
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 15,
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; loathsome pimp picks up beautiful lost girl who then turns around and beats the crap out of him! Good for her!
In disguise; 4, Angel masquerades as a lawyer
DB get's his shirt off; 5
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; he doesn't carry any cash with him
3
Fang Gang in bondage: Wes tied to a chair
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy and Wes
Cordy: 9
Angel: 10
Wes: 4
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: 3 demons so 11 vamps, 9 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed;
2;

Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot: Angel by Faith
Angel: 8,
Packing heat; Angel tries to shoot Faith in the leg but fires blanks
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Lindsey offers to 'get Faith off' but she's heard that from guys before (although Lilah promises she'll impress Faith?). The guy who picks Faith up at the bus station is clearly looking to be her pimp but she gives him what he deserves. In a blow to Cesly fans CC proclaims that hell will freeze over before she has sex with Wes. Faith dancing is always a highlight. Darla and Angel(us) refer to 'playing games'.
Captain Subtext;
Lilah picks Faith up in the club. Faith remarks she's not much of a talker, more of a doer
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel;
7; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith
Questions and observations;
Note that when Angel catches the crossbow bolt Faith fires at him it's nowhere near his heart, she just wants to goad him into the fight. At this stage Wolfram and Hart don't realise that they need Angel for their prophecy so are quite happy to try and kill him. We have flashbacks to resouled Angel having broken up with Darla, starving but isn't able to bring himself to kill in order to eat. All of the WR&H lawyers have the same initials, LM? How does Angel enter the thugs apartment when he's not invited? PTB or is the guy squatting?
Marks out of 10; 10/10 my favourite Angel ep ever

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SANCTUARY
The Good;
Just when you think it can't get any better, Buffy arrives and all is good with the world.
The Bad;
All still fantastic
Best line:
NEARLY-Detective (to Kate) Everyone knows you've gone all Scully
Kate; Mulder's the believer, Scully's the skeptic
Detective; Scully's the chick, right?
but the winner, one of my favourites which I use all the time is;
Buffy; "A cry for help is when you shout 'Help, help!' in a loud voice"

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
For all those afraid of needles avoid the syringe scene. Faith's daydream about killing Angel
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 15,
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; the popcorn scene. Plus Wes calling Angel on his decision to protect Faith.
In disguise; 3
DB get's his shirt off; yep, in the shower again 6
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
3
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel in cuffs and possibly Faith too
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 9
Angel: 10
Wes: 4
Doyle; 1

Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: 3 demons so 11 vamps, 9 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
According to Boo's stats Faith has killed 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans. Add another demon to the list here.

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed;
2;

Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 8,
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Faith let's slip that she's bedded Buffy's new beau, Riley Finn. Which is news to Angel! Does Cordy not keep touch with things in Sunnydale or did she just not want to tell him?
Captain Subtext;
Buffy refers to Faith's 'pouty lips and heaving bosom', interesting she thinks of her in that way? The rooftop scene feels riven with hidden passions. Buffy refers to Riley saying she trust him. Heading for a fall again. The Watcher's Council refer to the insult 'ponce' again.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Kate plans to throw Angel into a cell exposed to the rising sun.
Buffy characters on Angel; 11
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla
Questions and observations;
What exactly does Angel do with the Watcher's team? Surely Kate must lock them up for turning the streets of LA into a bulletfest? Nice to see that Wes and Buffy are now on good terms, unfortunately this probably marks the nadir of the Buffy/Angel romance and the Kate/Angel relationship. Jelly doughnut's again, someone in the writing staff must have a thing for them. Buffy has the worst timing ever when walking in on Faith and Angel. How does Giles find out about Faith? Sources in the Watcher's council or do Wes or Cordy phone Sunnydale. Good acting by Wes, you really think he might have sided with the Watchers for a moment. How can Wes and Buffy just walk into the police station?
Marks out of 10; 10/10 just great, stunning

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

WAR ZONE

The Good;

Charlie Gunn, yay! David Nabbit too and some nice humour at the brothel (love the characterisation of the Madam, hard as nails but extremely streetwise as to the sensitive realities of her business)

The Bad;

Not much, good story although the slum allegory is laid on a bit thick.

Best line:

Gunn; "I don't need advice from some middle class white dude who's dead"

Jeez, how did they get away with that?

A nasty incestuous vibe between Gunn and his vamped-sister.

Apocalypses: 4

Angel Cliches

Damsel in distress; 15, in this case it's the male characters who need help

Inverting the Hollywood cliche; We expect a patrician speech from Angel to Gunn at the end. Instead Angel actually asks Gunn for his help in future, again recognising talent when he sees it. CC and Wes rescue Angel who forgets to use his mobile phone to get himself out of the meatlocker.

In disguise; 4

DB get's his shirt off; yep, Angel getting patched up so 7

Cordy's tattoo;3

Cheap Angel; A paying client for AI, Cordy must be so happy. Angel also wants to 'see the cheque'

4

Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 9
Angel: 10
Wes: 4
Doyle; 1


Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: 3 vamps and 1 demon for Angel so 4 demons so 14 vamps, 10 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp

Wes; 1/2 a demon

Kate; 3 vamps

Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.

Gunn;

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang: no but Angel refers to himself as Angelus to intimidate the other vamps
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: 2 of Gunn's people killed.

27

Recurring characters killed;

2;


Total number of Angel Investigations: Gunn a long way from joining yet
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 8,

Packing heat; no but one of Gunn's guys uses a flamethrowers which Wes will employ later to good effect.

Wes; 2

Doyle; 1

Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:

Angel's entire visit to Madame Dorians and the David Mabbet stuff is just SOOO out there, especially the tail gag (this was the era of Madame Alex/Hedi Fleiss etc). That said of all the demon girls am I the only one to find Lina the only attractive one? One of the demons appears to be one of the girls from She, her Ko well and truly intact (hope she's still not burning people)Cordelia is once again tempted to prostitute herself to a wealthy man as she was in the pilot. Cordy says that David's name feels 'Good in her mouth'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I don't think even Faith would say that?)


Captain Subtext;

Not so subtle racial and social hints, even the vamps bemoan the sort of people they now have to feed on.

Know the face, different character; 2

Parking garages;

4,

Guantanamo Bay;

Angel once again tortures a vamp

Buffy characters on Angel; 11

Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla

Questions and observations;

Gunn's strategy seems ok to me, taking the fight to the enemy rather than waiting until they come to you. By contrast Angel lets the vamps go at the end, to kill others? The vamps attacking Gunn's headquarters resemble the aliens in the War of the Worlds series. Both Angel and Gunn have killed their sisters.

Marks out of 10; 6/10, an ok ep but one that's hard to watch at times, largely significant for the introduction of Gunn (and his truck) and his motivations.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

BLIND DATE

The Good;

Lindsay's dilemma and Angel's solution to it. The final battle. Best of all though has to be Gunn's entrance to WR&H, one day he'll have a very different persepctive. The mind-reader line up is also a winner.

The Bad;

Would WR&H really be so forgiving of Lindsey?

Best line:

Cordy; "Are you telling me self-mutilating psycho assassin chick reached enlightenment?"

Jeez, how did they get away with that?

Angel shows remarkably little sympathy for Lindsey's story of his dead sibling but then he was from an age where most kids didn't make it out of infancy. Killing Lee is horrible, scumbag though he is, even Lilah has a horrified reaction to it, suggesting the woman beneath the mask.

Apocalypses: 4

Angel Cliches

Damsel in distress;

Inverting the Hollywood cliche; In every other genre handicapped people are inspirational, of course in the Jossverse they're EVIL!

In disguise; 4

DB get's his shirt off; 7

Cordy's tattoo;3

Cheap Angel;

4

Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 9
Angel: 10
Wes: 4
Doyle; 1


Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel: 2 vamps and one human so 16 vamps, 10 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans.
Doyle; 1 vamp

Wes; 1/2 a demon

Kate; 3 vamps

Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:

25

Recurring characters killed; byebye Lee although he's evil so screw him

2;


Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 8,

Packing heat;

Wes; 2

Doyle; 1

Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:

Lee asks Lindsey does he find the assassin sexy, you get the impression they both do

Captain Subtext;

Holland really does treat Lindsey like he's his son or something.

Know the face, different character; 2

Parking garages;

4,

Guantanamo Bay;

Buffy characters on Angel; 11, Cordy talks to Willow here but we don't see her. She says hello to Wes, AH and AD having just married

Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla

Questions and observations;

Vanessa Brewer is actually played by CC's stunt double, always nice when that happens (LL's stunt double on Xena would go on to play a recurring characters in the show). This also marks the entrance of the great Sam Anderson as Holland. Angel kills another human and has very little remorse about doing so, very different from Buffy. The scroll refers to the 'vampire with the soul', obstensibly Angel but by season 5 maybe Spike too?

Marks out of 10; 8/10, good ep

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

TO SHANSHU IN LA
The Good;
My all time favourite moment in Angel is when he walks up to Lindsey clutching his stump, the music swells and Angel looks on him with ******all sympathy. Such a powerful scene, you realise how much Angel loves Cordy in that moment and would fight his way to hell on her behalf. CCs acting as stricken Cordy is also great and love the doughnut scene. And THAT ending!
The Bad;
Gunn's prescence seems a bit shoe-horned in, they're obviously thinking about making him a regular. Same for David Nabbit. Kate seems to want to make Angel hang around to make a statement which is weird as she's prepared to let him just walk away the rest of the time.
Best line:
"Don't believe everything your foretold, Lindsey" (why doesn't he just kick him in the head whilst he's at it?)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Severed hands. Voca's mask. Angel is also quite brutal with Kate. Lilah mentions a past WR&H employee who was made to eat his own liver as pennance for failing the senior partners.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 15,
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 4
DB get's his shirt off; 7
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
4
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out: Wes by the explosion
Cordy: 9
Angel: 10
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 2 demons so 16 vamps, 12 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed; bye-bye the Oracles which is a shame as I liked them, I didn't think they COULD be killed
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 8,
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Naked Darla in a box, bet you can't order that on Amazon!
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 11
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla
Questions and observations;
Wes once again makes a biblical reference which Watcher's are wont to do. The promise of great things to come, Darla in the box. Interestingly you can bring a vamp back from the dead as they attempted to do in 'When she was bad', a technique often used in fanfic for bringing back Angel and souled-Spike if they've been killed in a story. Cordy refers to 'The old me' indicating personal growth. Of course we assume the 'Vamp with a soul' is Angel but it could just as easily be season 5 Spike?
Marks out of 10; 9/10, very good ep with my all time favourite Angel scene.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

JUDGEMENT
The Good;
Jousting in LA, even in Tinseltown that must be a rare enough sight.
The Bad;
A fairly slow opener for a season that will eventually start firing on all cylinders
Best line:
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The demon who sings at Caritas is 'Gorshak the Child-eater'? His pick is 'Achy breaky heart' (I'm not sure which is worse?)
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 16, yep, she sure is
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Angel the hero actually kills the damsel in distress' protector by accident
In disguise; 4
DB get's his shirt off; 7
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
4
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 9
Angel: 10
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 4 demons for Angel so 16 vamps, 16 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; one more vamp so 4 in all.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 8,
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Wes seems to attract the attention of a beautiful girl in a bar. The first hints of the love affair between Lindsey and Darla.
Captain Subtext;
From the beginning a very flirtatious relationship between Lorne and Angel. Gunn comments that he's seen Wes before in bed which Wes takes a lot of exception to. Cordy points out that if Angel joins a gym he'll have to shower with naked men but he says he'll always be a loner.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Angel beats up Merl and kills an innocent
Buffy characters on Angel; 11
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla
Questions and observations;
The Introduction of Lorne for the first time, no sign yet that he'll become such an important character. Pretty obvious he's inspired by Barney from Parting Gifts. Angel Investigations have been busy over the summer with at least 6 cases according the whiteboard. First appearance of Merl and first meeting of Gunn, Cordy and Wes. Wonderful to see Angel visit Faith, such a lovely touch. So what happens to the mother and child? Often in fanfic whatever goes wrong in the Buffyverse that kid turns up to set it right. When Angel meets Gunn he inquires after his health as Gunn said he should in Blind Date. Jo is played by Justina Machado who played Rico's wife in the wonderful Six Foot Under, a show that not only guest starred Michelle Tractenberg and Eric Balfour (Jesse) but at one point her characters' actress sister appears to be guest-starring on Angel (or possibly Charmed?)
Marks out of 10; 6/10, the opening and ending are probably better than the rest of the ep

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

ARE YOU NOW OR EVER HAVE BEEN?
The Good;
Very good allegory of the McCarthy age and we get an idea of what Angel got up to after 'Why we fight?'.
The Bad;
According to the commentary Angel sends the money back to the bank. I wouldn't, they're a bunch of racists, I'd have given it to charity or something.
Best line:
DENVER; "No other cat but me"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Seeing Angel lynched is nasty in the extreme.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 16,
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Angel doesn't save the inhabitants of the hotel, just leaves the demon to feast upon them. When he finally returns to rescue Melissa it's to let her die.
In disguise; 4
DB get's his shirt off; 7
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
4
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out: yep, Angel
Cordy: 9
Angel: 11
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 1 demon for Angel so 16 vamps, 17 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; one more vamp so 4 in all.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 8,
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
The starlet is obviously supplementing her income through prostitution. Nevertheless she refers to Melissa as a slut as an insult.
Captain Subtext;
The leading man is obviously gay and hiding it Rock Hudson style.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
The McCarthy era is a strange one as after the fall of communism it was revealed that many of those he persecuted were indeed Soviet agents (it's an interesting paralell of George Bush/Barack Obama being pressured to release some the Guantanamo inmates only for 1 in 7 going back to terrorism) but the important point here is that we rail against all lynch-mobs and witch-hunts which are inherently evil no matter their justification, Angel season 2 of course was during the War on Terror and the point is well made.
Buffy characters on Angel; 11
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla
Questions and observations;
2nd appearance of the Hyperion which is also in Judgement and 'I fall to pieces' under a different name . Presumably Angel must be pretty rich just to be able to give the money away like that. After this we presume he must go into his hedonistic phase, henceforth to be known as 'The Manilow Era'. He does return to hotel later however as he's in the picture when the police arrest the bell-hop (who goes to the electric chair despite being innocent of the charges against him). First apprearance of Denver who'll crop up again later. In an ep about the 50s Cordy's dress seems very sixties? If this ep is 9 minutes over as the commentary says, why not Special Edition DVDs with the footage restored?
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The Good;
Not much, this has a good chance of being the worst Angel ep ever. Some eps of Charmed were better than this, even the one's without Shannen Doherty (or Charisma Carpenter).
The Bad;
The demon and the whole 'Gunn in trouble' bit is very stupid.
Best line:
"NOW!" all in the delivery
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Can't help but wince when Veronica get's a neck full of glass. Cordy's right though, to pull it out would kill her. The whimpering from Angelus and Darla's victims is horrible.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 16,
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 4
DB get's his shirt off; yep, twice so that makes 9
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
4
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 9
Angel: 11
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 2 vamps for Cordy so 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 1 demon and 1 vamp so 17 vamps, 18 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; one more vamp so 5 in all.

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 8,
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
All the Darla/Angel stuff is just excellent. Wes uses the very British insult 'Wanker'. Once again Cordy appears to be turned on by money, maybe that 'prostitute' remark wasn't so far of the mark as she also says she could be a 'working girl' if she wanted to. She also states that when it comes to sex women see more levels than men.
Captain Subtext;
Semi-naked Angel on top of Wes! Angel objects to wearing 'The girl's helmet'. Wes doesn't help by telling him 'Hop on gorgeous'
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Gunn beats his way to the truth so ruthlessly even Angel steps in to stop him.
Buffy characters on Angel; 11
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla
Questions and observations;
Angel is a fan of Denzel Washington which is weird as he claimed to not even have a TV and was living like a tramp during his most successful movies?
Marks out of 10; 3/10, VERY weak ep, saved largely by the Darla/Angel stuff and the motorcycle humour.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

UNTOUCHED

The Good;
Some lovely stuff from Lilah and some nice humour with Gunn.
The Bad;
I think the whole abused child bit is a little overdone, if you want to see that go so Michelle Tractenberg's excellent film 'Mysterious Skin' (but be warned, it's hard to watch)
Best line:
Angel; "Do you know what it's like to get a re-bar through your torso?"
Cordy; "Actually yes I do. Benefits of a Sunnydale education" (Lover's Walk)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The whole incest storyline is super-icky, father's once more getting a rough ride in the Buffyverse. Plus Bethany squishing the thugs with the dumpster but as Gunn says "Mr rapist-for-hire? See me crying?"
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17, yep and how
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; Bethany actually comes on to Angel which is unusual to see. Wes confesses he has no knowledge whatsoever about telekenisis. Cordy warns Bethany about Angel, hints of jealousy.
In disguise; yep as a detective, must have been taking hints from Kate so 5
DB get's his shirt off; yep, amazing how he always get's wounded in the chest but Cordy never does? 10
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; Cordy says she likes her men "Less broody, more spendy"
5
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out: Angel and Cordy
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Kills: none this ep for anyone although I love the way Cordy fights off the thugs with her lattes.
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 17 vamps, 18 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
25
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations: Gunn now being paid so add him in
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 8,
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:
Bethany comments that Angel's Darla dream must make him 'Pretty happy' to judge by his bed covers. Indeed they resemble the x-rated cover of a period romance novel, bodice-ripping by the fireside. Bethany says guy's love the whole 'innocent and fragile' thing. Cordy comments that she came in the top 10% of her class and Wes wonders was that class 'Advanced bosoms?" (I think she gets more a C in that area?;)
Captain Subtext;
Lilah's relationship with Bethany smacks mightily of lesbianism just in the same way as her picking up Faith at the club did. When Gunn boasts about his new axe and hopes he might 'Get the chance to stick it in something" Cordy comments "Men, all alike!"
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 11
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla
MOD EDIT
Questions and observations;
Hugely dark, you wonder if this is what Joss and co intended the series to originally be like in terms of both 'Damsel in distress of the week' and in the dark nature of the subject matter (Lonely Heart for instance was originally called Corrupt and had Kate not only posing undercover as a prostitute but had gotten too far into her role, actually working as one and having sex with her clients. At that point the studio stepped in. Of course the studio seems to have no such problem with Dollhouse which is basically the ultimate fantasy escort agency).
Marks out of 10; 7/10. Good ep, suprisingly funny in places and all about redemption, I for one am glad Bethany didn't kill her father. Also more and more depth added to Lilah and that's always a good thing.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

DEAR BOY
The Good;
All the Angel and Darla stuff and the Kate stuff. Love the cheating wife subplot too.
The Bad;
?
Best line:
"God doesn't want you, but I do"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Awful scene between Darla and Angelus whilst driving Dru mad. She is a virgin and a saint, how different her life could have been. Darla grabbing/killing the actor.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise;
Whilst surveiling the cheating wife in the hotel so 6
DB get's his shirt off; 10
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; AI jump at the chance of a paying client Cordy noting he has Mastercard etc. Angel asks Wes if he has any money he can lend him for Caritas
6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Kills: one demon for Gunn
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 17 vamps, 18 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps + 1 demon.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: 3, the actor, the Lord and the Streetwalker
26
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot: Angel shot by the cops who respond to the call
Angel: 9,
Packing heat; we have the first appearance the tranquliser guns.
Wes; 4
Doyle; 2
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 1 bleached blonde according to Angel and to the amazement of Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Angel forces himself on Darla but being Darla she revels in it. "You're hurting me, I like it". Angel tells Darla she can 'Scream all she wants'. Darla says she's pretty familar with the international sign for 'enough' whilst Angel says what they did together 'blew the top of my head off'. Angel has 'a thing for convents', hmmm? The nuns or the teenage schoolgirls in uniforms? Darla kills the streetwalker even though she was one herself. Angel smells Cordy's hair, the first hint of Cangel. When Angel refers to his love Cordy thinks he's talking about Buffy. Cordy's 'Pet me I'm a whore' outfit certainly fits the bill. Angel observes that Wes has recently had sex with a bleach blonde, probably the girl from 'Judgement', much to Cordelia's incredulity. Buffy the cheerleader gave Angel a happiness Darla couldn't give, maybe Darla should get the costume and some pompoms?
Captain Subtext;
In fanfic the bleach blonde Wes had sex with is often Spike. Lorne refers to his bartender Ramon as a 'treasure'.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; Dru for the first time 12
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru
Questions and observations;
Angel is 247 years old and now a coffee addict contrary to what was stated in The Prom. Great ep, the renewal of the Angel/Darla relationship and it's terrific on all levels, great things to come. Angel seems to have established a reputation as a PI for the superanatural, AI's spying on the cheating wife is quite professional with listening devices, mini-camera's, the works. In the Buffyverse there appear to be no aliens (what about the Queller demon from season 5?). Kate is now a pariah in the LAPD but is still loved by her friends and colleagues. Lorne is back for the first time in a while. Some great satire on Hollywood actors. Gunn has a long and colourful record with LAPD.
Marks out of 10; 9/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

GUISE WILL BE GUISE
The Good;
So wonderful, finally Wes gets a chance to shine and it's just fabulous. Also love Cordy's Angel impression. And love Rick the guard quietly sloping off when it's revealed that he'd had sex with his employer's daughter.
Bad;
Gunn never noticed the existance of netherworld? So how come he once traded his soul at a demon casino? (The House Alway's Wins) Surely there's a better way to get Angels help than threatening Cordy? Wouldn't have Wes have noticed that he'd deflowered Virginia during their sex?
Best line:
Angel; "Wesley was in virginia?"
Wes; "That's beside the point"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The father who wants to sacrifice his daughter, my god, talk about the lowest of the low! Prophetically she observes he also insures his car. Angel tortures fake Swami with fishing hook and line through his cheek.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Angel plans to infiltrate WR&H by 'moving real fast'
As Gunn horrifiedly observes 'Going real quick was the plan?"
In disguise;
No but love the way Cordy and Wes are able to infiltrate WR&H with just a business suit and a pair of glasses and Wes' Angel impression is priceless.
DB get's his shirt off; 10
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
5
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out: Gunn by the fake Swami
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 17 vamps, 18 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 1 demon.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: the Swami offscreen
27
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 9,
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2, one bleached blonde and Virginia

Kinky dinky:
Wes has sex with Virginia although he doesn't take her virginity, that was long gone (what girl ever didn't fool her father in that regard?). Of course if she had sex at 16 that's technically statuatory rape in California. Virginia is lovely, check her out as the 'Blair' witch in Charmed although her outfit in that episode exaggerates her (already respectable) cleavage to the degree it may knock you unconscious. Cordy observes that he 'screwed her over'. The thug refers to Cordy as Angel's piece. Yeska comments that the sacrifice is impure, as Cordy later observes if it was sacrificing male virgins the world would be aethiest in a second. Angel protests he isn't a eunuch and that the curse isn't that clear as later proven by Nina/Darla/The Furies.
Captain Subtext;
Cordy asks Wes if he has any clothes 'a man would wear'? Of course being Wes he has some excellent suits and Cordy has a very nice business suit. Cordy says she loves Angel. She also refers to Angel as girly. The fake Swami's recipie for Angel's happiness is word perfect for his relationship with Buffy, using her as a Darla substitute (but Buffy made him happy and Darla didn't).
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
4,
Guantanamo Bay;
Angel tortures the false Swami with a fishook through his cheek
Buffy characters on Angel; 12
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru
Questions and observations;
Angel says he rarely goes to church although it's implied that he's a Catholic. A great satire on Hollywood success, anyone with talent and looks has to have magic. A terrific lightweight comedy episode with Wes coming into his own for the first time and getting a girlfriend, just as he should have.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

DARLA

The Good;
Everything between Angel and Darla is just superb, adds a whole new dimension to the Buffyverse
The Bad;
?
Best line:
Angel; "You damned me!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Everything with Darla, Dru and Spike is just TRAGIC. Angel garroting Lindsey is also pretty near the knuckle.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise;
DB get's his shirt off; yep,10
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
5
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 17 vamps, 18 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: Dru kills the sailor, Spike kills the Slayer offscreen.
29
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 8,
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
"You're leaving with the stallion" You know they just don't have dialogue like that on Dawson's Creek.
Darla asks Lindsey to kiss her. We have confirmed what we always suspected, that she was a prostitute in her human life (women weren't allowed to own property during the Elizabethen era so she could hardly be anything else)
Captain Subtext;
Gunn shows his legal mind for the first time, working out that WR&H would place Darla's expenses as a tax rebate. Angelus appreciates human life whilst the Master wishes to end it. That said he let's Darla go as he seems to have genuine affection for her. Darla wonders if Lindsey has either a boyfriend or girlfriend. Little hints of humanity in Dru, she hints she could be Darla's mummy as she will eventually be when she sires her. Once again Spike calls Angel(us) a poofter.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages; yep, where they go to kill Darla
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 13 The Master rears his ugly head
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master
Questions and observations;
Dru sires Spike. The cleverness of this scene is that when we see it on Buffy we think the Fang Gang are the kings of the world. Although when we see it on Angel we realise it's all a lie, Angel is resouled. Despite being resouled Angel still kills criminals, rapists and murderers, an undead version of the Punisher. So what's Darla's real name? In season 1 of Buffy 'Angel' he comments that the last time he saw Darla she was dresssed in kimonos which fits here. So what happens to the baby Angel saves? I like to think that she grows up under his watchful eye, much like Rachel in the Highlander series, that Angel visits her as an old lady on her deathbed and holds her hand as she passes to the afterlife and rejoins the rest of her family. Interesting when we compare Angelus, the bullying father of the fang gang with his own domineering father.
Marks out of 10; 9/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THE SHROUD OF RAHMON

The Good;
Very little, like Angel's Ja'Don impression and some nice Kate stuff but that's about all.
The Bad;
Cordy's hair is awful, she looks like Courtney Cox after a bad perm. The rest of the episode is pretty awful, the whole Wes interrogated by the cops technique really not working at all. If the Shroud is so powerful and destructive how could it have survived for so long?
Best line:
Angel " I could use a sweater, something dark"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The twisting of the guard's neck. The story of the city's population going insane with mother's killing their children is also horrible.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise;
As Jay-Don so 7
DB get's his shirt off; 10
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
5
Fang Gang in bondage: Wes handcuffed
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 17 vamps, 18 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 1 demon.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: the corrupt security guard
30
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:Angel by Kate
Angel: 10
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Kate finally get's what she always wanted deep down, Angel bites her under the influence of the shroud and she appears to orgasm against her will as a result just as Buffy did in Graduation Day pt2. Afterwards she seems almost bent to his will, finally able to forgive him for what's happened to her father and letting Wesley go. Apparently the things bringing in the chicks are 'the dough and the ride'. Wes says he's 'Good with the ladies himself'
Captain Subtext;
Angel mistakes Kate for Darla. Hmmmm? Kate also has a pic of her dad on her desk. Where's her mum? Gunn refers to vamps killing his sister.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 13
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master
Questions and observations;
Angel is a Chow Yun Fat fan, again weird when he was supposed to be a street tramp when he was at the height of his fame (Hard Boiled). If Wes wasn't under arrest before, why was he at the police station? We have the first appearance the tranquliser guns. Noted character actor Tony Todd (Candyman, Babylon 5, Night of the Living Dead etc) appears here almost unrecognisable as one of the demons. Is the head of the robbery gang human or demon? Jay-Don ran with the Rat-Pack as apparently Angel did during his Manilow phase according to 'The House Always Wins'. Kate is the first human Angel has fed on since Buffy in Graduation Day pt2.
Marks out of 10; 3/10, in my honest opinion the worst episode of Angel EVER!

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

The Trial

The Good;
Love the valet and the trials, they're both excellent, the suprise ending is a killer, thankfully they left Juliet Landau's name out of the credits this time so it's a genuine shock.
The Bad;
Very little, terrific ep but Angel seems to be overwhelmed by the WR&H thugs very easily
Best line:
Lindsey; "How did you think this was going to end?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The trials are almost akin to gorno, especially the key in the vat of Holy Water.
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; oh yeah!
18
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 7
DB get's his shirt off; oh yeah!
11
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
5
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel chained up by the valet
Cordy: 5
Angel: 9
Wes: 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 1 vamp and 1 demon, 18 vamps, 19 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 1 demon.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
30
Recurring characters killed; Darla dies for the 3rd time
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot;
Angel: 10
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Darla has once more turned to prostitution to support herself.
Captain Subtext;
The eps so full he really doesn't have time to appear. Although Darla/Dru I suppose at the end.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 13
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master
Questions and observations;
Oddly Holland believes in god whilst Darla wears a cross whilst tricking (she takes it off when she goes to find a vamp to sire her). Angelus comments that in Romania they know how to treat a creature of the night (Dracula?). Holtz mentioned for the first time. The dumb vamp Darla propositions says he was sired in 1992, by Lothos and co in the Buffy movie? Anne Rice mocked again. Why doesn't Angel sire Darla and then resoul her? He wonders what would happen if he sired someone when he had a soul, in 'Why we fight?' we find out. Jasmine referenced once more. Does JB really sing or is she voiced over? The valet is great, you really could see him as Jeeves, his little 'Use it wisely' speech at the end is reminiscent of Highlander. The actor recurs in a Dollhouse ep where he plays Beyonce's manager.
One thing, Angel is owed a life restored by magical means. So why does he never call in that marker and try to bring back Doyle, Cordy, Fred etc?
Marks out of 10; 9/10, Angel at the top of it's game.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

REUNION
The Good;
Darla and Dru make quite a pair whilst Angel does his Batman routine. Some nice humour from Lilah and like the way Angel is so consumed by his quest that he tries to ignore his mission sent by the PTBs. And the shock ending is a kick in head.
The Bad;
Why does Lilah want to hear police sirens, what are the LAPD going to do against Dru and Darla? Shouldn't Angel have saved Holland's wife at least?
Best line:
Lilah (to Lindsey, indicating dead Darla) "Think you got a shot with her now?" Why we love Lilah even though she's a total *****.
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The scene in the shop with the murdered staff is horrifying
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Lindsey (indicating the soon to be vamp Darla) "Can she hear us?"
Darla "She's DEAD!"
In disguise; 7
DB get's his shirt off; 11
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
5
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel in cuffs
Cordy: 5
Angel: 9
Wes: 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 18 vamps, 19 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 1 demon.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: 16 including the shopgirls and the motorist
30
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot: no but Angel takes a gun away from a demon acolyte intent on suicide.
Angel: 10
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Gunn comments that he's freaked out by the whole vibe of the grandaughter remaking the grandmother (as he was with his vamped sister). Dru wants Angel to 'Spank us til Tuesday, we promise to be bad if you do'!!!!!!
Captain Subtext;
Loved to have seen the Dru/neighbour scene. Once again Dru seems a very unusual vamp in some regards, more human than most. Dru appreciates Lilah's beauty. All of the Darla/Dru stuff
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 13
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master
Questions and observations;
Like the way it's Gunn who figures out the whole nursery angle, once again showing his brains. Weird seeing Darla in her shroud. Kate and Angel seem a team once more.
Marks out of 10; 8/10, Angel on top form.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

REDEFINITION

The Good;
Angel goes Punisher, as extra-crispy Darla says "Who the hell was THAT?". Plus "We are the champions..."
The Bad;
Darla and Dru seem to spend an awful lot of time on fire, other vamps vaporise much quicker.
Best line:
Dru "Galloping, galloping still he'll come!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The ears gag, funny but hooooo....!
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 7
DB get's his shirt off; not topless but some vest action
11
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
5
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Kills: 4 vamps and 12 demons for Angel really racking them up. I demon for Gunn
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 22 vamps, 31 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans,
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1/2 a demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
30
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations: 1 or 3 depending on which way you look at it?
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 10
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Gunn says Angel is 'going Commando', does he mean the action film or without underwear? Dru and Darla are looking for 'muscular slaves'. I know a few people who'd gladly volunteer. Once again Dru wants Angel to punish them for being naughty, she likes the idea of flogging but not of churches.
Captain Subtext;
Is the attraction between Lindsey and Darla real? Dru seems to like Lilah. Wes denies that his arse is 'pansy'.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Poor old Merl get waterboarded
Buffy characters on Angel; 13
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master
Questions and observations;
Virginia's back, hooray! Wes intends to sing Cat Stevens, I'm guessing 'Morning has Broken' rather than 'Father and Son' or 'The First Cut is the Deepest'. In the end they pick Queen, good choice. Darla wonders why people always assume a man has to be involved in a woman's business? Angel smokes again.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

BLOOD MONEY

The Good;
Anne's back, wonderful the way minor characters from old eps can now assume major roles in the Buffyverse. A nice pastiche of the cynicism of major corporations.
The Bad;
Couldn't they have got some real TV stars to do that benefit?
Best line:
Lindsey "Boo hoo Lilah, let me wipe away the tears with my plastic hand!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Anne refer to a 14 year old prositute lying in her own blood after a rough trick, uuggghhhh! (real life always more horrific than supernatural evil)
Apocalypses: 4
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 7
DB get's his shirt off; 11
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel; he owes Merle money
6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Kills: Half a demon for Wes and Gunn
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 22 vamps, 31 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1 demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 2 and half demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
30
Recurring characters killed; Holland the scumbag appears again, I bet he's looking up rather than down and could use some ice about now
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations: 3 or 1?
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 10
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Kennell's school for girls, why is it that the buildings supernatural evil always seems to be drawn to are filled with teenage schoolgirls? (The Craft, Suspira, Carrie and countless trashier efforts, Satan's School for Girls, 5 Girls anyone?) Or did I just answer my own question? It's implied that Angel enjoys dressing up in Cordy's clothes. Angel says he is hitching a ride in Lilah's back seat, probably literally but the way he says it hints at innuendo.
Captain Subtext;
The 'Life Lessons' actress is asked why they made her character gay, an obvious nod to Willow on Buffy
Know the face, different character; Anne/Lily/Chantrelle but still the same girl
2
Parking garages; yep, Angel attacks Lilah in hers
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
More Merle bashing, you genuinely start to feel sorry for him.
Buffy characters on Angel; 14
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne
Questions and observations;
Angel criticises Merle's beanbags, surely he had some during the Manilow years. We're told that Angel was in Mexico in the 20s and fought Boon over a girl, love to see that in the comics some time. Love his built-in knuckledusters. So why doesn't Anne recognise Angel when she was introduced to him in the Buffy ep Lie to Me? Interesting to see Wes as Bond, he would have been great in the Roger Moore style. Presumably Angel beats Boon for the money.
Marks out of 10; 6/10 standalone ep, some nice stuff with Anne and Boon and some nice humour with Lindsey and Lilah.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

The Good;
Lorne really comes into his own, we see him set up to become a regular character . Love Angel Investigation's Agatha Christie moment.
The Bad;
Why does the scientist act suprised at Lorne's appearance when he's been to Caritas? His plan is pretty stupid, surely after a while someone will notice and pull the plug? And won't the time freeze affect the demons too? And won't the time freeze stop the electricity thus disrupting the process?
Best line:
Gunn; "Truth is there's always more down"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: oh yeah
5
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; yep, posing as a grant fund agent
8
DB get's his shirt off; 11
Cordy's tattoo;3
Cheap Angel;
6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 3

Fang gang knocked out: Lorne, all the makings of an Angel investigations regular right there
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 1
Kills: a demon for Gunn and 2 for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 22 vamps, 33 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1 demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
30
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations: 3 or 1
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 10
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
The sympathy bone! Does anyone actually ever do that for real? The most slow motion sex in history. How exactly do they know that Kevin is impotent?
Captain Subtext;
Lorne acts in a stereotypically gay fashion but he describes Cordy as hot-o-rama suggesting he's actually Bi? The bartender remarks that they don't get many of Lorne's kind in his bar, we think for a moment he means gay but he actually means demon.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 14
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne
Questions and observations;
For some reason the demons seem to dress like Abraham Lincoln (or the Amish)? The weapons they use are similar to the hunga-munga used by Buffy in Anne. What do they do with Aunt Helen, turn her over to the police to charge her with murder by demon? A lovely metaphor from Lorne on holding the note. The beginning of Angel's eventual coming back to the good fight. Make Hegarty who plays the Bartender is one of those faces you see all over US TV. Cordy dances, she's quite a groover just as she was in Buffy. Wes dances too and is much better now than he was in 'She'.
Marks out of 10; 7 out of 10, funny enough but not really a classic and suffers in comparison to what's gone before and what's to come.

[Vergon6]

I finally got back to watching my Season 4 DVDs after a long hiatus. I watched "Awakening" and "Soulless". Both solid episodes in my opinion. The first episode shows how that at some level Angel was right about the Beast, not about how to destroy him, but what destroying him would do. I think I missed "Awakening" when it first aired and somehow only caught "Soulless", so when Angelus talks about Angel's fantasy about killing the beast bringing back the sun in "Salvage", I was a bit confused and didn't get the reference.

"Soulless" proved the Angelus still can be manipulative and a force to be reckoned with, even trapped in a cell. He plays on the team's insecurities, fears, and exposes dirty little secrets and half-truths all to this end.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

I finally got back to watching my Season 4 DVDs after a long hiatus. I watched "Awakening" and "Soulless". Both solid episodes in my opinion. The first episode shows how that at some level Angel was right about the Beast, not about how to destroy him, but what destroying him would do. I think I missed "Awakening" when it first aired and somehow only caught "Soulless", so when Angelus talks about Angel's fantasy about killing the beast bringing back the sun in "Salvage", I was a bit confused and didn't get the reference.

"Soulless" proved the Angelus still can be manipulative and a force to be reckoned with, even trapped in a cell. He plays on the team's insecurities, fears, and exposes dirty little secrets and half-truths all to this end.

Frankly I think the whole Faith/Angelus arc is the best part of the entire series with Orpheus the best ep ever!

THIN DEAD LINE

The Good;
Excellent ep, lovely to see Anne again, good story, especially like the Jackson/Gunn confrontation. Also a nice little role for the desk sergeant.
The Bad;
Could this really all happen without anyone knowing about it? Or should I ask without anyone caring? Doesn't anyone hear the gunshots in the police station?
Best line:
Angel; "I just killed a cop"
Kate; (looking around the police station) "I wouldn't say that in here no matter how immortal you think you are"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Once again man's (or should that be zombie's?) inhumanity to man always more disturbing than the supernatural.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 11
Cordy's tattoo; oh yeah, we see it at the siege at the refuge
4
Cheap Angel;
6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 8
Wes: 3

Fang gang knocked out:Wes passes out after being shot
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 22 vamps, 31 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans and 1 zombie
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1 demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
30
Recurring characters killed;
4;
Total number of Angel Investigations: 3/1?
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot: yes, Wes by the zombie cop
Angel: 10
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
No time for that
Captain Subtext;
Or that!
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Merle moves and I don't blame him. The whole thing is one big discussion of The End Justifies the Means, the police Captain uses vigilante methods to eradicate the crime in his area but at what cost? Angel is happy to give the area back to the Jackson's of the world because that's human trouble rather than supernatural.
Buffy characters on Angel; 14
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne
Questions and observations;
Nice mislead, you think Anne is going to Angel but instead she goes to Gunn. Gunn himself starts to feel removed from his old gang. Angel and Kate seem to have restored their working relationship after the Shroud of Rashamon. Love the Cordy's clothes gag. The whole ep is reminiscent of the old Maniac Cop horror film series (which also featured a vigilante zombie cop ressurected through voodo) with hints of Night of the Living Dead, Magnum Force and Assault on Precinct 13 (the original, forget the remake even if it has Gay Byrne)
Marks out of 10; 7/10, enjoyable but a step outside the arc.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

REPRISE

The Good;
Hell of a shock when Darla makes the Angel/Darla shish kebab. Good scenes at WR&H and the Darla/Lindsey stuff is great.
The Bad;
How come Angel can sense Darla at the Hyperion but not when she's evesdropping on him and Denver?
Best line:
Lilah; "Stake the *****!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
One of the WR&H employees pulls their child out of daycare as a sacrifice? Killing the mom and her family is horrible! Kate's suicide attempt also ain't nice.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 17
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; at the end Darla rips it off
12
Cordy's tattoo;4
Cheap Angel;
6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 9
Wes: 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 22 vamps, 31 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 1 demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: Denver plus the family
35
Recurring characters killed; byebye Denver
5;
Total number of Angel Investigations: 3/1
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 10
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Angel and Darla and how!
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 2; Buffy and Darla
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
The Claimac demons apparently 'raped' the villages of man in addition to laying them waste. Speaking of which Angel 'taking' Darla at the end is about as close to rape as you'll ever see from a heroic character on TV. Their foreplay is him chucking her through a glass door!
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 14
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne
Questions and observations;
Why no commentary on all these great eps? Why do people sacrifice goats? They're the nicest animals out but they always seem to be associated with evil. Must have been fun to have them on the set that day. David Fury of course is one of the sacrificers. First mention of Lilah's mum. Lorne doesn't like Lloyd Webber, not even 'Memory'? Wes and Virginia breaking up, awwwww! Cordy remarks she has no friends in LA, I guess she didn't keep up with the girls from 'Expecting' or 'She' (you'd think being knocked up against their will by a demonic entity and ending up in his breeding hot tub together would have bound them closer?). Darla with the glove rather reminds me of the old TV series Witchblade. Last appearance of Holland, not a nice guy but a great character. He's right of course, supernatural evil depends on human weakness. Poor Kate!
Marks out of 10; 9/10, truly great

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

EPIPHANY

The Good;
All of it, just magnificent, especially love the Lindsey/Angel fight and the truck crashing through the window.
The Bad;
Anyone?
Best line:
Gunn; "So what, you had a epiphany? Just wake up and bang?"
Angel; "Sort of the other way around"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Even though it's just plastic you wince when Angel smashes Lindsey's hand
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 18 Cordy this time around
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
We all expect Angel to lose his soul but he doesn't only Buffy can do that to him
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; still off from last week so yes
12
Cordy's tattoo;4
Cheap Angel;
6
Fang Gang in bondage: Wes and Gunn at the house
Cordy: 5
Angel: 9
Wes: 4
Gunn; 1

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy post-impregnation
Cordy: 11
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 1
Kills: 1 demon for Angel and one for Wes
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 22 vamps, 32 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 2 demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 5 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
35
Recurring characters killed;
5;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 10
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Wes for the third time with his shotgun
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 2; Buffy and Darla
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Darla and Angel have sex three times. Darla considers herself very good in the sack as she's been doing it for 400years and used to be a professional. She asks Angel was she "Not good?" which is exactly what Buffy says in Innocence. Lorne suggests that Angel give Darla cab fare (I had a friend who always said that if a guy does that/cooks you breakfast afterwards it made you a prostitute. Strangely she is now an unmarried mother). On that topic Cordy impregnated by a demon against her will for the second time. And we always thought Xander was the demon magnet? Of course if you like that sort of thing;
http://www.taboostudios.com/taboomain.html (http://www.taboostudios.com/taboomain.html) Over 18s ONLY!

Captain Subtext;
Apparently the way to tell Angel and Angelus apart is that Angelus wears leather pants? Keith Topping suggests that at the end of the ep Lindsey is 'struggling with his sexuality' but I'm not so sure?
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 14
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne
Questions and observations;
The PTB decide to save Kate, well you would, wouldn't you? How much do I love Lindsey as a lonely drunken teenage buck with a pink carnation, pick up truck, cowboy boots and sledgehammer? Angel uses the 70s term 'pad', well he was about back then, a groovy cat if there ever was one. Angel smashing Lindsey's hand is SUCH a powerful moment, even when you know it's plastic it still makes you wince. Goodbye to Kate who leaves LA, changes her identity and becomes a district attorney in New York before returning to Angel in season 6. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3106733/1/Girls_Night_Out (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3106733/1/Girls_Night_Out) is interesting. Angels observation that if it all means nothing then the smallest act of kindness means everything is just wonderful. Lovely ending too with Cordy being caught by Angel, the gang is back together.
Marks out of 10; 10/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

DISHARMONY

The Good;
Wes and co take delight in humiliating Angel and it is funny as hell. All the Harmony stuff is excellent.
The Bad;
Understandably a lightweight ep, Cordy pretty much in denial throughout, she needs a friend and wants to believe she can trust Harmony. Harmony says that there are over 100 vamps in the theatre but they seem to almost all flee at the sight of the 5 strong AI team?
Best line:
Gunn "I say nuh and uh"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The all you can eat vamp buffet
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 18
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; yep, definitely as CC stands up.
5
Cheap Angel;
6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 9
Wes: 4
Gunn; 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 1
Kills: 4 vamps for Angel, 2 for Gunn
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 26 vamps, 32 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 2 demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 7 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
35
Recurring characters killed;
5;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 10
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 2
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Harmony is so cute in her babydoll nightie. Her ode to the joys of human blood seems to even tempt Angel. Gunn also seems beguiled by Harm and vice versa until he discovers she's a vampire
Captain Subtext;
Lesbian subtext between Cordy and Harmony and then more explicit lesbian text between Cordy and Willow, CC not aware of Will's relationship with Tara up until this point. The cult leader wants to turn Wes and Gunn and eat Cordy suggesting women aren't really his thing. Cordy praises Angel as having a 'gay man's taste in clothes'.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; add Willow and Harmony so 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne, Willow, Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;
http://buffy.adultfanfiction.net/story.php?no=15274 (http://buffy.adultfanfiction.net/story.php?no=15274) (18+ only)
Questions and observations;
Cordy's jacket makes her look like a Prussian Hussar or something. Interesting to see Wes and Angel silently vie for the leadership role. Now I know an awful lot of people hate this ep with a vengence but I think it's great, Harmony is such a breath of fresh air, a nice light ep after the intensity of the Darla arc. Love Wes' Xena moment, "Kill'em all!"
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

DEAD END
The Good;
Well if you like gross horror concepts this one's for you! A very nice end to the Lindsey story arc (for now) and some good humour about corporations and how they work. Very clever scene where we see around Lindsey's apartment with all the little features showing his life with 1 hand.
The Bad;
When Lindsey shoots up the boardroom where the heck are WR+H's crack security team who always seem to turn up on every other occasion?
Best line:
Lindsey "Stop it evil hand!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Eye stabbing anyone? Or living organ donors? Plus Angel garrotting the parole officer.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; 18
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo;
Her green top shows it to great advantage so 6
Cheap Angel;
6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 9
Wes: 4
Gunn; 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 26 vamps, 32 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 2 demon
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 7 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: Lindsey's donor
36
Recurring characters killed;
5;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot: Angel by the parole officer.
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 1;Buffy
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Of course this being LA even the organ donors are insanely pretty. Lindsey pinches Lilah on the way out, well you would, wouldn't you?
Captain Subtext;
Angel seems to yearn for the parole officers 'butterfat'? (Yuck!)
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne, Harmony, Willow
Questions and observations;
Once again Wes and Angel subtly compete for leadership. Love Wes delegating Angel to help Cordy. Lilah suffers a death of the thousand cuts, constantly humiliated by Lindsey, treated as a secretary by Lindsey's client. No offence to Christian Kane but I really don't think he's that good as a singer. Kate is sorely missed by AI who now have to pay an outside contractor. Poor Cordy, the visions really starting to take their toll. Interestingly Angel warns Lindsey to never come back and Lindsey warns Angel never to play WR&H's game. NEITHER listens to each other's advice.
Marks out of 10; 8/10 great stuff and the last we'll see off Lindsey for 3 whole seasons.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

BELONGING

The Good;
Very clever opening with the mirror in the resteraunt. The scene with Angel on the false beach is also great and all the stuff between Lorne (aka Krevlorneswath of the Deathwok clan) and his cousin "Again ,NOT a coward!"
The Bad;
Awful to see Cordy humiliated by the director, CC a veteran of loads of commercials in real life, I wonder if this was an experience she had? As Angel says, I thought demon violence was impossible in Caritas.
Best line:
Rondell "We been waiting on you for months, bro"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The poor guys whom the Drakken eats
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Damsel in distress; the girl the Drakken takes as food 19
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; 6, they actually go to great lengths not to show it during the commercial shoot.
Cheap Angel; 7
Treats the gang to a fancy dinner but insists on getting his money's worth. Says he's not cheap just old.
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 9
Wes: 4
Gunn; 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 1
Kills: Wes kills the Haclaar, Angel kills the Drakken
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 26 vamps, 33 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 3 demons
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 7 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: 2 guys by the Drakken
37
Recurring characters killed; Gunn's friend George
6;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Gunn suggests using a flamethrower against the demon, we've seen a member of his gang use one in War Zone
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 2; Buffy and Darla
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Angel remembers when you could get a tavern wench for a few bob (presumably when he was Liam the drunken whoring layabout rather than Angelus). Needless to say Cordy looks incredible in her seashell bikini as indeed does her gorgeous blonde co-star who seems quite smitten with Angel and very taken aback that he doesn't notice her considerable charms on display. When Angel relates the description of Cordy's bikini to Gunn and Wes they seem very interested (still think of CC sexually?). And check out Angel fondling his axe as he tells them. Apparently Haclaar beasts feed and mate at the same time.
Captain Subtext;
Cordy describes Fred as pretty. Lorne says he used to chat up the senoritas at the bar when the other Pylean men were out hunting once again painting him as bi.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Wes phones home, when we see his dad in 'Lineage' we understand this conversation better. Lorne performs an excellent version of Stevie Wonders 'Superstition', Andy Hallet's second best song on the show in my opinion. Fred for the first time. Love the way the librarian rationalises Lorne's appearance. He refers to Harry Potter, I don't know if it's deliberate but Wes the sorcerer has a little zigzag scar on his forehead throughout the ep.
Marks out of 10; 6/10 ok ep but not brilliant, promises much to come

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

OVER THE RAINBOW

The Good;
A fun romp veering unpredictably from the ridiculous to the sublime, not so much the series changing direction as looping the loop and throwing in a barrel roll for good measure. Must be so nice for DB to be able to work in the sun for once.
The Bad;
Even the most imaginative set dressing can't hide the cheapness of some of the production qualities. The bit where Lorne goes to see his psychic friend is also blatantly filler (although I love her name, Persia White, sounds like a film noir heroine?)
Best line: Another Xena reference (see also Disharmony and Halloween on Buffy)
Gunn; (on being told that Pylea is rife with xenophobia) "Why are they afraid of Xena? I think she's kinda fly"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
A lot of the Pylea stuff especially the hellbeast discecting the guy. We thankfully never see the AI group as a freakishly hybridinized siamese twin, as Gunn observes, horrified "That was a risk!!!?"
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
The guys take on the villagers and for once they lose.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; 6,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage: Cordyx2 but the rest of the guys as well
Cordy: 7
Angel: 10
Wes: 5
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 26 vamps, 33 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 3 demons
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 7 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
37
Recurring characters killed;
6;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 2; Buffy and Darla
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Cordy as a slave for the second time. If you enjoy seeing beautiful women enslaved, enchained and degraded this is the ep for you. Of course if you enjoy that you should be in deep, deep therapy rather than reading my reviews! Wes has handcuffs or at least knows someone who does (Mistress Spanksalot?). Once again, here's where they miss Kate who could have lent them some.
Captain Subtext;
Gunn likes Xena. Now this could either be classed as kinky dinky, he just likes hot dominant women in leather,(well who doesn't?) or it could have some deeper significance? Pylea strikes you as just the sort of place that Xena and Gabby would clean up.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Angel was in the Tower of London at some stage. First real appearance for Fred and Amy Acker does a great job of portraying her impending madness. Also Gavin Parks oozes his Gucci clad self into the show. The scene where Angel leaves the tape for Gunn is very reminiscent of Kurt Russell in The Thing. Angel delighted in the daylight, his joy is lovely to behold.
Marks out of 10; 6/10, not great in itself but again, promising much

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

The Good;
Angel sees his hair in the mirror for the first time, you always wondered? (I guess Dru always fixed Spike's?) Lovely reveal of WR&H, very clever. Also like the double bluff of Cordy meeting the Groo. All the scenes with Lorne's family are hysterical.
The Bad;
Aside from that this seems to be a case of 6 characters rushing about in search of a plot?
Best line:
Lorne's mother; "No longer do the dance of joy Numfar"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Angel still enjoys telling the story of cutting Lindsey's arm off, still some bad feeling there obviously.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Angel actually enjoys playing the hero, revelling in his (literal) moment in the sun.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; 6,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage: Wes, Gunn and Lorne again
Cordy: 5
Angel: 9
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Lorne again
Cordy: 10
Angel: 12
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills: Angel kills 2 demons
Cordy: 5 vamps, 1½ demons
Angel; 26 vamps, 35 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 3 demons
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 7 vamps+ 2 demons.
Fang Gang go evil: almost Angel but not quite
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang: demon Angel
Cordy: 2
Angel: 7

Characters killed:
37
Recurring characters killed;
6;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 2; Buffy and Darla
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Cordy is expected to Com-shuk with the Groo, as Gunn observes "Sounds dirty to me". Obvious sexual attraction between Queen C and Groo, Lorne asks should he call the guards back with their cuffs? Cordy once again in a bikini despite saying she doesn't want to seem 'too easy' for the Groo. Cordy observes it's along time since she Com-shuked and remarks on her propensity to be impregnated by demons "Do I send out some sort of 'Com-Shuk me' vibe?" There's a great t-shirt slogan for you. Even the Groo of course is part-demon but can only mate with humans.
Captain Subtext;
Huge beauty and beast vibe between Angel and Fred, Fangel right from the start. Lorne also seems enamoured of Groo so more evidence for the bi vibe. Wes keeps a picture of Cordy in his wallet
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 15
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Here's the Groo, yay! After being abused and pushed around for the last 3 eps Cordy is now a Queen as she always wanted to be. Some beautiful small details like Cordy's little finger gesture when she tells the constable who wants the 'Most high princess' to feast on AI's blood "You're most high if you think that's going to happen!". Also Cordy reaching out to embrace her friends who walk past her to the food, shades of Indianna Jones (except Angel who makes for the mirror). Wes' idea of a list of demands sent to the Princess sounds reminiscent of Magna Carta.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[Superboy-Prime]

Have you ever seen a character grow on a tv show. As much as Wes? He went from a goofy nerdish type to a complete and utter badass.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Have you ever seen a character grow on a tv show. As much as Wes? He went from a goofy nerdish type to a complete and utter badass.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Absolutely although the possible exception is Spike?

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE PLZTH GRB

The Good;
The basket scene alone makes this wonderful. All told it's pretty good stuff though, a revolution in three eps.
The Bad;
It seems rather contrite that the entire world of Pylea is ruled by this small band of priests and their tiny army.
Best line:
Wes; "Why do people keep putting me in charge of things?"
Gunn; (exasperated) "I have NO idea!". In many ways Gunn is the straight man of Angel Investigations, constantly staggered at the rest of the gangs grand notions.
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Severed Lorne's head, Pylea has a 'mutilation chamber'? Everyone keeps spitting on poor Lorne. The Groo sets his own hand on fire to intinidate Angel before they fight. He feels pain but just overcomes it!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; Lovely heart to heart between Wes and Angel over the fireside but we later learn that Wes doesn't necessarily believe it, he just needs Angel to.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; 6,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel by Groo
Cordy: 5
Angel: 10
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Angel after the fight in the cave
Cordy: 10
Angel: 13
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 1
Kills: 3 demons for Angel, 3 for Wes, 2 for Gunn and 1 for Cordy
Cordy: 5 vamps, 2½ demons
Angel; 26 vamps, 38 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 6 demons
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 7 vamps+ 4 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
37
Recurring characters killed;
6;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast
Angel: 2; Buffy and Darla
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Cordy touches the Groo 'by accident' in the dark. She refers to Groo and her on their wedding night having a 'shared burden lifting' but denies that she has much experience. She doesn't like the idea of Com-shukking in front of the priests. The priests tell Groo that if Angel should win he will ravage and defile Cordy again and again until she has no more screaming in her.
Captain Subtext;
Do the Covenant represent the Taliban? Check out the slave-girls expression when Cordy orders her to strip naked. Also check out that Lorne's eyes flicker open to watch. Lorne observes that Groo works out when Cordy rubs him up against him. When Cordy tells Groo she loves him Angel is a little afronted that she doesn't say she loves him too. Gunn's speech at the end neatly sums up post American Civil War history.
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
To judge by his remarks when he and Wes are going to be executed Gunn is a Christian who believes when he dies he'll go to Jesus. CC can scream like a Classic Dr Who companion (as can Dawn, see Shadow). Angel doesn't snore. In demon form he rather resembles the Incredible Hulk. Lorne doesn't have 5 toes on each foot although we don't know how many he does have. Wes is faced with the General's classic dilemma of having to sacrifice some of his men for the greater good. How do they get Angel's car out of Caritas? Willow at the end is heartbreaking, how much can Alysson Hannigan emote with just her expression?
Marks out of 10; 8/10 good end to an enjoyable arc but you're keen to get back to LA.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

HEARTHROB
The Good;
Great stuff, once again you feel the Buffy writers are making fun of the whole endless vamp love concept (Twilight/True Blood). Also Lorne's version of 'I left my heart in San Francisco' is WONDERFUL, one of the top three Lorne songs.
The Bad;
How many times can we see the same courtyard even if it is redressed?
Best line:
Angel (after fighting the demon monks) "Should have gone to Vegas"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; yep, when she bends over to pick up the fire extinguisher during the fight in the hotel lobby
7,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 10
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 10
Angel: 13
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 1
Kills: 2 vamps for Angel and one each for Wes and Gunn. Amazingly this is the first vamp Wes ever kills in four years in the Buffyverse. We don't know how many vamps/demons AI killed in the summer but I'll give them one each
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 28 vamps, 38 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 7 demons+1 vamp
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 5 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed: the dude Darla kills and a couple of people at the party
40
Recurring characters killed;
6;
Total number of Angel Investigations: Fred not part of the gang yet, still hiding in her room
4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot: only Angelus by Holtz and he doesn't count
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3(?) ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis(?)
Angel: 2; Buffy and Darla
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Gunn refers to 'doin it with the demons' but doesn't mean what we think (except for Cordy who regularly seems to 'do it' with various supernatural entities). Speaking of which she's close enough to Phantom Dennis to strip naked in front of him and get some loufa action in the bathtub with him. Cordy thinks her new necklace brings out her breasts, Gunn certainly seems to think so to judge by his expression. Nice 'screwed Darla' gag. Darla says Angelus made her pay for leaving him in an extreme S&M style. Wes says Angel doesn't need a lapdance.
Captain Subtext;
Hugs all around when Angel comes back, the events of season 2 well and truly forgotten. James and Elizabeth (both regal names) are obviously a proto Spike and Dru (maybe Darla and Angelus needed another couple to make a four at bridge?).
Know the face, different character; 2
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Love to see more of AI in the summer without Angel, they obviously kept busy. Also would have liked to have seen how Gunn coped with a solo case whilst everyone else was at Buffy's funeral. Can't they buy Fred a whiteboard so that she doesn't have to write on the wall? Does Fred really have to invite Angel into the room she occupies in his hotel? Or is Angel just bluffing to reassure her and make her feel at home? Note Angel takes the time to put his coat on before going vamp hunting. James says that Angelus knows no poetry, well he liked Spike's. Or Angel did? Holst is referred to as the foremost vamp hunter, what about the Slayer of the age? Vamps don't really seem to have love as much as twisted obsession but not having souls they can't appreciate that. Cordy's right of course, the human thing for Angel to do is mourn Buffy but continue his life. Surely James can be killed by fire or decapitation? Nice to know that when the chips are down you can rob the handicapped guy of his crutches and it's all ok.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THAT VISION THING
The Good;
A real one for Lilah fans, our first sight of Skip and some great acting by CC
The Bad;
The brain thing looks fake. It also seems all very unnecessarily complicated to rescue Billy
Best line:
CC (about Gavin) "Ok, Satan's toady but that's a NICE suit!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
You so feel for Cordy as she suffers. Not so much the rebar through the head but Darla slicing her hand makes me wince every time.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Darla's "Men are such babies" remark, about some things yes.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; oh yes
8
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 10
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy and Lorne
Cordy: 11
Angel: 13
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills: 2 demons for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 28 vamps, 40 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 7 demons+1 vamp
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 5 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
37
Recurring characters killed;
6;
Total number of Angel Investigations: Fred doing research and taking care of Cordy, now part of the gang
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn, Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: I'm going to add Phantom Dennis who Cordy will later tell us is 'good with a loufa'.
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis(?)
Angel: 2; Buffy and Darla
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
'Dick' and 'dong' in the car on the way to get the key. Lilah paws Angel when he's in her office and when he's violent with her it actually seems to turn her on all the more, she keeps pawing. Fred is 'forking with Gunn'.
Captain Subtext;
Lorne loves The Sound of Music. But who doesn't?
Know the face, different character; 3
Bob Morrisey who plays the demon Dr is also the mad guy who accosts Dawn outside the Magic Shop in The Real Me.
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Angel threatens Lilah and Gavin. Wes and Gunn are quite prepared to kill Billy if WR&H try anything smart. Despite her tough girl image Lilah seems to be genuinely afraid at the end of the ep.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
CC impressed by Gavin's clothes, what a shame she missed most of season 5 when AI can put their wardrobe on WR&H expense account. I wonder if the makers of The Matrix say this ep? They certainly steal the key gag for the second film. Fred meets Phantom Dennis although she also feels the need to introduce herself in a later ep.
Marks out of 10; 6/10, pretty good, not totally brilliant

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THAT OLD GANG OF MINE (anyone else keep expecting Gunn to break into a number from Sweet Charity?)
The Good;
Angel apologising to Merl is hilarious but this is Gunn's ep. Love Fred singing at Caritas and she shows some steel for the first time.
The Bad;
Evidence bags. Hmmm? Are we on CSI or something? Weird how they appear this week as an important part of the plot but then we never see them again.
Best line:
Fred; "Oh. Oh! Ohhhhhh!" (all in the delivery)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The killing of the balancing entity is particularly gruesome
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Human's bad, demons, well if not good not inherently evil
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; 8,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 10
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 13
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills: one demon for Gunn
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 28 vamps, 40 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 7 demons+1 vamp
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 6 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 6

Characters killed:
40
Recurring characters killed; goodbye Merl. Gunn is still haunted by killing his sister which you can't blame him for.
7;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Gunn with a shotgun. He seems to object to the gang using Uzis but under his leadership they didn't hesitate to use a flamethrower.
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Angel and the Furies
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
It's implied that Angel beds the three Furies (genuine characters from Greek mythology and very popular on TV at the time also turning up on Xena and Charmed, Piper even becomes one for a while). Singly or all three sisters at the same time? (Every man's ultimate fantasy? Or would that include their milfy mom joining in as well?) He's now happy to do so as after Darla he knows he won't lose his soul because he doesn't love them. Of course this is what we all assume. I read a very funny fanfic once where we learn that the Furies actually dig Angel due to his exquisite foot massage technique.
Captain Subtext;
CC describes Fred as 'sweet and adorable'. Lorne describes Gunn as 'sweetie'. The Furies tell Cordelia she is not equipped to pay this debt but I once read a rather good fanfic on the subject which ended in the words "MMMMmmmmm Cordelia!". http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3037269/1/Mmmmmmmmmmmm (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3037269/1/Mmmmmmmmmmmm) (non-adult)What exactly did Rondell flee from in Florida? Who is the girl who trusted him to the end? Someone he betrayed or someone who he couldn't save?
Know the face, different character; 3
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Wes saves Fred in Caritas. Wes' new image makes him look like some form of student teacher or something. Surely shooting Lorne would do him no harm if cutting his head off doesn't kill him? One demon keeps saying "Oh god", the other says "He's not listening", weird that demons refer to god.
Now, are Rondell and the guys right or wrong? When they raid Caritas they kill at least one vamp and a babyeating demon, it's hard to say that's really wrong? The problem is they don't distinguish as AI do. The ending is probably as good as you can get in this dilemma. Interesting that Wes warns Gunn about divided loyalties a subject he's going to learn all about later in the season.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

CARPE NOCTEM
The Good;
Some nice humour, especially over the whole 'Fred' thing and some nice stuff with Lilah
The Bad;
Surely Marcus notices that in his new body the heart isn't beating and he doesn't breathe?
Best line:
Cordy; "You're a eunuch"
Angel; "Hey!"
CC; "Figure of speech"
Angel; "Find another one!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; Much like the handicapped in Blind Date in the Buffyverse old people are EVIL! We don't expect Marcus' spell to affect Angel but it does.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; yes, her two piece purple outfit shows it off to great effect.
9,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage: yep, Angel
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Angel as Marcus
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 28 vamps, 40 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 7 demons+1 vamp
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 6 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang: Angel/Marcus
Cordy: 2
Angel: 7

Characters killed: the three poor guys Marcus hijacks
43
Recurring characters killed;
7;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Three in the bed sex with 2 beautiful hookers. Well, we've all been there. CC refers to Angel as a eunuch, remember she doesn't know about Darla. CC salivates over the bodybuilders but still thinks 'All men are dogs'. Gunn and Wes argue over who gets to visit the 'First Class Escorts' but CC decides she should go instead. She refers to them as 'Pretty skanky women' (does she mean 'Women who are pretty skanky' or 'Women who are skanky and pretty'? To judge by the extremely attractive girls in the opening scene they certainly live up to their companies' billing). That's a bit rich considering she wanted to prositute herself to Rusell Winters and David Nabbit, has twice been knocked up by demons, twice sold as a slave and is currently having a high old time with her ghost and his loufa.
The simmering sexual tension between Lilah and 'Angel' finally comes to a head. Much like Kate in 'The Shroud of Rahmon' Lilah finally gets what she secretly always wanted, thrown across the desk to be ravished Viking-style and bitten by Angel. Is this ever mentioned again because Lilah is actually the only one who knows about it and she has no idea it's not really Angel? And what do AI make of Lilah's forgeries plonked on Wes' desk?
Captain Subtext;
Marcus thinks Angel is gay (just look at his outfit) and Wes is 'Fred', his boyfriend.
Know the face, different character; 3
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Amy Acker's remarks about skinny models are weird as she's the thinest girl in the Buffyverse by quite some way, even more so that season 5 Buffy. Angel likes 70s Charlton Heston films, a leftover from the Manilow era? (The Omega Man has vampiric theme, plenty of blood and contains the wonderful line 'Honky paradise brother?'). The 'Nightstalker' is referred to but probably the LA serial killer rather than Kolchak. Marcus/Angel drinks martinis with Lilah, thought she was a whiskey girl?
Read a good fanfic once where Angel doesn't get his body back in the end but his soul gradually retakes control, Marcus' magic temporary and unstable. Good performace from Rance Howard as Marcus (Ron Howard's dad)
Marks out of 10; 7/10, always thought I disliked this ep but the humour makes up for a pretty weak story in many ways, actually found myself enjoying the rewatch more than I thought I would.

*

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

FREDLESS
The Good;
Wonderful acting by AA when Fred's finally reunited with her parents. CC and Wes' Buffy/Angel show is FANTASTIC! A good ep all around. The scene where Fred calms herself at the bus station by reciting Pi and the crazy looking homeless guy moves away from HER is the funniest scene in all of Angel and may be my favourite Angel scene ever.
The Bad;
Bit of a reach that they just let the bugs go?
Best line:
Fred; (when reunited with her parents) "I didn't mean to get so lost, I'm sorry I got so lost" (tears me up every time)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Bugs ain't evil and neither really is the demon Angel kills, just driven mad by the eggs in it's skull. We think Fred's parents are evil but they're not. They're also able to accept AI's rather odd lifestyle
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
9,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills: chalk up one demon bug for Fred's mum and one demon for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 28 vamps, 40 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 7 demons+1 vamp
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 6 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 7

Characters killed:
43
Recurring characters killed;
7;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Fred's mum asks if Fred is making 'movies', LA's porn industry probably bigger than it's tourism, film and music combined. Check out CCs fishnets. She seems to revel in playing nurse for the gang and later tells Angel she could 'soothe his ass off'.
Captain Subtext;
Lorne wears eyeliner which Fred's dad says men from Texas tend not to do (never been to a 'Gay Rodeo'?).
Know the face, different character; 3
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
A nice ep with Fred now part of the gang more than ever. AI are in awe of the PI the Burkle's hire who can find Fred with only a letter to go on. The Alien films are referred to with JW of course writing part 4. Fred's dad refers to Spiro Agnew who was Nixon's vice president (he was caught up in a corruption scandal before Watergate which is why Gerald Ford, the speaker of the house becomes President following Tricky Dickie's resignation). Famously his name is an anagram of 'grow a penis'. Angel likes ice cream, weird I thought he couldn't enjoy normal food. Lorne smokes and is still bitter about what Gunn's friends did to his bar. Fred considers going to Vegas for a new job, well one day she will. Angel likes golf and apparently watched the Bob Hope Desert Classic which was presumably played in Vegas. In the daytime? Wes' talk of his own parents puts Lineage into perspective.
Marks out of 10; 7/10 a funny and touching romp before we get down to the more serious stuff of season 3

*

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

BILLY

The Good;
Love the fact that Lilah is the hero, all round great performance from Stephanie Romanov and CC (their scene together is wonderful) and some terrific out of character stuff from Wes and Gunn. Fantastically poignant ending.
The Bad;
Why does Angel tell Billy's cousin he's going to kill him? How does he expect to be invited in after that?
Best line:
Angel; "She thinks I'm melodramatic?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Very hard to watch at times, man's brutality to woman a lot harder to take than demons and vampires. Even though Gavin is evil you don't doubt that he would never dream of attacking Lilah if Billy hadn't infected him.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Lilah kills the villain, bad girl comes good.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
9,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Gunn and Wesley
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 6
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 2
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 28 vamps, 40 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 7 demons+1 vamp
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 6 demons.
Fang Gang go evil: Gunn and Wes
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 7

Characters killed: two women Billy's victims.
45
Recurring characters killed;
7;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Only Lilah.
Wes; 3
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Wes comments on Fred's slinky number. CC and Angel 'getting all sweaty' whilst training as Xander would say. CC thinks Billy is 'kinda cute'.
Captain Subtext;
Wes has the hots for Fred and CC is aware of this. CC comments on using a phallic shaped weapon to threaten Billy. Angel is hurt that CC thinks him melodramatic.
Know the face, different character; 3
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Even Angel is shocked when he meets a battered Lilah. She refuses his sympathy however considering what he'd done to her in the past.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
The Blims are very obviously supposed to be the Kennedys (of course Stephanie Romanov played Jackie O in the excellent Cuban missile crisis drama '13 Days'). His cousin actually seems ok. What happens to the poor guys who Billy infected and who attacked their women? Hopefully AI/Lilah get them out? Angel tries to spare CC from killing Billy just as he and Gunn will later do with Fred and the Professor.
Marks out of 10; 8/10, good episode, would be 9/10 if it had more arc.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

OFFSPRING
The Good;
Season 3 really kicks into high gear with the arrival of Darla and her 'passenger'.
The Bad;
?
Best line:
CC; "What are friends for?"
Darla; "Knocking you up and leaving you high and dry"
Just beating Lorne's "It's beyond my Ken and my Barbie and all my action figures"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Cordy describes Angel as not going evil but 'going male' which is positively misandrist.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Darla the pregnant mother is still pure evil, defying all our expectations
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
9,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 28 vamps, 40 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 7 demons+1 vamp
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 6 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 7

Characters killed:
45
Recurring characters killed;
7;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Wes takes the pistol from the scroll owner
Wes; 4
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Wes refers to the date rape drugs GHB/rohypnol. CC refers to the Furies as Angel's 'chippies' and hopes they're on the pill. CC refers to Angel 'boning' Darla.
Captain Subtext;
The Kyrumption subtext between CC and Angel finally comes to the fore but Darla's arrival puts a spanner in the works. Darla seems appalled by the world suggesting her baby is already giving her a soul.
Know the face, different character; 4
Jack Conley as Sahjhan, also played the werewolf hunter Cain in the Buffy season 2 ep Phases
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Hang on everybody, we're going for a hell of a ride! Holst appears to be a Catholic which is ironic given that he's based on Oliver Cromwell who was markedly anti-Catholic despite being largely regarded as a champion of liberty. Gunn is a great juggler, I wonder if he was taught by the same person as Buffy in 'Hell's Bells'?
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

QUICKENING

The Good;
Love Angel's pride at 'Our kid, special!", everything else just moves at SUCH a frantic pace
The Bad;
Fred is introduced to Phantom Dennis but didn't they meet before in That Vision Thing? How non-corporeal is Sahjhan, it seems to vary?
Best line:
Linwood; "We're going to give you a second chance"
Psychic; (reading him) "No you're not, you're going to have me killed!"
Linwood; "See, why couldn't you come up with insight like that earlier?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Killing the psychic with the plastic bag, euuuughhh!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Love the fact that the all powerful WR&H are once more betrayed by an underling, their security really does suck.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 9,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills: one vamp for Wes and one for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 28 vamps, 41 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 7 demons+2 vamp
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 6 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 7

Characters killed:
45
Recurring characters killed;
7;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 4
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Angel; "I'd had a bad day"
Darla; "So you pushed me onto the bed and took what you wanted?"
Angel; "Seemed the thing to do"
Never got THAT on Party of Five! Which is probably why Buffy/Angel are the most popular series for adult fanfic ever. Gavin is quite the voyeur. It seems that everyone knows about Marcus/Lilah on the desktop. Angel remarks to Darla that she likes pain. Linwood dumped his wife for a younger model (perhaps literally?).
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 3
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
The title is derived from the term when a pregnant mother feels her child move inside her for the first time (rather puts a different perspective on 'Highlander' huh?). How does Wes know so much about childbirth? WR&H lose audio for a crucial 2 days, Jasmine/PTB interference? Linwood is played by the same actor who was in 80s detective show 'Crazy like a fox'.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

LULLABY

The Good;
All of it, pretty damn brilliant, especially love Holtz raiding the club. The Lilah and the interpreter scene is also great, no such thing as a minor character on Angel.
Interpreter (horrified); "You highlighted an ancient gushundi text?"
Lilah (defensively); "In yellow"
The Bad;
Even if it's just a stun grenade wouldn't Lilah and Holtz be deafened for hours afterwards? Why can't they just resoul Darla?
Best line:
Sahjahn; "He's using product but he's the same guy"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Darla and Angelus slaughtering Holtz's family is beyond horrible. Holtz's killing his sired daughter is the strongest and most tragic act in the series, your heart just bleeds for him.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
9,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel pinned
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Wes by Darla
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 6
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 28 vamps, 41 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 7 demons+2 vamp
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 6 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 7

Characters killed:
45
Recurring characters killed; Goodbye Darla, she'll appear again but she's finally dead this time
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Lilah threatens her lackey with her gun. Angel uses the stun grenade (which Holtz is obviously impressed by and uses one later at Caritas) and Wes wishes he had a shotgun.
Wes; 4
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Way to much going on for that
Captain Subtext;
Or that.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Holtz is one pretty damn tough guy to take on WR&H's commando team. Note Angel doesn't even try to tell Holtz he has a soul, he knows he'd be wasting his time. Goodbye Caritas, after this Lorne won't bother trying to rebuild again.
The end of the Angel/Darla relationship and it's EPIC! And hello Connor (for good or ill).
Marks out of 10; 9/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

DAD

The Good;
Love all the Lilah stuff, especially love 'Files and records' girl (who presumably gets killed by the Beast in season 4). The seige of the Hyperion is also good as is the reveal of Lorne's message
The Bad;
Won't the LAPD notice all this going on?
Best line:
Holtz; "I think you'll find your modern popular culture references wasted on me" (No kidding!)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 9,
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills: 3 demons, 2 humans and a vamp for Wes, a demon for Gunn, 4 vamps, 4 demons and 4 humans for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 32 vamps, 45 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 10 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 7 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 7

Characters killed:
45
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: Lorne moves into the Hyperion and joins the gang. Most would say that this is the definitive Angel Investigation line-up?
6, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn, Fred and Lorne

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; literally, Wes with a flamethrower (why not use that more often?)plus Angel with explosives
Wes; 5
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Captain Subtext;
Angel has a woman's taste in clothes according to CC.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Justine's sister is portrayed by Pat Tallman (her stunt double) who was one of my favourite characters from Babylon 5. Gunn refers to his cousin, I thought Elana was his only family? Fred is a computer expert now, just like Willow. Connor likes Angel in vampface which explains why he has no problem with Jasmine's true form. Cordy comments that Connor has Angel's brow. Holtz has killed 378 vamps in 9 years which is good going, in six years by my count Buffy has only killed about 150 vamps/demons and she's the most successful Slayer ever (although she has spent much of that time running away to LA and dead).
Marks out of 10; 9/10, slam bam all the way.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

BIRTHDAY

The Good;
Cordy's sitcom is great and some excellent crazy acting from DB. Also nice to see Doyle again if only in a clip.
The Bad;
Feels a bit laboured in places. How can the message in one dimension still be there in another (Jasmine?)
Best line:
Skip; "Get out of here. No really, get out of here"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tattoo; yep when she's ripping the wallpaper off so that makes 10. Note it's not CC doing the somersault on her show's credits because you don't see her tattoo.
Cheap Angel; 7
Fang Gang in bondage: no although Wes and Gunn use manacles to restrain mad Angel.
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out: CC for the whole ep
Cordy: 12
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 2
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 32 vamps, 45 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 10 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 7 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang: Angel possessed by CC
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8

Characters killed:
45
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
6, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn, Fred and Lorne

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 5
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Fred mentions she didn't wear underwear for 5 years. Gunn goes through CC's lingerie. To judge by CC's cleavage exposing outfit on her show this must be sweeps week?
Captain Subtext;
If Cordy wasn't around does this mean Doyle's last act was to kiss Angel? Love the CC as Wonder Woman cake the gang get for Cordy, too bad Joss went off the idea of making the film. Gunn comments that Fred is so cool. Wes refer to Gunn as his 'partner'. CC and Angel kiss
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
So this is a world where CC never joins AI. No Fred so presumably after Wes and Gunn rescue her she goes back to Texas? In a world without Cordy's influence does this mean Merle, Elana etc are all still alive? Pentagrams always bad news. What are Buffy and the Scoobs doing about mad Angel in this alternate reality? CC is now part demon as is Faith, Buffy etc. This is ep 55 so exactly half way through the series.
Marks out of 10; 6/10


*

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

PROVIDER
The Good;
Some great comedy and some excellent action, great payoff in the end (literally)
The Bad;
Not bad, just lightweight. Don't like the way they can't just come out and say 'gay lover' for Sam Ryan's friend. Wes and Gunn seem to take an awful lot of trouble defeating Brian.
Best line:
Justine (about the ice-pick through her hand) "Feeling something is better than feeling nothing" That girl has some SERIOUS damage deep inside and I'm not talking tissue.
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
See above
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; the hero who is out for money
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel; the whole thing 8. Ironically CC who'd always been so mercenary now doesn't care about the money. Although she thinks that $50,000 is way up there on the list of cool things in the world.
Fang Gang in bondage: Lorne and Fred tied up
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 3
Fred; 1

Fang gang knocked out: Lorne
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Kills: Angel kills 7 vamps whilst Gunn and Wes take a demon each
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 39 vamps, 52 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 11 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 8 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8

Characters killed:
45
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 5
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
Allie misses the sex from her dead boyfriend and seems to be open to necrophilia. In a dark scene in an otherwise lightweight ep Justine and Holtz play some serious S&M games. Tying your hair in pigtails and having your boyfriend play the stern headmaster is one thing, sticking icepicks through the hand and consenting not to take it out as a trust exercise quite another! Brian seems to think that Allie is dating both Gunn and Wes at the same time. Fred thinks they want her to marry the Prince
Captain Subtext;
The Wes/Gunn/Fred love triangle becomes apparent. Obvious gay subtext between Sam Ryan and his 'friend'. He also notices that Angel is quaffed. Lorne says he never knew the demons intimately. CC and Angel lying on the bed with Connor together at the end, a perfect little family.
Know the face, different character; 3
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Obvious Monty Python gag. Angel comments that 'We may have to incorporate' which is what they do in season 5. Eric Bruskotter who plays Brian was in one of my favourite shows Tour of Duty, you can also see him in Starship Troopers, Hamburger Hill and Crimson Tide. Jeffery Dean Morgan as well as appearing in Supernatural and Watchmen was in my favourite erotic thriller ever, Undercover Heat (which I'm sure he's taken off his CV). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114786/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114786/) He's also another Buffy/Angel alumni who turns up in Eliza Dushku's series Tru Calling in the gambling ep.
Angel's arrival is very Batman.
Marks out of 10; 7/10, fun comedy ep

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

WAITING IN THE WINGS
The Good;
All of it, great humour, great pathos, the ballet is beautiful and this is THE ep for Cangelers
The Bad;
?-actually how can Angel be so sure that it's the same people he saw 100 years ago, do vampires have perfect recall? And do we really believe that Angelus who casually slaughters entire famillies gets moved to tears by a ballet (or is he just gilding the lily for Gunn?). How does the Count explain that his ballet company appears to have no members?
Best line:
Showing the double edged genius of the ep (comedy and tragedy) it's either "I don't dance, I echo" by the ballerina or "You know I was cool before I met y'all" by Gunn
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; In the end the ballerina fades away, she's free but not as we might have expected her to go free.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; astonishingly given all the nudity no,10
Cheap Angel; 9
He complains he used to be able to get better seats.
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 3
Fred; 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Kills: 3 minions for Angel and 1 for Wes
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 39 vamps, 55 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 8 demons.
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: CC and Angel possessed by the spirits of the ballerina and her lover
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8

Characters killed: the ballerina
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 5
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: so how far do CC and Angel go? Certainly plenty of above the waist action but probably not all the way. Cordy however confirms her relationship with Phantom Dennis.
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
CC thinks that men would dig 'The Ravager' because she has 6 breasts. The jacket gag, some extremely saucy dialogue between CC and Angel. Lorne comments on Angel's yen for cheerleaders.
Captain Subtext;
Fred thinks Gunn is 'pretty'. The entire ep concentrates on the ballet. Lorne calls Angel a variety of pastries.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Amazed they let Joss away with the shameless plugging of his brother's band. Also amazed that Summer Glau had no acting experience prior to this, she's amazing both acting and dancing. Once again how would CC who was born around 1985 know about Spinal Tap? Wes shows his fencing skill which we saw him practicing with Giles back in SD. For a moment you really think that Wes will turn Iago style on Gunn and Fred but as CC comments he's a gentleman. Always wondered about the little moment when Fred turns to Wes and says 'I thought it would work out another way'. Does she know how Wes feels about her? Is she hinting that she's still interested? Lorne tells Connor the story of the Rat Pack, wonder if he knew Angel hung out with them? Start a "website", nice reach out to the fans.
Marks out of 10; 10/10 a real treat rivalling OMWF

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Couplet

The Good;
A not so subtle tale of Angel drawing away from CC, funny but nothing really special UNTIL the final scene with Wes' revelation changing what had been a lightweight ep utterly.
The Bad;
Tree demon looks stupid
Best line:
Angel; "Life is short, ok not mine but most peoples"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel; 9 quite the reverse, he's very generous to CC
Fang Gang in bondage: Gunn and Fred trapped by the tree roots. So is the guy chained to the wall at the brothel but he doesn't want to be released. Or judged.
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Kills: 1 demon for Gunn and one for Groo
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 39 vamps, 55 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 8 vamps+ 9 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: add Groo to the mix
7, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Groo

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 5
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: once again CC drawn to someone with a demon essence
Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky:
CC on the Groo "RRRRrrrrrrr", likes his (admittedly formidable) muscles. CC wants to know if they can 'com without actually shukking'? (Second base?) She plans to rip the Groo's shirt off later, shouldn't she let him get his strength back first? Angel in a brothel not for the first time or I dare say not the last, seems a fun place for all. Gunn refers to voodoo booty rituals but he might be making that up.
Captain Subtext;
Groo and CC and Fred and Gunn pair up leaving Angel and Wes to wander around like a gay couple. Angel objects to Groo 'handling his weapons' which is nothing to CC asking him to help her have sex with Groo. She also states that 'No women is going to tempt you' which he doesn't take as a compliment. The Madam thinks he and the Groo are a gay couple, Groo mentioning 'his princess'. Poor Wes wonders that Fred thinks of him as a brother.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Who wants to bet me that it was Numfar that did the 'Dance of Revolution'? AI still take the occasional paying case in order to fund Connor's college tuition (and presumably CC's holiday). Much in the same way as Buffy seems to increasingly rely on Dawn for her emotional needs as she slowly parts with Riley, Angel seems to get over CC by concentrating his affections on Connor whilst Wes throws himself into his work. Personally I love the Groo and I'm glad to have him on the show. CC refers to her cousin, we know she has no sister but is she an only child? Did you notice that the woman the demon grabs in the park looks the spitting image of Cordy (maybe her stand-in/stunt double?)
Marks out of 10; 7/10, good fun and you really feel for Angel and Wes

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

LOYALTY
The Good;
Really is Wes' ep and he's put through the wringer here. Or so we think, it's nothing compared to what he's going to face...
The Bad;
Holtz's spy seems to learn a lot about AI very quickly. Why doesn't Holtz just continue to work with Sahjhan? How can Lilah be so confident in betraying WR&H, what about the mindreaders? Or do they not apply over a certain level of promotion?
Best line:
Gunn; (of ice hockey) "You do realise this is the whitest sport known to man?" (obviously never seen synchronised swimming)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
We think Holtz will possibly kill Aubrey for failing him but again he shows great understanding. It's no wonder he commands respect amongst his people so easily (a mirror image of Wes in command?)
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10 no because no Cordy at all for the first time in 3 seasons
Cheap Angel; 9
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Kills: 2 vamps for Gunn and Fred nails her first
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 39 vamps, 55 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 10 vamps+ 9 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 1 vamp
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
7, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Groo

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 5
Doyle; 1
Angel; 1
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Going to add Groo to CC's list and Fred and Gunn to each other
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Lilah turns a guy down at the bar.
Captain Subtext;
Wes and Angel really like a gay couple now.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Gunn empathises with Audrey after she talks of killing her son. So does Angel but his words have extra resonance for Wes. Holtz actually shows considerable understanding of AI and Angel also observes that he considers Holtz a good man and justified in his need for vengence.
Lilah talking to her mum is heartbreaking. A staple of fanfic is that no matter what goes wrong for AI Lilah's mum dies and without the need to support her any more she decides to switch sides and help the good guys. How do they twig Aubrey? Has Lorne told them that Holtz is recruiting people like her? Or did Angel's vamp senses simply smell Holtz's scent off her? All the stuff between Lilah and Sahjhan is hilarious. Angel memorised CC's credit card number but in fairness he has given her a big roll of cash for her holiday.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SLEEP TIGHT
The Good;
The tragedy of Wesley Wyndham Price, it's a powerful 40 minutes, the rug well and truly pulled out from under the viewers feet.
The Bad;
Kim's demon transformation and the Rathers generally look stupid but it is effective. Exactly how much of Connor's blood does Lilah have to lace Angel's with? Surely Holtz and Justine should go a little farther than Utah to avoid Angel? (it's a cliche of American fiction that people who go on the run for some reason seldom go outside the US?)
Best line:
Wes; "You work for a man who you think is noble and good. I respect that but he's not. I work for a vampire who in fact is noble and good. Quirky but there it is"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Justine all busted up then SLITTING WES' THROAT!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel; 9
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Lorne by Wes
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Kills: 1 demon for Gunn and 2 for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 39 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 10 vamps+ 10 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 1 vamp
Fang Gang go evil: no but Angel comes damn close when he tears up the Rathers
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
7, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Groo

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Wes has a pistol, possibly the same one he took from the collector in 'Offspring'. Angel takes a sub-machine gun from Lilah's men and threatens them with it
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 2
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Gorgeous but skanky (is there any other kind?) groupies gyrating to the bands appalling music. Looks like Angel was right, musicians get the chicks. The bandleader describes Fred as a hottie and bags 'first ride'. Love Lilah's cat's miaow. Justine and Holtz extremely abusive and twisted relationship. Lilah asks Sahjhan did Angel 'boink his demon bride' and describes him as impotent?
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages; no, Angel stalks Lilah in her bar nowadays
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Angel breaks the arms of Lilah's assistant. Angel tortures' Holtz's people to find Connor.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Lorne tells Connor the story about The Rat Pack, wonder if Angel ever told him he knew them? Angel talks about hell with Nixon and Britney Spears. Bit unkind to both of them. Angel is a fan of The Flying Nun presumably during the Manilow years, he must have watched a lot of daytime TV in his time (although maybe that goes without saying?). Note Angel would rather Connor would be with Holtz whom he knows would care for him than Lilah who would disect him. Also Holtz pushes Justine aside to stop her following him into hell. What happened to Linwood's policy of leaving Connor alone?
Marks out of 10; 7/10 humdrum ep until the devestating ending

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

FORGIVING
The Good;
Some great acting from Amy Acker as Fred is horrified that Connor has been lost to a portal, just as she was. The little girl in the White Room is a really creepy little moppet.
The Bad;
Gunn and the orderlies seem to overpower Angel at the hospital very easily (although I guess that settles the whole question of Angelus' confrontation with Xander in 'Killed by death'. Thinking back on the cops/security guards in that scene would probably have had tasers which is weapon that seems to affect vamps a lot. Although bullets are no joke to them either)
Best line:
Angel; (heartbroken) "Cordy will be back soon, with presents for Connor"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Lilah cutting her hand just like Darla, the whole 'women cope better with pain' idea certainly gets a lot of mileage in Joss's shows. Angel meanwhile prepares to stick a needle in Linwood's eye. Angel attempts to smother Wes and is quite prepared to kill Lilah to get his son back. Justine is beaten to a pulp, so much so that even Gunn feels sorry for her. Fred using the hot coals against Sahjhan is pretty damn ruthless.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; we think Angel will forgive Wes after he's so compassionate to the poor guy at the accident but oh boy he doesn't! Sahjahn mocks the standard Hollywood buddy-cop thriller. AI are getting hammered by Sahjahn but get saved by Justine?
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt;
Cheap Angel; 9
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 39 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 10 vamps+ 10 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 1 vamp
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
7, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Groo

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Gunn refers to the shotgun Wes keeps that we saw in Epiphany
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 2
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Angel tell Justine he isn't her boyfriend and she should find someone else to smack her around.
Captain Subtext;
Sahjhan once again demonstrates his insecurity about his masculinity, insisting he flitted in a 'manly way'
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Linwood get's kidnapped and threatened with torture
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Shouldn't Linwood know who Lorne is? Surely Lorne's concern for humans and disregard for 'slimy demons' is hypocritical. Like any good Watcher Wes keeps comprehensive diaries. Why do people always cut the palm of their hands in films? Surely that's one of the most sensitive parts?
Marks out of 10; 8/10 here comes the emotional pain but it's SUPREMELY well done.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

DOUBLE OR NOTHING

The Good;
The Groo and CC back which is marvellous. Lovely little scene with CC and Angel and also a lovely little scene of Pylean kinship between Lorne and the Groo over the 'ritual of the bereaved'. Wonderful final confrontation too, watched this ep first at a convention and people cheered when Angel delivers his line
The Bad;
The angry young man Gunn stuff is not so good. The cockney demon debt collector is deeply stupid, Guy Ritchie has a lot to answer for. When he first sees Caritas Gunn comments he's never seen anything like it but we find here he has (unless he's never seen karoke before?). Angel could smell that Wes has had sex with a bleached blonde back in season 2 but is unaware that Gunn and Fred have been doing the funky monkey all this time?
Best line:
Angel; "Am I the only one who owes this guy money?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
CC staking the guy's hand to the table. Gunn being so mean when breaking up with Fred is also hard to watch as is the guy getting his soul removed by Jenoff. Jenoff's death is not half as yucky as his 'rebirth'.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; Angel loses the card game and actually cheats, breaking his word to the guy. We think Fred is going to be more sympathectic towards Wes but she rejects him.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel; 9
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Kills: Gunn kills a skench demon
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 39 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 10 vamps+ 11 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 1 vamp
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
6, Angel, Cordy, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Groo

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 2
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
The demon fancies Fred, again weird, shouldn't demons like other demons? Groo comments Gunn is fortunate to have a woman such as Fred to 'take care of his weapon'.
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Blonde Cordy! Angel seems unaware that Fred and Gunn were dating, I thought he overheard them in 'Waiting in the Wings' or at least smelled them on one another. No leprechauns in the Angelverse although considering how they appeared on Charmed maybe we should be grateful. Wes coming home to an empty flat is a real killer. Angel refers to the AI gang as family.
Marks out of 10; 6/10, fun but nothing special

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THE PRICE
The Good;
Very much an 'in the bottle episode'. Do like Fred drinking the snowglobe.
The Bad;
I think the Schlucks (or however you spell it) are deeply stupid, this doesn't really work for me
Best line:
Cordy; "We have a pool?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The poor guy crumbling. Also Lilah's assertion that when a co-worker at WR&H pats you on the back you should check to feel for the knife.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel; 9
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 11
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 39 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 10 vamps+ 11 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 1 vamp
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: schluck possessed Fred
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8
Fred; 1

Characters killed: the poor guy who get's dusted
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: Wes makes his first moves towards returning back to the fold
6, Angel, Cordy, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Groo

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 2
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Depending on how much you're into the Alien mythology you could interpret the Schlucks possessing Fred and the guy as metaphorical rape. CC describes Groo as 'sexy, well-built, go-all-night'
Captain Subtext;
Groo starting to pick up on CC's feelings for Angel.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Drawing from Alien, Invasion of the Bodysnatchers and The Thing a great deal. Our first appearance of grown up Connor for good or ill. Love Lilah's tarantula, once asked Stephanie Romanov at a convention did she have a problem with that scene but she said no, they're 'furry like a kitten'? Groo's mother was called Pomegranate? 'Puppy-dog' is how CC describes the Groo and how she described Jesse in the first ep of Buffy. Gunn once again demonstrates his loathing of creepy-crawlies. 'Thaunmogenisis' is also the term used for the demon created when Buffy was ressurected. Love Lorne's hat. Note when Fred drinks from from the snowglobe she cuts her lip a little. Powerful scene between Gunn and Wes. First real signs of CC's greater power. Lorne uses the traditional Buffyverse line "Standing right here".
Marks out of 10; 5/10 not one of my favourites

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

A NEW WORLD
The Good;
Anthony Starke who plays Tyke also played Ezra in the TV version of the Magnificent Seven, my favourite character, very Doc Holliday (he's also Sanchez's assistant Truman Lodge in the Bond film Licence to Kill). Love the way you can see Gunn and Groo just automatically reacting to Connors attack without a moments hesitation. Love Myrna too.
The Bad;
Connor jumping on the bus looks very fake. The shootout with the police looks like it belongs in the Matrix films as indeed does the initial confrontation at the Hyperion. Also, where is the body of the beastie that proceeded Connor through the rift? Holtz's makeup also isn't too good. CC's blood seems almost translucent which it wouldn't be unless that's a side effect of her half demon side. You can see Angel's shoulder reflected in the door when he tries to follow Conor outside
Best line:
Tyke; (pointing to where his ear used to be) "You'll have to speak up because I DON'T HEAR SO GOOD!"
just beating;
Fred; "Poor Connor he must be so scared"
Gunn; "Yeah he looked real scared when he was KICKING MY ASS!" (once again Gunn is AI's straight man)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Sunny dead in the bathtub with the needle in her arm. Such realistic depictions of death and suffering always more disturbing than demons and vampires. Connor cutting Tyke's ear off!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel; 9
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy and Groo
Cordy: 12
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Groo; 1
Kills: none but Connor must be quite the boy to fight off Angel, Gunn and Groo!?
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 39 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 10 vamps+ 11 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 1 vamp
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8
Fred; 1

Characters killed: Sunny ODs.
47
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
6, Angel, Cordy, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Groo

Angel Investigations shot: Angel by the police in the motel shootout
Angel: 12
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 2
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Tyke appears to be attempting to force Sunny to have sex with him in return for drugs. Connor is fascinated by a bra he finds at the squat. The Groo once spent 11 days standing stock still to avoid being mated with by a herd of Burrbeasts. He implies that he was a virgin before him and Cordy. Connor strips before Sunny and they kiss.
Captain Subtext;
Sunny warns him not to play 'teddy bear in the hole' with another of the residents.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
When does Connor reload his arm cannon, it has 3 tubes but he fires four shots? Note Wes keeps a couple of swords in the umbrella stand by his door. It's an interesting comparison between Groo and Riley, both love their sweethearts but realise they're not the ones for them so leave. However whilst Riley was pretty much agony to watch the Groo does it much more subtly and with dignity (maybe the writers learned their lesson?). The LAPD at the crime scene seem remarkably forthcoming to Gunn, maybe they're friends of Kate's? Connor intends to find Tyke from his scent, has he inherited his parents vamp senses? Angel says that Stephen isn't an Irish name, true but in Southern Ireland Boxing Day is also known as St Stephen's Day.
Marks out of 10; 7/10, pretty good

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

BENEDICTION

The Good;
The return of Justine but this ep will always be remembered for the incredible scenes between Angel and Holtz. They strike you as a pair of weary emotional boxers slugging it out to the last. I especially like the moment where Angel rages at Holtz for stealing his son and Holtz points out that he kept Angel's son alive whilst Angel(us) killed his.
The Bad;
Angel just leaves a set of vamps lying on the floor of the club.
Best line:
Justine; "How did you survive?"
Holtz; "My hatred kept us alive" HOOOOoooooooooo!
also like;
Fred; "He's survived an unspeakable hell dimension. Who hasn't? It doesn't mean you can leave him on the streets of LA"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Holtz forcing Justine to stab him with the icepick
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel; 9
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 11
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 12
Angel: 14
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Groo; 1
Kills: 2 vamps for Angel. 2 for Connor as well and we can add in the demon he killed in The Price
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 10 vamps+ 11 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 1 vamp
Connor; 2 vamps and one demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8
Fred; 1

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
6, Angel, Cordy, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Groo

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 12
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 2
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
According to Fred's gizmo Connor is 'Hot'. Gunn dislikes the idea of tracking Angel's teenage son's 'emissions'.
Captain Subtext;
Groo and Lorne, their scene together very reminiscent of a scene in season 5 Buffy with Xander and Riley at the magic shop. But the Groo does it SOOOOO much better than Riley does "If she asks" Awwwwww!
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
One thing I've noticed in working my way through Buffy season 6 and Angel season 3 is that I keep leaping ahead wanting to watch more and more Angel and not Buffy. Note that the PTB's decide to save Justine through CC's vision. Holtz is quite religious believing god gave him Connor. You genuinely get the impression that they do love each other. Interestingly Fred refers to 'being at the bottom of the ocean looking upwards'. Does Holtz go to hell? Is he an evil man? The only evil thing I can think off he does is slitting Wes' throat but that's Justine and we've no idea that he even knew about it.
Marks out of 10; 8/10, an ep of great emotional depth and poignancy

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

TOMORROW

The Good;
The ending is amazing, simultaneously heartrending and (literally) uplifting. Also love the touching Groo leaving scene and Fred's vamp impression.
The Bad;
The drive in film is Courage Under Fire which was brought out to little acclaim in 1996 so I'm not sure why it should be being shown again? How does CC drink the mockna and not stain her magnificent teeth?
Best line:
Lilah; "Mind if I join you?"
Wes; "On many levels and with great intensity"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Connor cuts the head off Holtz's corpse. Wes tells Lilah post sex 'I wasn't even thinking of you when you were here', god, talk about the most heartless post-sex line EVER! And just for a second the mask slips and you can see the hurt in Lilah's eyes.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel; 10 Angel thinks 50 cents is enough for a teenagers allowance. Even CC observes that he's 'tight with a buck'.
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel chained and in a box
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Angel is tasered into unconsciousness
Cordy: 12
Angel: 15
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Groo; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 10 vamps+ 11 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 1 vamp
Connor; 2 vamps and 1 demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8
Fred; 1

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: Byebye Groo who unfortunately we'll never see again on the show although he shall return in the comics. I heard one rumour that in season 5 Harmony would have a 'Naked Musclely Hunks' calender and Fred would look at it and recognise one of the models as the Groo. Byebye Angel who's taking a dip at the bottom of the ocean, byebye CC who's taking a break as a celestial being and byebye Lorne who's off to Vegas. This officially leaves AI as Gunn, Fred and Connor, back to the same number as in the first episode of the show.
3, Gunn, Fred, Connor

Angel Investigations shot: no but Angel tasered again, it seems to be a highly effective weapon against vamps.
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 2
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Lilah and Wes
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Lilah and Wes, once again Wes is violent as hell with Lilah yet this seems to turn her on and she ends up having sex with him. She seems intirgued to know what it's like to have your throat cut (one day she'll find out) Groo offers to rub CC's shlugtee which is actually Pylean for neck but that's not what she thinks he means. CC and Angel 'try out bedrooms' in the Hyperion. CC refuse to tell Connor the facts of life as Angel requests but one day she will graphically 'fill in the blanks for him'. Connor comments on CC's beauty.
Captain Subtext;
Lilah thinks Fred is cute.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
How does Lorne get on a commercial flight even with his fedora disguise? Connor refers to Holtz's home as having white cliffs which implies he's from Dover. Sorry to say goodbye to the Groo, your heart breaks for him but he does the honourable thing with dignity like the hero he is. CC looks at a season 1 pic of her, Wes and Angel demonstrating just how much things have changed (not least her hair). The scene where CC talks to an image of herself is very reminiscent of the scene in Xena where Aphrodite chats to her own reflection in the mirror. Connor refers to Angel as the Prince of Lies who Angel will encounter in 'Why we fight' (also underwater). Note when CC and Angel are finally getting together she's dyed her hair blonde, just like Darla and Buffy.
Well, Joss and co not exactly scared to shake things up and leave us with a hell of a cliffhanger! Hugely powerful ep, so many aspects to praise.
Marks out of 10; 9/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

DEEP DOWN

The Good;
Wonderful to see Fred and Gunn as Connor's surrogate parents during the summer, would love to see that in the comics sometime. Love Fred's attempts to speak 'street' especially Gunn's little look when she says 'Word'.
The Bad;
The vamp Fred and Gunn confront gives them the info they want then tries to attack them anyway, please!
Best line:
Gunn; "2 coats of polish"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Fred is pretty vicious with the old taser! Also Linwood get's 'headhunted' WR&H style
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel;
Fang Gang in bondage: Connor tied to the chair
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2
Connor; 1

Fang gang knocked out: Connor and Fred
Cordy: 12
Angel: 15
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Groo; 1
Fred; 1
Connor; 1
Kills: 2 vamps for Fred, 1 for Gunn and 2 for Connor
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 11 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps
Connor; 4 vamps and 1 demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8
Fred; 1

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:3
Gunn, Angel and Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 2
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Lilah and Wes
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah plus possibly Justine?
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Lilah appears to wear no bra. Wes keeps Justine as a slave girl, do they have sex? Lorne says give fluffy enough love, Fred wonders does he mean Gunn or some part of her?
Captain Subtext;
Fred flatters Gunn that he's the Alpha male of AI. Despite being his slave Wes won't make Justine feed Angel from herself, he knows that would cross the line after losing her sister. When Angel get's back Gunn tells Connor to stand by for his spanking. Connor warns the gang that Angel will turn on them which he will.
Goodbye to Justine who will change her identity, move to San Francisco and embrace her inner lesbian.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;
Read a pretty good one once where Justine discovers she's pregnant with Wes' twins and goes off to rebuild her life, changing her identity, moving to San Francisco and becoming a lesbian. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3071303/1/Whatever_happened_to_Justine (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3071303/1/Whatever_happened_to_Justine)
Questions and observations;
Hell of a long teaser, if you hadn't been following the series you'd be utterly lost. Note that whilst Wes is back at the AI dinner table there's no Groo? AI are almost broke, either Angel must subsidise the agency with his private income or they must spend all their time looking for Angel and CC. Vamps can exist indefinitely without blood but they go mad with hunger. Lilah mentions Mr Subarto, did she actually meet a senior partner? Do Buffy and co know about Angel's disappearance? Oddly this summer is probably the best time Connor ever has, he has 2 loving parents and a fairly normal life (as normal as it can be working for AI)
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

GROUND STATE

The Good;
Wonderfully clever opening, you think Gwen's parents and headmistress are uncaring but actually they love her, they can just never touch her no matter how much they want to. Also love Angel's drawing and Fred's show, especially her little ghost.

The Bad;
Gwen is fab, the rest of it is pretty stupid truth be told

Best line:
Gunn; (about their chances) "Operation chance in hell!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?

Apocalypses: 5

Angel Cliches

Inverting the Hollywood cliche;

In disguise; 8

DB get's his shirt off; 12

Cordy's tatt; 10

Cheap Angel;

Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 12
Angel: 15
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Fred; 1

Kills: 1 demon for Wes
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 13 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 11 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp
Connor; 4 vamps and 1 demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 8
Fred; 1

Characters killed:
46

Recurring characters killed; Gunn dies for a few seconds but then comes back.
8;

Total number of Angel Investigations:3
Angel, Gunn, Fred

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1

Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 2
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Lilah and Wes
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Gwen RRRRRRRRRR! Love a bad girl in leather/PVC. And you can see her nipples through her outfit when she enters the bar. Justine described Lilah as 'incredibly loud' during sex and there's some belt snapping action between her and Wes. Lilah describes herself as Mrs Robinson and indeed Connor will develop a thing for older women. Gunn likes it when Fred is in charge. Gwen describes Angel as handsome and Gunn and 'Denzel' which certainly must have pleased him. Gwen describes Angel as a great kisser (the Furies were right) and sits astride him.

Captain Subtext;
Fred's plans include going to prison and becoming somebody's *****. She hopes her cellmate will be gentle (see also What the fanficcers thought). Gwen seems very close to her cute blonde Marlene Detreich-like female butler. Gwen calls Fred honey.

Know the face, different character; 4

Parking garages;
5,

Guantanamo Bay;
Angel beats the building plans from a snitch

Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony

What the fanficcers thought;
Read an interesting one where Fred does indeed go to prison and becomes someone's *****. Lucky for her that someone is Faith. Also the last appearance (or not) of Phantom Dennis. Read a lovely fic once where CC in 'You're welcome' goes to visit Dennis and tell's him that she loves him and it's time to pass over to the other side which indeed he does, his love for her all that was keeping him on Earth. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3044478/1/Whatever_happened_to_Phantom_Dennis (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3044478/1/Whatever_happened_to_Phantom_Dennis)

Questions and observations;
Wes has his own organisation with 3 employees, maybe that's what Gunn and Fred are broke, he's taking their business. The Chandler auction house is of course a homage to LA author Raymond Chandler. Angel's 2 previous break-ins were in The Shroud of Rhamon and Choices in Buffy. Neither is very successful. The squatter camp Connor goes to is the old power station you see in countless movies and TV.
So why does no one wonder about Groo? Possibly because he let Lorne, Fred, Gunn know of his plans or maybe he's been in touch with them since?
Marks out of 10; 7/10 but only due to Gwen really

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS

The Good;
Lorne's performance is wonderful and love Fred's excited squeal. The Vegas stuff is all great
The Bad;
The actual story is not that good.
Best line:
Angel; "Boy, Vegas was a lot friendlier when the mob ran it!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; 10
Cheap Angel;
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 3
Fred; 2
Connor; 1

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 12
Angel: 15
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 3
Groo; 1
Fred; 1
Connor; 1
Kills: 1 vamp for Connor and another human for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 13 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 11 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp
Connor; 6 vamps and 1 demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: Destinyless Angel
Cordy: 2
Angel: 9
Fred; 1

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: 4
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Angel uses the guard's gun to kill the casino owners' assistant
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Fred in her Lornette costume is a revelation. Hands up who else was thinking what a shame we don't get to see CC in the same? (and Charisma is a Vegas girl after all). Lilah and Wes have some pretty explicit phone sex.
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;
Once read an interesting one where Angel introduces Elvis to the delights of wearing black leather whilst Elvis teachers him karate.
Questions and observations;
Angel in pinstripes, interesting look for him. Good enough, especially the musical numbers, glad to have the gang back together and Gunn get's to achieve his ambition, as indeed does Lorne. But you want them to get back to LA and crack on with the season. Wes seems quite happy to take AI's business when they're out of town suggesting he was partly responsible for their lack of clients during the summer. Also Fred seems to win pretty good at the blackjack table which might explain why AI's money problems seem to be over. Weird to hear Andy Hallet's commentary when you know he's no longer with us.
Marks out of 10; 6/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SLOUCHING TOWARDS BETHLEHEM

The Good;
Like Connor's vamp hunting and some of the humour with amnesiac CC especially Gunn refusing to be a sidekick (having been the Alpha-dog all summer). For me the Wes/Lilah stuff saves this ep for me.
The Bad;
Much I'm afraid, especially the stupid looking client Gunn had in the hotel 5 minutes after he is unexpectedly back from Vegas. Also the vamp Connor sets on fire seems to burn very quickly compared to Dru and Darla who were soaked with a lot more petrol.
Best line:
Amnesiac Cordy; "I was popular. Well no suprise there"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cordy's tatt; twice, once when Angel pulls her off Lorne and once during the fight with WR&H's goons.
12
Cheap Angel;
Fang Gang in bondage: Lorne seems to spend most of this season knocked out and tied up to something
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: poor old Lorne really seems to be getting it lately
Cordy: 12
Angel: 15
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Groo; 1
Kills: 2 vamps and a demon for Connor. At least one demon each for Gunn and Fred
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon
Connor; 8 vamps and 2 demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: amnesiac CC
Cordy: 3
Angel: 9
Fred; 1

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: not going to count Cordy just yet so 4
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Wes and Lilah at it again (doesn't she think to shower after sex?). I actually think the whole dollar thing is utterly charming. And of course Lilah's right, she played Wes but he betrayed her. Also in a sign of things to come Connor grabs one of CC's breasts in bed.
Captain Subtext;
Lorne has been borrowing CC's lingerie for a 'friend'?
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
5,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
CC appears to think that she is actually a character in Alias which was Buffy's great rival at the time (but never came close despite Jennifer Garner's obvious loveliness and Amy Acker/Roger Moore guest starring). Gunn's fear of rats occurs again, Wes once again starts to take steps back into AI, it's actually Gunn who's more hostile to him than Angel (Wes can't help needling them about getting CC back only to immediately lose her again). Connor seems to be living quite well on the street but I guess if he survived Kortath (or however you spell it?) he can survive LA. And probably steals the vamp's stuff after killing them. He is lonely however and misses being part of AI. CC sings The Greatest Love of All which she also sang in Buffy's The Puppet Show. I freeze framed my DVD but unfortunately there's no one I recognise from SDH in CC's yearbook.
Marks out of 10; 5/10 very static, stupid demon, Lilah and Wes and CC's performance largely saves this one for me.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SUPERSYMMETRY

The Good;
Angel versus the demon and all the Wes and Lilah stuff
The Bad;
Surely the Prof can think of a less public way to get rid of Fred? All told this is a pretty damn stupid ep
Best line:
Angel (to demon who keep's fighting despite having been decapitated) "Come on, I'm holding your head"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 5
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 12
Angel: 15
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Groo; 1
Kills: 1 vamp for CC, 1 demon for Angel and one human for Gunn
Cordy: 6 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 58 and 1/2 demons, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons+ one human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon
Connor; 8 vamps and 2 demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 9
Fred; 1

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Connor remarks that CC steals the bedcovers much to Angel's distress. Gunn mentions that Fred kept him up all night and was unstoppable.
Captain Subtext;
Lorne calls Angel 'sweetie' when he brings him breakfast in bed. Whilst Connor refuses to bring Cordy any pics of Angel he's fine with everyone else, even Lorne.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages; yep, if I were Lilah I'd just take a taxi every night
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Really not good, silly plot and although there's some powerful emotional stuff really far below par. First time we ever see CC's parents. Now when we see Angel recreate the conference room scene at the Hyperion is that just a photographic memory or a spell he casts? Love the satire on the Angel fans, Angel referring to the 'chatty rooms'. Love Fred's Ripley moment, "I'm the *****!".
Marks out of 10; 6/10 and maybe that's generous

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SPIN THE BOTTLE

The Good;
All of it, easily one of the best episodes of season 4, obviously with a debt to Buffy's Tabula Rusa but with a delicious spin of it's own. Unlike 'The Shroud of Rahmon' the framing device of Lorne with an invisible audience is terrific, he even breaks the 4th wall. If there is a favourite moment I think it would be CC declaring Fred as 'all neck' and Fred giving the 'mother of all shrugs'.
The Bad;
Only thing I can find wrong is that the commentary is not as good as you'd hoped despite having Joss and Alexis. Again though wouldn't Liam notice his lack of heartbeat etc?
Best line:
Gunn; "What happened to you man?"
Wes; "I had my throat cut and my friends abandoned me"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 5
Fang Gang in bondage: poor Lorne gets taped
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 5
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: poor Lorne againx2 plus Gunn
Cordy: 12
Angel: 15
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Kills: Gunn says he's been killing vamps since he was 12 . He threatens to cut Lorne's head off although we actually know that wouldn't kill him. Another vamp for Connor who is starting to catch his old man up.
Cordy: 6 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon
Connor; 9 vamps and 2 demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: teenage everyone
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed:
46
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Wes' projecting stake and Fred's fear of aliens probing her helpless naked body. Liam is all for the sinful desires. Connor get's felt up by a hooker and CC promises to sleep with him if he kills Angel. CC is delighted with her bountiful adult breasts, Fred disappointed she seems not to have much. CC says 'Hello salty goodness' when she sees Liam which is exactly what she said about Angel when they first meet. CC in her towel. She thinks that danger makes her hot, she said the same about Xander and her in 'Dopplegangland'. CC thinks Angel is deviant because he didn't try anything with her.
Captain Subtext;
CC thinks Gunn and Wes wrestling is homo-erotic. CC wonders how Wes got the title 'head boy'? Note CC treats Fred EXACTLY as she treated season 1 Willow.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Liam is alarmingly racist (as indeed is Keith Topping in his book) both against Wesley as an Englishman and Gunn as a slave. Ironically he later comments that people are ganging up upon him because he's different and he accuses THEM of being hypocrites. CC comments that she know's who's president and wishes she didn't. Weird, I'd have always thought of her as a right wing girl. Gunn suggests that if something looks wrong it should die which is a lot different as to how he thought in 'That Old Gang of Mine'.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Fred is a cannabis smoker. Maybe it doesn't make you dumb after all? Liam thinks the cars outside are demons which is exactly what C17th noblewoman Buffy thought in Halloween. Interestingly Wes refers to the Watcher's academy being in Hampshire which means it may have survived Caleb's attack on the London base and helps Buffy&co in season 8. Interestingly Angel doesn't trust magic, much like Connor. Wes is very Bond as has been commented on before. Gunn's fears that he's just the 'muscle' (the BA Barracus?) of AI once more come to the fore. Interesting to see him as an angry young man just as we saw in 'Double or nothing'. Some funny mocking of Angel's very poor Irish accent. Gunn votes that they don't put Wes in charge, a ref back to 'There's no place like plze grb'. Note that when Gunn goes for a weapon he instinctively selects his hubcap axe even though he's amnesiac. Note also Fred fondles the palms, Illyria later able to mind meld with them.
Lorne smokes again. Even though he's his teenage goof self Wes is still heroic, pitting himself unhesitatingly against a vamp to save Fred and CC and quite a good leader. Lorne tells Fred 'look into your heart' which is the famous line from 'Miller's Crossing', the greatest gangster film ever. Our first glimpse of The Beast.
Marks out of 10; 10/10 stunning

[SnowBird]

Started watching re-runs of Angel and it was interesting and I wanted to see it from the beginning so I bought the series DVD set. I hope it's worth the investment.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Started watching re-runs of Angel and it was interesting and I wanted to see it from the beginning so I bought the series DVD set. I hope it's worth the investment.

Believe me it will be some of the best money you've ever spent!

APOCALYPSE NOWISH


The Good;
Hold on tight, we're going on a rollercoaster!
The Bad;
?
Best line:
Lorne; "CLOSE THE DOOR!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; the gang royally get their collective ass kicked by the Beast
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12

Cheap Angel; 5
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Angel, Wes and Lorne all knocked out
Cordy: 12
Angel: 16
Wes: 6
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 7
Groo; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon
Connor; 8 vamps and 2 demon
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 9
Fred; 1

Characters killed: I figure about 50 dead at the nightclub?
96
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: 5 Wes for all intentions back in the fold
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Wes goes all John Woo with a pair of 45s and a pump action shotgun. Maybe he should call Buffy and borrow her rocket launcher?
Wes; 6
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Actually no kinky dinky for Fred and Gunn since supersymmetry. Schoolgirl Lilah, RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! "Keep them on", bet that's the first time he's ever said that to her! Lilah as Fred wishes that one day she'll have hips. To judge by 'Spin the Bottle' I'd say she'd prefer bigger breasts. CC and Connor also get it on. A lot of people dislike this as they think it's tantamount to incest but frankly I'm ok with it as long as they're not blood relations (fine with a girl wanting a daddy figure as long as it's not actually her daddy). Remember Connor doesn't remember CC acting as his mother and to her she's the closest thing she'll ever get to Angel (just as Spike hangs out with Joyce and Dawn because they're the closest thing he can get to Buffy) When told that snakes emerged from a part of someone's body Lorne wonders if it was just some form of sex game? When Wes suggests 'pooling resources' Gunn tells him to 'Go pool himself'.
Captain Subtext;
Gunn shows an unusual interest in bathroom fittings for such a macho character.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Angel tortures Gavin but you figure not as much as Lilah's going to.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Really like the way it's Gunn that figures out the symbol although it looks a bit like the cross of St Patrick to me (the red diagnols on the Union Jack). Can anyone tell me at exactly what point CC goes evil, it's never clear to me? Gunn's fear of rats reoccurs, living in abandoned buildings for so long must have been very tough for him. Really this is the end of the road for Cangel. Angel asks Wes if he's 'in' much as Doyle asks Angel if he's 'game'. Goodbye to Gunn's hubcap axe.
Marks out of 10; 9/10 some really good stuff here

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

HABEAS CORPSES

The Good;
Angel and co play Saving Private Connor during the fall of WR&H
The Bad;
Angel seems very out of character with his jealousy for CC and Connor but I guess love makes you do the wacky?
Best line:
Angel ; "Now take your new boyfriend and get out!"
just beating Gunn's "Thanks for the newsflash Captain Obvious!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The Beast slaughtering EVERYONE at WR&H!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 5
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 12
Angel: 15
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Groo; 1
Kills: I figure everyone nails about 5 zombies each?
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 8 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed: about 200 at WR&H, evil sure but still
250
Recurring characters killed; byebye Gavin but he's evil so screw him
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: 5
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought; Read a nice one where Lilah goes to drown her sorrows in a bar after breaking up with Wes and runs into Kate who is leaving LA that night. They get drunk together and end up hooking up
Questions and observations;
The shortest teaser ever, Angel basically storms off the roof lashing out at everything on the way down. Wes and Lilah break up and never get back together. Lilah actually shows some pity for Gavin describing him as 'Poor bastard'. Lorne and Gunn's idea that maybe Connor isn't linked to the beast and it's just the mystical hotspot behind Caritas is actually pretty sound, rare that anyone tries to 'Scully' Angel (well maybe Sheryl Crow?). Are the zombies actually a satire of corporate life? Angel says he has a photographic memory as we suspected. Why doesn't Lilah try to put a round in the Beast's eye? Love Lorne's little look at his drink when the AI appear back in the Hyperion foyer.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

LONG DAYS JOURNEY

The Good;
Gwen, hooray! Also like Lorne mocking Angel's brooding.
The Bad;
You can visibly see that CC is preggers. Why not stick Manny on the first plane to Outer Mongolia?
Best line:
Gwen; "Where were you when they taught stealth in superpower school?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Gwen's attitude of 'get the hell out of dodge' is very atypical but frankly sensible.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Angel can't resist telling CC that the item he gave up for her cost $30million.
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 12
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: CC and Angel get slipped a mickey (or does she?)
Cordy: 13
Angel: 16
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Groo; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 8 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed:
250
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: 5
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Manny intends to spend his final hours in a strip club called the Pink Pony. Gwen is still the queen of PVC (Spandexia)and it has the desired effect of making CC jealous when Angel takes her on their road trip. CC refers to Gwen as 'Supertramp', maybe she should have 'Breakfast in America'?
Captain Subtext;
Gwen calls Fred 'cherry'. Lorne says evil demon's can't pull off wearing lam'e like his as it just looks 'camp'. Manny asks Gwen if she'd like him to buy her a lapdance and she doesn't seem too offended. Gwen and Gunn start bonding on sentry duty and she refers to him as Denzel again which is quite a compliment.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Unless Fred and Gunn filled them in Wes and Lorne have never met Gwen but they seem unphased by her arrival. Connor get the living daylights beaten out of him by the Beast. Love the fact that the Beast knocks politley before smashing it's way and trashing the place AND Connor. The manner in which it's suggested Angel/Connor is being controlled by the Beast is similar to The First and Spike on Buffy. This ep sadly dedicated to Glenn Quinn.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

AWAKENING

The Good;
Love Wes beating up the shamen's guard, he's really come a long way from the fop we first met in Buffy season 3. CC's little talk with Angel is excellent, manipulating him shamelessly.
The Bad;
It seems a bit silly all the hassle they go to in order to take Angel's soul away. Either give him some of the drug from 'Eternity' or invite Buffy down for a one night stand. Why not just destroy the wooden swords or cut the belts and bells?
Best line:
Angel; "Wood, why does did it have to be wood?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Spike through Wes' hand anyone? Stabbing the Beast up through the chin also isn't nice but you'd do it if you had to.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Connor more than willing to kill his father.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel tied to the table
Cordy: 5
Angel: 13
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 13
Angel: 16
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Groo; 1
Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 8 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed:
250
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations: Cordy back in
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, CC

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: this ep is a Cangelers delight but alas it was never to be.
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Fred a bit bashful over shining the torch over the Shamen's body. CC refers to the belts and bells as an S&M bondage party, has she been to many? CC tells her breasts that she knew they'd get her in trouble one day. But in fairness they've done a great deal for her over the years.
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
Gwen has skipped town and I don't blame her. Kolchak the Nightstalker referred to (the inspiration for the X-files).
I'm afraid here we have the definitive end of Cangel. When Angel lost his soul in Suprise everything was going to hell and Buffy alone was all it took to give him the happy. In this it takes a number of factors, killing the Beast, bringing the sun back, Wes back in the fold, Connor losing his resentment AND sex with CC. What's more watch it with the subtitles on. As Angel, ahem, has his pleasure moment, he says 'Buffy'. Sorry CC he wasn't thinking of you. What exactly is Jasmine's plan? Why does she want to turn day into night?
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SOULESS
The Good;
Love Connor sticking it to the tourist vamps. The rest of the ep is very Hannibal Lecter (you should only watch Manhunter, the rest are crap) and it's interesting how it emotionally affects the rest of the team.
The Bad;
The whole idea of Angelus being able to remember something whilst Angel can't is stupid (it's reminiscent of Buffy not being able to read his thoughts in Earshot). That said you wonder does he know the truth about Dawn?
Best line:
Angelus (on Connor's Oedipal dilemma) "There should be a play"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
An entire family wiped out
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage: When they bring back Angelus he's tied to the table. So why did they let him up?
Cordy: 5
Angel: 13
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 13
Angel: 16
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Groo; 1
Kills: Connor kills at least 4 vamps. I know he's pretty much an unpopular character but he is heroic, fighting the good fight on the streets.
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 12 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil: Angel big time
Cordy: 2
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed: the poor Sver family
255
Recurring characters killed;
8;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, CC

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Wes and Fred kiss at last, the effective end of Frunn
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Angel refers to Buffy as a 'pistol'. He refers to his 'first nun' and the gypsy girl he got cursed for as a virgin. He thinks the sword in Angel's fantasy as phallic. He imagines Fred as a schoolgirl (as did Lilah) and thinks about bending her over the kitchen counter. Note when he remarks on 'different strokes' he moves his finger suggestively on the bar. He also comments on CC having a 'rack to write home about' which is certainly true. Angelus says he's sure that Angel like's CC on her knees and that Cordy looks good on everyone, is a screamer and a better ride than a Mustang. Angelus also claims he used to hear Fred and Gunn com-shuking but he might be lying. The rest of the gang find out about Connor and CC. CC offers herself to Angelus in return for his info. The translation of the Beast in ancient runes is 'big hard thing'.
Captain Subtext;
Angelus considers Angel 'candy-ass'.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
Questions and observations;
When Angelus is teasing Wes he refers to Faith who is of course coming up. Angel refers to Oedipus which was also referenced in the Buffy ep 'The Puppet Show'. We see Angelus in Prussia in 1789 making his way to Austria. This places him just after Darla abandon's him to Holtz in the barn, they'd agreed to meet in Vienna.

Marks out of 10; 8/10 but it only get's better from here in.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

CAVALRY
The Good;
Angelus is so evil and conniving you wonder if Holtz and co had a point? Altogether a great episode with so many wonderful scenes
The Bad;
?
Best line:
Cordelia; (stabbing Lilah) "Why do you think I let him out you stupid *****?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Some nastily implied racism when Angelus goads Gunn (Liam of course was also pretty racist to Gunn and Wesley in 'Spin the Bottle'). The vamps killing the firemen is also nasty but worst of all the tragedy of the vamped little girl, you realise why Holtz killed his daughter.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Fred wants to continue her relationship with Gunn after she learns of Wes and Lilah. But he turns her down, obviously been getting lessons in quiet dignity from the Groo (Riley could have done with some).
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 13
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: CC by Angelus
Cordy: 14
Angel: 16
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Groo; 1
Kills: 1 demon for Gunn
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 12 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil: CC and how!
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed:
255
Recurring characters killed; alas poor Lilah, she was evil but I always felt there was hope for her.
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, CC

Angel Investigations shot: Angelus by Lilah (if she still had her pistol why not use that when Wes enters her hideaway?). CC takes an arrow
Angel: 12
Wes; 1
Packing heat; Gunn with the flamethrower we saw in 'Dad'
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Interestingly it's Gunn who breaks up with Fred rather than the other way around
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Angelus threatens to rape Fred to death. He also tells an aghast Fred about Wes and Lilah. Angelus thinks Lilah wears a thong.
Captain Subtext;
Angelus thinks Wes is quite the dish 'if I swung that way'. Lilah comments that Lorne's suits make him look like Liberace. Lilah calls Fred 'honey' and asks if CC is trying to 'turn her on?'.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought; read an interesting one once where Angelus wipes AI out but then Dru get's resouled and forms her own heroic gang with Lilah, Kate, Gwen, Oz, Justine, Bethany, Ethan Rayne etc

Questions and observations;
Interestingly in this ep we're told a soul can be destroyed which I didn't think was possible. We learn that Angel always suspected that Gunn killed Sidel. The soul-stealer was buried by the Chumash who are the American Indian tribe also featured in 'Pangs'. Nice scene with Connor and Gunn bonding during the digging. Well, hands up who saw this twist coming? Liars! Shocking an all pretty damn brilliant. But you know what, it only get's better from now on! Nice scene at the end where CC and Lilah almost seem to bond a little. Lilah's 'he killed the...' speech appears to be part inspired by 'The Usual Suspects', could the Beast be in fact Keyser Soze? Or is that CC?
Marks out of 10; 9/10

*

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SALVAGE
The Good;
Chant it with me boys and girls, FAITH-FAITH-FAITH-FAITH! My favourite episode of Angel is Orpheus, my favourite moment is at the end of 5X5 where Wes drops the knife in the alley but my favourite scene is where Wes has his conversation with the imaginary Lilah here, it's just stunning.
The Bad;
If you think there's anything wrong in this episode then I suggest you go to the doctor for some anti-crazy pills! Ok so the demon who wants Angelus to sign something for his spawn is woefully badly done.
Best line:
Faith; "Just like riding a biker" (oh she is SUCH a naughty girl!)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Connor; "I don't give a flying schluck!" (I had to rewind this to check this line). Awful watching Faith getting a terrible kicking from the Beast. But your heart just bleeds for Wesley having to decapitate Lilah's corpse, couldn't he have let Connor or Gunn do it?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 13
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: CC passes out in the lobby
Cordy: 15
Angel: 16
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Groo; 1
Kills: 2 vamps for Faith, 1 for Connor
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 13 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed:
255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations: Faith joins AI for a three episode arc, making this the biggest line-up ever (although of course CC is actually evil as indeed is Angel)
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, CC, Connor, Faith

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 12
Wes; 1
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: CC and The Beast get all kissy? I don't know if they Com-shuked though, I'm not even sure if The Beast has the equipment to so I'll put him down as a possible
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor, 1 possible; The Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible Justine
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Faith actually tells Wes he looks good. Gunn and Connor also like Faith, she comments it's a shame when Gunn says 'I hold my own'. Faith tells Angelus to 'Give us a kiss' just as she did to Buffy in Graduation Day Pt1. Faith is also described as 'smokin hot'. Angelus says that he knew Faith would enjoy a threesome and suggests he, she and the Beast 'get it on'. Interestingly she says 'Sure!'. Connor has a weakness for Slayers just like his old man. Angelus seems disappointed that he's facing Faith and not Buffy.
Captain Subtext;
Personally I think Faith-in-prison would be a good series in itself.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;
Faith being released from prison to help out either the Sunnydale scoobies or Angel Investigations is such a popular theme in fanfic it borders on the cliche.

Questions and observations;
Everyone else notice that the knife the assasin tries to use to kill Faith is the same as those used by The Bringers in Buffy? Can anyone else explain to me what Jasmine's plan is and how Angelus and The Beast fit into it? Can't Angelus read CC's scent at the warehouse or has she disguised it? Lilah talks of redemption, even after death is it too late for her? Of course Faith never met the real Angelus and Wes only met him for a little while under the effects of the drug in 'Eternity'. The term 'The Skinny' is used about Fred, I wonder if it was deliberate? Angelus calls Dawn, to judge from their conversation she and Angel get on well. Faith says that girls are always the Slayer because they're 'better'. We have the 'what do you do?' speech from Speed which was HUGE at the time. Faith's ingenuity of breaking the window with the chains to let in the sunlight is awesome. But you just know she'd have figured out some way to defeat Angelus, she's our girl.

Marks out of 10; 10/10 and the good just keeps coming!

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

RELEASE
The Good;
The Wes and Faith hurt/comfort scenes are excellent. The hunting of Angelus is magnificent.
The Bad;
Wes' shotgun seems to contain an inordinate amount of shells?
Best line:
Lorne "Mojo?"
Fred "Nojo"
also like;
Vamp (as the daylight returns); "What the f...?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Hard to watch Faith all banged up and self harming in Wes' shower, you'd think Eliza naked in a shower would normally be cause for celebration but not this time. A magic shop owner badly beaten but at least alive, if this was Sunnydale he'd be a goner.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 13
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Poor old Lorne and Connor knocked out, the latter assuming the classic Jesus pose.
Cordy: 15
Angel: 16
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 5
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Kills; one vamp for Wes
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+4 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 13 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed:
255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, CC, Connor, Faith

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 12
Wes; 1
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2
Packing heat; Wes breaks out his shotgun
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Fred wants Gunn back but he turns her down. Connor is at least part demon meaning 4 out of CC's 5 lovers have been some form of supernatural creatures.
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Faith actually has the most unerotic shower scene for a beautiful woman in the history of TV. Apparently CC and Angelus both 'like to watch'. The demon declares he thought 'she was 18'. Faith refers to being 'spanked'. Angelus says 'That hurt. I liked it'. Wes refers to Sylvia Plath who wrote about the 'Electra complex' referring to Agamenon's relationship with his daughter in Greek mythology but also a term for girls' quest for a father figure throughout their lives (Buffy/Giles, Faith/Giles, Faith/The Mayor and finally here's Faith/Wes as the Watcher's Council always intended).
Faith; "Screw you!"
Angelus; "Maybe after! I like my girls to lie still"
CC knocked up AGAIN! 3rd time in 5 years. Does she ever meet a demon she doesn't get impregnated by? If that's your thing (and you're over 18!) check here; http://www.taboostudios.com/taboomain.html (http://www.taboostudios.com/taboomain.html)

Captain Subtext;
Angelus is told he's going to be the master's '*****' like the Beast. And so he is. "Master". The junkie in the vamp brothel thinks Faith is pretty and asks if she wants to make out? She seems tempted (maybe missing the communal soapings in the prison showers?). Wes says that the girl probably enjoyed Faith hitting her and says that Faith is still looking for some S&M punishment. Angelus refers to Wes as a 'ponce'.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Faith and Wes torture their way through LA, he's so hardcore even she's outraged.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;
So what if Angelus had really turned Faith? A lot written on this idea but a sequal to them all has Faith's Slayer nature taking over and getting them both resouled.

Questions and observations;
Fred's good with a tranquilizer gun but then she is from Texas. Her hair rather makes her look like Princess Leia. The one horned demon in the bar sounds an awful lot like Merle. How much of losing the fight is Faith faking? Faith is bitten by Angelus, Xander, Tara, Wes and Oz, the only Sunnydale Scoobies never to be bitten by a vampire.

Marks out of 10; 10/10 no question.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

ORPHEUS
The Good;
Fabulous, the wonderful flashbacks and Faith and Willow working together with AI, just amazing!
The Bad;
All too wonderful for anything like that. A bit stupid that they put Ally's name in the opening titles, spoils the suprise of her appearance somewhat.
Best line;
Faith; "Dust in the wind. Candle in the wind. There'll be a general wind theme"
plus
CC; "Oh sh...!"
and flapper "Pound snow you mook!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
2 headed foetal pigs? Yuck!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage: Angel chained up at the end
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Faith in a coma, again! Gunn knocked out by Connor
Cordy: 15
Angel: 16
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 5
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+4 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 13 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed:
255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, CC, Connor, Faith

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 12
Wes; 1
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly The Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
CC accuses Connor of liking the way Faith 'cracked her whip' and thinks he wants to be in her 'leather clad lap'. Wes tells Willow about having a woman chained in a closet, she seems more intrigued than shocked. Angelus refers to keeping Faith's thighs warm. CC and Connor's relationship is described as 'icky'. Faith says of Connor 'Break me off a switch, there's going to be a whipping!". Angelus refers to 'eating' his mama!!!!
Captain Subtext;
Willow describes Connor as handsome and androgynous, hmmmm? Plenty of Fred/Willow subtext, even Wes gives a little look when Willow strokes Fred's chin, especially when Willow asks 'What's Fred's story?' and speaks of 'The call of Fred'. Fred wants to discuss Baachanals with Willow. However she later tells Fred 'I'm seeing someone' by which she means Kennedy back in Sunnydale. Faith calls Angelus 'princess'.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;
Not much fic on this ep itself but quite a lot on Willow and Faith's drive back to Sunnydale which must have been a pretty awkward trip. They normally go along the lines of Faith apologising for what she's done followed by Willow forgiving her and explaining her own dark deeds. Then they stop at a motel and have a night of lesbian sex. After all, Willow says that she 'got a Slayer' out of helping Angel Investigations.

Missing scenes;
According to the commentary we have an extra scene where Faith and Angelus see Angel discovering the Hyperion? Why not include that on special edition DVDs?

Questions and observations;
Willow makes her 3rd appearance on Angel. This is actually quite momentous as it means she's actually the 2nd most prolific character in the Buffyverse. Angel is number 1 with 167eps (57eps of Buffy and 110 eps of his own show), Willow is 2nd with 147eps (144 eps of Buffy and 3 appearances on Angel) and Buffy herself is joint 3rd with 146eps (144 eps of her own show and 2 guest slots on Angel not counting archive footage taken from Buffy or the movie) with Cordy who also has 146 appearances (57 eps of Buffy and 89eps of Angel). Then comes Xander with 143 eps of Buffy (he's in every ep of Buffy except 'Conversations with Dead People'), Giles with 123 eps of Buffy, Spike with 120 (97 eps of Buffy and 23 of Angel) and Wes with 107 (6eps of Buffy and 101 of Angel).
I'm sure most Xena fans will recognise Adrienne Wilkinson who played Xena's daughter Livia/Eve as the flapper whose dog Angel saves. Met her at a convention once and she's beautiful and charming. Gina Torres, another Xena/Hercules alumni will turn up in a few eps time and Orpheus is the name of an early Xena ep.
The flashbacks help us track the various stages of Angel through the years. They basically fall down to;
1. Post resouling daze; (as seen in Darla)
2. Try to get back with Darla in Peking;
3. Coming to America; ('Orpheus')
4. Brooding loner; (up until the events of 'Are you now or ever have been?')
5. Hedonism aka The Manilow Years; (up until feeding on the guy in the doughnut shop in Orpheus)
6. Street tramp; (up until meeting Whistler in Becoming pt2)
7. Sunnydale
CC refers to Willow as Glinda, the good witch from The Wizard of Oz (Cordy herself doing a good impression of the Wizard behind the screen). If you haven't seen Wicked go immediately, it's great and you'll never watch TWOO the same way again. What a shame we never get Barry Manilow to guest star as he did on Will and Grace. Gunn once again tells Connor off, once again playing the father role to him. The guy who walks past Angel in the doughnut shop may have been doing cocaine and that's why his blood is racing. With the exception of flashback this will be the last time we see Angelus begging the question is he actually gone for good after Angel and Angelus' epic face off in the dreamworld.
Maybe I've been watching too many Michael Jackson tribute shows but everytime I see the 1920s sequence with it's flappers and zoot-suited fedora wearing wiseguys playing dice outside the speakeasy I keep expecting them to break into 'Smooth Criminal'?
Marks out of 10; 10/10 Faith AND Willow in the same episode of Angel, makes you want to cry with happiness! Rewatched this one 4 times! I know I previously said 5 by 5 was my favourite but actually this is my favourite although the Wes drops the knife bit is still my favourite moment ever

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

PLAYERS

The Good;
I like this ep, nice to see that Gunn isn't just 'The Muscle', he's suave as well as tough. The best Gunn-centric ep and you could see J. August as James Bond. Love Gunn's little look when Wes goes 'Well the last time this happened..."
The Bad;
Quite humdrum in places, actually drags a bit
Best line;
Gunn describes the last few months of AI as a 'Turgid supernatural soap-opera'.
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; the little girl isn't in danger, Gwen has screwed Gunn over
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 16
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 5
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+4 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 13 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed:
255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations:
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, CC, Connor,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 12
Wes; 1
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2
Packing heat; Wes with his shotgun again
Wes; 9
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Gunn and Gwen, Gunn presumably not only having sex with her but taking her virginity if he's the first person ever able to touch her?
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Lorne refers to a female friend Wanda as a 'peach'. Gwen in her customary tight PVC outfits. Wes explains his tryst with Lilah to Fred, he was lost and cut off from those he loved as indeed was she.
Captain Subtext;
Gwen calls Fred a babe and honey, obvious tension between the 2.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;

Plenty of demon pregnancy fanfics, a subsection of fanfiction called GOT-fic, beautiful women being ravished and impregnated or sometimes consumed ('Vore') by monsters, aliens, mutated plants etc (think Princess Leia and Jabba the Hutt, The Evil Dead or Alien vs Predator; Requiem). Also of course Willow having sex with snake demon in the comics. Plenty of fic out there where Gwen joins AI or if the original gang is destroyed helping the new champion form their team or she (and the Groo) show up to save everyone from everything

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Only a few weeks after becoming a dad Angel is now faced with becoming a grandfather! 'Dramarama' is referred to, an old supernatural British kids TV series which Joss Whedon may have seen growing up in the UK. 'Clash of the Titans' also referred to. Angel and Wes refer to 'The last time' CC got supernaturally knocked up both in Expecting and Epiphany. 8 million people in LA, didn't think it was that big. Not only did Angelus not kill Lilah he never actually killed anyone but a vamp? Andy Hallet in the titles, hooray! The last time we'll see Gwen whom was obviously supposed to be a possible regular but they went another way. A pity but at least we see her in the comics. For my money after this ep I figure she goes to see her parents and catches up on a lifetime's worth of hugs. Gunn's love of suits foretells season 5. We see Angel's photgraphic memory again. CC refers to the Fortress of Solitude, Xander's influence again. At what point does Angel twig CC's betrayal?
Marks out of 10; 7/10 a lightweight ep but probably what we need after all the power of the last few eps
_________________

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

INSIDE OUT

The Good;
If nothing else the evil CC versus Darla is so powerful it would get this ep an 8 by itself. But AI versus Skip is also great.
The Bad;
The spell seems to require extremely little blood, if they'd just cut her arm they could probably have had enough.
Best line;
Skip; "Well that ain't right!" (as Wes puts a bullet through his brain)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The sacrifices' pleading is just HORRIBLE, she reminds you of Dawn held hostage by Glory ("I just want to go home") but there's no Buffy coming to save her (although in fairness the PTBs do try their best). Can't watch them killing her, this poor girl.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; Connor doesn't save the sacrifice. For once Wes' guns actually work.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Angel, Wes, Fred and Lorne all knocked out
Cordy: 15
Angel: 17
Wes: 6
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 1
Kills; 1 vamp for Connor, one demon for Wes
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 13 demons+4 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 14 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: possessed Angel and Connor
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed:
255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations: Connor and CC out
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot: Wes catches a ricochet from his own pistol
Angel: 12
Wes; 2

Packing heat; Wes uses his 45's again, he must be a hell of shot to stick one right in Skip's brain.
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Fred refers to 'whipping' and 'spanked'. Naked Gina Torres plus naked CC doing her Lizzie Borden impression (well Manny wanted to die having a lapdance).
Captain Subtext;
Note Fred's little 'Nice suit' comment when Gunn comes back to the hotel, it IS a nice suit but there's obviously some jealousy there
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Poor Connor, boy he's put through the wringer in this one. Connor doesn't want to believe it's Angel, Skip refers to Buffy. So, is the vision that appears to Connor the real Darla brought from the afterlife by the PTBs or is it the First Evil who doesn't want Jasmine mucking up it's plans? Either suggestion is perfectly valid. So how much has AI been manipulated all these years? Shades of classic Dr Who. Angel's attempt to kill CC is reminiscent of Buffy killing him in Becoming pt2

Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE
The Good;
Gina Torres is great. Certainly this is an ep that turns things on it's head!
The Bad;
Just because Jasmine's true face is ugly is that any reason to presuppose she's actually evil? I mean Lorne is pretty unconventional looking but he's a good guy?
Best line;
Fred; "There's been too much dismembering going on in that basement recently!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Jasmine's true appearance and severed head bowling.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 17
Wes: 6
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 1
Kills; 3 vamps and 1 demon for Angel, 1 vamp and 1 demon for Wes, 2 vamps for Connor
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 44 vamps, 58 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil: not so much evil as happily enslaved
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: possessed Lorne, Gunn, Fred and Wes
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed:
255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations: CC out of it until season 5, Connor back in
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, Connor

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 12
Wes;2
Packing heat;
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Like the way you can spot CC's Sunnydale High cheerleader trophy in her room. Note that Angel now wears a lighter coloured shirt now he's no longer haunted all the time. The bowling scene is reminiscent of Fright Night pt2 (which features Buffy alumni Brian Thompson).
Well, Angel throws us another ball from leftfield, not so great in itself but speaks of interesting things to come.
Marks out of 10; 6/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THE MAGIC BULLET

The Good;
All of open mic night is classic but Connor and Angel singing 'Oh Jasmine' to the tune of Mandy is so funny it makes me want to lie on the floor kicking my legs in the air with laughter! Whatever they paid to use the Beach Boys it's well worth it.
The Bad;
So Fred just happens to fall down a slope and into a demon's lair who gives her the idea for defeating Jasmine? I guess we could just put this down to the PTBs. Personally I find the demon scenes boring and gross. Why doesn't Fred try to blow Jasmine's head off? The mind control books seem to burn very fast.
Best line;
Angel; "Someone has to go and get Connor"
Wes; "I'll do it. After all I've kidnapped him before"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Finger food and religious zealots on fire!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Fred at the shop, possibly Gunn and Wes
Cordy: 15
Angel: 17
Wes: 6
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 2
Kills; 1 demon for Fred
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 44 vamps, 58 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: possessed Lorne, Gunn, Fred and Wes
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed:
255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations;
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, Connor

Angel Investigations shot: yep, Angel by Fred
Angel: 12
Wes; 2
Packing heat; Fred a dab hand with her .357 Magnum she takes from the shop
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2
Fred; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
The couple who spot Fred at the motel appear to be an amazingly voluptuous hooker and her trick, even Jasmine can't stop the world's oldest profession.
Fred kisses Angel. Angel kisses a sleeping CC (aaaawwwwww!).
Captain Subtext;
Lorne says that Jasmine 'Walked off the street and came into my ass' then hurriedly explains that's where his heart is.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Actually Jasmine is correct, Lee Harvey Oswald did act alone when he killed Kennedy. Holtz used to tie Connor to a tree and then Connor would have to free himself and track Holtz down. Talk about tough love!
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony
What the fanficcers thought;
Not much, paradise on earth actually pretty boring

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Lovely idea that the woman Gunn and Wes mistake for Fred got her first ever TV job on Angel, I would have pegged her for AA's stand in. The bookseller rather reminds of the character of Denver from season 2 and Hank Azaria. Lorne refers to himself as Judas just as Lilah said Wes was. Love Lorne's baseball bat. Does CC get paid just to come in to work and lie down and go to sleep? When Jasmine's not at the hotel her power over AI seems to fade a little. You wonder if Angel got his CC's blood idea from Buffy and Dawn in 'The Gift'? When CC grabs Angel's hand is Fred telling him the truth about coma patients involuntary movements or just telling him what she need's him to hear? It's a small line in a big show but Angel seems to finally have forgiven Wes over the whole Connor kidnap. Possibly the longest ep of Angel ever at nearly 42 minutes

Marks out of 10; 7/10 I think

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

SACRIFICE
The Good;
The Critter in the sewers rather like Golum crossed with a giant tarantula and is truly scary. Gotta say I'm getting a little tired of the Jasmine storyline and I'll be glad when it's over
The Bad;
Jasmine's real face looks obviously rubber although the genuine maggots distract you from that. Again seems a huge coincidence that Angel and co fall into the sewers and discover just what they need. Once again the PTBs at work? I actually think that once they go down the sewers the whole ep withers. But the ending picks it up again mightily. Despite Gunn's comment we see exactly 2 police cars and a spotlight with some helicopter sound effects.
Best line;
Gunn; "I ain't never seen so many (police) cruisers"
Wes; "Well technically we're the only criminals left"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The vamp in the web, especially when it gets it tongue ripped out!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; when Connor and his troops arrive Gunn remarks 'Time for the big fight scene!' echoing what the audience is thinking. Lorne's 'don't judge by appearances' scene cruelly shot down by the refugees.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Wes by the sewer creature
Cordy: 15
Angel: 17
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 2
Kills; one demon for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 44 vamps, 59 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed:
255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations;5
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot: threatened with guns by Jasmine's soldiers but no
Angel: 12
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2
Fred; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Whereas the previous people Jasmine consumed were ordinary looking (and the director even commented on it) now it seems to be only pretty young things in their skimpy undies that Jasmine devours.
Captain Subtext;
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
The Catholic Church is now dedicated to Jasmine and the governer (Schwarzeneger yet?) has handed over his administration to her.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
You almost get the feeling that this was getting towards to the end of the season and the budget was running out so they said 'Hey let's put the entire ep in those old tunnel sets, that'll save us enough money for some Lord of the Rings CGI'. Still some nice stuff with the bug and a great climatic cliffhanger.
Lorne mentions that he heard Belieze was nice which is where Riley has been killing demons in seasons 5/6 of Buffy.
Quite honestly do the words 'and the National Guard' ever signify anything good? When the National Guard turn up it's normally a signal that things really can't get much worse. I suppose if you were under fire in Vietnam and some National Guard troops came to help you then it would be a good thing?
I take it it's Connor's blood on Angel's hands? Unless someone can correct me the last we'll ever see of Angel's convertible? Note that at the beginning of the ep Angel is holding off the horde at the door to enable his friends to escape and at the end the situation is reversed.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[SnowBird]

Had a 5 season marathan and finished. It was pretty good and I liked the Angel character but I think I'm on vampire and demon overload I saw so many episodes at once.:)

[Superboy-Prime]

Had a 5 season marathan and finished. It was pretty good and I liked the Angel character but I think I'm on vampire and demon overload I saw so many episodes at once.:)

It must be a strange feeling for you. To watch a show with a cohesive storyline, where things are explained.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[SnowBird]

It must be a strange feeling for you. To watch a show with a cohesive storyline, where things are explained.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

I'm not going to go into the faults of "Angel," I'll only say "Smallville" is still my favorite show and leave it at that.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Had a 5 season marathan and finished. It was pretty good and I liked the Angel character but I think I'm on vampire and demon overload I saw so many episodes at once.:)

Now I really liked season 5, it was a heck of a reboot but they really pulled it off magnificently. As for whether the series is 'cohesive' I'm not so sure about that, there's plenty I'm left wondering not least about Jasmine's plan in season 4 (and before?) but yeah, it pretty much hangs together

PEACE OUT
The Good;
It's bad taste but love the 'God is nowhere, Jasmine is the way' sign outside the church. Also love Jasmine picking up the car and love Connor killing her. Angel's quest is also good although the lack of budget shows. It's a small moment but I adore the scene where the blonde reporter is awestruck that Jasmine knows her name, just the little look of exasperation Gina Torres gives is priceless. Plus HERE's LILAH!
The Bad;
Note that when the Guardsmen are clustered around the captive AI the only one without his face covered is the one who Jasmine later speaks through (scene shot out of order?). Angel aside the rest of AI just seem to spend all their time locked in the cellar and don't contribute much. If CC is so precious to Jasmine why is she guarded by exactly 2 cops with pistols and not ringed with troops and tanks? How come the guy Connor tortures gives up his info, surely Jasmine's followers are prepared to die for her? (or has her power faded as she prepares herself for her broadcast?). Note that in the bridge scene the LA sky keeps getting darker and then lighter again between shots.
Best line;
Jasmine (to Angel); "You're not human"
Angel; "Working on it" (indeed he is!)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Connor kills his 'daughter'. Do we really wonder why he's so screwed up?
Apocalypses: 5 not the end of the world by any means
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 12
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage: Lorne, Wes, Gunn and Fred in plasticuffs
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 5
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 17
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 2
Kills; one demon for Angel, one demon/human(?) for Connor
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 44 vamps, 59 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed: according to Angel thousands have died due to Jasmine's actions
2255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations;5
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 12
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2
Fred; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
The way Jasmine eats people is rather reminiscent of vore fetishism (beautiful women enjoying being swallowed whole by giant snakes, carnivarous plants etc). PM me if you want the link.
Captain Subtext;
Connor teases the rest of AI because they're now alone, obvious resentment from when they left him alone.
Know the face, different character; 4
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Angel tortures his way to what he wants without a moments hesitation.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
The blonde reporter in the hotel foyer reminded me at first of Reese Witherspoon and then of Jenny McCarthy but it's neither. The dark haired reporter with the glasses also looks very familar from somewhere. How exactly does Angel manage to materilize exactly back in the hotel foyer? Is the orb programmed to home in on Jasmine? Surely if Angel appeared to everyone on TV worldwide he should be hugely famous?
This of course is an argument similar to that explored in Torchwood; Children of Earth, Jasmine would devour a couple of dozen people a day but if she abolished war, crime and poverty etc she would save millions (apparently 1000 children a day die in India from preventable diseases). But Angel says that the important thing is that mankind has to make it's own choices, learn from it's own mistakes. Interestingly when Angel talks to Jasmine on the bridge he even holds out redemption for her. Jasmine talks about wiping out Angel's species, does she mean humans or vampires? Ok she's pretty strong and can't be killed with electricity but if Connor can just kill her with a fist through the head she's not that tough (not compared to Glory anyway)? Or is that because Connor is her 'father' that he can kill her? Night of the Comet is referenced, a nice little sci-fi film that Joss cites as one of his inspirations for Buffy. Note in the bridge scene there's a company offering 'Facials' which Jasmine certainly needs.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[SnowBird]

^^I not only watched season 5 but all five seasons, one right after another since I bought the series. I liked the first 3 seasons the best and then it got darker and some of the characters got a little wierd. Still a very good show, entertaining and worth watching. As far as season 5, I enjoyed James Marsters as Spike. He was on Smallville as Brainiac and became a favorite of mine.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

^^I not only watched season 5 but all five seasons, one right after another since I bought the series. I liked the first 3 seasons the best and then it got darker and some of the characters got a little wierd. Still a very good show, entertaining and worth watching. As far as season 5, I enjoyed James Marsters as Spike. He was on Smallville as Brainiac and became a favorite of mine.

Yeah, James was excellent on Smallville. Personally season 4 is my favourite, it is dark love the Faith hunting Angelus arc, love Wes/Lilah and love the ending. It's also the definitive AI lineup for me, Angel, Wes, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Cordy, Connor

HOME
The Good;
Love the way that when Lilah moves at first she seems awkward, as though she's getting used to using her body again.There is just something endlessly, savagely beautiful about a black panther. Love Fred and Lorne dancing. Great fight between Connor and Angel and lovely ending.
The Bad;
Fred's submachinegun is obviously fake, she totes it around like it weighs nothing because of course it's actually just a hollow shell. You can see that the cops beseiging Connor in the sports store aren't LAPD, in fact you can see the word 'Boston' written on the side of their vehicles. Wes and Lilah never get the chance to say goodbye?
Best line;
Lilah; (of Wes trying and failing to burn her contract) "But it means something that you tried" (how BEAUTIFULLY does Stephanie deliver this line?)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Connor pummeling the cop into unconsciousness is nasty although given what Connor's going to do next maybe he should think himself lucky he just got a few bumps. The terrified hostages at the sports shop are hard to watch as is Angel putting the knife in Connor and even more viciously yanking it out again.
Lilah is in hell and despite all of Wes' efforts she's going to remain there. So sad, she had her chance at redemption and she blew it.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Despite being nochalant about all that WR&H have offered him Angel is hugely excited about his big TV
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 13
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 5
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out: no but Connor beats the suicidal cop unconscious
Cordy: 15
Angel: 17
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 2
Kills; unless someone can correct me the only ep of Angel ever when not only does no one die but no one even kills anyone/anything?
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 44 vamps, 59 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed:
2255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations;5
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 12
Wes; 2
Packing heat; Fred with her submachinegun. WR&H seem to have invested in a lot heavier weapons for their new security force, maybe to stop something like The Beast ever happening again?
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2
Fred; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
How gorgeous is Gunn's guide, Lacey? Knox tells Fred that WR&H have a dungeon. For prisoners or for S&M shenanigans? Lilah wants Angel to strip in front of her.
Captain Subtext;
It's a small moment but when Lilah refers to 'My Wesley' it just speaks volumes. Nice to know that when the chips are down the way to prove yourself to the girl you love is to cut her head off!
Know the face, different character; 5 Jonathon Woodward who plays Knox here was Holden Webster in the Buffy ep 'Conversations with Dead People'.
Parking garages;
6,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;

Missing scenes; If this ep was 9/10 minutes over why can't we get Special Edition Angel DVDs with such footage restored?

Questions and observations;
The last we'll see of Lilah and that is SUCH a shame, Stephanie Romanov has been one of the best things in the series for the last four years. I'd love to see her in the comics (the female boss of the Dollhouse owes much to her, right down to her look). Who's the girl in the picture on the wall behind Wes in his office? WR&H's office now resembles a shopping mall. So is Sirk a genuine defector or a plant from the Watcher's council? Twilight? The Lineage ninjas? Wes has heard of the destruction of the Watcher's Council but probably been too busy to worry about it. Angel knows that Buffy will prevail against evil no matter what the odds. Presumably Gunn taught Connor how to make bombs during the last summer? Angel quite obviously gets the idea for Connor's retrofit from Dawn's origin on Buffy. Wouldn't you love to see Connor get together with Dawn? They have so much in common and it would be cool to see what their kids turn out like? Unless anyone can correct me we'll never see the Hyperion again either. Seigfreid and Roy are referenced, do they own the panther?

WR&H give the amulet to Angel. Now, are they doing this purely to thwart The First's plans or are they now aware that there is a SECOND vampire with a soul and that he might be the one that the prophecies speak off? Is this intended to gain control of Spike but Lindey get's there first? Speaking of whom in Dead End Lindsey warns Angel not to play WR&H's game. For good or ill here he ignores that advice and does exactly that.

Marks out of 10; 10/10, not so much a season ending but a pilot for the new series, a complete reboot. That said if Angel had ended here I'd be disappointed but it would still be a good ending.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Oh my god, here we go, finished Buffy and now starting the last ever Buffyverse boxset! We are witnessing the passing of an era, 22 eps to go and that's it. Still that is the equivalent of 7 full length feature films
CONVICTION
The Good;
Angel vs the ops team and Charley Gunn/Harmony coming to the rescue. Plus Spanky! Also love the ritual sacrifice gag and Lorne's vetting of the staff (what would you sing?).
The Bad;
Disagree with Joss, evil people never believe they're evil, they always believe they're the justified victims.
Best line;
Goon; (after Angel blows Hauser's head off) "What about mercy?"
Angel; "He got the last of it"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Nasty disease pictures and a vile villain.
Apocalypses: bad for LA but not the rest of the world 5
Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche; despite his cynicism towards WR&H and characteristic dourness Angel can't help squealing with joy at the sight of his collection of classic muscle cars (although his yellow charger looks horrible!). On the minus side note that Hauser note only packs a different weapon to the rest of his team but is the only one unmasked for much of the time to distinguish him from the others, such a Hollywood cliche.
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 13
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 5
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out: not on screen but Angel get's knocked out by Caleb whilst visiting Buffy in Sunnydale
Cordy: 15
Angel: 18
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 2
Kills; 1 vamp and at least 2 humans for Angel.
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 59 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 10 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed:
2255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot: yep, Angel by Hauser's men
Angel: 13
Wes; 2
Packing heat; Wes' backup plan for the bad guy not getting acquitted is his .45 automatic. How did he get that into the courtroom? Angel kills Hauser using his own shotgun.
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 2
Fred; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
The wonderfully named Spanky who has his own fetish website and lots of S&M gear to prove it. One popular fan theory is that this is the guy Faith used to dress up as a naughty schoolgirl for and let him punish her? He certainly has a bullwhip. When Angel asks if the gang heard about last night Gunn replies "You got lucky?". Harmony does a sexy little shimmy when she basks in the sunlight. Shirtless Gunn. Eve asks Angel what he'd like to have 'passing through her lips' (wait until Life of the Party and you'll find out!)
Captain Subtext;
Spanky doesn't spank men although he's fine with other people liking to (love the characterisation here, he's evil but he's not a bigot, spanking men just isn't his thing). Angel interestingly comments that he has NO problem spanking men. Hmmm? Hauser calls him a fairy.
As Angel walks out of the school we see a series of kids posters above his head proclaiming "Respect, learn, know, show"
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages; where Angel meets Hauser
7,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;
Spanky a popular figure in some fanfic circles especially with Faith. In several slash fics Spanky has a slightly different fetish and Angel persuades him to come clean in a very different way.

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
LOVED Space; Above and Beyond, to my shame didn't recognise Rodney Rowland from it (he apparently was Gillian Anderson's boyfriend for a while, he was in the X-files ep with the Jodie Foster voiced tattoo). Remember 'Who watches the birds?' and thought it was brilliant although it actually has loads of dialogue in the flashback scenes. Also like "The Angriest Angel' which the writers of BSG also seemed to like as they freely adapted it for the ep with Scar the Cylon Raider. Loved Kristine Cloke and if they ever need someone to play Jennifer Connelly's sister (or indeed Megan Fox's) she's the girl which is pretty high praise in itself. Too bad they picked the most uncharismatic man in history to play the lead!
David does look a bit fatter at the start of this and his hair more bouffant than ever. Fries won't let his son read The Punisher comics, probably because people like him would be number one on Frank Castle's neverending hitlist. Personally I never noticed the effects of the Bell's Palsy on Alexis, I don't know about you? Love Wes bashing Feng Shui and Lorne's ascots (so that Andy can wear less makeup). Not so sure about his polyester suit look, he looks like he could be appearing on Wonder Woman. Is it just me or do American apples look lovely but taste like cotton? Interesting gag that both the Kennedy's and Bush famillies have made deals with WR&H. If you're going to bash politicians you should do both sides. Note the little flash of the black panther when the screen flashes away from Gunn. For a moment I thought one of the nick-nacks Knox places on Fred's table is the puzzlebox from Hellraiser.
Great to see Harmony back, in the pilot of Buffy and she'll be in the last ep ever of the Buffyverse too! Angel drinks coffee now, he must have taken it up since his Sunnydale days. Presumably Harmony can't really mourn for CC because she has no soul.
What Twilight Zone ep is Joss referring to? Lorne seems a bit interested when Spanky is mentioned? Why does Spanky put on his bathrobe even if he's hot after exercising? To hide the harness for the wire gag his stuntman is about to do? His choke hold is rubbish, a 5 year old could get out of it.
Is Hauser named after Cohegan's duplicitous henchman in Total Recall? Joss is a Law and Order fan, a show MT guested on. Wes know's Spike? They've never met as far as we know, maybe he read up on him after coming to Sunnydale?
Joss is a little bit conflicted over his political views. He seems a trendy lefty but someone has obviously pointed out to him that his goodguy characters torture, kidnap and kill for the greater good more ruthlessly than the CIA ever did. His assertion that such things are best left in fiction sounds pretty weak. He also seems pretty knowledgable about The Punisher, probably the most right wing character in the history of comics.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[Superboy-Prime]

You know I hated how angel started killing humans in season five, yet no emphasis was put on it. That was a really big change for angel who at the time only killed demons but they just glossed over it.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

You know I hated how angel started killing humans in season five, yet no emphasis was put on it. That was a really big change for angel who at the time only killed demons but they just glossed over it.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

He had killed plenty before during the first few seasons (the surgeon in 'I fall to Pieces' and the blind assasin in 'Blind Date' to name but two) but yes, you're right, he seems to take human life much more often in season 5. I think it's because he is now off track in his destiny, doing WR&H's dirty work for them rather than helping the helpless against the supernatural. It will take the events of 'You're Welcome' to put him back on track. Also whilst Joss has always been very anti-gun in his shows he now seems to have no hesitation in breaking out the hardware all the time in the later seasons of Angel (and indeed in Firefly and Dollhouse)

JUST REWARDS
The Good;
I know it's sick but always laugh out loud at Spike looking at 'bucket-o-lawyer' and telling Gunn and Wes "Your man Novak, he's been, how would you put it? Downsized!". Such an unpleasant storyline yet really it's quite immaterial as this ep really is about Spike and Angel rather than some necromancer.
The Bad;
You can see the dark haired girl in the corpse showroom move slightly when she's standing behind Spike.
Best line;
Spike (looking around Angel's plush digs)"If a certain Slayer could see you now!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Harmony telling Spike he can't be mean to her anymore because they're no longer dating. Oh that girl! Plus 'bucket-o-lawyer' (three buckets actually).
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 14, yep, bit bulkier but still looks good
Cheap Angel; 6
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 5
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out: Angel by the Hainsley
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 2
Kills; 2 humans and a demon for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 60 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed:
2255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5, Spike not really in the gang yet
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 13
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 2
Fred; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Harmony is revolted by the thought of Spuffy "Slayer loving freak!". Fred thinks Spike is hot. The demon states that he considered other sorts of human bodies to inhabit but eventually he went with pretty as everybody does (anyone else think he sounds like Clem?). Spike suggests the villain is into necrophillia. Spike says he'd like to 'have a go' at Fred and that she looks like a 'goer'.
Captain Subtext;
Spike refers to Angel as poncey and beefcake. Lorne says he sees Depp and Bloom for the Angel and Spike roles but comments he sees them a lot. His remark 'I could sell that movie in a heartbeat' may be a hint at an Angel movie. Angel is jealous that Spike hooked up with his sexy, petite blonde ex. Spike points out that Angel now has HIS sexy petite blonde ex working as his secretary. Also note that when the Groxlar beast attacks Spike goes to help Angel.
Spike refers to himself as Angel's 'date' and says that forehead boy has a 'wide spotty ass'. How would he know? Later on in the season Spike refers to the intimate moment Spike and Angel share together much to the delight of Spanglers everywhere. BUT the moment in question could very well be the scene here where Spike is possessing Hainsly who has his fingers lodged inside Angel?
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages; where Spike meets Angel
8,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;


Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Gunn smokes cigars? We've never seen him do it before and do we ever see him do it again? Note in the teaser you can just see Harmony's hand appear around the doorframe just before we cut to Sunnydale. The last time we'll really see Buffy proper in the Buffyverse. Love the flashback to Spike's going out in a blaze of glory. How come Gunn has heard of Spike but Fred hasn't? Angel is still in touch with Buffy who's now in Europe. Wes seems to have been informed of recent events but not the others? But even he hasn't been told of Spike's soul, everyone at AI keeps secrets. The Littlelest Vampire is mentioned, either a ref to The Little Vampire or The Littlelest Hobo.
So how does the medallion get to Angel? We know it's Lindsey but how does he know about it? Eve or is he maybe in league with Lilah? Angel knows a lot more about Spike than he rightfully should. He's jealous that Spike not only got to have more, ahem, intimate time with Buffy than he did but also that when Spike got his soul he was able to recover from the guilt in a matter of months whilst Angel tortured himself for over a century. Of course this was partly because Spike had help from Buffy and in some ways the rest of the Scoobies but also because he deliberately went out to re-acquire his soul and to be the champion Buffy wanted, he had purpose. And he had 3 years without killing before due to his chip, living more and more in the human world, forced to socialise with them and learning from the experience.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

[Superboy-Prime]

He had killed plenty before during the first few seasons (the surgeon in 'I fall to Pieces' and the blind assasin in 'Blind Date' to name but two)

You call them humans? When I say humans I mean normal people without demonic powers or what not, the surgeon and blind assassin dont qualify. Up until season 5 angel had never been straight up outright killing humans before.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[InactiveUserID]

When did the space aliens show up on the show? because Chaos Bleeds has Xander use a mixture of alien liquids to create an alien gun to fire at aggressive plants.

and as a concerned citizen, I feel I must ask. Lorenzo, are you aware that you're writing up lengthy reports on each episode?

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

When did the space aliens show up on the show? because Chaos Bleeds has Xander use a mixture of alien liquids to create an alien gun to fire at aggressive plants.

and as a concerned citizen, I feel I must ask. Lorenzo, are you aware that you're writing up lengthy reports on each episode?

I am aware and my therapist says it's a healthy way to say goodbye to my obsession (because after these there is NOTHING ELSE LEFT FOR ME TO SAY ON THE MATTER!);):rotfl:

The only true alien on the shows was the Quellar Demon from the Buffy ep 'Quelled' so presumably extraterresrials do exist in the Buffyverse, maybe that's where Xander got the liquids from?

Yeah, I take your point about the pure humans, let me think about him killing any. He certainly leaves Holland and co to get slaughtered?

UNLEASHED
The Good;
Especially love the gag of Nina asking Angel if he's Frankenstein and Angel self-consciously rubbing his forehead, Spike's taunting must be getting to him. Nice final scene with Angel making sure to anchor himself to the world once more by hanging out with his friends. The Hyperion has also not been forgotten and a sly dig at Scientology.
The Bad;
A little trite that they give the cryptozoologist to the cult to eat but then abolish the club?
Best line;
Nina; "Angel, he saves a lot of girls?"
Fred; "Girls, guys, puppies, he's pretty much an equal opportunity saver" (presumably Fred has been told of Angel's Orpheus flashback)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Nasty scenes with Nina about to be eaten alive
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB get's his shirt off; 14,
Cheap Angel; 7 Lorne remarks that hell has frozen over when Angel says their food is on him
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 5
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out: Fred by the kidnappers
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 3
Kills; Angel kills one werewolf.
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 60 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed:
2255
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5, Spike noticeably absent from the gang at the beginning.
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot: Angel by the security guards
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat; Wes with a pistol and unusually Gunn with a shotgun
Wes; 9
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Nina quite reasonably suspects Angel to be a psycho rapist. Well, not lately. Nina naked and chained (anyone else think she looks a little like Sharon Stone?). A fellow student calls and says he missed Nina in the life drawing class which implies she does nude modelling (she certainly has the figure for it).
Captain Subtext;
Wes not so subtly jealous of Knox whom Fred refers to as being 'Under me' and 'On top of'. The comparison of Angel to the werewolf is clear, he cut himself off from humanity to avoid temptation but ended up losing all value for people and lost his human side anyway, just as Angel might have if Doyle hadn't come along.
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages;
8,
Guantanamo Bay;
Angel once again tortures ruthlessly
Buffy characters on Angel; 16. It would have been nice if Caine the bounty hunter had shown up but as the actor had also played Sajhan maybe that was impractical.
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;
Plenty of fic where Oz shows up in LA to help Nina out with what he's learned, if ever there was an ep for him to re-occur on Angel this was it.

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Lorne's reading not too good lately. Here's a good game for you, match the car to the AI member in the opening scene. The guys refer to being at WR&H for a month. Does Angel detect the werewolf by his scent? He's met one before, Oz in Phases. Spike still lies a lot. Different werewolf makeup than what we see in Buffy and thank god, much more impressive! Note though that Nina has amnesia for her first few transformations just as Oz had. Note it's Lorne who figures out how to find Nina. When Fred tells Nina that Angel was seeing someone does that mean CC or Buffy? Lorne makes an 'extra weight' remark of Angel, is that a joke on DB? Wes refers to the Initiative or whatever they call themselves nowadays.
Marks out of 10; 7/10, enjoyable standalone ep, reminds you of the sort of thing they used to do in season 1

[Superboy-Prime]

When did the space aliens show up on the show? because Chaos Bleeds has Xander use a mixture of alien liquids to create an alien gun to fire at aggressive plants.



Those buffy books are non canon forget anything they say in them.

I dont consider queller demons aliens. Theye are just demons who delve in space. You cant summon space aliens... Well unless were talking about that ufo prophet guy but thats another story. It just seems to me that is a demon that can be summoned from space.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

I figure the books and comics are as canon as you want them to be frankly. As for the whole alien idea I think that's a question of semantics. If the Quellar is from space then it is by definition extraterristrial, demon or not

HELLBOUND

The Good;
Great villain, some great Spike stuff and an all round great premise
The Bad;
?
Best line;
Angel (to frozen in time Pavayne) "Don't worry I had them give you a window"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Gory as hell, how did this not get an 18 rating?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 15, Naked Spike.
Cheap Angel; 7
Subverting the cliche; Gunn and Wes always assumed Spike was going to hell
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 5
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 3
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 60 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed: poor Claire
2256
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5, .
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 9
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Gunn likes Eve's lovely friend, Claire the mystic. Too bad she doesn't last long. Spike spies voyeuristically on Fred in the shower.
Captain Subtext;
Apparently Spike materialises beside Gunn in the toilet and makes remarks about his penis. What sort of remarks? Claire suggests that Fred and she hold hands if Fred is lonely. Pavayne describes Spike as a 'Little Nancy still crying for his mother', well he's got the last bit right as 'Lies My Parents Told Me Proved'.
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages;
8,
Guantanamo Bay;
WR&H show some REAL inefinite detention
Buffy characters on Angel; 16.
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Of course the term Reaper is another supernatural series and he too sends souls to hell. Mercedes McNab guest-starred and at one point the devil goes 'Ooohhh Buffy' when handing Sam a stake to recapture an evil soul who thinks she's a vampire (because there are no vampires in the Reaperverse). Spike refers to the King's English as he's seen 2 Queens in his time (Victoria and Elizabeth 2nd) and 4 kings (Edward 7th, George 5th, Edward 8th, George 6th). Spike calls Angel 'Liam', he knows his backstory. Angel likes Spike's poems, did he continue to write AFTER he became a vampire? Spike suspects that it may be the First Evil tormenting him which seems logical. Spike also says he's been a ghost for months which gives us some timeframe. Love to have seen Lee or some of the other casualties from WR&H over the years as Reaper's puppets. In many ways I think they try to cast Fred as the team glamourpuss but she doesn't really cut the mustard in that regard, Amy Acker a beautiful woman but just doesn't compare to CC, Buffy, Faith etc. Very Christian idea of hell. Eve is actually quite heroic here. Very little Lorne, he's really sidelined this season even if he's now a regular. The fate of Pavayne is very reminiscent of the fate of the 'Family of Blood' in the Dr Who ep of the same name (possibly the best ep ever?), both it and Torchwood drawing a LOT from Buffy and Angel (Angel sunk to the bottom of the ocean by his son, Capt Jack buried alive by his brother). So what happens to Pavayne AFTER the fall of WR&H at the end of the season? When Pavayne says that 'There's hope for you yet boy' when Spike has the choice of being human or rescuing Fred does he mean good Spike or evil Spike? Presumably Fred told Spike about Angel's Manilow obsession?
Marks out of 10; 9/10 very strong ep, great villain, truly creepy and excellent performance from JM

[Superboy-Prime]

I figure the books and comics are as canon as you want them to be frankly.

Well you shouldnt, whedon had no involvement in them. They're all non canon except for season 8 & after the fall. But those two comics really really suck to me and I wish they werent canon. Xander and dawn getting together, spike having a spaceship, and buffy going gay are all just wrong to me.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Unsurprisingly I was quite ok with Buffy's bisexual tourism and I'm ok with Dawn and Xander too. I never did understand the story about Spike and his spaceship full off insects, what happened there?

LIFE OF THE PARTY
The Good;
Great acting from Andy Hallet, really showing some range here. Love the characterisation of Sebassis, he's like a demonic Noel Coward. "Yes, yes, sycophants writhe before me, you disgust me!"
The Bad;
Why do Knox and co keep referring to last years party? I thought the Beast killed everyone except Lilah? Were they brought in from WR&H branches in other cities? Obviously this ep owes a lot to the Buffy ep Something Blue with the Lorne storyline thrown in. The monster Lorne just looks stupid, reminds me of Dr Jekyll from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Best line;
Harmony; (of Angel's leadership)"Good luck! Morale here stinks. Everyone thinks you suck!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The Pee-Pee demon is SUCH a yucky concept. Equally Gunn staking his territory is eugghh! Personally I always found lack of sleep the worst torture imagineable.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 17, naked Angelx2
Cheap Angel; 7
Subverting the cliche;
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 5
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out: Lorne for about a month
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 7
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 3
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 60 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang; Lorne's id monster
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed:
2256
Recurring characters killed;
9;
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5, .
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 9
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Eve and Angel, wonder what Lindsey made of THAT! Got his job and his girl!
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Voyeur Eve spies on naked Angel in the shower. She wonder if Angel needs some 'hands on' gentlemen's time. Harmony dancing! MMMMMMmmmm! Mercedes sure can cut a rug! Spike refers to Harmony as Angel's chippy just as CC did with the Furies. Angel considers Eve's quite lovely dress to be 'banging it out to the cheap seats'. Eve and Angel get it on big time, even with Lorne and Spike still IN THE ROOM! Eve has had sex under the 'great roofie spirit' before (maybe she ran into RJ's brother or dad?)
Captain Subtext;
Eve comments that Angel takes a long shower 'for a guy'. Sebassis strokes the PP demon affectionately. Lorne talks about jacuzzi strategy sessions. Fred and Wes start coming together. Gunn stakes his territory on Angel's chair, does this mean he wants to replace him?
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages;
8,
Guantanamo Bay
Buffy characters on Angel; 16.
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;
Not a lot, Eve/Angel actually less popular a pairing than even Connor/Cordy

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Lorne now loves Harmony and vice versa. He refers to Angel as Top Cat. Note Spike is now included in the AI meetings. Harmony now plays the CC role of saying what's true but what no one wants to say. Angel is a hockey fan as is DB. Who's raggedy Anne? They certainly do celebrate Halloween in England although not to the same degree as in America (in fact it's more celebrated in America than anywhere else including Ireland where it originiates from). Fred appear to be a violent drunk, good thing she stuck with cannabis. Wes' dancing has got a lot better since She.
Marks out of 10; 7/10 fun, nice to see Lorne get some decent screen time

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

THE CAUTIONARY TALE OF NUMERO CINCO
The Good;
Love the return of the brothers and love the idea of El Diablo Robotico, we MUST see that in the Angel comics some time. Love Angel's cadiallac and the ref to Holland Manners.
The Bad;
Angel seems very rough with No5 at his apartment, he could have killed him! Don't you think Angel's rather full of himself about being the hero.
Best line;
Angel; "Wes, did you ever hear about the devil building a robot?"
Wes; "Ah, el diablo robotico!"
Angel; "No one ever tells me anything"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Hearts cut from bodies
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 17,
Cheap Angel; 7
Subverting the cliche; Angel's heart no good because it's 'dried up beef jerky'. No5 thinks Angel wants to drag him into the quest but actually just wants to give him some mail. After Angel's stirring speech No5 just jumps on the bus
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 5
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 7
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 3
Kills; Angel kills the demon with a little help from his friends (or should that be amigos?)
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 61 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed: 4+No5 victims, the security guards have to be the redshirts of the Buffyverse
2261
Recurring characters killed; No5
10
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5, Spike however is now coming along for the ride on investigations.
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat; Wes with his shotgun (nice gag about the weapons check)
Wes; 10
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 2

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Spike remarks he can't 'diddle his willy'. He again refers to Harmony as 'his old tumble' and is jealous that she's now Angel's pet.
Captain Subtext;
Angel remarks of 'the father will kill the son' to Wes who hasn't a clue what he's talking about. How much do the rest of the gang remember? Spike refers to Angel as a drama queen. Now of course Liam is the Irish version of William so maybe 'diddle his willy' has another meaning?
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages;
8,
Guantanamo Bay
Buffy characters on Angel; 16.
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;


Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Great ref where the man who recruits number 5 is Holland Manners from season 2. Can anyone tell me whom the aging starlet Lorne is referring to? Wonder Woman referenced, this is at a time when Joss was planning the movie which sadly didn't come off (love to have seen ED or CC in the role). Very clear that Gunn is the most comfortable at WR&H. Angel's photographic memory again. Angel appears to limp some of the time, because of the beatings he's recieved or because DB's knee is giving him trouble? Note Spike knows how to defeat the demon through his poetic soul. Angel enters No5's home without an invite but does No5 dragging him inside count as one? So what happens the medallion after the fall of WR&H? Love to see it and the creature turn up some time in Fray.

Marks out of 10; 6/10, ok but not brilliant

[TVD_Lulu]

I haven't seen this show before, but I will :)

[Superboy-Prime]

I haven't seen this show before, but I will :)

Its on netflix

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

I haven't seen this show before, but I will :)

Oh you should, it's FABULOUS! Did you watch Buffy?

LINEAGE

The Good;
Hard boiled Wes in both terms of his negotiations and gunplay. All the scenes with Wes and his dad are excellent as is the assault on WR&H
The Bad;
We tolerate a lot of dramatic licence in terms of what AI can endure but Gunn being chucked against the staircase should kill him. If WR&H have this staff that controls Angel why not use it before?
Best line;
Wes (after Emil prattles on); "If I'd know this was a seminar I'd have worn a name-tag"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Hooks through the throat! Also Wes gropes around the cyborg's guts with his bare hands?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 17,
Cheap Angel; 7
Subverting the cliche;
Fang Gang in bondage: Gunn chained
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 6
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out: Fred passes out, Wes knocked out by his 'dad'
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 8
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 7
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 4
Kills; Wes kills one of Emil's goons and 2 cyborgs. Angel kills a cyborg.
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 61 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 3 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed:
2261
Recurring characters killed;
10
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5, here Spike saves Gunn
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat; Wes with his 45s, Fred with the sniper rifle. Presumably Wes uses the 13-shot model of the 45 as he fires 9 bullets when he shoots his 'father'.
Wes; 11
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 3

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Emil is turned on by the sight of a woman handling a powerful weapon. Well who isn't? Worked for Ripley/Sarah Connor! Wes' dad describes his mum as 'sturdy'? Spike refers to him having sex with the Buffybot and his mum trying to 'shag' him. I know the Buffybot is true but is that really true about his mum? Not from my recollection.
Captain Subtext;
Lorne hints that Churchill and Richard Harris had a love child? Spike thinks Wes was grown in a school for dandies. Angel says he's not comfortable with hugging. Like CC in Spin the Bottle Spike makes great fun of Wesley being 'Head boy' (good thing he never let's on about his own relationship with his mother). Whereas the prophecy stated that the father will kill the son here we have the son killing the father (although neither turns out to be true). Angel wears a lot more grey than black this season perhaps illustrating his moral ambiguity?
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages;
8,
Guantanamo Bay
Wes ruthlessly tortures the cyborg.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16.
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;


Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Emil is the guy who sold Wes his James Bond style weapons in Spin the Bottle. The ninjas are reminiscent of both the old Disney Star Wars clone The Black Hole and Snake-Eyes from Action Force/GI JOE. Note as soon as his dad shows up Wes returns to his klutzy season 1 self (just like Tara get's her stutter back in Family). Does Lorne say that Louis Gossett Jnr wants a phone party or foam party? Are the cyborgs Twilight? The Initiative? Or are they really from the Watcher's Council? Wes' dad and co stopped pre-soul Spike slaughtering an orphanage, you have to remember that the Watcher's Council were good guys who wanted to protect people. Nice ref to Lilah. Spike still fears Pavayne. Is it really Wes' dad? The imposter seems to know an awful lot about him, more so than any Watcher's files could say. Fathers as always poorly portrayed in the Buffyverse. Wes' 45. fires nine shots so presumably it's the 13 shot version rather than the standard? Angel and Spike recount the stories of killing their own parents. The story of little Wes trying to ressurect a dead bird speaks much of his humanity. Roy Dotrice holds the dubious distinction of being one of only three people ever killed onscreen in The A-Team (anyone name me the other 2? Or can you name all 7 members of the A-Team?). His daughter also married the late Edward Woodward.

Marks out of 10; 8/10, nice to have a Wesley centric ep

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

DESTINY

The Good;
The fight, the race, the flashbacks, all great! And the great ending. The Fred/Eve hurt/comfort scene is also very powerful
The Bad;
As they point out in the commentary the Alice Cooper eyeshadow. Also the idea that Lorne would just lock himself in his office, I mean this is the guy who went to fight the Beast.
Best line;
Spike; "Mountan Dew!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Gunn throttling Eve is horrible, reminds you of Lilah/Gavin. Spike and Angelus crashing the wedding.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 17,
Cheap Angel; 7
Subverting the cliche;
Mountain Dew! Also when Fred tries to sympathise with Eve and Eve rejects her concern.
Fang Gang in bondage: Gunn chained to the bed
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 7
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out: Gunn doped up
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 8
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 7
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 4
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 61 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 3 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil: Gunn big time
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed:
2261
Recurring characters killed;
10
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5,
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 11
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 3

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Spike get's 'solid' again and jumps on top of a willing Harmony like the dumb tramp she is
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony

Kinky dinky:
Spike and Harmony on the desk. Unromantic but having been denied the touch of a woman (or anything else) for so long hardly suprising Spike jumps on the first (room temperature) body he can get? Angelus and Dru, much to Spike's dismay. Dru refers to Spike as 'sweet willy'. Darla still devoted to her Master much to Angelus's disgust. Spike let's slip about the circumstances of him killing his mother, Harmony comments how it explains a lot. Fred knows what the term 'nooner' means. Love Eve's dress and the sexy striptease she does at the end. Gunn cautions Eve 'Don't be touching the robots'. Spike describes sex with Buffy as 'putting it to her'. Gunn says that Fred might want to tie him down again, does he mean when he went crazy or when they were dating?
Captain Subtext;
Angelus comments that he's sick of the company of just women and asks Spike if he thinks he's 'deviant'? Angel asks the newly corporeal Spike to stop touching him. Angelus bids Spike to be 'Home before sunrise' again casting the Fanged Four as a sort of family with him as the father and Spike as the son. Eve calls Fred 'princess' and 'sweetie', Spike calls Angel a ponce. Spike is happy to voyeuristically watch Angelus having sex until he realises it's with Dru. As with Lover's Walk, souled Angel still knows how to push Spike's buttons. Once again Spike and Dru seem to retain some aspect of humanity which other vamps lack, Angelus saying that vamps can't know true love ('Nothing is yours')and Spike and Dru intent on trying anyway. Spike also hugs Gunn and asks him to go drinking with him at the end of the ep. Even Joss comments upon the homo-eroticism of the Spike/Angel scenes.
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages;
8,
Guantanamo Bay
Buffy characters on Angel; 16.
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;
A great gift for Spangelers

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
No Wes who's on a leave of abscence, possibly heading home to visit his folks after the events of Lineage (Alexis Dennisof in real life marrying Alysson Hannigan the lucky bugger). I'm sure the idea of everyone being sent mad by a phonecall was a Stephen King book? Eve quotes The Music Man. Hell of a tumble MM's stuntwoman takes when Spike hits her. Instead of racing Spike why doesn't Angel use his helicopter? Presumably Angel and Spike reach the opera house at the same time because Angel already knows where it is?
DB apparently loves doing his Irish accent. Has he ever heard it? Gunn sees the howling abyss but obviously the budget won't stretch that far so the rest of us don't get to.
Spike is right of course, he IS better than Angel because he fought to get his soul back. He blames Angel(us) not for making him a vampire but for making him the evil monster of a vampire he was, that it was Angelus' influence that made him worse than all the rest. Spike comments that Dru still has a bit of a child in her, like him she still retains some humanity. Or he retains some humanity BECAUSE she was his sire.
Angel asks Spike does he want the destiny because it's his or because it's something to take away from Angel? You could make the same argument for Buffy, did Spike love her for his own sake or because she was Angel's and he wanted her for himself? As revenge for Angelus/Dru?
And of course, Spike beats Angel in a fair fight! I guess that's one question answered. Does the title Destiny refer to Angel and Spike or might it actually refer to Lindsey who thinks his destiny is to run WR&H?
Marks out of 10; 9/10 for the Angel(us)/Spike scenes alone

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

Going to have to hurry these along as I'm off to sea on the 20th and may not be able to post any more

HARM'S WAY

The Good;
All things Harmony, love the demon summit stuff and Fred and Harm bonding. Great *****fight between Harmony and her rival. The WR&H corporate video is also great they should have got Troy McClure to do the voiceover.
The Bad;
It's lightweight and inconsequential but it's meant to be.
Best line;
Fred; "I'm sure Angel can help you"
Harmony; "Angel's not a helper, he's a chopper" (as her friend Eli found out)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
You feel so sorry for poor lonely Harm, just because she's evil doesn't means she doesn't have feelings.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 17,
Cheap Angel; 8 he refuses to give Spike any travelling cash but will lend him a car if it gets him out of town "Typical, you cheap sod".
Subverting the cliche;
Fang Gang in bondage: Lorne and Fred tied up
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 7
Lorne; 6
Fred; 4

Fang gang knocked out: Fred and Lorne knocked out by Harmony
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 8
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 5
Kills; one demon for Angel
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 62 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 3 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed: poor Toby
2261
Recurring characters killed;
10
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5,
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 11
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 3

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony

Kinky dinky:
Harmony 'sluts it up' and beds a guy she picks up in a bar. She comments that Fred doesn't have 'a lot up front', sad but true and something she's a little self-conscious about to judge by Spin the Bottle. Fred actually knows that Wes and Knox are after her, you think back to her remark at the end of Waiting in the Wings. She thinks both are hot. Harmony offers to show Angel her abs. The demons refer to Angel as a 'filthy man whore'.
Captain Subtext;
The girls doubt Wesley could be interested in Fred because 'Everyone knows he's...muffins'. Vamps consider live people to be 'straight'. Despite implying that a male vamp would have to be gay to bite another man Harmony eyes up the necks of the office girls and has bitten Willow in the past. Fred and Harmony's night out resembles a date
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages; yep, where Harm dumps the body
9,
Guantanamo Bay
Buffy characters on Angel; 16.
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Always thought that Harmony's rival looked familar, finally recognised her as Karen, one of John Lithgow's students from 3rd Rock from the Sun. Angel and Spike are still bashed up from Destiny. We knew Spike and Fred were chummy but he seems to be on good terms with Lorne too. Was Harm ever really popular or did she just ride on CC's coatails? WR&H 'own' the LAPD which must have been news to Kate. It strikes me that if you really are an astronaut it must be a useless pickup line as no one actually believes you. Spike comes back to Harm in the end, shows his sensitive side and appears to finally give up any hope of ever being with Buffy

Marks out of 10;7/10 a lot of folks loathe this ep but I rather like it


SOUL PURPOSE
The Good;
Brilliant dream sequences, especially like Honky Tonk, Fred's surgery and the apocalypse fantasy. Interesting to see Spike and Lindsey setting themselves up like a proto Angel and Doyle.
The Bad;
Stupid looking creature and I don't buy the whole earrings idea. What's Lindsey's plan, he doesn't want to kill Angel as he sends Spike to rescue him? Just want to dishearten him so he gives up? Afraid that killing him would incur the wrath of the Senior Partners?
Best line;
Wes; "You're overlooking the merits of assassination" (words to make James Bond proud!)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 18, yep and his chest opened.
Cheap Angel; 8
Subverting the cliche; Spike tells off the woman he rescued for walking down dark alleys in high heels.
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 7
Lorne; 6
Fred; 4

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 8
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 5
Kills; Spike kills 5 vamps (2 offscreen) plus the parasite. Does Lindsey hire these guys and set them up to be killed or does Spike just patrol and run into them?
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 62 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 3 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 7 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed:
2261
Recurring characters killed;
10
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5,
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 11
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 3

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony

Kinky dinky:
As the writer states, the way to endear yourself to a film crew is to set a scene in a strip club (and a HUGE number of shows seem to end up there eventually), lots of lovely ladies wearing very little flexing themselves around poles. Angel gives Fred a pearl necklace, a pornographic slang term you either understand or you don't so I'm certainly not going to explain it here.
Captain Subtext;
Lindsey almost seems to trying a gay pickup on Spike who refers to him as Mary and Butch. He says he doesn't want to be Lindsey's 'kept boy'. Fred retrieves a pearl necklace from Angel's stomach? Angel imagines himself in bed with Buffy AND Spike (in the comics Buffy fantasises about the same except they're all in chains and she's dressed as a sexy nurse). Note however there are also female clients in the strip club.
Spike refers to himself as a 'working class lad'. Rubbish, his 'mockney' accent is all a sham as Lies My Parents Told Me proved. He's upper class. This may be some form of class guilt from Angel who was middle class (The Prodigal) and feels bad about all the luxury he know enjoys. Get Gunn together and they could do the Class sketch from the David Frost show (funniest sketch EVER!)
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages;
9,
Guantanamo Bay;
"Sold their children to the devil, KILL THEM ALL!" Angel has his Xena moment.
Buffy characters on Angel; 16.
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil
What the fanficcers thought;
Remember reading an interesting one once where the stripper called Sunshine who Spike is watching is actually Kate Lochley earning money to fund her law degree (so that she can change her identity and become a DA in New York). Also not a few from Spikettes where Spike is the hero and takes over WR&H from Angel.

Missing scenes;
Apparently for an April Fools Day gag there was a trailer for Dollhouse where Echo and Ballard get in the lift and ask the bear from this ep to hit the floor button for them. Anyone seen it?

Questions and observations;
What does Harmony's remark about Machiavelli mean? Interesting that Spike used to do good deeds in order to impress his love Buffy. Now he does them because he has a conscience and it's the right thing to do. Eve is already wearing her earrings in the Honky Tonk scene. You can't help but think Wes and Gunn would make a good pair if they were ever to remake Miami Vice (certainly better than Fox and Farrell). Spike reads Wes and Gunn perfectly, once more showing his insight, the points he makes are all very true as Gunn is loathe to admit. Harmony remarks of Angel "Act like we care", Harm's Way obviously still rankles. What's the significance of the stone, is it just a plain red herring? The critter is very Aliens/Bad Eggs/The Hidden. Great to have DB's commentary but wish he'd talk less about cameras and more about the series as a whole. Eve says that Spike has yet to have a big red S on his shirt, may be coincidence but of course JM appears on Smallville. Once again Spike quotes Star Wars despite his mocking the Geeks for doing so in Sunnydale.
The bear may be a reference to Hoopy Bear, a demonic teddy bear from the Buffy comics that turns into a real bear and acts out it's owners inner desires Something Blue style. Problem is the demon acolytes accidentally give it to Dawn rather than Buffy who's in the asylum at the time. Read it if you can, very cute story with a lovely ending of Dawn, Hank and Joyce happy together and a dejected Hoopy Bear down and out drinking beer behind the 7-11. Does Spike have any money stashed? He seemed to constantly be broke in Sunnydale. Shame SMG couldn't do a cameo, do we know the name of her double? She could go into the list of actresses who played Buffy along with SMG, Kristy Swanson, Eliza Dushku and the 2 little Buffy's we see in 'Weight of the World' and 'Killed by Death'.

Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

DAMAGE
The Good;
Great breakout scene, very Halloween, Terminator 2. Andrew is funny as hell and wonderful final scene between Spike and Angel.
The Bad;
How does Lindsey know about these things to send Spike to?
Best line;
Angel (of Dana); "She's an innocent victim"
Spike; "So were we, once upon a time"
Makes me tear up every single time!
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
All the torture and murder scenes and of course Spike's arms being cut off! Can't watch any of the scenes with Dana being tortured or her family being killed, just too horrible
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 18,
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage: Spike chained up
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 7
Lorne; 6
Fred; 4
Spike; 6
Fang gang knocked out: Spike
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 8
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 5
Spike; 5
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 62 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 3 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 7 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1
Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1
Characters killed: Dana cuts up the 2 poor orderlies at the hospital, the unfortunate security guard at the supermarket (someone should count all the security guards who get killed in Buffy/Angel over the years) and the tragic docker who tries to help her
2265
Recurring characters killed;
10
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5,
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,
Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 11
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 3
Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony
Kinky dinky:
Andrew refers to Fred as 'attractive slender woman'. Lorne calls his assistant to get the whip. Spike asks Andrew if he's ever tasted 'a penny' From The Big Bang Theory? (Thank you scrawny71 for pointing out that)
Captain Subtext;
Andrew says that Spike is beautiful and comments on his 'Viggo Mortenson' pecs. Spike calls Andrew a ponce.
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages;
9,
Guantanamo Bay;
Andrew takes Dana into protective custody
Buffy characters on Angel; 17 Andrew
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought;

Missing scenes;
Questions and observations;
Note Dana marks herself just as the first Slayer did. Gunn of all people loves the system, very different from his first entry to WR&H in season 1. Note that some of Dana's drawing have the Shadowmen in it. When Dana speaks in Chinise Spike replies with the same words he said to the Chinise Slayer as he killed her. Wes is in touch with Giles (through his father if nothing else?). Spike jokes that Angel's worry is starting to make him look old, a comment in ageless vampire Angel starting to look a few years older. Irrelevant that Spike didn't torture Dana or kill her family because he did it to THOUSANDS of other people. Remember the little girl in the coal cellar? No one trusts Angel any more, he realises that he and Wes&co have cut themselves off from the other Scoobs.
Buffy and Dawn are in Rome with Dawn going to an Italian school. The reason we saw so little Joyce in season 4 is that Kristine Sutherland was housesitting in Italy for a year in order to let her daughter go to school there and learn Italian. And now Joyce's daughters do the same which I suspect is a very clever inside joke. Andrew's remark of Buffy needing a break from California may be a reference to SMG needing a break from the character of Buffy. The various Scoobies are reassembling the Watcher's Council just as Wes' false dad said they were in Lineage.
In 'Lies My Parent's Told Me' Spike goads Robin Wood that his mother never really loved him and put slaying first (in fairness to Spike Wood had just tried to kill him). Here we find that this wasn't true, she did love him, her last thought was her begging for Spike to spare her so that she could go back to her beloved son. In School Hard Spike tells Buffy that the last Slayer he killed begged for her life. In 'Fool for Love' he tells her how he killed her and she doesn't beg. Maybe she did beg, just not out loud?
Dana dreams of previous Slayers just as Buffy did in the original movie.
Spike and Angel both consider themselves to be monsters. They might be right. The scene between them is too wonderful for words. Love to see Dana in the comics some day, all cured. Episode 11, halfway through the final season.
Marks out of 10; 8/10, strong ep but hard to watch. The final scene between Angel and Spike raises it up.

YOU'RE WELCOME
The Good;
EVERYTHING!
The Bad;
NOTHING! Well actually, Spike has met Doyle during 'In the dark' so why doesn't he recognise the significance of the name?
Best line;
CC; "You're welcome" (Could it be anything else?)
also like;
Angel (of Lindsey's new superpowers from Nepal) "They sell that crap at the airport"
and
CC (grabbing Eve by the hair) "Let's go Lilah junior"
plus
CC (to Lindsey)"Dinner and a show. And you're both!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Poor old Lorne has to get bled to make the spell work. Plus slaughtered nuns (once upon a time just Angelus' thing)
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 18,
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 7
Lorne; 6
Fred; 4
Spike; 6
Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 8
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 3
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 5
Spike; 5
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 45 vamps, 62 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 3 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 7 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1
Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1
Characters killed: poor nuns
2270
Recurring characters killed; alas poor Cordy, we've had her from the very first episode of Buffy all the way through to the last season of Angel (8 years and over 100 eps) and now we must say goodbye. The shallow ***** queen of Sunnydale High became the girl we loved and lost
11
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5, Spike now cut off from Lindsey/Doyle and drinking with the AI gang (as indeed is a lonely Harmony)
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,
Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 11
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 3
Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony
Kinky dinky:
Eve hints that Angel really rocked her world during their sex in 'Life of the Party'.
Captain Subtext;
Eve remarks that Angel is still the centre of Lindsey's universe. Hmmm?
Know the face, different character; 5
Parking garages;
9,
Guantanamo Bay;
Harmony beats up Eve but doesn't get to bite her. Eve seems to give up Lindsey very easily. Once again we have the strangely ambivalent attitude to torture we see in a lot of TV and movies
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought;
Read a lovely one where the last thing CC does is go to see Phantom Dennis, tellhttp://www.fanfiction.net/s/3044478/1/Whatever_happened_to_Phantom_Denniss him she loves him and that it's time for them both to pass to the afterlife. And he does so they can be together forever. Another familar theme is that Xander's attempts to reason with Willow at the end of Grave fail and DarkWillow either destroys the world or takes it over in partnership with The First Evil. Then Cordy appears to her and convinces her to set things right because SHE rather than Xander is the real love of Willow's life.
Missing scenes;
Questions and observations;
The critter in the tank is very reminiscent of the 4-5-6 we see in Torchwood; Children of Earth. Cordy joins Willow, Buffy, Giles, Angel, Spike, Dawn, Andrew and Riley as a Scooby bitten by a vampire. CC apologies to Wes for killing Lilah. Wes forgives her, possibly because of his own behaviour in 'Billy' and under Jasmine's influence. Nice joke on Hollywood that Conor Farrell (most overrated actor EVER?) is unknown to CC. We see Doyle again, all the more poignant as Glenn Quinn had died from a heroin overdose (with Andy Hallet also gone pretty soon they might start talking of the 'Curse of Angel') Episode 12 of season 5, only 10 eps of Angel left.
Why not DB and CC on the commentary although Christian and Sarah do a great job. First appearance of Izzy the Devil who'll be more important later. Did Lindsey maybe bump into Oz during his travels in Nepal? He refers to Angel as Eurotrash, yeah pal, he's from where the history is from.
Last scene is great and it's not suprise that the tears CC and DB cry are actually real, as were mine.
The WB celebrate the 100th ep of Angel, a series that has run for 5 years and increased it's audience whilst slashing it's budget and has the 3rd bestselling DVDs in the US (Buffy no2, Band of Brothers no1). Then they cancel it. Then they go bust. Serves them right the morons!
Marks out of 10; 10/10 (sob!)

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

WHY WE FIGHT
The Good;
Another wonderful Spike and Angel scene at the end, just as we saw in Damage. Once again past deeds come back to haunt us but this time it's what Angel did rather than what Angelus did. Also love Spike's 'Heil Hitler' salute to Angel and I think Eyal Podell does a great job as Lawson, he really looks like the naive all American poster boy (you could imagine him in Everwood or One Tree Hill or something) who is graphically confronted with the harsh realities of life.
The Bad;
Considering what badasses they're supposed to be Lawson overcomes AI very easily. Why do Spike and Lawson have to reach the shore before sunrise, can't they just hide underwater until night?
Best line;
Angel; "Spike's not in the SS, he just likes the coat"
plus
Spike; (of his fellow vamp prisoners) "Got to warn you, they're a bit stiff"
also like;
Nostroyev; (of Angelus) "You had quite the reputation back in the day but I haven't heard much of you lately"
Angel; "I haven't heard much of you EVER!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Gunn speculates that Lindsey is 'boiling in his own filth'? YUCK!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 18,
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage: Wes, Fred and Gunn all trussed up. Not Lorne though, because losing his head wouldn't kill him? Angel chained to a mess of weights
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6

Fang gang knocked out: Wes, Fred and Gunn
Cordy: 15
Angel: 19
Wes: 9
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 6
Spike; 5
Kills; 3 vamps for Angel several decades apart. Will he make the magic 150 total of kills by the end of the series?
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 48 vamps, 62 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 3 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 7 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed: poor subs crew
2265
Recurring characters killed;
11
Total number of Angel Investigations; 6, from now on I really consider Spike to an inseperable part of the gang
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, Spike

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Wes; 11
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 3

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony

Kinky dinky:
Spike had been invited to a 'virgin bloodbath'...
Captain Subtext;
...but when he got there the virgins all looked like Gobbels? Nostroyev was the lover of Rasputin. Hello sailor!
Topical politcal comment on the War on Terror? This ep really deals with the moral compromises inherent in warfare, Lawson seems unable to accept that the US would do things like torture, use the supernatural for it's own ends and make alliances with evil people (like Stalin?) for the greater good. And yet here we do, Angel siring him to save the crew and help the war effort and then letting him and Spike go, responsible for the deaths of all they killed in the meantime. An obvious but powerful allegory to AI joining WR&H. It's a tribute to the power of the writing that there is no easy answer to all this, we don't know who's right or wrong, sometimes there are no easy options.
When Fred complains that Knox messed up an experiment Wes emphatically agrees that Knox is unreliable.
Know the face, different character; 6 Camden Toy who plays the Prince of Lies was also Gnarl and the Turok-Han on Buffy.
Parking garages;
9,
Guantanamo Bay;
Need info? Torture a Nazi! See Captain subtext. Lawson comments that you win wars by not doing whatever it takes but by doing what's right. Tell that to the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki or all those folks in Eastern Europe we sold down the river to Stalin.
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .
Plenty of stuff regarding Angel's missing years as indeed we also see in the comics with Angel during the Great War also travelling on a German U-boat and bumping into a Watcher called Colonel Wyndham-Pryce on the Western front.

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Maybe Buffy's theory about Rasputin wasn't so far off the mark after all? So if you get sired by a vampire with a soul you're still evil but you feel guilty about it? Does sound like a rough deal. Gunn begins to demonstrate his loss of his newly acquired abilities. Spike sings the contemporary British National Anthem 'God save the king' (which would be George the 6th). Good to see he and Angel are still patriots even if they are undead. It seems the Initiative have been around in one form or another for a long time (like Torchwood?). What a shame they couldn't have named some of the goverment men Mulder or called an agent who chainsmokes Morely cigarettes Spender, that would have been so cool. Like The Master and Khakistos the Prince of Lies seems to be gradually devolving into a Turok-Han, the older a vamp get's the more that seems to happen to them. Note when Spike is first captured by the Intiative in season 4 of Buffy he speculates that it's the Nazis who are behind it, stemming from his experience here. Note we have Angel still in his recluse phase (as we'll see in Have you now or ever have been?) and not yet a crusader against evil, he just wants to brood and only does the mission as he feels responsible for Spike. Spike's small boys delight in seeing a submarine once against casts him in the little brother role to Angel(us). No Harmony, who get's to clock off on time on a Friday night unlike the executives.

What is it about the Nazi era that still fascinates us half a century later? History TV channels screen so many documentaries on the Nazis they may as well be called the Nazi channel. Practically every popular TV/film series will do some form of Nazi themed ep in it's time (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Last Crusade, The Boys from Brazil, Bear Island, The X-files, The X-men, Xena, Battlestar Galactica, Tarzan, Wonder Woman, The Odessa File, The Sum of All Fears, The New Avengers, The Tomorrow People, Dr Who, Lois and Clark, even Father Ted off the top of my head). Politicians and the media regularly hurl the term Nazi at each other as an insult. Even Quentin Tarantino feels the need to do a WW2 film with Hitler as a character. New books on the subject are published every week.
Communism is arguably an even more repellent regime, Nazi Germany for all it's abhorent evil never had to prevent it's population leaving in peacetime. The individual in Nazi Germany actually enjoyed more freedom than they did under Stalin. And he certainly killed far more people. Yet you walk down the street with a hammer and sickle no one bats an eye. Try it with a Swastika?
So what's the fascination? Is it that they are just so out and out the epitome of comic book bad guys? As Mitchell and Webb pointed out they even have black uniforms with skulls on them (communism is extremely humanitarian in theory, it just falls down in practice). WW2 is often referred to as the last good war, the clearly morally superior allies against the indisputibly evil axis (although with Stalin on our side you wonder if that's actually true?). Is it their larger than life villainy with hints of sci-fi and fantasy, inventing ahead of their time wonder weapons with extreme (mad?) science and fascinated with the occult?
Could it be as simple as how they dress? As Gabrielle once said 'Some guys (and girls) just love the leather'. Certainly Spike seems to think so. Lost count of the number of fanfics (and even lovingly crafted fan art web comics) where Wonder Woman becomes a Nazi sex breeding slave, sometimes willingly, sometimes not. An essential part of each fic is the modification/fetishfication of her outfit, red, white and blue, stars and stripes, go-go boots and lasso becoming lots of black and red leather/PVC, swastikas, spike-heeled black thigh boots and whip (don't worry she always overcomes in the end, her children rebel and rescue her or everyone falls in love with her and let's her go etc. My favourite is where she turns around at the end and goes "Well actually I'm jewish" and that's pretty much the end for the third reich, the regime is dismantled and she and Hitler set up house in rural Austria where he quietly lives out his life as an obscure painter). Is it just the power of their instantly recognisable iconography (kinda tough on the Swastika which is used in Hinduism, Bhudism and even by the ancient Greeks, actually makes sense for Amazon Wonder Woman to have them on her outfit). Think of Star Wars with it's serried ranks of identical 'stormtroopers' and Darth Vaders blacker than black futuristic Gestapo gear or the Daleks with their screeching hysterical voices and obsession with racial purity.
Or is the idea that it could ever happen again, all those Nazis who fled to South America or Southern Ireland with their stolen fortunes and technology, just biding their time for their revenge.
Why are we still obsessed with it all? Will we ever put it behind us? Or is it similar to our fascination with vampires? Power, seduction and the purity of evil? Do we find them sexy? (certainly Max Mosely does) Of course Angel gives us Nazi Vampires so we have both combined not to mention The Scourge with all their Nazi imagery.
Marks out of 10; 8/10, a good ep, pretty much 'In the bottle' or should that be 'In the sub'. With Angel's reduced budget this year they tend to go for a lot eps just confined to the WR&H set (Harm's Way, Life of the Party) or other stuff that's lying around the studio.

Now here's a crowdpleaser!

SMILE TIME
The Good;
It's all fabulous, a truly, truly great episode and I'm proud to say I do own a puppet Angel doll (unfortunately the one with him in vampface as all the rest were sold out).
The Bad;
?
Best line;
Polo; "I'm going to tear you a new puppet-hole *****!" (a line never before said on TV and in all probability never will be again)
also like;
Puppet Angel; "I'm made of felt. And my nose comes off!" (as above)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The bit where the puppets make their creator 'talk to the hand', euugghhh!
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
Cute children's puppets are EVIL! Also like the talk between Gunn and Lorne with Framkin where he correctly points out that actually the public would invariably support him if their case ever came to trial. Puppet Angel's Jerry Bruckheimer style 'power walk' also hilarious.
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 18,
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6

Fang gang knocked out: Angel by the nest egg
Cordy: 15
Angel: 20
Wes: 9
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 6
Spike; 5
Kills; 1 demon for Angel, 2 for Gunn and 1 for Wes
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 48 vamps, 63 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 15 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 3 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 15 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 7 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang; puppet Angel
Cordy: 4
Angel: 12
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed:
2265
Recurring characters killed;
11
Total number of Angel Investigations; 6,
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, Spike

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat;
Fred uses one of Wes' 45s to good effect (maybe they've learned their lesson from Lineage?). She's a good shot but then she is from Texas.
Wes; 11
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 4

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony

Kinky dinky:
Nina and Angel start to grow closer and closer. Naked Nina in her cell showing an awful lot of flesh after returning to human once more "Oh my god, I ate him!" Hmmmmm? Flora the puppet says she wants to get Gunn's 'Pretty eyes'. Fred thinks puppet Angel is cute. Nina seems to now enjoy being naked and locked in a cage. She thinks the whole vampire thing is kinda sexy although she admits that's a cliche for an art-school chick.
Polo's line to the little kid 'Get over here and touch it' is a bit suspect especially the way he moans and groans when he's draining the lifeforce and talks about taking their innocence away.
Captain Subtext;
Angel has been utterly oblivious to Nina's growing attraction to him but it's perfectly plain to everyone else, even souless Harmony. He does however pick up on the Wes/Fred vibe.
Know the face, different character; 7 David Fury, writer, producer, director and now actor. He previously played the goat-sacrificer in Epiphany and the mustard on his shirt guy in Once More with Feeling.
Parking garages;
9,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Especially love the way that Horatio can convey whole sentences in just a few sounds, Chewbacca style. Also you note that Groofus is beginning to be more and more won over to humanity (a common theme in Buffy/Angel), actually caring about the quality of the show in addition to their soul-sucking. David Fury is pretty good in his role. Fred shoots down Knox whom as we'll see doesn't take rejection well. It's been 4 months since Unleashed. Puppet Angel does pretty well against Spike. The last few seasons of Happy Days are referenced where Fonzie famously 'jumped the shark' (a sly joke for the Angel audience and critics who might think Angel is past it's best? Or the WB executives?) In an otherwise extremely lightweight episode we have the beginning of the fall of Charles Gunn, the senior partners having given him these new abilities he revels in and then forcing him to make moral compromises when they start slipping away from him.
Presumably the camera crews etc we see are actually the real Angel camera crews? Why no commentary?
Marks out of 10; 10/10, it's eps like these that make Buffy and Angel so special.

[Superboy-Prime]

The way you write your episode reviews ive seen it somewhere before I just cant remember where.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

The way you write your episode reviews ive seen it somewhere before I just cant remember where.

Inspired by the old episode guide books written by fans that you used to get (I don't think you get them any more, the Internet has made them redundant) and I've posted reviews for dozens of different shows on hundreds of websites under various names over the years so it's very possible you've seen some before.

A HOLE IN THE WORLD
The Good;
Some very worthy stuff here, lovely Spike/Angel and Fred/Wes stuff. Gunn starts to realise the price he's paid for his mind upgrade. Especially love the moment when Fred sings and Lorne reacts, reading her future.
The Bad;
The White Room scene seems very unnecessary
Best line; has to be;
Fred; "Wesley, why can't I stay?"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Considering what happened to Glenn Quinn the Burkles remarks about 'Junkie movie stars' are a little tasteless. Also Wes kneecapping the guy who just wanted his fax. Needless to say, hard to watch Fred suffer.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
Fred isn't concerned by the sword sticking through Angel but wants the specimen on it
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 18,
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6
Fang gang knocked out: Fred passes out
Cordy: 15
Angel: 20
Wes: 9
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 7
Spike; 5
Kills; going to let Fred go out with a bang and give her a dozen demon babies from the nest. Also one for Wes and one for Spike. 4 of Drogyn's demon guards each for Spike and Angel.
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 48 vamps, 67 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 16 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 3 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 15 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 14 demons, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 12 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1
Alternate Fang Gang; Fred to Illyria
Cordy: 4
Angel: 12
Fred; 3
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1
Characters killed:
2265
Recurring characters killed; goodbye Fred, liked you but never loved you as I did say Willow. Still, sad to see you go.
12
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5,
Angel, Gunn, Lorne, Wes, Spike
Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat; literally as here we have Fred as Ripley (before Alien3 ruined the series) packing a flamethrower whilst Wes has his shotgun and a 45 later
Wes; 12
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 5
Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Do Wes and Fred have sex? She implies he's never been there before, do they have sex? Maybe
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 2 possible, Justine, Fred
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn, 1 possible Wes
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony
Kinky dinky:
Fred hints she's had group sex with the varsity lacrosse team. She says she's joking but you know she was doing a lot of weed back then. Fred is in effect orally raped by the essence of Illyria which then gestates inside her, taking over her body (again, very like Aliens)
Captain Subtext;
Spike; "You think we should annoy other people?" Couple or what? Spike thinks James Bond's tux is poncey. Say that to his face? Angel doesn't know about Wes/Fred just as he didn't know about Fred/Gunn. Spike and Angel hold hands, hmmmm? They refer to St Petersberg where Anyanka and Halfyrek also hung out, wonder if it was at the same time?
Know the face, different character; 7
Parking garages;
9,
Guantanamo Bay;
Lorne hits Eve. Didn't see that coming just as Lindsey won't in NFA
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .
Missing scenes;
According to the commentary this show was very long so plenty of scenes to be restored on a DVD extra
Questions and observations;
For my money the astronauts win, they've everything the cavemen have plus science and technology. Lots of Aliens imagery, Fred with a flamethrower, the critters at the beginning, even the 'cow-pat' emblem on the sarcophagus looks a bit like a facehugger curled up. Lovely Wes and Gunn moment over Fred, Gunn almost has you going for a bit. Knox is also very believable. Is Fred mesmerised by the sarcophagus crystal as Buffy was in Helpless? Spike and Angel have never flown in a plane before and seem nervous about it. Their bonding on the plane is lovely. They speak of returning to the UK as the mother country, obviously a long time since they've been home. Spike didn't like Les Mis, neither did I, rather see Wicked again. Like Dianne Warren though and I think secretly Gunn does too.
Marks out of 10; 8/10 good ep but hard to watch

SHELLS
The Good;
Great battles and some real heartbreak for Wes and Gunn. Also like the skeleton key gag.
The Bad;
Why do Wes and co keep attacking Illyria with swords etc when his axe just shatters off her head in the opening scene? Illyria mispronounces 'Offal'. The ending is perhaps a little overly maudlin compared to 'You're welcome'.
Best line;
Harmony; "Sorry boss, if I'd have stopped her in Gunn's office..."
Angel; "Did you get chucked out a window?"
Harmony; "No"
Angel; "Then you're one up on me!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Wes stabs Gunn
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
Illyria; "My last high priest was taller"
plus Angel doing his 'save humanity' speech only for Wes to give Knox some Frank Castle style therapy with his Colt 45 (and I'm not talking about the beer!)
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 18,
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6
Fang gang knocked out: Wes by Illyria
Cordy: 15
Angel: 20
Wes: 10
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 7
Spike; 5
Kills; Wes kills Knox
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 48 vamps, 67 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 16 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 15 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 14 demons, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 12 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1
Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 12
Fred; 3
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1
Characters killed:
2265
Recurring characters killed;
12
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5,
Angel, Gunn, Lorne, Wes, Spike
Angel Investigations shot: although it's a wonder, they run in front of their SWAT team's guns?
Angel: 14
Wes; 2
Packing heat; Wes armed to the hilt this ep
Wes; 13
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 5
Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 2 possible, Justine, Fred
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn, 1 possible Wes
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony
Kinky dinky:
Knox's mum thought he was reading porn. Let this be a lesson to us all, let your children read porn otherwise they'll turn into the crazed acolyte of an ancient demon warrior-goddess who plots to destroy humanity. Illyria strips in front of Knox. Spike agrees Harmony has a degree in tearing things up, his back? Angel refers to Jasmine violating CC. Harmony fancied Knox.
Captain Subtext;
Harmony has great insight for a vamp, telling Wes the girl of his dreams loved him. She also comments that Knox's Rick Springfield screensaver opens a whole new bunch of questions.
Know the face, different character; 7
Parking garages;
9,
Guantanamo Bay;
Everyone tortures everyone else, it's the Spanish inquisition! Love the way Wes is glad that Knox is tortured even before he knows Knox is a traitor.
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .
Missing scenes;
Questions and observations;
Note the weapons lined up by Fred's bedside. Harmony talks of her 'pound of flesh', a term from The Merchant of Venice which also features a climactic courtroom scene. Lornes isolation gradually growing. Willow is in Tibet, looking up Oz? Wes comments "Never a witch around when you need one", his wife of course Alysson Hannigan. 'Old ones' very Babylon 5 term. Note with the exception of Harmony who isn't part of AI Angel is now an all-male production? Is Fred's soul actually destroyed? Is that possible?
Knox comments that humans have conquered demons through opposable thumbs, fire, TV and sneakiness. Guess that settles the whole astronauts vs cavemen debate, the astronauts win out. Illyria know's WR&H of old? She could be a mine of info on them. Do you think she knew Glory too? She learns the hard way that the ravages of time wait for no man and can even bring a goddess to her knees. We see Wes pack away Fred's Roy Rogers commemorative plate which she mentioned to Knox about in an earlier ep. AI seems to rapidly be becoming the place for people with nowhere else to go. Harmony makes herself incredibly useful in this ep, even figuring out the cellphone messages.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

UNDERNEATH

The Good;
All the Lindsey stuff is great and love the appearance of Marcus and everyone's reaction to it. Love the Spike/Angel conference complete with beer.
The Bad;
How does Lindsey know Fred and Cordy are dead? Or is he referring to Doyle and Gunn? You can see the perspective gag when Marcus punches through the security guard. The background on the roof set which Wes and Illyria stand on is obviously fake.
Best line;
Angel; "Bad things always happen here, Spike"
Spike; "Hate to break it to you mate but bad things happen everywhere"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Lindsey/Gunn have their own personal torture chamber. Spike just picks up the hearts with his bare hands.
Apocalypses: 5 Spike and Angel have a discussion over what qualifies as an apocalypse. Lindsey informs them they're actually living in an apocalypse.
Angel Cliches
Subverting the Hollywood cliche; Marcus doesn't want to fight, just to get Eve to sign her contract.
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 19, Lorne takes the bullets out of Spike
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 20
Wes: 10
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 7
Spike; 5
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 48 vamps, 67 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 16 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 15 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 14 demons, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 12 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang; suburban Gunn
Cordy: 4
Angel: 12
Fred; 3
Wes; 1
Gunn; 2
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed: poor WR&H security guard
2265
Recurring characters killed; Eve realises that she's going to die just like Anya in Buffy.
12
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5,
Angel, Gunn, Lorne, Wes, Spike

Angel Investigations shot: Spike and Angel
Angel: 15
Wes; 2
Spike; 1
Packing heat; not the gang but you've got to love a series with Uzi toting soccer moms!
Wes; 13
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 5

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 2 possible, Justine, Fred
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn, 1 possible Wes
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony

Kinky dinky:
Spike talks about 'pounding the neighbours wife'.
Captain Subtext;
Angel and Lorne comment on how well dressed Marcus is. Lindsey's wife is very reminiscent of Darla, you wonder if Angel and Spike are thinking that when then they open the door. Gunn obviously wants to be punished. Illyria says 'We' are so weak?
Know the face, different character; 7
Parking garages; oh yeah
10,
Guantanamo Bay;
Harmony has been told 'No torture' by Angel. Lorne is shocked when Angel reveals he left Gunn behind. The Wrath!
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Spike refers to Knightrider, he shouldn't have teased the Geeks! Spike asks what the collective name for the Angel gang is, we never quite decided, like AI and the Fang Gang personally. It's actually Spike who comes up with the idea of talking to Eve. Harmony in the title sequence, how great, MM in the show right from the pilot, now a regular. They talked about the Lorne Green idea before in Happy Anniverasry. Am I missing something about Wes' joke? The world without shrimp is referenced again, this time the world with it. Eve is the child of the senior partners but doesn't even know who or what they are? But surely Illyria does? Are all the inhabitants in the holding dimension prisoners? Do we ever see Gunn in his suit again? And he's shaved his head. Surely he must wear a suit for court? The partners obviously think a lot of Lindsey, keeping him alive to decide if he'll still be useful. What does 'blocking' mean? It's been 4 months since 'You're welcome'. Gunn actually comes across really well as the family man. Does Marcus represent the WB suits who cancelled Angel?
Marks out of 10; 8/10 for the holding dimension stuff alone


ORIGIN
The Good;
Great final confrontation and like the way that Spike is so possessive of his clipboard. Powerful performance from Wes who grows ever more derranged as he suspects Angel has betrayed them.
The Bad;
?
Best line;
Connor; (eying Illyria) "Sorry, always had a thing for older women"
Angel; (muttering) "They were supposed to fix that"
Connor; "What?"
Angel; "Nothing"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Gunn has his heart ripped out on a daily basis.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 19,
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 20
Wes: 10
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 7
Spike; 5
Kills; Angel kills at least 5 demons, Connor kills 2
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 48 vamps, 72 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 16 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 15 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 14 demons, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 12 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 12
Fred; 3
Wes; 1
Gunn; 2
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1

Characters killed:
2265
Recurring characters killed;
12
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5, Wes refers to them running out of people.
Angel, Gunn, Lorne, Wes, Spike

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 15
Wes; 2
Spike; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 13
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 5

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 2 possible, Justine, Fred
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn, 1 possible Wes
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony

Kinky dinky:
Spike refers to Illyria as a 'filthy harlot'. Connor fancies her, once again a thing for older women, a teenage boy's lust so powerful even magic can't change it. Illyria wants to keep Spike as her pet.
Captain Subtext;
Marcus tells Angel he and Angel won't be having sex on the couch 'anytime soon'. But doesn't rule it out entirely? Angel's 'Do I look 500?' joke perhaps a comment on immortal Angel looking noticeably older. Check out the little look Illyria gives Harmony as she walks out of Wes' office. Hmmmm? Connor wonders if Sajhan wants to kiss him?
Know the face, different character; 7
Parking garages;
10,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .
A few nice fics regarding what would happen is Connor and Dawn hitched up. What would the children of the son of 2 vampires and The Key be like?

Missing scenes;

Questions and observations;
Never liked Connor but much like Riley in 'As You Were' he's much easier to accept in small doses. Anne Rice bashed. Good! Was it Cyrus Vail that made Sajhan incorporeal? What courage Gunn shows although you'd have liked to have heard what Marcus was going to offer him? You forget that Sajhan never met adult Connor so has no idea who he is. Does everyone now remember about Connor or just Illyria, Connor and Wes?

Marks out of 10; 8/10 here begins the rehabilitation of Connor for me frankly

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

TIME BOMB
The Good;
Great performance from mad Wes and lovely scenes between him and Gunn making up
The Bad;
In any show featuring time travel it's always a bit of a cheat to kill characters knowing you can just click your fingers and bring them back.
Best line;
Marcus; "Curing cancer Mr Pryce?"
Wes; "Wouldn't be cost effective. I'm sure we make a lot of money from cancer"
Marcus; "True, the patent holder is a client"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
The Breathren want to feed their baby messiah consecrated urine and panda meat. I'm not sure which is worse?
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Subverting the Hollywood cliche; evil demon Fell Breathren all paternal (and rather camp?) about the coming baby. They also like organic cola.
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 19,
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6
Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 20
Wes: 10
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 7
Spike; 5
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 48 vamps, 72 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 16 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 15 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 14 demons, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 12 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1
Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 12
Fred; 3
Wes; 1
Gunn; 2
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1
Characters killed:
2265
Recurring characters killed; everyone but then they come back
12
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5,
Angel, Gunn, Lorne, Wes, Spike
Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 15
Wes; 2
Spike; 1
Packing heat;
Wes; 13
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 5
Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 2 possible, Justine, Fred
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn, 1 possible Wes
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony
Kinky dinky:
Gunn suggests they keep Illyria in a leash. Spike refers to 'Dear Penthouse'.
Captain Subtext;
Illyria says that adaptation is compromise and Spike teases her about learning and the Internet. Again, we see why humans rule the world and demons don't.
Know the face, different character; 7
Parking garages;
10,
Guantanamo Bay;
Suspicion of each other has started to pull AI apart, they don't trust each other anymore?
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .
Angel travelling in time used by many fanficcers to rescue characters from all sorts of trouble.
Missing scenes;
Questions and observations;
Wes suggests they keep Illyria as an asset and he's to be proven correct. Jamie Bergman of course is Mrs Boreanaz and a Playboy Playmate. Has she turned up in Bones yet? Anyone else worry that Wes is slowly becoming Illyria's high priest? Marcus suggests that Angel has gone from front runner in the earning stakes to back of the pack, a hint of Angel's history at the WB? When did the 1000 year war begin? Anyone else think that Illyria reminds you of Lady Gaga? Jim Jones was a religious cult leader who led his followers into mass suicide in the South American jungle.
Here Angel get's the idea for the story arc in the last few eps.
Marks out of 10; 7/10 I think the Illyria storyline drags on too long

THE GIRL IN QUESTION
The Good;
Personally I think it's worth it just to see 50s Spike and Dru in their chic Fellini phase. Also stunning to see Amy Acker switch from Fred to Illyria and back in the blink of an eye. Love the slow-motion fight in the nightclub.
The Bad;
DB's Irish accent, thankfully the last time we'll hear it.
Best line;
Ilona; "The gypsies are a filthy people and we shall talk of them no more!" (the line that stays with you from this ep)
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Mucho racism against gypsies! And against Americans (which of course neither Spike or Angel are) and some great cliches about Italians both negative (feckless, excitable, untrustworthy) and positive (cultured, stylish, charming). Also it's a little bad taste for Spike to have kept Nicky's jacket all these years, especially when Robin Wood was around.
Apocalypses: 5 Spike queries that defeating the Mayor or Jasmine really counts as saving the world?
Angel Cliches
Subverting the Hollywood cliche; our cool heroes Spike and Angel are defeated and humiliated by the infinitely cooler Immortal.
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 20 shirtless Spike but oddly not Angelus?
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6
Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 20
Wes: 10
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 7
Spike; 5
Kills;
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 48 vamps, 72 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 12 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 16 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 15 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 14 demons, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 12 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1
Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 12
Fred; 3
Wes; 1
Gunn; 2
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1
Characters killed: Angelus kills one of the Immortal's lackeys.
2265
Recurring characters killed;
12
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5,
Angel, Gunn, Lorne, Wes, Spike
Angel Investigations shot: no but Spike and Angel get blown up
Angel: 15
Wes; 2
Spike; 1
Packing heat; Spike says they'll need lots of guns which may be a Matrix ref.
Wes; 13
Doyle; 1
Angel; 4
Gunn; 3
Fred; 5
Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Angel describes himself as 'Seeing Nina' but denies she's his girlfriend. The Immortal of course is an eternal being who may or may not be evil, just as Buffy likes them. Spike says he knows he hasn't a shot with Buffy but still loves her. The bartender comments that the Immortal's girlfriends come and go. So this makes Buffy's track record;
Buffy: 4 confirmed; Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike. 4 possible, Dracula+RJ+Shadowmen's demon and The Immortal(?)
almost certain that Buffy and the Immortal have sex but we've never see it so unconfirmed, all we're told is that they snuggle. But then she's done that with Scott Hope, Owen and Jeffery.
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 6; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 2 possible, Justine, Fred
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn, 1 possible Wes
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony
Kinky dinky:
Spike tells Angel to 'Wank off!' The Immortal seems to have enjoyed a threesome with Darla and Dru which the pair are reluctant to do with Spike and Angelus. The Immortal didn't hurt Darla until she asked him to and describes him as insatiable and their sex as really great fornification. Dru refers to playing 'Pony'. Angelus once again declares that nuns are 'his thing'. The bartender describes Buffy as a 'girl gone wild'. Spike thinks that sex makes a relationship if you do it enough (good thing he never tells Angel about him and Buffy getting to fifth base on the balcony at the Bronze!). Trish Burkle seems very fond of Wes.
WR&H Rome CEO is a knockout. Literally, I think her amazing breasts would knock you out if you got too close (but what a way to be rendered unconscious!). She also seems like a past amour of The Immortal and considers their dealings 'most satisfactory'. Angel refers to The Immortal eating Buffy's cookie dough. Andrew appears to be going on a date with a pair of beautiful Italian girls, has he become a Casanova or.....?
Captain Subtext;
....are they his 'fag hags' to quote Will and Grace? Loads of Spike and Angel bonding despite Angel commenting it's not 'About us' and referring to themselves as 'Partners'. Angelus' threat to shove the henchmen's arrows 'slowly up their arses' is rife with not so subtle gay innuendo as is the use of the phrase 'had us tossed'. Dru and Darla enjoy a threesome with the Immortal and then like to bathe together. Dru likes Darla to hold her underwater? Spike calls the Immortal a ponce. When they're on the scooter Spike tell Angel not to hold so tight. The male demon admits he's in love with the Immortal.
Know the face, different character; 7
Parking garages;
10,
Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .
Lot's of fic where the Immortal saves everyone from every possible fate that has befallen them. Lot's more slashfic when we see him with Spike and Angelus and sometimes both at once. Also a lovely one where Dawn has The Talk with The Immortal just as Joyce had with Angel, telling him that if he loves Buffy he must let her go.
Missing scenes;
Rumour has it that SMG was willing to appear in this ep but Joss declined as he thought that the ep should be about the Angel characters alone and she would steal the show. Also rumoured that the Immortal would be played by Freddie Prinze aka Mr SMG or Christian Slater meaning that Buffy had fufilled her ambitions in the movie of graduate, go to Europe, marry Christain Slater and die. Then again maybe the Immortal is more of a Hugh Hefner/Errol Flynn sort of character and Buffy is just his latest Girl of the Immortal's Mansion? (RJ aside she always did have a thing for older men)
Questions and observations;
We never see Gunn in his suit again. Lorne seems to be drinking a lot, we hardly ever see him now without a glass in his hand. Did Wes never tell Fred's family what happened to her? So is this really Buffy? According to the comics this is actually a decoy she set up because she's actually in Scotland but maybe that's AFTER this episode? Surely Spike and Angel would be able to tell her by her scent alone? Sadly the last time we'll see Darla, Dru and Andrew. What does 'Ragazza' mean? The chase scene may be a homage to The Pink Panther. Spike refers to 'shemps' from the 3 stooges. Illyria appears to be developing human feelings. Personally I agree with Wes, as long as Illyria can always keep up the pretence it's kinder to the Burkles to have them think that Fred is still alive.
I think a lot of people dislike this ep as we see our cool heroes humiliated by the much cooler Immortal but I think it's great. Andrew says that Buffy loves both Angel and Spike which the comics bear out. Personally I think Buffy/human Angel with resouled/human Dru as the girl for Spike, Spike in all honesty knowing he's not the guy. You must remember that the Immortal is not the long term guy as he doesn't age and Buffy does, as the bartender and Andrew point out they can't be together for long.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

POWER PLAY
The Good;
Drogan and Illyria play Crash Bandicoot. Angel reveals his devious side and Illyria starts to embrace her humanity.
The Bad;
When Angel arrives at WR&H's offices it's night but when he walks into his office it's day. Angel threatens Lorne with a neck hold but we know Lorne can be decapitated and survive? But maybe that's the point?
Best line;
Lindsey; "They're a secret socitey"
Gunn; "Never heard of them"
Lindsey; "That's because they're SECRET!"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Drogan tortured and killed is horrible. Also nasty to see Marcus pounding Illyria.
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Subverting the Hollywood cliche; Angel kills Drogan!
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 20
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6
Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 20
Wes: 10
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 7
Spike; 5
Kills; Illyria kills the demon, Angel kills Drogan
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons
Angel; 48 vamps, 72 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 13 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 16 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 humans, 2 cyborgs
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 15 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 14 demons, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 demons, Jasmine
Spike; 21 vamps, 12 demons+1 human+one parasite
Fang Gang go evil: we almost think Angel does
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1
Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 12
Fred; 3
Wes; 1
Gunn; 2
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1
Characters killed: 4 civilians plus Drogan
2269
Recurring characters killed; Drogan
13
Total number of Angel Investigations; 5, Illyria goes hunting with Spike, starting to become one of the gang
Angel, Gunn, Lorne, Wes, Spike
Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 15
Wes; 2
Spike; 1
Packing heat; Wes confronts Angel with a shotgun but Angel takes it off him
Wes; 14
Doyle; 1
Angel; 5
Gunn; 3
Fred; 5
Notches on the Scooby bedpost; Angel beds Nina, possibly the healthiest relationship he ever actually has?
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 7; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve, Nina
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 2 possible, Justine, Fred
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn, 1 possible Wes
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony
Kinky dinky:
Nina rumages in her bedside drawer for her stake. She finds something similar in shape and size but declares 'That's not a stake'? (does it take batteries, perhaps?). She refers to Angel's Rome friend and worries he was thinking of her (another petite blonde with supernatural abilities). Angel has obviously rocked her world to judge by her remarks, she agrees with the Furies. Oddly she suggests that Angel makes love on the beach 'by himself'? Illyria states that she and Wes are no longer having intercourse which Spike misunderstands.
Captain Subtext;
Spike empathises with Illyria and they develop quite a nice relationship so late in the day. Is the demonic female senator aiming to be president in 2008 a parody of Hilary Clinton? Angel refers to him and Spike being intimate once but he may be referring to the events of 'Just Rewards'. Spike refers to frat boys paddling each other's behinds to prove their manhood.
Know the face, different character; 7
Parking garages;
10,
Guantanamo Bay;
Drogan tortures the demon assassin whilst Angel sacrifices him for the greater good. Angel says that Lorne was amoral in his running of Caritas, he has a point. The gang want to torture Lindsey again but don't have to.
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .
Missing scenes;
Questions and observations;
Stacey Travis who plays the Senator was in a great old low budget Brit sci-fi movie called Hardware along with a pre-Hamburger Hill/The Practice Dylan McDermmott. Did Marcus Hainsley install her in that body? Drogan is apparently over 1000 years old and linked to the Watcher's Council. According to the comics Nina does stay in LA for the apocalypse. Nina says that Angel is a bad liar but as events prove he's actually brilliant. Illyria wishes she was still in the Deeper Well. Marcus and Drogan are old acquaintances. Flashback to CC the last we'll see of her. Did you notice the Senator's election rival is Joss Whedon?
The Circle of the Black Thorn very Halloween 6. They're an obvious convenient story twist to give the series some closure in just a few eps but it's a fascinating invention. Do they represent the executive board of the WB? Does Marcus buy Angel's act or is he always suspicious?
Marks out of 10; 7/10

And so it ends, a series that started for me 17 years ago when I went to see the original Buffy movie in the cinema ends tonight with the final ep of Angel."If we should meet again we shall drink deep and laugh long err this rememberance. And if we should not, then this is a parting well made"

NOT FADE AWAY
The Good;
The last day for the staff of Angel Investigations (especially poignant for Lorne/Andy Hallet who sings a wonderful version of 'If I ruled the world'). The final battles, Illyria and Lindsey in particular making great entrances. The twists in the tale. Also it's a small scene but love Harmony and Angel's little heart to heart, so very different but so very alike, Harmony actually misses being human a little but she's still evil.
The Bad;
Why didn't Joss do a commentary for the last ep of one of his finest creations? Richard Burton is a Welsh actor, not English. Angel says he doesn't remember what it was like to be human but he was human only 4 years ago in 'I will remember you' which was more recently than Harmony was (or was he leading Harmony on?). Jeff Bell's right, the cloaks the Fell Breathren wear make them look like football players on the bench.
Best line; plenty to choose from, best written shows on TV and they saved some of the best until last;
Angel; (getting pounded by Marcus) "Kinda hoped the fight would be going a little better"
followed by
Connor (punching Marcus and sending him flying) "Care about that dress for less!"
then
Marcus "I am a child of the Senior Partners, their strength flows through my veins, my blood is filled with their ancient power"
Angel (vamping out and biting him) "Can you guess the one word you shouldn't have mentioned?"
plus
Eve; "Are you sure you can handle the Sharvin?"
Lindsey; "They're sending me out with karaoke boy, how dangerous can it be?"
(oh the irony!)
Lorne; (shooting Lindsey) "I've heard you sing!"
and
Angel; (as WR&H collapses) "Time to go!"
Eve; "Go WHERE?"
also where else on TV would you get the line, Angel "The Fell Breathren, I want the baby returned to its' mother and the foster family dismembered"
Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Illyria makes trophies of the bad guys spines, glad we didn't get to see the eyeball thing! Gunn gives the demon Senator a splitting headache. Illyria gives Vail the mother of all uppercuts. Angel gets his own pen through his hand. It's a disgusting line but always makes me laugh, Vail "I crap better magic than this"
Apocalypses: 5
Angel Cliches
Subverting the Hollywood cliche; Lorne kills Lindsey, the clown becomes a tragic figure, much as in King Lear, his leaving incredibly poignant. We think Lindsey might actually be redeemed in typical Angel fashion but instead he gets two in the chest.
In disguise; 8
DB/JM get's his shirt off; 20
Cheap Angel; 8
Fang Gang in bondage:
Cordy: 5
Angel: 15
Wes: 8
Gunn; 8
Lorne; 6
Fred; 5
Spike; 6
Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 20
Wes: 10
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 8
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 7
Spike; 5
Kills; Angel kills Marcus, Sebassis and the Pee-Pee demon. Illyria finally in the gang and kills Izzie, 3 humans(?) and Vail. Gunn kills the demon Senator and at least 2 of her vamps. Spike kills at least 3 of the Fell breathren. Lorne, who in 4 years of the most violent show on TV never killed anything kills Lindsey.
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3½ demons- 9 kills including those on Buffy
Angel; 48 vamps, 74 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 14 humans, one werewolf and one cyborg- 144 kills including those on Buffy
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 16 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 humans, 2 cyborgs-32 kills
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.- 34 kills including those on Buffy
Gunn; 13 vamps+ 16 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.- 35
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 14 demons, 5 zombies-22
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 4 demons, Jasmine-26
Spike; 21 vamps, 15 demons+1 human+one parasite-38
Illyria; 1 devil, 3 humans and whatever Cyrus Vail is?-5
Lorne; 1 human
so in the course of 5 seasons AI kill over 300 beings and they're the good guys! Most violent show on TV by a long chalk!
Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1
Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 12
Fred; 3
Wes; 1
Gunn; 2
Connor; 1
Lorne; 1
Characters killed:
2268
Recurring characters killed; goodbye Wes. Gunn, Spike, Lorne etc have all made incredible emotional journey's over the course of the show but when you think how Wes first appeared in his Buffy debut 'Bad Girls' and how he dies here the contrast is INCREDIBLE! Yet totally believeable, a tribute to both writers and actor.
Perhaps I should include Lindsey too? But ultimately Angel believes he's evil and Lorne agrees having heard him sing. I'm not sure if he's evil per se as just ruthless in the pursuit of what he wants and jealous of Angel? If Angel hadn't taken over WR&H would he ever have come back to LA? Both he and Angel ignore the advice they gave each other at the end of Dead End and both pay for it.
People have pointed out that the only characters to feature in both the first and last eps of Angel;TS are Angel and Lindsey. But actually, excluding Buffy guest stars, the only regular or recurring characters to survive from the first season of the show to the end of the last episode are Angel, a dying Gunn and Kate who's off being an Assistant DA in New York.
14-Angel kills off a regular or recurring character every 7-8 episodes, like Buffy, the most ruthless show on TV
Total number of Angel Investigations; 6 with Illyria finally coming on board for the final battle but down to 4 in the end with Wes dead and Lorne gone.
Angel, Gunn, Illyria, Spike
Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 15
Wes; 2
Spike; 1
Packing heat; Lorne kills Lindsey with a silenced pistol
Wes; 14
Doyle; 1
Angel; 5
Gunn; 3
Fred; 5
Lorne; 1
Notches on the Scooby bedpost;
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 7; Buffy, Darla, The Transcending Furies, Eve, Nina
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 2 possible, Justine, Fred
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn, 1 possible Wes
Groo; 1Cordy
Spike; 3-Buffy, Anya, Harmony
Kinky dinky:
Harmony and Hamilton get it on, Harmony gorgeous in her undies as Playboy fans can attest to. Wes wonders if he should spend his last day with Mistress Spanksalot, is she the person he referred to with the handcuffs in Over the Rainbow? Whilst Spike wows the crowd with his poem dedicated to Cecilly/Halfyrek you wonder what they made of 'The Wanton folly of my mum"?
"You gave me life,
I sired you,
You claimed that I,
Desired you
You begged me so to take you
Appalled I then did stake you..."
Connor wonders if it's the werewolf side of things that attracts Angel to Nina and asks if there's "Fur flying". Connor now remembers his fling with Cordelia and thinks it 'Inappropriately erotic'. Lindsey comments that Eve is the one thing of his Angel never got his hands on, she doesn't seem to have told Lindsey about her Halloween tryst with him.
Captain Subtext;
Illyria starts to show feelings for Wes and Gunn, maybe too late for both. Angel gives Marcus a hell of a hickey! When Angel boasts to Connor about his nice handwriting Connor replies "You girl!" Nice little goodbyes between Wes and Gunn, Wes and Angel and Lorne. Angel tells Sebassis that if he wants to kill Spike then they may have to kiss. Angel tells Lindsey "I want you" but both decide he should rephrase that remark. Illyria-as-Fred refers to Wes as 'My Wesley', just as Lilah calls him in 'Home'.
Know the face, different character; 7
Parking garages;
10,
Guantanamo Bay;
Angel and co discover that all the evil in the world is run by this secret society and decide to change things by slaughtering each and every one of them and to hell with the consequences! Angel's method of killing Sebassis is particularly clever, a real Keyzer Soze moment.
Buffy characters on Angel; 17
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil, Andrew.
What the fanficcers thought; .
Plenty of fanfic concentrating on what happened after the final fadeout. Buffy and co showing up and annihilating the demon armies as part of Angel's trap a firm favourite or Angel zapping them all into another dimension which is why he chose the old magic alley where Connor was born etc. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3106151/1/The_Last_Night Plenty of Buffy/Angel live happily ever after fic and just as much Buffy/Spike. Also read a couple of nice ones about Harmony, one where she opens up Angel's reference for her, reads it out loud and promptly bursts into flames due to the spell concealed in the wording and one where she opens it up, reads it out loud and promptly get's her soul restored by the same. Plus Connor and Dawn hooking up.
Oh, plus Wes and Mistress Spanksalot
Happy endings for any fanfic that upset you here; http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4643199/1/The_Rape_of_Buffy
Missing scenes;
Now if you read the comics Angel defeats WR&H's armies by convincing the dragon to change sides and then saves Gunn by vamping him as he did with the sailor Lawson in 'Why we fight'. He and the others then make their way through post-apocalyptic Hell-on-earth-LA with ghost Wes as his advisor.
Questions and observations;
Angel turns the power of the senior partners against them, taking the power of Marcus' blood and using it to defeat him. Does this now mean that Angel is a child of the senior partners? What happens to Eve? Does she survive the fall of WR&H? Where does Lorne go, back to Pylea?
Whenever I watch the last ep of Buffy I always drink a bottle of champagne at the end. Don't do that with Angel, it has a different vibe to it. But just as good! Connor goes from a dislikeable character in season 3/4 to an acceptable one in 'Origin' to actually likeable here. So wonderful to see Anne again, lovely touch. So if Angel has signed away his destiny to become human does that mean it's definitely Spike? Is that why Marcus is now prepared to kill Angel? Are Illyria's tears all part of her Fred illusion or are they real and for Wes? Who are the producers Jeff Bell thanks but is not allowed to mention? Spike refers to the 'Manson family' whom he also mentioned in The Yoko factor (their infamous massacre supposedly inspired by the Beatles' song Helter Skelter which was one of Adam's favourites). Gunn refers to Illyria as Blue Thunder. Wes says the first lesson of being a Watcher is to seperate truth from illusion. On TV there's a small thank you scene to the fans at the end of the ep but not on the DVDs.
Marks out of 10; need you ask? 10/10
Jeff Bell thanks us for watching the series. No Jeff, thank you and everyone else for making it. Angel and co are still out there slaying the dragon. And so should we be. C'mon everybody let's go to work!

[Superboy-Prime]

Hey I don't know if you read books or anything but I suggest you check out the Dresden files by Jim butcher. It reminds me of Buffy with the humor and the way they make you think somethings going one way but goes another. Also he goes up against people who are way stronger than him and comes up with clever ways to defeat them.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk