Angel ep by ep; rewatch and reviews

[mimic]

I will remember you


Marks out of 10; 6/10

an ep with buffy rates a 6. and this is why i won't be watching the actual show.

Okay, I have to say this. If you're going to judge Buffy as a character based on her two appearances in Angel, she is going to come off as a bitch. I'd go so far as to say that outside of 'Get It Done' the AtS episode 'Sanctuary' is probably the most negative portrayal of the character that you'll get, with parts of 'IWRY' following close behind. So if that's your reason for not giving BtVS a chance...she's a much better character than you'd think from just watching Angel.

 

[saturn5]

I will remember you


Marks out of 10; 6/10

an ep with buffy rates a 6. and this is why i won't be watching the actual show.

An ep with Faith and Willow rates 10/10. Watch Buffy, you'll never regret it

 

[Mal]

I will remember you


Marks out of 10; 6/10

an ep with buffy rates a 6. and this is why i won't be watching the actual show.

An ep with Faith and Willow rates 10/10. Watch Buffy, you'll never regret it

i wasn't exactly bowled-over when willow made an appearance on Angel. oz was eh. and as i've already mentioned, i'm no fan of cordy. hell, i even prefer doyle to wes.

actually, of all the characters from buffy that show up on Angel, the only ones i really like are Spike and Eliza Dushku's Faith. indeed it was "faith" in Joss alone that compelled me to watch Dollhouse when it first came out. i lasted 5 episodes...

 

[Skellington]

Okay, I have to say this. If you're going to judge Buffy as a character based on her two appearances in Angel, she is going to come off as a bitch.

I was just about to post something to the same effect when I saw this.
As is often the case when a character from one show / series guest-stars in another, we're seeing a stylised and atypical version of the character here. Buffy is a bit of a bitch in both shows at around the time of late in Angel's first season. In Angel, though, we never get to see much of SMG's wonderful comic timing; her character's self-righteous side is pretty much to the fore here, which is something that always interested me (more so in Sanctuary than I Will Remember You). .

 

[C_Miller]

I will remember you


Marks out of 10; 6/10

an ep with buffy rates a 6. and this is why i won't be watching the actual show.

Okay, I have to say this. If you're going to judge Buffy as a character based on her two appearances in Angel, she is going to come off as a bitch. I'd go so far as to say that outside of 'Get It Done' the AtS episode 'Sanctuary' is probably the most negative portrayal of the character that you'll get, with parts of 'IWRY' following close behind. So if that's your reason for not giving BtVS a chance...she's a much better character than you'd think from just watching Angel.

I wouldn't go that far. After Season 5, I really couldn't stand her and some of their choices in Season 7 didn't make anyone look good. The charm of Buffy was always in the supporting cast. Giles, Faith, Willow, Xander, Oz, Tara, Anya, Dawn, Joyce, Spike, and of course Angel, I absolutely loved. And I really liked Buffy in seasons 1-5, but the whole Spike/Buffy thing left me cold and they spent so much time on it in the later seasons and it made her relations with the other characters suffer, which was always my favorite part of the show.

Mal, if you have a subscription to Netflix, Buffy streams on the site. Watch Season 1 and 2, and if you don't like it then, you won't like it period. But at least you'd have tried it.

 

[saturn5]

an ep with buffy rates a 6. and this is why i won't be watching the actual show.

Okay, I have to say this. If you're going to judge Buffy as a character based on her two appearances in Angel, she is going to come off as a bitch. I'd go so far as to say that outside of 'Get It Done' the AtS episode 'Sanctuary' is probably the most negative portrayal of the character that you'll get, with parts of 'IWRY' following close behind. So if that's your reason for not giving BtVS a chance...she's a much better character than you'd think from just watching Angel.

I wouldn't go that far. After Season 5, I really couldn't stand her and some of their choices in Season 7 didn't make anyone look good. The charm of Buffy was always in the supporting cast. Giles, Faith, Willow, Xander, Oz, Tara, Anya, Dawn, Joyce, Spike, and of course Angel, I absolutely loved. And I really liked Buffy in seasons 1-5, but the whole Spike/Buffy thing left me cold and they spent so much time on it in the later seasons and it made her relations with the other characters suffer, which was always my favorite part of the show.

Mal, if you have a subscription to Netflix, Buffy streams on the site. Watch Season 1 and 2, and if you don't like it then, you won't like it period. But at least you'd have tried it.

Buffy seasons 2 and 3 set the standard for tv and are better than any of Angel other than the Faith/Angelus arc in season 4. You HAVE to watch them. I think Buffy is still a likeable character in both of her Angel eps and Get It Done but we'll discuss that when we get there.

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

 

[saturn5]

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

 

[ToddKent]

I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN

This one gets my vote for best ep of season 1.

 

[Mal]

Hero
Cordy's advertisement idea and the one she films with Doyle are hilarious but ultimately incredibly poignant.

If you need help, then look no furder. Angel Investigations is the best. Our rats are low (RATES!) - it says rats. Our rates are low but our standards are high. When the chips are down and you're at the end of your rope, you need someone that you can count on. And that's what you'll find here. Someone who'll go all the way; who'll protect you no mader what. So don't lose hope. Come on over to our offices, and you'll see that there's still heroes in this world. Is that it? Am I done?

 

[RoJoHen]

indeed it was "faith" in Joss alone that compelled me to watch Dollhouse when it first came out. i lasted 5 episodes...

Funny, because Episode 6 is when it actually started getting good.

 

[Skellington]

indeed it was "faith" in Joss alone that compelled me to watch Dollhouse when it first came out. i lasted 5 episodes...

Funny, because Episode 6 is when it actually started getting good.

Am I the only one who liked ir from the begnning?

 

[Mal]

Parting Gifts

Expecting

is there a reason you skipped past 1x11 Somnambulist? it has some great scenes; i especially enjoyed this exchange:

what, you don't drink, so now no one gets to?
i don't expect you to understand.
oh, i, i understand. i was a puritan, remember.
it's got to end.
why? because you say so?
​

 

[Mal]

Expecting

Cordy hits the town with the girls but gets more than she bargained for.

seems to me, the episode is mostly a dry-run for Season 4. the beast that impregnates Cordy kind of looks like The Beast; Serena is a dark beauty like Jasmin (not a whole lot of that going on in the course of Angel); then of course there is Cordy getting pregnant and turning her evil.

 

[DS9Continuing]

Not to mention that...

Spoiler: Spoilers for season 2

Cordy is also impregnated by Skilosh demons in "Reprise" and "Epiphany."

Kind of makes a habit of it, apparently.

 

[AJBryant]

Not to mention that...

Spoiler: Spoilers for season 2

Cordy is also impregnated by Skilosh demons in "Reprise" and "Epiphany."

Kind of makes a habit of it, apparently.

Spoiler: the above spoiler

Yeah, Cordy was quite the party girl. That naughty little minx.

 

[saturn5]

Parting Gifts

Expecting

is there a reason you skipped past 1x11 Somnambulist? it has some great scenes; i especially enjoyed this exchange:

what, you don't drink, so now no one gets to?
i don't expect you to understand.
oh, i, i understand. i was a puritan, remember.
it's got to end.
why? because you say so?
​

None but my rank incompetence!

Yeah, Cordy really is a GOT-fetishists dream. As for Dollhouse I was always going to watch anything with Joss and Eliza. But the ep that made me a fan is dominatrix-Echo!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gCOGkxg_QA

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, � 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 school, went on to star in 28 Weeks Later (as a character called Doyle?), SWAT and Jesse James with Brad Pitt

Marks out of 10; 9/10 would be 10/10 if it had more arc.

 

[Mal]

THE PRODGAL
The Good;
Clever opening scene with Liam. Darla, yay!

darla yay



more like saffron yay!

Her words about love infecting the heart always are just incredible. Some nice paralells with Kate

kate >>> darla
or as the high school kids on buffy might say:
omg: kate, ftw!

and some nice comedy with the alarm system.

last episode also had some great stuff with Angel's new cell phone. fucking reception sucked - and here we are, 10 years later, and nothing has changed!

Liam's dad; "I was never in your way boy" (the most tragic line in the whole of Angel AND Buffy!)

best line
kate's dad: "it' not good to be alone, katie."
it isn't.

Questions and observations;
All the scenes between Kate and her dad are heartbreaking but pale compared to the tragedy of Liam and his family.

all the scenes with Liam are interesting, in that they provide his back-story, but pale in comparison to Kate & Trevor.

explains how she can set herself up as a supernatural version of The Punisher in season 6).

does not compute

Marks out of 10; 7/10, the flashback scenes a lot better than the modern day stuff

8/10 - flashback are valuable to the over-all series, but the heart of the matter lies with captain - er, detective - lockley, and her daddy.

 

[Skellington]

more like saffron yay!

She's bad news, Mal.

 

[saturn5]

more like saffron yay!

She's bad news, Mal.

Just watching that ep on the horror channel right now! For the Punisherette reference you have to read the Angel comics

 

[I am not Spock]

I liked Somnambulist. I was always a sucker for the 'historical' episodes, which illuminated eras of Angel/Angelus' past. Angel did the 'a vampire from Angel's past comes back to haunt him' episodes quite a bit, but I always enjoyed them. You don't hang around for as many centuries as Angelus without siring a whole shedload of evil progenies. Also, it was cool that Penn was the guy who was later in The Hurt Locker, and 28 Weeks Later.