This was a clever episode full of transparent metaphors and wall-to-wall double entendres. While Fred and Gunn smooched in the sunlight, Angel was (pun alert) eclipsed by the Groosalugg, who could actually go out into the light to slay monsters and date Cordelia.
Groosalugg reminded me of Fabio, with his "Battlefield Earth hair, arms like steel cables and deeply ironic sense of timing." I didn't see the attraction (I don't like Fabio, either) but the writers really had fun with him, as he fought Angel's battles, copied Angel's haircut, wore Angel's clothes, and stole Cordelia. Angel ("Geez, that's okay, no one is using my heart at the moment, anyway") had to let Cordelia go at the end with a literal and figurative hole in his heart.
The existence of a "paranormal prophylactic" was undoubtedly introduced not just to allow Cordelia to have sex with Groo and keep her visions, but also to lay the foundation for upcoming developments with Angel. Angel could take the potion, have sex, and be certain of retaining the curse, right? It also occurred to me that if she was supposed to drink all of it at once, did that mean she and Groo could only do it once? Will Angel have to make a trip to a demon brothel and shell out a lot of money every single time? (And if he does, maybe he and Cordelia could check out that special room, huh?)
(I seem to be writing a lot about sex in my reviews lately. But that's not my fault. I didn't tell the writers of both Buffy and Angel that all of their characters should start having lots of sex, now did I?)
In a tantalizing glimpse of coming attractions at the end of the episode, Wesley uncovered a disturbing prophecy: "The father will kill the son." I've been saying recently that the only way this baby plot will work for me is if Angel turns evil and tries to eat Connor, and it looks like I might get my wish. After all, Angel has eaten family before. Didn't he say once that they tasted just like chicken?
Bits and pieces:
— Apparently Lorne, not Fred, won the who's-taking-care-of-Connor lottery. I really enjoyed the Lorne/Angel co-parenting.
— Wesley isn't going to let go of the Fred thing any time soon. It also looked like his closeness to Gunn was over.
Quotes:
Angel: "Did he seem, ah, I don't know, short?"
Lorne: "Oh, absolutely. Clearly the guy shrank, all over, probably. Why, he's nothing but a muscle-y midget. I'm sure once Cordelia gets him home, she'll just pop him into a smallish drawer, and that will be that."
Angel: "Whatever happened, it was a spell. It's worn off now. There's nothing between Cordelia and me."
Lorne: "Sure, there is. And it got arms like steel cables, and a deeply ironic sense of timing."
Wesley: "You should have called one of us."
Cordelia: "Oh, please! Like I'm going to bother you guys in the middle of the night because I want sex and can't have it."
Wesley: "Oh. Why can't you have sex?"
Cordelia: "I could lose my 'visionity'."
Proprietor: "May I help you?"
Wesley: "Yes. I phoned earlier about Grammaticus Third Century Greek Commentaries."
Proprietor: "Of course. The GTCGC. I'll be just one moment."
Angel: "You want me to get this for you."
Cordelia: "I went to my ATM, got cash. Nearly cleaned me out, but I think it's worth it."
Angel: "So you and Groo can..."
Cordelia: "...comshuck like bunnies. You betcha."
(Angel's cell phone rings)
Groo: "Angel, your coat is singing."
Wesley: (talking about Fred) "Still... she could get hurt. I trust that won't happen?"
Gunn: "What are you, her brother?"
Wesley: "Apparently."
Ouch.
Three out of four stakes. Very good.
Billie
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Billie Doux reviewed all of Buffy and Angel, so she knows the plural of apocalypse.
I liked the episode too; it was very amusing. Although I found the set-up for it in previous episodes contrived, with the rather rapid appearance of romantic feelings between Angel & Cordelia, the Fred triangle, and Grusela's sudden reappearance, it was beautifully executed. And I agree completely--I thought of Fabio when I saw Gru too. As well as the old line from Zork: You have been eaten by a grue.
ReplyDeleteThe prophecy shocked me. I had been fully expecting Holtz to kill the baby, figuring that his revenge would involve torturing Angel by killing the people he cares before going after Angel himself. I suppose Holtz was a father too, if they want a prophecy loophole.
"It also looked like his closeness to Gunn was over."
ReplyDelete:(
I love The Great Mighty Groo. Awkward presence and all. His reappearance feels like **BSG s2 spoilers** Pegasus coming into the fold. Two champions! And Groo is wholly non-competitive about it. There's something sad about him trying to make a living here, though, I can't explain it. Maybe it's just his eyes but I could never shake off the impression of an animal being forced into a human body. I remember I read either a fic or an actual book about such a phenomenon, and it seemed pretty adamant on the take that the animal would be much more unhappy tackling a human perspective than vice versa.. A take I'm inclined to agree with.