VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, [3], 4 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 10:51:07 02/05/04 Thu
Author: Kuzibah
Author Host/IP: 12.175.117.195
Subject: Angel 5/12 (*SPOILERS*)

One of the unappreciated strengths of the series television format is the sheer volume of time it can take to tell its story. If movies are the equivalent of short stories, a good television series (in the post-"Hill Street Blues" era) is a novel. Characters can grow and develop. Plots can progress and evolve in a natural way. Themes and motifs can be examined and expanded over time.

The 100-episode mark for any series, then, is a natural evaluation point. In today's entertainment environment, the century mark is a notable achievement, especially since, business-wise, it is the point where a show can enter syndication and, the popular wisdom goes, start making money.

Angel, like its parent show Buffy, had a very shaky road to episode 100. Its devoted cult following was always *just* enough to keep it getting renewed. So when this milestone was reached, it rightly took the opportunity to look at how it's changed and to more clearly define its direction and goals.

It starts with the return of Cordelia, who, along with Angel and Doyle, was one of the original cast members. Consciously, almost self-consciously, the new world of Angel is revealed through her eyes, and Angel himself is able to see things a little too clearly. By the conclusion of the hour, the themes that have recurred have been laid out: Is Angel a champion? Can evil means be used for good? When is the price evil demands too high?

A lot happens plot-wise, and I promised Grim (who's only seen the end) I wouldn't give away too much. Suffice to say, several plot points were resolved satisfactorily, and one important point I thought would be more or less swept under the rug has been dragged back to be dealt with (hint: he's formerly sullen and resentful...)

As for the end- Wow. What a corker. It allows for a wonderful sense of closure, and is a nice little thank you to the long-time fans.

A few favorite moments- (Grim, you might want to stop reading now)

The Doyle video, of course. When Cordy said, "I was so mad at him for dying like that," she echoed my own feelings about the actor who played him.

Spike playing Donkey Kong. Nice in-joke on James's well-known Playstation obsession.

"I can see your epidermis." Believe it or not, a Simpsons reference. Hee!

Harmony, looking more adorable than ever in that pink number wth the bubble hair-do, gets to rough up Eve! They could do this every week, as far as I'm concerned.

I like the relationship Angel and Spike have fallen into. They've acknowledged that their mission is the same, and that they have to work together, but they can't get over that low-level irritation with each other. It's funny without being unpleasant.

David again did a wonderful, understated job, both with his conversation with Cordy and his later, barely-suppressed rage with Eve.

I really hope we haven't seen the last of Lindsey. That being said, it was funny to hear Angel call him "the Tiny Texan."

I do, however, hope we've seen the last of Eve, but I doubt it.

And Yayy! Wesley gets to save the day AND mention Lilah. Pulling for this trend to continue, as well.

In all, quite a good episode.

BTW, re: next week's previews. I'll be very disappointed if Spike really is a Nazi sympathizer, as this will contradict one of the more amusing conceits in the novels (specifically, Pretty Maids All in a Row) where Spike really, really hates Nazis because, even though he's a vampire, he's still British.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> Re: Angel 5/12 (*SPOILERS*) -- wwolfe, 11:29:47 02/05/04 Thu (161.149.63.110)

Did they ever explain why Lindsey returned to LA this year with a kingsize hate for Angel? I've missed an episode or two, so I think I missed that moment. It's left me puzzled, since his exit a few years back was well-done and convincing in its portrayl of Lindsey's desire to reform.

I was hoping Angel would stick his hand in Eve's abdomen, yank out her intestines, and start playing them like an accordion - "Beer Barrel Polka" would have been a nice choice.

This is two episodes in a row with a really great last moment. (I can't say the entire last scene was great, since the sight of Angel/Cordy kissage filled me with the desire to claw my eyes out.)


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Re: Angel 5/12 (*SPOILERS*) -- Kuzibah, 12:01:56 02/05/04 Thu (12.175.117.195)

The impression I get from Lindsey and Eve (although I can't recall this being mentioned specifically) is that they are trying to bring down W&H, and Angel just happens to be in charge. If Angel were still running the detective business, he'd probably be helping them out.


[ Edit | View ]

[> Re: Angel 5/12 (*SPOILERS*) -- Pouncer, 11:47:33 02/05/04 Thu (199.114.61.82)

You're so right about the re-examination of themes. I really enjoyed the episode, especially the way Lindsey's presence was revealed. That was a nice bit of mystery plotting. Wasn't Lindsey from Oklahoma, though? I could see Angel calling him "the Tiny Texan" (total agreement about the hilarity) as a double insult.

I had forgotten to mention my love for Harmony - "I'm still evil, I can take one for the team". Oh my, you darling.

I was befuddled by next week's preview. Really, really befuddled, in the "are the writers smoking crack" sense.


[ Edit | View ]

[> Huh. -- OztheVampSlayer, 01:02:24 02/06/04 Fri (63.189.73.72)

Okay, this is very stream-of-consciousness without reviewing the episode at all.

The ending confused the hell out of me.

So, she was never there? Was that Ghost Cordy? Complete with the Zombie Slicing Action?

I don't really know. I was too busy wondering what the hell had just gone on for the past hour to really worry about the character that just died.

A major problem for Cordelia has been the fact that when given her newfound "No Character Flaws Whatsoever You In the Back Shine My Halo Up Good" status, they never really found a mesh between actual Cordelia and new-and-divinely-improved (now with glowing godessness!) Cordy. And then when you meshed in "really stupid, contrived, and icky romantic life subplot" Cordy and "possessed by evil" Cordy, it got even more muddled. They had no clue what her voice was, and different hints came out at different times.

And that was a big problem for me for this episode. They still never completely pegged WHO this character was, so we got hints of a couple of completely different characters to keep fans of each of Cordy's multiple personalities happy.

And, somehow, because of this, I find myself completely ambivalent to her death, because her I'm not really sure which character to mourn. Actual Cordy? Yeah, I'd miss her. But, we've seen in the past three years, maybe an episode's worth of her lines scattered throughout. She's been so mutilated and diluted to the point where I don't really care what happens to her.

So, yeah. I guess I can't really bring myself to be outraged by the "phone-in" death that a couple of people really hated.

Plus, you know, I have no idea what happened.

Was it Poultergeist Cordy?

Anyway, Lindsey is my favorite character natively original to Angel, and I'm glad to see him here. One of my all-time favorite episodes of Angel was all about Lindsey and his moral grey area with Wolfram and Hart. So, he seems an ideal fit for this season's themes. I'd really like more backstory on him. It'd be interesting if the Senior Partners actually REHIRED Lindsey instead of making him burn, burn, burn. I think there's some interesting parallels between him and Angel that could be explored.

I really liked the rememberence of Doyle, but seeing that video made me especially uncomfortable, given the actor's unfortunate passing. One of my favorite lines in the episode was Cordy bitchsmacking Eve around for Lindsey using Doyle's name (although I hated Charisma's delivery of the line...I'm very complex that way).

The zombies were sweet.

Dude, I wish Lilah-lite tried to escape. Man, that would have been sweet. Plus, the use of Harmony was hilarious.

Yeah, so, Cordy=confused ambivalence, but Lindsey=good, so I pretty much liked this episode on the whole.

I still don't get that ending. Astral Plane Cordy, maybe?


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> She was a shade -- Kuzibah, 08:01:32 02/06/04 Fri (12.175.117.195)

I don't think we need a full metaphysical explanation of what exactly she was, either ghost or astral projection. The point was, TPTB let her "come back" for one day to try and set Angel back on the right path before her physical body died.


[ Edit | View ]


Forum timezone: GMT-5
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.