A seizure cut introduces the episode as Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn leave the Brooding Hotel with their possessions in white boxes. Cordelia echoes our feelings at the end of last episode with a, "what just happened?"
Sweeney: The end of the last episode was a reminder of how fun being a new watcher of a show can be. I'm surprisingly spoiled on this show, BUT I STILL CAN'T STOP ASKING THIS QUESTION, CORDELIA. Good job show. But also, PLEASE EXPLAIN YOURSELF.
K: Agreed. Also, A+ gif selection, Lor.
Sweeney: Gunn is helping a wounded Angel into the Brooding HQ. Angel's babbling and Gunn doesn't really know what's going on, but he found Angel at Darla's motel. Through his crazy stress babble, Angel reveals the gist of what just happened: Dru is back and she just re-sired Darla. Wesley is once again on Team Let Darla Go, and Angel's all, "Nope! I can save her!" and pulls out a stake. Roll electric cello.
Kirsti: I'm still a little confused as to why Angel has a stake just lying around his office. I mean, if it were part of his magical stake-firing wrist weaponry, then sure.
Kirsti: I'm still a little confused as to why Angel has a stake just lying around his office. I mean, if it were part of his magical stake-firing wrist weaponry, then sure.
We open at the Brooding Hotel. Wes, Cordy and her new terrible hair style are worried about Angel. Apparently he's been down in the basement for like forever, and is back to being the King of Broodsville. Plus, Wes keeps hearing a "chucka-chucka sound." Cordy gives Wes crap because he was supposed to do the male bonding thing and get Angel to talk about his feelings, but the English version of that apparently boils down to asking about tea preferences. They squabble a bit before realising that the noise from the cellar has stopped. They sprint for the front desk, and try to look like they've been there the whole time as Angel appears. He was doing his laundry, and says that he loves it when things are still warm from the drier.
Lorraine: Two cops are looking into an interrogation room. One of them is taller than the other, so you're officially being introduced to Tall Cop and Short Cop. All of our nicknames can't be instant classics, okay? Also, the closed captioning has them designated as White Cop and Black Cop. Ha. Helpful.
Sweeney: The closed captioning people should really ask us to name peripheral characters like that.
Kirsti: Closed captioning is the best. ESPECIALLY Youtube's closed captioning. That shit is hilar.
Sweeney: The closed captioning people should really ask us to name peripheral characters like that.
Kirsti: Closed captioning is the best. ESPECIALLY Youtube's closed captioning. That shit is hilar.
Between today's Buffy crossover magic and the fact that six episodes of Angel have already taught me that I knew nothing of Darla's excellence from watching Buffy, this episode title has me legit excited already. It begins with Angel sketching Darla (hooray for the Angel/art ship!) and while I know a title like this will earn someone a proper gold star eventually, I give Angel's sketch pad an honorable mention.
Lorraine: I think "Angel's sketch pad" is the best almost gold star we've ever given. Good job.
Kirsti: A+. Also, Angel/art OTP.
Sweeney: Angel/Art is my OTP too. Look at us, agreeing on the important issues!
Lorraine: I think "Angel's sketch pad" is the best almost gold star we've ever given. Good job.
Kirsti: A+. Also, Angel/art OTP.
Sweeney: Angel/Art is my OTP too. Look at us, agreeing on the important issues!
Kirsti: Wes, his nose in a file, wanders across the foyer of the Hyperion. Behind the desk, he goes to open a filing cabinet but finds it jammed. He yanks on it until the entire drawer comes out of the filing cabinet, scattering papers all over the room. Of course this would be the moment when a potential client walks in.
The dude says he's looking for Angel, who Wes says is out. Wes wants to know if he can help. The guy says that it needs to be Angel, on account of his "special abilities". But then he asks if Wes has "special abilities" too, and Wes is all "Oh, totally, on account of that one time I was a rogue demon hunter." Then he slips on a piece of paper and lands on his arse. Oh, honey. You tried.
Lorraine: Slapstick comedy Wes is my least favorite Wes. I can be a fan of physical comedy but it really doesn't do him any favors. Pass.
The dude says he's looking for Angel, who Wes says is out. Wes wants to know if he can help. The guy says that it needs to be Angel, on account of his "special abilities". But then he asks if Wes has "special abilities" too, and Wes is all "Oh, totally, on account of that one time I was a rogue demon hunter." Then he slips on a piece of paper and lands on his arse. Oh, honey. You tried.
Lorraine: Slapstick comedy Wes is my least favorite Wes. I can be a fan of physical comedy but it really doesn't do him any favors. Pass.
Lorraine: Today's episode starts with a flash!bang and a series of fast moving shots through LA. It managed to scare the shit out of me and threatened to give me a seizure. Thanks, show!
Sweeney: This show definitely needs to come with an epilepsy warning of some sort.
K: A+. Like, seriously.
Sweeney: This show definitely needs to come with an epilepsy warning of some sort.
K: A+. Like, seriously.
Sweeney: The episode begins with Lilah snooping around Lindsey's office. Darla appears and creeps about how powerful it feels to rummage through other people's shit. Darla's playing with some bright purple powder that Lilah assumes is how she keeps Angel asleep.
Kirsti: Either that, or Darla's been raiding Cordy's eyeshadow collection.
Lorraine: 1430.
Kirsti: Either that, or Darla's been raiding Cordy's eyeshadow collection.
Lorraine: 1430.
We open with a hilarious scene between Lorne and Angel. Apparently Broody McBroodsalot has been singing karaoke again, this time clown themed. Lorne asks if Angel's been practicing, and yes - in the shower. Personally, I sing while blowdrying my hair because then no one can hear me, but to each their own. Lorne tells Angel that he's reached a bend in the road and needs to work out what to do now, then heads on stage for some singing. Angel, meanwhile, heads over to the bar where Darla is waiting for him. They're schmoopy and Angel is grinning like an idiot, and it makes me very uncomfortable because that's a trait I associate exclusively with Seeley Booth.
Wesley is looking over a photograph of the Hyperion Hotel. He tag-teams with Angel to provide us with the relevant back-story. Essentially, it's big, impressive and has been abandoned for a long time. Cordelia comes in and serves Wesley tea, has a cup of coffee for herself and hands Angel a cup of blood Angel inspects it for a bit before telling Cordelia that it appears to be coagulating. She replies that it's just a little cinnamon and she was experimenting. As one does.
Kirsti: He should consider himself lucky - she could have added crumbled up Weetbix to it like Spike does!
Kirsti: He should consider himself lucky - she could have added crumbled up Weetbix to it like Spike does!
Sweeney: Beginnings are almost as exciting as endings! I just need to insert the requisite number of YAY NEW SEASON exclamation points! There, that's good. We start the first episode of the season with a demon who is green with red eyes and little red horns who is on the long list of faces I recognize from Tumblr. He looks very menacing, but then he starts belting out "I Will Survive" taking a break to tell the audience (at this show, but also us, the viewing audience) about all the nasty things in LA.
K: LOOOOOOOORNE!!!
K: LOOOOOOOORNE!!!