Angel: "I am, and I'm not."
Poor Angel and his bizarre sex life!
Forget the James-Bond-meets-Jerry-Lewis story line with Wesley; the best parts of this episode were Angel's discussions with the Swami as they discussed Angel's love life, his mousse, his clothes and his convertible. I just loved the Swami telling a blank-looking Angel how to get over Darla: "So here's what you do. You go out and find yourself some small blonde thing. You bed her, you love her, you treat her like crap, you break her heart. You and your inner demon will thank me, I promise."
The next-to-best parts were Angel, Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn interacting – in the elevator, in the karaoke bar (which is becoming one of my favorite places), and at the end, with Angel all freaked about Wesley wearing his coat. I really think that the cast is coming together and the actors are getting comfortable with their parts and each other, and it just works better all the time.
The Wesley and Virginia part – well, I didn't hate it, but I sure didn't love it. I didn't like Wesley's "delusions of Angel" at all. He looked so much like someone pretending to be someone else that it just seemed lame. So Wesley had to drink blood? Couldn't he have just said, "No, thanks, I just ate"?
Bits and pieces:
— That cabin looked familiar. Where have I seen it?
— Cordelia seemed to be having a couple of really bad hair days.
— Note from much later: clearly, I was not a fan of Wesley's at this point. If I were reviewing this episode now, it would be longer and much more Wesley-positive. But I'm not changing my original reviews. For what it's worth.
Gunn: "Okay, what I want to know is (sees a horned demon light a cigarette on a candle) how'd I live in L.A. all my life and not notice this weird-ass stuff was going on?"
Cordelia: "Oh, the ass is even weirder than you think."
Angel: "I guess I'm a little, ah, rocky."
Host: "You're Rocky and Rocky Two and half of the one with Mister T."
Host: "You don't have to sing. A break for you, a break for me, and a break for Mr. Manilow."
Host: "Thank you, Ramone. I was just thinking I'd rather be drinking. (to Angel) He's a treasure."
Angel: "The T'ish Magev. He's like a swami, sort of, right? Very powerful. This is his address?"
Host: "I'm sending you to him. You need more than I can do for you. This guy, he'll shock your chakras, fillet your soul, whatever you need."
Magev: "You live in L.A. It's all about the car you drive."
Angel: "I really don't think..."
Magev: "Vampire, living in a city known for its sun, driving a convertible. Why do you hate yourself?"
Angel: "I don't. I mean, I got a deal."
Magev: "You got a deal. Why not a personalized license plate that says 'irony'?"
Angel: "He got hit."
Cordelia: "By who? The swami? Swamies don't hit. Swamies swam."
Angel: "What's going on? Were you in Virginia?"
Wesley: "That's beside the point."
So if I give this episode a one for plot and three for Angel and the cast, that averages out as two stakes out of a possible four. And I'm ready to give next week's episode a four and I haven't even seen it yet.
Billie
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Billie Doux reviewed all of Buffy and Angel, so she knows the plural of apocalypse.
I love the lighter episodes of Angel. Sometimes I wish it had gone full comedy-drama - but then I guess it couldn't have achieved the dramatic heights it did. But still, episodes like this are so much fun!
ReplyDeleteI love this episode, especially the Wesley parts. :-)
ReplyDelete"You're deeply ambivalent."
ReplyDelete"I am and I'm not."
Probably my favorite comedic exchange in all of Angel. I always think I like this one more than I really do. It's funny enough, but Virginia always sort of bugged me and her parts seem to drag. In one of the audio commentaries from a later season, Joss says that Angel is at his funniest when he's being petty. He's feeling very petty this week. "Isn't that my coat?" "Hey I'm supposed to say that!"
There is a lot to laugh over in this episode, but my favorite part is the whole virgin/eunuch bit at the end. I always laugh out loud at Angel's expression.
ReplyDeleteA good few laughs, I do love funny Angel.
ReplyDeleteI did like the idea of Wesley pretending to be Angel, he hardly had a choice and it was very brave of him considering. but I just didn't find him pretending to be Angel that much fun to watch
As with everyone else, I enjoyed this episode. My favourite parts were the pokes at Angel's obvious vanity which may have also been pokes at DB. The hair gel quip and the one about the car are my favourites. These episodes make Angel seem more human.
ReplyDeleteI thought the gag with Wesley standing in for Angel went on for a bit too long, but I loved the swami. In the final showdown, how come Angel could enter the building btw? (esp since there was a thing with Wesley entering the house earlier in the ep)
ReplyDeleteThe cabin reminded me of O'Neill's cabin on a pond with or without fish depending on the time stream.
ReplyDeleteI'm rewatching Angel again and as always Doux Reviews is my companion.
Thanks, Unknown. Looking forward to more of your comments. :)
ReplyDelete