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shadowkatOh I *heart* ATS sooo much. Loved this episode. Hiding all comments though for the unspoiled or poor folks who have yet to see it.
I haven't laughed that hard at a tv show in ages. And I watched or attempted to watch at least two situation comedies tonight. That 70s Show guest starring Alyson Hannigan. Nope didn't laugh once. Felt incredibly embarrassed for the actors though. Seinfield. Okay. But pretty much the same response. Then Smallville...the ending I pretty much predicted two episodes prior to it. Then came
ATS...and LMAO! It was just what the doctor ordered.
Going to try to refrain from getting too analytical just yet...mind's a jumble anyhow. Want to just bask a bit in the glow of one of the funniest/wittiest/cleverest episodes I've ever seen ME do. There was only one brief moment that I cringed, only one. And that's saying something.
self esteem is for everybody
self esteem is for everyone
you can dream and be anybody
but self esteem is how you get it done
Lyrics by Ben Edlund, for Ats 5.14
I loved the way that Edlund and Whedon made fun of these lyrics, showed how completely annoying it is when someone tells you that if you only have confidence in yourself you can get it done. And Angel's complete fury at the puppets rubbing the salt in his wounds I completely understood.
The only moment I cringed? When everyone was starring at Angel in the main hall and making him feel embarrassed. But Edlund saved it, unlike most shows which draw out the embarrasment quotient way too long, Edlund shifted tone fast- by having Angel and Spike fight each other in the elevator and come to a truce. Oh Spike? He and Angel reminded me so much of me and my kid brother. So much the sibling reaction. I can just see my kid bro acting like that or vice versa.
And oh boy, did the B plot line finally begin to take off in earnest, what they've been building towards all year is finally starting to shift into hight gear. About bloody time. You want an arc? You are about to get that arc. Three huge things finally happened in this episode which were set up in previous episodes, if people were paying attention -
1. Gunn and his reliance on being smart, to the point that he is willing to make any deal to keep it regardless of the consequences. An interesting twist if you remember what Gunn tells Fred in Supersymmetry and what happened in Supersymmetry. Also what was the deal for - an antique curio that the doctor refused to explain in detail. A doctor who implants things in people or removes them for the SP, wants a curio? Instead of drugs? Why? And once again we have the imagery about something being implanted in someone to make them more powerful - like the vessel in Conviction, Hainsely in Just Rewards implanting souls, or the opposite the removal - sleep in Life of The Party, hearts in Cautionary Tale...and in the case of Cautionary Tale it's an antique object that stops the demon. Interesting recurring theme.
2. Knox and Fred broke up apparently, and Knox is none too happy about it. He seems a little annoyed. Also as Fred says - he's been here too long, it's done stuff to him.
3. Wes and Fred finally kiss. Hmmm, last time they did that was Soulless and look what happened? Cavalry...Might want to keep that in mind before you start whining or cheering.
4. Fred saves Wes like he saved her in Lineage, firing a gun and killing a puppet.
One of the things I love most about ATS is it does comment on itself and past episodes, it will revisit an old issue from another direction. The puppet theme in tonight's episode is really foreshadowing I think for what W&H is to the SP. Smile Time's tv station may have been a minature version of that, with their employee drones. The big giant egg for instance reminded me a lot of the failsafe device. Spike is right when he warns Gunn and Wes - you can't change a place like Wolfram and Hart, it changes you.
Ugh. Said more than I intended. Still nothing that deep though. I don't think. Still loving this episode. So clever.
So funny. So twisted.
Oh one more thing? I want an Angel muppet. He's sooo cute.
I also want a Spike one. And when he vamped? Awww. Oh god, I'm in love with the Angel muppet, I need help. LOL!
I haven't laughed that hard at a tv show in ages. And I watched or attempted to watch at least two situation comedies tonight. That 70s Show guest starring Alyson Hannigan. Nope didn't laugh once. Felt incredibly embarrassed for the actors though. Seinfield. Okay. But pretty much the same response. Then Smallville...the ending I pretty much predicted two episodes prior to it. Then came
ATS...and LMAO! It was just what the doctor ordered.
Going to try to refrain from getting too analytical just yet...mind's a jumble anyhow. Want to just bask a bit in the glow of one of the funniest/wittiest/cleverest episodes I've ever seen ME do. There was only one brief moment that I cringed, only one. And that's saying something.
self esteem is for everybody
self esteem is for everyone
you can dream and be anybody
but self esteem is how you get it done
Lyrics by Ben Edlund, for Ats 5.14
I loved the way that Edlund and Whedon made fun of these lyrics, showed how completely annoying it is when someone tells you that if you only have confidence in yourself you can get it done. And Angel's complete fury at the puppets rubbing the salt in his wounds I completely understood.
The only moment I cringed? When everyone was starring at Angel in the main hall and making him feel embarrassed. But Edlund saved it, unlike most shows which draw out the embarrasment quotient way too long, Edlund shifted tone fast- by having Angel and Spike fight each other in the elevator and come to a truce. Oh Spike? He and Angel reminded me so much of me and my kid brother. So much the sibling reaction. I can just see my kid bro acting like that or vice versa.
And oh boy, did the B plot line finally begin to take off in earnest, what they've been building towards all year is finally starting to shift into hight gear. About bloody time. You want an arc? You are about to get that arc. Three huge things finally happened in this episode which were set up in previous episodes, if people were paying attention -
1. Gunn and his reliance on being smart, to the point that he is willing to make any deal to keep it regardless of the consequences. An interesting twist if you remember what Gunn tells Fred in Supersymmetry and what happened in Supersymmetry. Also what was the deal for - an antique curio that the doctor refused to explain in detail. A doctor who implants things in people or removes them for the SP, wants a curio? Instead of drugs? Why? And once again we have the imagery about something being implanted in someone to make them more powerful - like the vessel in Conviction, Hainsely in Just Rewards implanting souls, or the opposite the removal - sleep in Life of The Party, hearts in Cautionary Tale...and in the case of Cautionary Tale it's an antique object that stops the demon. Interesting recurring theme.
2. Knox and Fred broke up apparently, and Knox is none too happy about it. He seems a little annoyed. Also as Fred says - he's been here too long, it's done stuff to him.
3. Wes and Fred finally kiss. Hmmm, last time they did that was Soulless and look what happened? Cavalry...Might want to keep that in mind before you start whining or cheering.
4. Fred saves Wes like he saved her in Lineage, firing a gun and killing a puppet.
One of the things I love most about ATS is it does comment on itself and past episodes, it will revisit an old issue from another direction. The puppet theme in tonight's episode is really foreshadowing I think for what W&H is to the SP. Smile Time's tv station may have been a minature version of that, with their employee drones. The big giant egg for instance reminded me a lot of the failsafe device. Spike is right when he warns Gunn and Wes - you can't change a place like Wolfram and Hart, it changes you.
Ugh. Said more than I intended. Still nothing that deep though. I don't think. Still loving this episode. So clever.
So funny. So twisted.
Oh one more thing? I want an Angel muppet. He's sooo cute.
I also want a Spike one. And when he vamped? Awww. Oh god, I'm in love with the Angel muppet, I need help. LOL!
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no subject
Date: 2004-02-18 08:38 pm (UTC)You and the rest of the planet. :) They could pay for season six on the money made off Angel muppets alone.
Absolutely brilliant episode.
Date: 2004-02-18 08:43 pm (UTC)And this episode? So Joss. So Edlund. So brilliant and twisted and weird and hilarious. The shifts in tone were brilliant, particularly in the scene where the puppets are talking in the office, where we get a funny scene that ends quite disturbingly as the head puppet shoves his hand up the creator's back. And Puppet!Angel changing into game face...I was laughing so hard. I had a big smile on my face through the whole episode, in fact. James Marsters must have had the best time have that knockdown fight with the puppet. Looked like it was a total blast to make, and of course there are all those dark things a brewin' underneath that from the promo look like they're going to erupt into all sorts of unpleasantness for the characters in the coming weeks.
Re: Absolutely brilliant episode.
Date: 2004-02-18 08:50 pm (UTC)So filled with all sorts of references to prior episodes.
Trust me we'll be picking this one apart after the next two episodes air just for the foreshadowing and the metaphors.
Re: Absolutely brilliant episode.
Date: 2004-02-18 08:53 pm (UTC)Yes, I do...
Date: 2004-02-18 09:13 pm (UTC)16 is written and directed by Stephen Deknight.
17 is written by Craft and Fain
18/19/20 seem to unknown at the moment. My guess is Goddard, Fury and possibly Bell. It may be either Greenwalt or Minear for 20. 20 is apparently an incredibly important episode - so Joss may do the teleplay like he did for 14.
21 will probably be Joss, since word has it 22 is going be helmed by Jeff Bell.
Re: Yes, I do...
Date: 2004-02-18 09:15 pm (UTC)Interesting...I would have assumed Joss would have wanted to write the last ep. Maybe things will change a little bit now that the cancellation has gone through.
Re: Absolutely brilliant episode.
Date: 2004-02-19 01:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-18 11:58 pm (UTC)I haven't even turned on the brain yet... still squeeing from absolute joy. I mean, Angel vamps out! In puppet face!!
Best. Episode. Ever. /Simpson's Comic Guy voice
Re:
Date: 2004-02-19 09:28 am (UTC)Are you spoiled? I'm guessing you're spoiled from the numbered items, but oh joy!! Nothing makes this episode better than knowing it's a hilarious one-off with future plot points!!
Heh. Slightly. One of my favorite scenes in this episode is
Angel's speech to Nina in the basement right before she claws him. He says that he hasn't been paying attention to what's going on around him - being overly focused on his own stuff. But he's paying attention now! And it's at that precise moment she grabs him from behind and tries to eat him. If he'd been paying attention, he'd have seen she was changing and gotten out of there.
I haven't even turned on the brain yet... still squeeing from absolute joy. I mean, Angel vamps out! In puppet face!!
Best. Episode. Ever. /Simpson's Comic Guy voice
Yep. At least the funniest. I haven't laughed at anything so hard in a long time.