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Angel
Couplets
Episode Air Date 02/18/02Sorry, Wes, we lost the dude because we were macking on the job.
At the outset, this episode did not look promising. A series of "are-we-talking-about-Connor-or-are-we-talking-about-Groosalug" bits were only slightly more amusing than Sylvester Stallone's Oscar.
Likewise, Angel's jealous goofiness and Cordelia's quips about losing her "vision-ity" also fell flat. Special background music full of tings, dings, and clicks intended to punctuate the humor only made things worse. At times it hovered perilously close to background themes used for bad 'seventies television. In fact, the brightest spot early on was actually a Verizon wireless commercial customized for Angel.
The plot centered on the potential "com-shuk" or ritual mating between Cordelia and the newly arrived Groosalug, late of Pylea. However, an initial attempt fails due to an ill-timed vision of a Sineed demon, which manifests only to feed (not be confused with a Sinise demon, which unfortunately manifests to make bad sci-fi movies). The event also reminds Cordelia that the "com-shuk" could end her visions, which are now pleasantly pain free. ( If you liked Visions, then you'll love Visions 2. Now with 35% more clairvoyance and none of the annoying brain damage!)
Fortunately, the episode began to improve when Angel and Groo set off after the Sineed demon. Angel jealousy gives way to more effective sarcasm and insecurity, while a back story involving a potentially unfaithful fiancée provided need balance. Scenes showing Gunn and Fred's budding romance, as well as Wesley's reactions, were also well done.
Gunn and Fred do, in fact, make a cute couple. The writers just managed to create an amusingly smitten Gunn without veering too far into corniness. But as this couple continues to separate from the rest of the Fang Gang, their love may take a sinister turn as a speculated defection to Holtz and company seems increasingly possible.
Out of a mixture of coping and professionalism, Wesley busies himself with work, specifically learning more about Connor's role in the prophecies spelled out by the Nyazean scrolls.
Not trusting his own interpretation of the scrolls, Wesley opts instead to obtain a third party interpretation found in a one-of-kind Greek text, of which a local bookseller has three copies (who says the independents can't compete with the chains?). In tribute - intentional or not - to Kramer of Seinfeld fame, the bookseller's uses of an acronym for something that would never be abbreviated is a nice touch.
Along these lines, the writers use humor more effectively in the second half. The Groosalug, sans Battlefield Earth haircut, takes an amusing turn as an Angel twin; the combination of his dimwitted cheer and Angel's wardrobe transforms him into a bit of a "Groosadork." Equally ridiculous yet fun: A demon brothel and a man eating tree monster with its own DSL connection. Scenes that may be too silly or even stupid elsewhere are here a welcome relief to the overplayed treatment of Angel's and Wes's unrequited feelings.
But alas, no signs of Holtz or W&H - again. Maybe like Cordelia and Groo, they took a vacation.
Because Chris had waaay too much time on his hands today, he offers up this little tribute to the episode, sung to the tune of The B-52's Love Shack. Please send him e-mail about it.
