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Angel
Provider
Episode Air Date 01/21/02Heaven Help The Working Vamp
After realizing that $1.83 in sofa cushion change will do little to further the "Connor Fund," Angel initiates a marketing campaign to bring in more business. After correcting an initial flyer goof that routes perspective customers to a pizza parlor, the phones begin ringing non-stop and the lobby swells with new clients. Among the customers: A woman being stalked by her dead boyfriend and the chrome faced (and groined) Nadras, who speak in a series of clicks reminiscent of the Kalahari Bushmen. Angel also fields a call from a rich, local businessman who wants to wipe out a nest of vamps that have taken to dining on his workers. Cordelia, whose cries of "remember The Mission" fall on deaf ears, is left to mind the store.
Meanwhile across town, Holtz is handling a personnel problem in his own "hands on" style. Seems new recruit Justine has disobeyed his orders on which vamps to dust and which to ignore. Having worked through their issues, Holtz sets her to the task of recruiting additional followers to replace the recently poisoned Grapplar demons.
Back at Angel Investigations, Wes and Gunn, almost back in Mr. And Mrs. Bickerson mode, tackle the case of the dead boyfriend. During the investigation they become much more aware of their rivalry for Fred's affections. Despite their competition, though, it is actually Lorne who lands the best blow with his "I'llneverknowtheloveofawomanagain.com" quip.
Lorne himself takes a blow of a different sort when escorting Fred to the Nadras waterfront lair, which features an interesting "Jules Verne meets Leona Helmsley" décor. The Nadras, who seem civilized with their digital camera and hors d'oeurves (never mind the recipe, it's the presentation that counts), ostensibly need Fred to assemble a crystalline puzzle. Unfortunately, they may be more interesting in seeing if she "gives good head." (sorry).
Angel draws the dullest assignment, i.e., cleaning out the nest of especially nasty vamps. The forgettable storyline, which features a minor twist and some weak humor, is a rather weak way to remind Angel of "The Mission." The writers could have done much better.
Nevertheless, the episode overall offers up a solid mix of action, humor, and plot development, if a little weak in the latter. It does not shine as much as other recent episodes, but does continue the good trend of more balanced screen time among the characters. It would have been nice, however, to see more of Holtz; his growth into A Big Bad is perhaps progressing too slowly (what was he doing last week during Cordelia's "It's a Wonderful Life" sojourn with Skip?).
The ending scene features an exhausted Angel, Cordelia, and Connor falling asleep together like a family. As they nod off, Angel and Cordelia debate future frivolous purchases such as a boat or ski condo, the latter leading Cordelia to invoke the potential horror of "chipmunk robots on ice." But it is the scene itself that invokes the real potential horror: A future Angel - Cordelia romance.
