Angel
Sacrifice
original air-date: 04-23-03
Submitted
for your approval: One Angel, a vampire with a soul who just
can't seem to sink his teeth into saving the world . With
the odds against him, he tries his luck with portal that may
yield solutions or leave him forever stranded in...The CGI
Zone (cue music).
Despite
many bumps, this episode still delivers a generally entertaining
mix of action, humor, and plot development. It picks up right
at the end of "The
Magic Bullet."
Seemingly
unchanged from the blood-based cure (or perhaps uncaring),
Connor sounds the alert. So the Fang Gang hightails it down
the fire escape, except for Angel, who takes the "express
elevator."
Question:
Why doesn't The Fang Gang try running down Jasmine with the
car? They know she can be hurt. Perhaps practicality makes
for boring television.
Instead,
they flee. First stop is a gas station where Jasmine's Borg-like
powers shift into high gear. There hasn't been such a scary
kid since CBS tried to turn Baby Bob into a sitcom (what a
waste of the talented Adam Arkin). Second stop is the sewer
system, where a quasi-teen gang has been hiding out since
The Beast blacked out the sun, only to encounter a new monster
that has been picking off their members. The fact that Gunn
knows one of the gang members is too much of a coincidence
and not even necessary for the story.
Question:
If Fred is the "pale, frail Winifred Berkel" she
claims to be, how did she kick butt so easily in the last
two episodes?
Meanwhile,
Jasmine continues to bond with Connor, who may or may not
be aware of her true form. Much to his dismay, Jasmine ditches
Cordelia to a place unknown lest her blood free others from
the spell. Fortunately the series of Connor - Jasmine scenes
never reach the level of tedium achieved by the Connor - Cordelia
couplings.
Back in
the sewers The Fang Gang hunts the monster, which makes off
with Wes and send one of the teens, Matthew, heading in fear
for the surface. Gunn and Fred pursue Matthew before he falls
under Jasmine's grip and reveal their position. The search
provides the couple with some quiet time to discuss morality
and killing Fred's bad guy ex-professor. Yawn...
Question:
If Golden is active in the demon hunting community, wouldn't
he or another member already know about Angel or at least
heard about "the good vampire with a soul?"
The highlight
of the episode is the monster. (Here's the recipe: start with
something Lovecraftian, toss in a baddie from the tougher
levels of Doom II, and add in the The Shadows from Babylon
5. Stir.)
Seems
"Pointy" is a Jasmine worshipper from another time
and/or place and it misses mommy (or at least has a grudge
against the new human "kids"). Besides delaying
his possible execution, Wes manages to learn some key Jasminology
and that Pointy has a portal back to the other world. The
downside is that this other world has an atmosphere toxic
to humans (perhaps it's Bayonne or another industrialized
section of New Jersey).
Question:
How did Pointy learn English?
At the
climax the audience sees that again Angel did in fact learn
from Angelus, i.e., how to dispatch otherwise impervious foes.
Unfortunately, the rest of the Fang Gang does not fare well.
And Angel may find himself outgunned in CGI-land, not to mention
that Wes never actually told him how to activate the orb so
Angel can get back (perhaps the audience can assume that Angel's
super hearing picked up Wes talking to himself about triggering
the orb).
Overall,
a bumpy ride, but a fun enjoyable one.
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