Tonight's Angel Episode
Jan. 15th, 2004 12:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatAhhh...Angel 5.9, after doing my ATS ranking meme analysis up to episode 12, and knowing the gist of the episode before it aired? I liked it better than I expected.
Here's an edited version of what I wrote on the other seasons regarding episode 9, and yes my choices stand - Lullaby the best, Hero the worst. But what about 5.9 Harm's Way?
Episodes 9: S1 Hero, S2 The Trial, S3 Lullaby, S4 Long Day’s Journey, S5 yet to be seen
Each episode centers on the idea of the unlikely hero. This character is usually, with the possible exception of the Trial, not a regular character and the audience and regulars believe the character will do the opposite of what they eventually end up doing. Hero – does it first with Doyle’s decision to push Angel out of the way and save the half-demons from the full-blooded demon troops himself. Doyle had previously been set up as someone who was denying his demon heritage and avoiding being heroic at all costs. In the Trial – Angel attempts to give his life for Darla’s. Which is a surprise because prior to this Angel is shown as denying that he cares for Darla. Angel also is the one who staked and killed Darla the first round. But the life he gains is not Darla’s but something else. Darla is still doomed to die the way she did as a human. But before Darla can fully embrace that death – Drusilla steps in and turns her. The surprise in the Trial is *not* Angel and is *not* Dru, really, it's what Darla decides. Up to this point Darla wanted to be turned into a vampire, by the end of Angel's trials, she gives up her desire for eternal life or life and asks for Angel's life - she accepts the idea of dying as a human - it was meant to be. Just as Doyle prior to Darla accepts dying as a demon saving other demons - they both accept they part of themselves they'd previously despised.
Lullaby comments on Trial – where Darla gives her life for the love of the child she and Angel created. Selfless act? Not really. Certainly not like Doyle’s. But for Darla it’s miraculous. Prior to this, Darla cared for no one but herself and hated the child inside her, wishing to kill it. Now she kills herself so it can be born.
Long Day’s Journey is a difficult one - but I think I was wrong in the meme, this episode is a mystery - who killed the neutral Manny - Gwen is framed for it by Cordelia, who is jealous of Gwen. We believe Angelus did it. But in truth it is revealed to be Cordy. Gwen's the one who realizes something is up and sees Cordy as being the cause but no one believes her. The final - is the Beast making a sacrifice in Cordy's and Connor's apartment which blocks out the sun, setting in motion the events that release Angel's soul.
HArm's Way comments on Long Day's Journey, just as Lullaby commented on The Trial. In Harm's way - we have a non-regular, recurring character, of shady allegiance (one we've been told in the past - Disharmony - not to trust) who finds herself framed for killing a "neutral" party - in fact a demon right negotiator - who is a comment on Manny. To resolve the problem between the clans without bloodshed - AI needs a sacrifice, any sacrifice will do. Harmony tracks down the person who did this to her and sacrifices the person on Angel's conference table and then comes clean to AI team on what occurred. Unexpected and a much lighter take on the events of Long Day's. The final in Long Day's is Cordy telling Angel that Angelus knew the Beast and he must sacrifice something to get rid of it. Wes says his soul - Angel resists.... The finale in HArm's Way is Spike returning, realizing he can't go to Buffy - it sort of cheapens his sacrifice to go back to her now...In a way it's a light-hearted commentary on Angel's situation at the end of Long Day's. (Yeah, I'm probably reaching a bit on that one - but both are ME's way of getting a character to do something - in Angel's case - voluntarily releasing the soul, in Spike's case hanging around LA and not going after Buffy - of the two? I found Spike's easier to buy, b/c I see Spike as incredibly insecure - he really doesn't believe Buffy ever loved him or could, that he was just a sex object, I honestly don't think he likes himself very much - hence the bravado and attitude. Both signs of self-loathing. So it makes sense that he would ramble off an excuse instead of stating that he's scared. Harm, to her credit, sees through it and tries to tell him there's nothing to be afraid of, but in realizing how he rejected Harm and considering Buffy treated Spike pretty much the same way during the majority of their relationship, Spike's moment of insight, makes him realize that he's right in not flying after her. I honestly think the scene made a lot of sense characterwise and plotwise. If I were Spike? I'd be terrified to go after Buffy too. Made sense. All the Spike scenes completely worked for me, were in character, and made complete sense. But then I'm in the small group of fans who has *never* really had any problems with how Spike has been written. I may not like a few episodes that featured him here or there, but that wasn't because I had any problems with how his character was portrayed. (Unleashed I disliked for the storyline, the pacing, and well Fred.) Spike's character always seems consistently written to me. Remember - I like pricky characters - the more flawed they are, the better. Otherwise where's the character's arc? Why even bother watching??
I think the episode works if a) you didn't go in with high expectations and knew it would be about Harmony, don't mind Harmony (I don't mind her - sort of neutral on the character) and b)if you've ever worked in a large corporation. The corporation jokes were spot on. Especially the employee orientation video in the beginning - even the way it was filmed worked. LOL!
Harm's day - a wonderful parody on the lives of administrative office clerks and the way people ignore you at the office because your the boss' secretary. Having been there in a former life - I completely got the jokes. If you've never experienced this type of workplace or lifestyle? IT may have flown over your head, much like The Zeppo and Doublemeat Palace flew over mine. Situational Humor is sometimes dependent on what you've experienced yourself. The hit British comedy the Office? Shows that the humor in Harm's Way is spot on - even if it is directed at a specific group.
What wasn't good? It was choppy in places. Craft and Fain aren't the best at plotting and they don't seem to have a firm handle on the other characters or group chemistry - but since this was in Harmony's pov, that probably wasn't necessary. The other characters were supposed to be slightly off - because we are completely in Harmony's head - looking at them from her perspective. I think that may have worked for Craft and Fain here, much better than Unleashed. The fight scenes? Could have been better. They weren't bad. Just a little cheesy.
Overall? A much better episode than I expected, considering I'm not a Harmony fan. Actually this may have been the first time I actually sympathized with her. I also laughed. Particularly at the office confusion over Fred and her beaus - is she involved with Wes, Gunn or Knox. Harm - who for all her ditziness, is fairly intiutive when it comes to human emotion - sort of like Anya and Cordelia used to be - seems to be the only one who notices Wes has the hots for Fred. Apparently the office workers are as confused as the audience, yet far more interested. Fred's love life has begun to bore me. Oh, and I loved the comment one of the workers made about Wes - "no, he's not into Fred, isn't he..." LOL! Kudos to the writers for making fun of how people like to guess sexual orientation based on stereotypes or what they think depicts it.
I'd give it a 71/2 out of 10. Not the best episode ever, but loads of fun. But much better than Hero in S1, and a lot better than Craft and Fain's earlier effort - Unleashed in my opinion.
Again, it probably helps that I've worked in companies like the one ATS is making fun of and
I could identify with Harmony.
Here's an edited version of what I wrote on the other seasons regarding episode 9, and yes my choices stand - Lullaby the best, Hero the worst. But what about 5.9 Harm's Way?
Episodes 9: S1 Hero, S2 The Trial, S3 Lullaby, S4 Long Day’s Journey, S5 yet to be seen
Each episode centers on the idea of the unlikely hero. This character is usually, with the possible exception of the Trial, not a regular character and the audience and regulars believe the character will do the opposite of what they eventually end up doing. Hero – does it first with Doyle’s decision to push Angel out of the way and save the half-demons from the full-blooded demon troops himself. Doyle had previously been set up as someone who was denying his demon heritage and avoiding being heroic at all costs. In the Trial – Angel attempts to give his life for Darla’s. Which is a surprise because prior to this Angel is shown as denying that he cares for Darla. Angel also is the one who staked and killed Darla the first round. But the life he gains is not Darla’s but something else. Darla is still doomed to die the way she did as a human. But before Darla can fully embrace that death – Drusilla steps in and turns her. The surprise in the Trial is *not* Angel and is *not* Dru, really, it's what Darla decides. Up to this point Darla wanted to be turned into a vampire, by the end of Angel's trials, she gives up her desire for eternal life or life and asks for Angel's life - she accepts the idea of dying as a human - it was meant to be. Just as Doyle prior to Darla accepts dying as a demon saving other demons - they both accept they part of themselves they'd previously despised.
Lullaby comments on Trial – where Darla gives her life for the love of the child she and Angel created. Selfless act? Not really. Certainly not like Doyle’s. But for Darla it’s miraculous. Prior to this, Darla cared for no one but herself and hated the child inside her, wishing to kill it. Now she kills herself so it can be born.
Long Day’s Journey is a difficult one - but I think I was wrong in the meme, this episode is a mystery - who killed the neutral Manny - Gwen is framed for it by Cordelia, who is jealous of Gwen. We believe Angelus did it. But in truth it is revealed to be Cordy. Gwen's the one who realizes something is up and sees Cordy as being the cause but no one believes her. The final - is the Beast making a sacrifice in Cordy's and Connor's apartment which blocks out the sun, setting in motion the events that release Angel's soul.
HArm's Way comments on Long Day's Journey, just as Lullaby commented on The Trial. In Harm's way - we have a non-regular, recurring character, of shady allegiance (one we've been told in the past - Disharmony - not to trust) who finds herself framed for killing a "neutral" party - in fact a demon right negotiator - who is a comment on Manny. To resolve the problem between the clans without bloodshed - AI needs a sacrifice, any sacrifice will do. Harmony tracks down the person who did this to her and sacrifices the person on Angel's conference table and then comes clean to AI team on what occurred. Unexpected and a much lighter take on the events of Long Day's. The final in Long Day's is Cordy telling Angel that Angelus knew the Beast and he must sacrifice something to get rid of it. Wes says his soul - Angel resists.... The finale in HArm's Way is Spike returning, realizing he can't go to Buffy - it sort of cheapens his sacrifice to go back to her now...In a way it's a light-hearted commentary on Angel's situation at the end of Long Day's. (Yeah, I'm probably reaching a bit on that one - but both are ME's way of getting a character to do something - in Angel's case - voluntarily releasing the soul, in Spike's case hanging around LA and not going after Buffy - of the two? I found Spike's easier to buy, b/c I see Spike as incredibly insecure - he really doesn't believe Buffy ever loved him or could, that he was just a sex object, I honestly don't think he likes himself very much - hence the bravado and attitude. Both signs of self-loathing. So it makes sense that he would ramble off an excuse instead of stating that he's scared. Harm, to her credit, sees through it and tries to tell him there's nothing to be afraid of, but in realizing how he rejected Harm and considering Buffy treated Spike pretty much the same way during the majority of their relationship, Spike's moment of insight, makes him realize that he's right in not flying after her. I honestly think the scene made a lot of sense characterwise and plotwise. If I were Spike? I'd be terrified to go after Buffy too. Made sense. All the Spike scenes completely worked for me, were in character, and made complete sense. But then I'm in the small group of fans who has *never* really had any problems with how Spike has been written. I may not like a few episodes that featured him here or there, but that wasn't because I had any problems with how his character was portrayed. (Unleashed I disliked for the storyline, the pacing, and well Fred.) Spike's character always seems consistently written to me. Remember - I like pricky characters - the more flawed they are, the better. Otherwise where's the character's arc? Why even bother watching??
I think the episode works if a) you didn't go in with high expectations and knew it would be about Harmony, don't mind Harmony (I don't mind her - sort of neutral on the character) and b)if you've ever worked in a large corporation. The corporation jokes were spot on. Especially the employee orientation video in the beginning - even the way it was filmed worked. LOL!
Harm's day - a wonderful parody on the lives of administrative office clerks and the way people ignore you at the office because your the boss' secretary. Having been there in a former life - I completely got the jokes. If you've never experienced this type of workplace or lifestyle? IT may have flown over your head, much like The Zeppo and Doublemeat Palace flew over mine. Situational Humor is sometimes dependent on what you've experienced yourself. The hit British comedy the Office? Shows that the humor in Harm's Way is spot on - even if it is directed at a specific group.
What wasn't good? It was choppy in places. Craft and Fain aren't the best at plotting and they don't seem to have a firm handle on the other characters or group chemistry - but since this was in Harmony's pov, that probably wasn't necessary. The other characters were supposed to be slightly off - because we are completely in Harmony's head - looking at them from her perspective. I think that may have worked for Craft and Fain here, much better than Unleashed. The fight scenes? Could have been better. They weren't bad. Just a little cheesy.
Overall? A much better episode than I expected, considering I'm not a Harmony fan. Actually this may have been the first time I actually sympathized with her. I also laughed. Particularly at the office confusion over Fred and her beaus - is she involved with Wes, Gunn or Knox. Harm - who for all her ditziness, is fairly intiutive when it comes to human emotion - sort of like Anya and Cordelia used to be - seems to be the only one who notices Wes has the hots for Fred. Apparently the office workers are as confused as the audience, yet far more interested. Fred's love life has begun to bore me. Oh, and I loved the comment one of the workers made about Wes - "no, he's not into Fred, isn't he..." LOL! Kudos to the writers for making fun of how people like to guess sexual orientation based on stereotypes or what they think depicts it.
I'd give it a 71/2 out of 10. Not the best episode ever, but loads of fun. But much better than Hero in S1, and a lot better than Craft and Fain's earlier effort - Unleashed in my opinion.
Again, it probably helps that I've worked in companies like the one ATS is making fun of and
I could identify with Harmony.
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Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-15 04:23 am (UTC)Partig Gifts, Reunion, Dad, Awakenings, and Harm's Way also show how characters have trouble catching up with and handling large changes with their lives. Angel can't get used to Doyle's departure and Wes's arrival, can't deal with losing Darla and his hope of redeeming her, is totally thrown by becoming a dad, and fantasizes that all the trouble in their lives goes away during his perfect day. Meanwhile, Angel's never looked more stiff and uncomfortable than he does in the W&H video, and is at a loss to deal with the inner politics of the demon world. For Harmony, too, past methods just don't work anymore. She foud it easy to make friends and terrorize enemies as a human, but is at a loss on how to live as a vampire. She still gets up in the morning, brushes her teeth, goes to work, and tries to be a good office worker, but she's changed, and hasn't quite caught up with those changes.
So what are they setting up with Fred and Wes? So far Wes's ruthlessness and love for/obsession with Fred have been reiterated, as have Fred's frustration at being protected. I doubt they'll do another triangle with Knox, Fred and Wes, but they are building up to something. (And lol at the employee's speculation. Haven't they googled everyone? Wes was in the society pages with Virginia several times.)
Re: Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-15 07:46 am (UTC)Probably - but you know how people are - "his relationship with Virginia was just for show -- after all look at Rock Hudson..." You should see the speculation I've read on David Boreanze, 'oh his marriage to Jamie was just for show'. Love the writers for making fun of them.
Partig Gifts, Reunion, Dad, Awakenings, and Harm's Way also show how characters have trouble catching up with and handling large changes with their lives.
Actually it's Long Day's Journey - that was episode 9. Awakenings is 10. (Important to keep in mind - b/c the episode 10 always deals with the dream or false hope.)
Long Day's Journey - Angel is struggling with the information that Cordy slept with Connor, the Beast, and
he's own possible involvement with it. So you're right it does show how the characters, especially Angel struggle with large changes. In Long Day's Journey the subsidiary character struggling with large changes is Gwen - who discovers with the advent of the Beast - her world has turned upside down and she's not sure what to do. In Harm's Way - we have 3 characters struggling with large changes - Angel, whose completely uncomfortable with the corporate lifestyle (while Gunn is completely, almost frighteningly comfortable with it), Spike - who is uncertain where he's going - and goes off to find Buffy, only to change his mind, and finally Harm - who shows the day to day struggles.
I agree about Spike's motivation for staying. He's afraid to go see Buffy because he's afraid she won't want him. He's no longer needed as a fighter, and although Buffy said she loved him, she never said she liked him. I wonder if this means that Spike and Angel's relationship is about to take a turn, since Buffy was one of their main bones of contention.
I'm not sure he quite believes she even loves him, so much as maybe cared for him a bit - but hardly enough to want to see him again. I do think the relationship is about to take a turn, I think this season in some respects is very much about the S/A relationship, how they deal with each other. Course they don't need Buffy or even the shanshu to be in competition with each other or get on each others nerves - just being family is enough for that and Spike, like it or not, is the closest thing Angel has to biological family at the moment.
Have no clue what they are planning with Wes/Fred. I agree, prefer the chemistry between Spike and Fred, because it's not "ust" or "romantic" just a friendship which in some ways is far more interesting.
Re: Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-15 10:00 am (UTC)I don't think Buffy is or was in love with Spike either, although I do think she came to value him. It's easy to say "I love you" when someone's dying before your eyes, but that does't mean she wants to be with him, and I think Spike realizes this.
Re: Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-15 11:50 am (UTC)I agree. I may be in the minority on this, not sure, but I honestly got the impression from the writing that Buffy couldn't love anyone at that point in her life - she couldn't get past Buffy, long enough to care deeply about someone else. She admits as much to both Holden Webster and Angel in CWDP and Chosen, two scenes written by the show-runner. I think and I agree with this, Whedon was pointing out that she really wasn't ready to love someone in the way you do when you commit to them in a relationship. She was just getting past the puppy-love, rose-colored glasses view of love. And it makes sense, considering for last few years - she's been focused on slaying her own and others demons, doesn't give one much time to fall "in" love or care deeply about someone else.
Tricky topic to discuss without pissing off fans, so I keep it to live journal and even then I'm a little wary.
But I honestly think that was what the writers were trying to tell us with the unbaked cookie dough speech - that Buffy "can't" love anyone right now, she doesn't have the luxuary Willow did, Buffy had to be the leader and it meant cutting herself off - that's what Touched was partly about.
I think she "loved" Spike but I think he knew and to a degree accepted that she could not be "in love" with him any more than she could be "in love" with Xander, Angel,
Riley or anyone else. Not now. Maybe someday. But not today. That's not saying anything negative about Buffy nor is it saying 22 year olds can't fall in love (Willow certainly did), it's just where Buffy's at in her development right now - she had more on her plate than most 22 year olds do after all. Not sure that made much sense.
You make a lot of sense.
Date: 2004-01-15 01:50 pm (UTC)So do you ;-)
Date: 2004-01-15 08:22 pm (UTC)Therein lies the problem. We think sometimes that life is all about falling in love and having a relationship.
It's not. I particularly find amusing the myth that you don't become a woman or man until you've had sex. LOL!
Sorry. Having sex and falling in love does not make you an adult, it's not a rite of passage. It's just something that may or may not happen in your life. There's no guarantee it will. And if it never does? It doesn't mean that you haven't grown up or you haven't had a meaningful life. We don't need to find the holy grail to have grown up. One of my favorite lines in the series Firefly is in Jaynestown, where a man contracts Inanara to sleep with his son, so he'll become a man.
After they sleep together, the son asks her - "Does this make me a man, now?" - "No," says Inanara, "it was just sex, but I hope it was a nice experience. Becoming a man is up to you."
Honestly, I think the most mature speech Buffy made may have been the unbaked cookie one - the realization that she needed to time to figure out who she was before she fell in love or committed to someone else. Part of falling in love - is opening yourself up to someone else, sharing your life with them, making compromises, putting up with their shit and jerky behavior, and dealing with the fact that sometimes you just might not be able to stand them. Relationships are tough. TV and romance novels and movies have an odd way of glossing over that - b/c all we see are snippets. You have to do a lot of hard work.
People get so wrapped up with the fantasy of what they want it to be - a lot like searching for the holy grail I think (excellent analogy) - that they often miss it when it happens, because it just isn't the fantasy or if they never quite find it, either end up settling for the wrong person and being miserable b/c of the terror of being alone or feeling miserable for thinking they've missed out.
It's a tough topic, because I think, for so many of us, it hits where we live - our own deepest hopes and fears.
Re: So do you ;-)
Date: 2004-01-17 09:19 am (UTC)Re: Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-15 07:55 am (UTC)Re: Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-15 08:12 am (UTC)Hmmm...I didn't get that from his speech, but my sound quality was horrid. Maybe I missed it? Have to rewatch I guess. What I got was he just didn't feel comfortable going after her - which I completely understand. But couldn't quite put it into words.
However I really didn't like the writing for the final scene. After all the silliness it was time for a more poignant moment. Plus a really good speech would have allowed for a funnier Harmony undercut and a strong final shot. Bit frustrating, Fain & Craft seem like solid writers who really can't soar.
While I agree Craft and Fain aren't the best - the episode felt choppy in places and last scene could have been funnier, not sure I'd want a poignant moment...seems a little formulaic, sort of nice to see them not do it for once. On the other hand, you're right it would have made the under-cut funnier. Still liked it.
Re: Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-15 08:27 am (UTC)That's just me reading into it. Poignant was probably a poor choice of words, what I really wanted was more depth (and better writing) in that scene. And also I would have liked a bit more depth to the bar scene with Fred. I don't mind her giggling over the hotness of Wes, but it's such a complete reversal from her previous reactions to him that the scene needed a bit more to it.
I need to rewatch though, I watched my tape late last night after a night at the pub so critical judgments were impaired.
Re: Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-15 10:14 am (UTC)Re: Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-15 11:58 am (UTC)Re: Harm's Way
Date: 2004-01-16 03:41 pm (UTC)Of course, it's funny considering that it was Gunn killing that Prof.(another bad father figure) for Fred that led to their breakup.
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