Tonight's Angel
Feb. 4th, 2004 10:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stakebaitI liked it. I didn't love it.
Cool parts: the ambiguity on Cordy waking up when she did, making it unclear, at least to me, whether Angel was supposed to be off-track in saying yes to Wolfram and Hart or in saying he was going to quit. Or possibly, it now appears in retrospect, both.
Wes looking, well, hot, but more to the point lighter and more colorful in a way that was very reminiscent of the Jasmine arc. I can't believe that's an accident.
Cordy remembering Connor. Also, the hair. Cordy watching the Doyle commercial, which I know I've seen in fanfic but it still worked. Cordy being destracted from her rant by the view. "There are no people like us."
Wes doing his job. Look, he's knowing magic stuff! Doing research! Doing magic stuff! Good times! Not that he hasn't had other stuff to do and not that I'm opposed to him moving on, but I like the confirmation that it hasn't been forgotten he *can* do that stuff.
Cordy apology to Wes - and at least a little bit of filling in the blanks on when Jasmine supposedly took over. We still don't know when, but we do know it was before the ickybad sex now, yes? And we know that they do remember the Jasmine possession, and the whole Jasmine thing.
The interesting reflection of Wesley telling Cordy that they know it wasn't her when he refused to hear that from Fred after Billy. This was a whole episode of moments from the past coming back in new guises. It'd be funny if a) it really was Cordy back then or b) it wasn't really Cordy now, but the "she's dead" ending kinda foreclosed that option. ME does a lot of stuff, but I don't see them dicking around the people who've been waiting faithfully for her return.
More info on the mindwipe. I haven't entirely processed that yet -- need to read a transcript -- because mention of reality changing made it sound like it never happened, but Cordy's remembering and her reaction, which I so share and which Angel didn't dispute, made it sound like the memories were a separate issue and... I have to read it again. I don't get it yet, and I'm not going to pretend that I do. But more info on the mindwipe is a Good Thing, and Cordy (or any other person who remembered Connor and wasn't an enemy), is the right person for him to explain it to.
Also, they managed to drop the cue for the rest of them to pick up on it a way that makes sense. I'm not saying it was subtle, but a) Cordy is never subtle and b) she doesn't know why she'd have to be. Unlike Angel's prophecy Tourettes, I believe that would've happened just like it did.
Spike playing video games. Was. Adorable. These days I'm so deep in brain of Spike that I rarely think to react to him from the outside, but that was Just Too Cute. Love. Love love. Like Angelus in glasses levels of adorable. It's rehab. Of course it is. And I liked the amputation bonding: "I feel your pain" "at least half of it."
I liked that Spike was not in a funk and was ready to get back on the horse too.
Also adorable? "You said I was a hero?" Awh! Spike's all touched. And "can't risk someone I care about" "I'll come" "Okay". That reminded me of Angel telling Fred he wouldn't hurt anyone he cares about, and get out of his way.
The damned near canonicity of Eve saying to Lindsay "Angel's the center of your universe." And the total unconvincingness of his reply to the contrary. :) Canon. The slash is canon. That is practically word for word what Willow said to Buffy about Angel when he lost the soul. You're still all he thinks about. Apparently, huh?
Shades of Harry Potter on the trip downstairs. Spike/Ron stays behind to fight off the zombies -- and I love how into it he was. Cordy/Hermione makes with the Smart Thinking, and Angel/Harry saves the day by being himself and never giving up.
Cool laser web thingie. Cool knife to sword effect. Big phallic objects. Lindsay looking at Cordy as if she were an interloper. Lindsay loving the fight. Lindsay gets wirework too! They sell that at the airport! Fights on tall things! It's like Star Wars, only more naked and gayer.
"I'm Angel." Self-evident, yet cool. Beat up a tiny Texan. The concept of saving himself as one of the people who needs help, and Angel not getting it until his nose is rubbed in it.
Things I didn't love:
Angel going all the way to assuming Spike is the PTBs new favorite boy before he even knew about the supposed visions. Doubt I get. Conviction is a bit much.
The vision reveal was a total waste. Have Angel find out about the Doyle thing first, have a moment of hope that Doyle's back too and a moment of angst that Doyle went to Spike and not him, *that* can trigger his full-on "Spike's the hero, not me" without me feeling like it's overdone, and *then* have him find out that it's someone else using Doyle's name and be outraged. It could still all happen in one episode, just in a different order. Bleah. I hate it when all the ingredients of greater angst (of the right kind, not just for the fun of it) are right there but instead of making a pizza they make a tomato flour and cheese glop.
Lindsay's motivations. I'm grateful that we didn't get a big "reveal the evil plan Mr. Bond" speech, on the one hand, but on the other Angel and Lindsay were kind of friends when he left, and also Lindsay voluntarily gave up the big Wolfram and Hart promotion. So coming back with the chip on his shoulder that Angel got handed the thing he ... also got handed and turned down? Not so much with the sense making. If that's it for Lindsay, I'm a little let down. If it's not... well then cool. :)
The big Thing the Senior Partners kept locked down in the basement was a Make Lindsay Fight Good spell? Huh? Maybe I just didn't get it, but I didn't get it. I kept waiting for Lindsay's whole shtick to be a distraction until the real mojo kicked in. What were they gonna do if Lindsay hadn't shown up?
Cordy's inspirational speeches. There was nothing really *wrong* with them -- of course she'd wake up confused and annoyed by the changes, Angel *had* lost his way, of course she'd want to help Angel, I'll buy that she'd use her last favor on that and I guess I'll buy that the Powers owed her one for generally screwing her over (although in that case don't they owe Angel like a million?) It just didn't move me. Too close to Kyrumption on the one hand and Buffy Talks on the other. She had nice energy levels and I can't poke holes in the wording, but it was one person talking earnestly about Knowing the Right Path by supernatural means without much room for double meanings and I'm paralysed by not caring very much.
Which makes it sort of disappointing for me that this was Angel's big epiphany and route back to believing in himself. I'm happy he found it, but I wanted him finding it to be a process I could relate to. Instead of finding faith in his own internal moral compass, or in strengthening connections that he actually has in his life, he gets a Big Unambiguous Sign from the Powers and the Love of a Self Sacrificing Woman. Wow, it's like a season three flashback there for a minute. I really hope -- and trust, since it's February and not May -- that this is only the set up for an arc that takes us back into the grey and you're on your own place.
Also with the Angel/Cordy kiss. I'm happy for my shipper friends that they got their moment of closure and it didn't cheapen the relationship, but I never bought it, I still don't buy it, and the not-buying kind of flattened the affect on the whole final revelation for me. On the other hand, she's not coming back, which was the answer I wanted.
Angel blaming Spike for believing Lindsay when he himself did the exact same thing when the real Doyle showed up -- and for that matter, when Eve did. Not saying it's not in character and I realize it's a plot point to emphasize the continuing theme of who do you believe, but I was annoyed just the same. God knows there's plenty of times when Spike's earned that Pathological Idiot label, but on the question of what happens when a vampire with a soul meets a stranger with visions about wrongs for him to right, and the visions come true... perhaps Angel should spend a little private time comparing his pot to his kettle.
Spike thinking that he had a destiny, with the implication that of course he doesn't. There was a baby in that bathwater. Proving that Eve and Lindsay had an axe to grind doesn't change the fact that they're right about there being two vampires with souls now, and it's irritating to see Spike, as well as Angel, fall into the "it's all back to normal" place. No, no it isn't. Or at least, there's no logical reason for it to be. If it turns out it is and they all know that because, um, they read the script, I'll be irritated with the writers, but right now I'm going on the assumption that this is the characters being thick. Angel, who just had Cordy come back to life to restore his faith in himself and his chosen status, gets a pass. Spike should know better. Although I'm pleased that he seems as much relieved as anything else.
Them just letting Eve go. I could buy not bothering to chase her, but not so much seeing her off.
Overall -- good solid B+, maybe even A-, but not the hit 'em out of the park I was expecting.
And about the scenes from next week... the hell? Spike is a Nazi? Because he's been such a joiner in the past. Boy, it's a good thing out of a world of billions of people that you really do keep running into the same 6 over and over again. On a submarine. Or something.
Maybe it's a dream ballet. (If you know, don't tell me.)
Cool parts: the ambiguity on Cordy waking up when she did, making it unclear, at least to me, whether Angel was supposed to be off-track in saying yes to Wolfram and Hart or in saying he was going to quit. Or possibly, it now appears in retrospect, both.
Wes looking, well, hot, but more to the point lighter and more colorful in a way that was very reminiscent of the Jasmine arc. I can't believe that's an accident.
Cordy remembering Connor. Also, the hair. Cordy watching the Doyle commercial, which I know I've seen in fanfic but it still worked. Cordy being destracted from her rant by the view. "There are no people like us."
Wes doing his job. Look, he's knowing magic stuff! Doing research! Doing magic stuff! Good times! Not that he hasn't had other stuff to do and not that I'm opposed to him moving on, but I like the confirmation that it hasn't been forgotten he *can* do that stuff.
Cordy apology to Wes - and at least a little bit of filling in the blanks on when Jasmine supposedly took over. We still don't know when, but we do know it was before the ickybad sex now, yes? And we know that they do remember the Jasmine possession, and the whole Jasmine thing.
The interesting reflection of Wesley telling Cordy that they know it wasn't her when he refused to hear that from Fred after Billy. This was a whole episode of moments from the past coming back in new guises. It'd be funny if a) it really was Cordy back then or b) it wasn't really Cordy now, but the "she's dead" ending kinda foreclosed that option. ME does a lot of stuff, but I don't see them dicking around the people who've been waiting faithfully for her return.
More info on the mindwipe. I haven't entirely processed that yet -- need to read a transcript -- because mention of reality changing made it sound like it never happened, but Cordy's remembering and her reaction, which I so share and which Angel didn't dispute, made it sound like the memories were a separate issue and... I have to read it again. I don't get it yet, and I'm not going to pretend that I do. But more info on the mindwipe is a Good Thing, and Cordy (or any other person who remembered Connor and wasn't an enemy), is the right person for him to explain it to.
Also, they managed to drop the cue for the rest of them to pick up on it a way that makes sense. I'm not saying it was subtle, but a) Cordy is never subtle and b) she doesn't know why she'd have to be. Unlike Angel's prophecy Tourettes, I believe that would've happened just like it did.
Spike playing video games. Was. Adorable. These days I'm so deep in brain of Spike that I rarely think to react to him from the outside, but that was Just Too Cute. Love. Love love. Like Angelus in glasses levels of adorable. It's rehab. Of course it is. And I liked the amputation bonding: "I feel your pain" "at least half of it."
I liked that Spike was not in a funk and was ready to get back on the horse too.
Also adorable? "You said I was a hero?" Awh! Spike's all touched. And "can't risk someone I care about" "I'll come" "Okay". That reminded me of Angel telling Fred he wouldn't hurt anyone he cares about, and get out of his way.
The damned near canonicity of Eve saying to Lindsay "Angel's the center of your universe." And the total unconvincingness of his reply to the contrary. :) Canon. The slash is canon. That is practically word for word what Willow said to Buffy about Angel when he lost the soul. You're still all he thinks about. Apparently, huh?
Shades of Harry Potter on the trip downstairs. Spike/Ron stays behind to fight off the zombies -- and I love how into it he was. Cordy/Hermione makes with the Smart Thinking, and Angel/Harry saves the day by being himself and never giving up.
Cool laser web thingie. Cool knife to sword effect. Big phallic objects. Lindsay looking at Cordy as if she were an interloper. Lindsay loving the fight. Lindsay gets wirework too! They sell that at the airport! Fights on tall things! It's like Star Wars, only more naked and gayer.
"I'm Angel." Self-evident, yet cool. Beat up a tiny Texan. The concept of saving himself as one of the people who needs help, and Angel not getting it until his nose is rubbed in it.
Things I didn't love:
Angel going all the way to assuming Spike is the PTBs new favorite boy before he even knew about the supposed visions. Doubt I get. Conviction is a bit much.
The vision reveal was a total waste. Have Angel find out about the Doyle thing first, have a moment of hope that Doyle's back too and a moment of angst that Doyle went to Spike and not him, *that* can trigger his full-on "Spike's the hero, not me" without me feeling like it's overdone, and *then* have him find out that it's someone else using Doyle's name and be outraged. It could still all happen in one episode, just in a different order. Bleah. I hate it when all the ingredients of greater angst (of the right kind, not just for the fun of it) are right there but instead of making a pizza they make a tomato flour and cheese glop.
Lindsay's motivations. I'm grateful that we didn't get a big "reveal the evil plan Mr. Bond" speech, on the one hand, but on the other Angel and Lindsay were kind of friends when he left, and also Lindsay voluntarily gave up the big Wolfram and Hart promotion. So coming back with the chip on his shoulder that Angel got handed the thing he ... also got handed and turned down? Not so much with the sense making. If that's it for Lindsay, I'm a little let down. If it's not... well then cool. :)
The big Thing the Senior Partners kept locked down in the basement was a Make Lindsay Fight Good spell? Huh? Maybe I just didn't get it, but I didn't get it. I kept waiting for Lindsay's whole shtick to be a distraction until the real mojo kicked in. What were they gonna do if Lindsay hadn't shown up?
Cordy's inspirational speeches. There was nothing really *wrong* with them -- of course she'd wake up confused and annoyed by the changes, Angel *had* lost his way, of course she'd want to help Angel, I'll buy that she'd use her last favor on that and I guess I'll buy that the Powers owed her one for generally screwing her over (although in that case don't they owe Angel like a million?) It just didn't move me. Too close to Kyrumption on the one hand and Buffy Talks on the other. She had nice energy levels and I can't poke holes in the wording, but it was one person talking earnestly about Knowing the Right Path by supernatural means without much room for double meanings and I'm paralysed by not caring very much.
Which makes it sort of disappointing for me that this was Angel's big epiphany and route back to believing in himself. I'm happy he found it, but I wanted him finding it to be a process I could relate to. Instead of finding faith in his own internal moral compass, or in strengthening connections that he actually has in his life, he gets a Big Unambiguous Sign from the Powers and the Love of a Self Sacrificing Woman. Wow, it's like a season three flashback there for a minute. I really hope -- and trust, since it's February and not May -- that this is only the set up for an arc that takes us back into the grey and you're on your own place.
Also with the Angel/Cordy kiss. I'm happy for my shipper friends that they got their moment of closure and it didn't cheapen the relationship, but I never bought it, I still don't buy it, and the not-buying kind of flattened the affect on the whole final revelation for me. On the other hand, she's not coming back, which was the answer I wanted.
Angel blaming Spike for believing Lindsay when he himself did the exact same thing when the real Doyle showed up -- and for that matter, when Eve did. Not saying it's not in character and I realize it's a plot point to emphasize the continuing theme of who do you believe, but I was annoyed just the same. God knows there's plenty of times when Spike's earned that Pathological Idiot label, but on the question of what happens when a vampire with a soul meets a stranger with visions about wrongs for him to right, and the visions come true... perhaps Angel should spend a little private time comparing his pot to his kettle.
Spike thinking that he had a destiny, with the implication that of course he doesn't. There was a baby in that bathwater. Proving that Eve and Lindsay had an axe to grind doesn't change the fact that they're right about there being two vampires with souls now, and it's irritating to see Spike, as well as Angel, fall into the "it's all back to normal" place. No, no it isn't. Or at least, there's no logical reason for it to be. If it turns out it is and they all know that because, um, they read the script, I'll be irritated with the writers, but right now I'm going on the assumption that this is the characters being thick. Angel, who just had Cordy come back to life to restore his faith in himself and his chosen status, gets a pass. Spike should know better. Although I'm pleased that he seems as much relieved as anything else.
Them just letting Eve go. I could buy not bothering to chase her, but not so much seeing her off.
Overall -- good solid B+, maybe even A-, but not the hit 'em out of the park I was expecting.
And about the scenes from next week... the hell? Spike is a Nazi? Because he's been such a joiner in the past. Boy, it's a good thing out of a world of billions of people that you really do keep running into the same 6 over and over again. On a submarine. Or something.
Maybe it's a dream ballet. (If you know, don't tell me.)
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no subject
Date: 2004-02-05 06:20 am (UTC)Because it's an epiphany that's going to lead him merrily down the path to hell.
The whole thing was a lie. The real Cordy never got out of her coma. It's all a fantasy - this Mary Sue - perfect version of Cordy who has perfect relationships with everyone we're supposed to love, who hates everyone we're supposed to hate, thinks of Spike as little more than an afterthought - just like Angel and Wes would prefer to do.
This is all about Wes and Angel and the MoG seeing a fantasy to cling to, to make them think they can be their little boutique in the belly of Wolfram & Hart and not feel real conflict about it.
I expect this to turn out to be the biggest fake out of all time, and if so, it'd be brilliant.
Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 06:35 am (UTC)Fuck.
I think you've called it. Angel decides to quit, Cordy wakes up, they all run around and defeat Eve and Lindsey...
It works in my head.
Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 03:00 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 04:01 pm (UTC)Mer
Re:
Date: 2004-02-05 04:23 pm (UTC)Because they'll always have this Perfect Version of Cordy to hang onto, and ME has never written a character so idealized as she was in this episode.