|
|
Angel
Waiting In The Wings
Episode Air Date 02/04/02It's a puzzler...are there snacks?
Just in time for Valentine's Day, the episode opens with Wesley and Cordelia lamenting their love lives. Wesley, busy researching a demon known as "The Ravager" ("Six breasts? Any man's gotta love that!"), pines for Fred (for God sake's why? Cute, maybe. But this is one nutty chick!). Cordelia admits (and quickly regrets doing so) that the only man is her life is Phantom Dennis, "an invisible ghost who's good with the loofah."
At least business at Angel Investigations is still brisk: The Ravager, who will not attempt to destroy the world for another month, is filed under "pending."
Meanwhile, Gunn and Fred flirt on their way back from breakfast, where Fred, despite her "stick figure" can really "pack it away." (Boy, that Gunn is a real charmer). Their mutual affection does come across more genuine than it did in the past, certainly much more than the strained nature of Wesley's interest. (One could argue that Wesley with any woman seems strained. Perhaps Wesley and Lorne should pair up. More on that below).
Finally, everyone ends up together when Angel returns from a ticket buying expedition (Cordelia: "So, you went with the dark colors today?"). Although assigned by Gunn to secure tickets to see hot band "Mata Hari," Angel has instead opted for the Balinakoff ballet's production of "Giselle," which was absolutely amazing when he first saw it in 1890. Angel explains, "I cried like a baby - and I was evil." (No doubt Enron executives said the same thing when their stock hit the skids).
So the Fang Gang, minus Lorne the appointed babysitter, prepares to head off to the ballet. While shopping for dresses and discussing the ballet, Fred admits that her first sexual dream was about "the Mouse King" from the Nutcracker (see!) and that she is interested in one of her fellow demon slayers.
But Cordelia misinterprets Fred's interest in Gunn as interest in Wesley; she later relays the error to Wesley. For her part, Cordelia dodges questions about her interest in Angel, and instead offers up some amusing observations: "Fred, sweetie, Angel is crazy!" and "The world's champion isn't going to spend his whole day worrying about his outfit."
Of course, that's exactly what Angel is doing with the help of valet Lorne, who calls Angels "struedel, cupcake," and "cinnamon buns" before Angel wisely asks him "to stop calling (me) pastries."
Lorne queries Angel about his possible romantic interest in Cordelia. Here the scene takes an unrealistic turn: Lorne claims that he would date Cordelia if not for Angel. But this is a demon who likes show tunes, dresses fashionably, and calls other men pastries. There hasn't been this much denial since Willow lusted for Xander.
The ballet produces mixed results. Gunn is enraptured, Wesley whines about the nosebleed seats, and Cordelia snoozes (and drools). But the most important reaction comes during intermission, when Angel realizes that the performers and the production are exactly the same as when he saw it in 1890.
Despite varying protests from Gunn ("You know, I was cool before I met you all.") and Cordelia ("It's a puzzler…are there snacks?"), the Fang Gang decides to investigate. Angel and Cordelia head backstage, while the love triangle returns to the seats to see if the second act yields any clues. Meanwhile, Lorne the babysitter sings a darkly amusing lullaby about resentment and selling babies to vampire cults.
At this point the episode attempts to shift gears from light comedy to drama with generally poor results. There are some bright spots like a neat endless corridor, Wesley's swordplay, and some creepy henchmen who look a bit like the Joker from the animated Batman TV series and sound like Frank Gorshin portraying the Riddler on downers. But the love scenes involving possessed Angel and Cordelia fall flat, as does an especially dull exchange between Angel and the doomed ballerina. Only Wesley's turn as a heartbroken potential menace works effectively.
Despite getting bogged down at times in the second half, the episode does end on a high note with the arrival of an unexpected visitor who will no doubt make things interesting and amusing in upcoming episodes. At least more interesting than the ballet.
