AOQ Angel Review 1-16: "The Ring"
Arbitrar Of Quality
episodes in these review threads
ANGEL
Season One, Episode 16: "The Ring")
(or "I must break you...")
Writer: Howard Gordon
Director: Nick Marck
Just to say something that's been bothering me for a little: I've
pretty much committed to watching at least some of the way into Season
Two, just because so many ATS fans who weren't wowed by S1 either
have vouched for it. But this is starting to get a bit trying. As
I've said, I don't like watching a lot of television. I prefer to
watch good TV, not entertaining-enough-but-disposable TV. _Angel_ has
kept me coming back because of all the assurances that it'll get
better, because it's a Mutant Enemy show, because I like Angel
himself so much, because of the glimpses of real brilliance in recent
episodes like "Somnambulist" and... well, pretty much just
"Somnambulist." Extenuating circumstances. But ATS is only
getting this extended extra chance from me because of the extenuating
circumstances. It's rarely bad, but it's not a particularly
noteworthy show at this point, and it most certainly has not
"earned" my attention. Anyway, supposedly the year ends strong and
there are some episodes with nice evocative titles coming up, so
let's keep watching and hoping.
Ultimately the demons are released into the wild city, with our heroes
left to ponder whether they did the right thing. It's the right
question to be asking, but I suppose I wanted more. I'd have had the
demons swarm the room, killing humans left and right. I think
there's more moral ambiguity that could've been mined there.
Random minor things I liked: "Claw-like hands," the fact that
Wesley calls Cop Lady when they can't find Angel.
What at least makes it a little different is that Angel doesn't have
all the answers. He avoids the killing whenever possible, tries to
forge an alliance with his fellow prisoners, and nobly rejects his
chance to go free under W&H's terms (why? He could always come back
with weapons, right?). It's the uncompromising action-hero's way,
after all. And it wouldn't have worked, on its own. He's forced
to kill the first demon he fights, and would continue to either kill or
be killed if it weren't for the others. Besides honing their comic
rhythm, Cordelia and Wesley are the big heroes of this one, displaying
a level of competence that doesn't seem to jive with everything
we've seen before. Look at Cordelia's effortless job as an actor,
calling bigwig-guy's bluff and generally thinking on her feet. She
doesn't seem like a convincing cop so much as someone who's watched
a lot of TV, but the fact that she sounds so completely sure of herself
tilts the issue. Seems about right, and I'm actually having fun
watching her, which has always been cause for celebration (and waiting
for the other shoe to drop). And of course she's the one who grabs
the wristband. Wesley is still the comic relief, especially when it
comes to infiltrating places, but it's toned down to tolerable
levels, especially since he brings it with the Watcher knowledge this
week. And when the stakes are high, he comes through when facing down
five guys armed with a little nail-bow-thing. Heh. So is this
unreasonable to expect from these two given past portrayals? At this
point, my stance is a firm whatever. Continuity be damned, it's good
to see the crew playing to their strengths and working well together.
This episode doesn't lend itself to being talked about too much.
I'm not seeing any of the hidden depths, major shakeups, or revealing
little nuances that generally fill page space. Angel gets hired for a
job, and it looks like we're in for a story about underground
gambling rings - not an atypical L.A. story to be telling. The show
strings us along for awhile with a reasonably entertaining trip that
ends up with Angel seeing that he's been set up by people running a
game that's more high-stakes for the participants. We then move on
the titular ring, which is more or less exactly like any action movie
you've ever seen about pit-fighters, except that everyone's wearing
silly costumes. The guest character-types and actors do very little to
distinguish themselves in either a good or a bad way, and I'd say
that it's not much better or worse than any other story of this
nature.
One of the central elements in BTVS and _Firefly_ is the dynamic among
the core cast. It's a little less germaine to the format of ATS, but
it's important for any ensemble. I feel like things took a hit with
the loss of Doyle, who was meshing so well with the show. The teaser
for this one suggests that the writers have put their finger on how
Cordelia and Wesley should interact nowadays, and it leads to a breezy
scene. The characters seem relaxed and unforced in their banter in a
way they hadn't before, as they take sides in the
technology-versus-tradition debate. Cordelia disdainfully reusing
Wesley's "rife with single entendre" line towards the end is a
high spot; she should take that on as a running sarcastic description,
actually. And despite all the complaints about it after IGYUMS, Angel
seems to be playing up his role as dad, stepping in when the kids'
bickering starts to get out of line. Demons, Demons, Demons is a cute
idea (the Internet has everything if you look hard enough...), and it
actually doesn't seem like too egregious a depiction of computer
technology circa 2000, although I could've done without the scrolling
text during processing. Granted, I tend to be forgiving of any 'net
scene that doesn't bring back the Computer Voice from "Robot."
I occasionally write my reviews backwards, or jump around within them,
if comments about the ending or a final thought are most prominent in
my mind. As a haphazard approach, I mean, not as an organized plan.
But this week once I realized I was doing it, I decided to literally do
things backward. Write the last paragraph first, keep working strictly
forward that way, and then post the whole thing in reversed order. I
realize that I'm running the risk of getting too gimmicky here -
these reviews should be more about the show and less about the writer,
and certainly not about how boldly the writer can redefine the noble
art form of scribbling bullshit about other people's work. But I
thought it would be fun to try. Once.
So...
One-sentence summary: Fights the okay fight.
AOQ rating: Decent
[Season One so far:
1) "City Of" - Good
2) "Lonely Hearts" - Weak
3) "Into The Dark" - Good
4) "I Fall To Pieces" - Good
5) "Rm W/ A Vu" - Decent
6) "Sense And Sensitivity" - Weak
7) "The Bachelor Party" - Decent
8) "I Will Remember You" - Excellent
9) "Hero" - Good
10) "Parting Gifts" - Decent
11) "Somnambulist" - Good
12) "Expecting" - Bad
13) "She" - Good
14) "I've Got You Under My Skin" - Decent
15) "The Prodigal" - Decent
16) "The Ring" - Decent]
MBangel10 (Melissa)
I had mixed feelings about S1 myself. I enjoyed watching it after Buffy
but really only loved the x-over episodes. In S2 the storyline does get
better, so I'm glad you're sticking around to give it a chance. I hope
you enjoy 2 much more but then S3 left me kind of meh, as well.
Xande...@gmail.com
loved Season 4, as well, which most people seem to regard as horrid.
But, either way, AOQ, it's not just talk, the episodes are going to
start knocking your socks off...and if they don't, AtS just isn't your
show.
MBangel10 (Melissa)
back up until late S4. S5 kicked ass though, it's the only season that I
bought on DVD.
William George Ferguson
wrote:
>A reminder: Please avoid spoilers for later _Buffy_ and _Angel_
>episodes in these review threads
>
>
>ANGEL
>Season One, Episode 16: "The Ring")
>(or "I must break you...")
>Writer: Howard Gordon
>Director: Nick Marck
>
>Just to say something that's been bothering me for a little: I've
>pretty much committed to watching at least some of the way into Season
>Two, just because so many ATS fans who weren't wowed by S1 either
>have vouched for it. But this is starting to get a bit trying. As
>I've said, I don't like watching a lot of television. I prefer to
>watch good TV, not entertaining-enough-but-disposable TV. _Angel_ has
>kept me coming back because of all the assurances that it'll get
>better, because it's a Mutant Enemy show, because I like Angel
>himself so much, because of the glimpses of real brilliance in recent
>episodes like "Somnambulist" and... well, pretty much just
>"Somnambulist." Extenuating circumstances. But ATS is only
>getting this extended extra chance from me because of the extenuating
>circumstances. It's rarely bad, but it's not a particularly
>noteworthy show at this point, and it most certainly has not
>"earned" my attention. Anyway, supposedly the year ends strong and
>there are some episodes with nice evocative titles coming up, so
>let's keep watching and hoping.
Well, this is the other one I was thinking of (along with She) as picks for
'Worst Angel Ep Ever'. Actually, the next one gets a few votes too, but
then you get to the 'nice evocative titles'.
>One of the central elements in BTVS and _Firefly_ is the dynamic among
>the core cast. It's a little less germaine to the format of ATS, but
>it's important for any ensemble. I feel like things took a hit with
>the loss of Doyle, who was meshing so well with the show. The teaser
>for this one suggests that the writers have put their finger on how
>Cordelia and Wesley should interact nowadays, and it leads to a breezy
>scene. The characters seem relaxed and unforced in their banter in a
>way they hadn't before, as they take sides in the
>technology-versus-tradition debate.
As has been mentioned, the original conception of Angel the Series (the
differentiation generally get made between A the Char, A the Ser, and A the
Ep for the same reason browncoats will say 'Serenity the movie' when
talking general fireflyverse stuff (or just the BDM)) was as an anthology
series with Angel Investigations providing the frame for telling the weekly
guest stars' stories, sort of 'Wagon Train to the supernatural', to borrow
an old description. They established fairly quickly that that formula
didn't work, and the mid-year stuff was ME finding what would work. While
this episode is held in minimum high regard by a lot of people, it is the
start of the run of the series as character driven rather than story of the
week driven.
--
HERBERT
1996 - 1997
Beloved Mascot
Delightful Meal
He fed the Pack
A little
Don Sample
"Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote:
> A reminder: Please avoid spoilers for later _Buffy_ and _Angel_
> episodes in these review threads
>
>
> ANGEL
> Season One, Episode 16: "The Ring")
> (or "I must break you...")
> Writer: Howard Gordon
> Director: Nick Marck
>
> Cordelia and Wesley are the big heroes of this one, displaying
> a level of competence that doesn't seem to jive with everything
> we've seen before. Look at Cordelia's effortless job as an actor,
> calling bigwig-guy's bluff and generally thinking on her feet. She
> doesn't seem like a convincing cop so much as someone who's watched
> a lot of TV, but the fact that she sounds so completely sure of herself
> tilts the issue. Seems about right, and I'm actually having fun
> watching her, which has always been cause for celebration (and waiting
> for the other shoe to drop). And of course she's the one who grabs
> the wristband. Wesley is still the comic relief, especially when it
> comes to infiltrating places, but it's toned down to tolerable
> levels, especially since he brings it with the Watcher knowledge this
> week. And when the stakes are high, he comes through when facing down
> five guys armed with a little nail-bow-thing. Heh. So is this
> unreasonable to expect from these two given past portrayals? At this
> point, my stance is a firm whatever. Continuity be damned, it's good
> to see the crew playing to their strengths and working well together.
There is a consistency to Wesley's competence. When he doesn't think
about it, and just *does* it, he's very good with weapons: guns,
crossbows, etc. It's when he starts trying to put on a show and impress
people that he screws up.
Same goes for Cordy's acting ability. She can't act to a script worth a
damn. Put her in a situation where she has to do improv, with no time
to prepare, and she does pretty well.
Another thing about this episode: It completes the L.M. set. For some
reason Wolfram and Hart likes hiring lawyers with the initials L.M.:
Lindsey MacDonald, Lee Mercer, and Lilah Morgan.
Maybe they got a deal on a bunch of monogrammed briefcases and such, all
with the initials L.M.
--
Quando omni flunkus moritati
Visit the Buffy Body Count at <http://homepage.mac.com/dsample/>
mariposas rand mair fheal greykitten tomys des anges
> with the initials L.M.
gurl qb frrz gb tb guebhtu ynjlref ng n oevfx engr
whfg fubjf lbh gung rira va gur urneg bs qnexarff
fbzr tbbq pna or qbar
arf meow arf - nsa fodder
al qaeda terrorism nuclear bomb iran taliban big brother
if you meet buddha on the usenet killfile him
One Bit Shy
news:1147732003.5...@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
ANGEL
Season One, Episode 16: "The Ring")
(or "I must break you...")
Spartacus! What happened to your brow?
> Just to say something that's been bothering me for a little...
Well, I've already had my say on that subject. Suffice to say that I agree
that the series needs to get its act together.
> Ultimately the demons are released into the wild city, with our heroes
> left to ponder whether they did the right thing. It's the right
> question to be asking, but I suppose I wanted more. I'd have had the
> demons swarm the room, killing humans left and right. I think
> there's more moral ambiguity that could've been mined there.
Spartacus: And maybe there's no peace in this world, for us or for anyone
else, I don't know. But I do know that, as long as we live, we must remain
true to ourselves.
> What at least makes it a little different is that Angel doesn't have
> all the answers. He avoids the killing whenever possible, tries to
> forge an alliance with his fellow prisoners, and nobly rejects his
> chance to go free under W&H's terms (why? He could always come back
> with weapons, right?).
We'll never know, but I would assume that notion had crossed the mind of the
dark Lilah. (Who, incidentally, looks like she really ought to be a
vampire.) Perhaps they planned for some kind of magical penalty clause in
their "contract" that Angel would be compelled to accept.
> Besides honing their comic
> rhythm, Cordelia and Wesley are the big heroes of this one, displaying
> a level of competence that doesn't seem to jive with everything
> we've seen before. Look at Cordelia's effortless job as an actor,
> calling bigwig-guy's bluff and generally thinking on her feet. She
> doesn't seem like a convincing cop so much as someone who's watched
> a lot of TV, but the fact that she sounds so completely sure of herself
> tilts the issue. Seems about right, and I'm actually having fun
> watching her, which has always been cause for celebration (and waiting
> for the other shoe to drop). And of course she's the one who grabs
> the wristband. Wesley is still the comic relief, especially when it
> comes to infiltrating places, but it's toned down to tolerable
> levels, especially since he brings it with the Watcher knowledge this
> week. And when the stakes are high, he comes through when facing down
> five guys armed with a little nail-bow-thing. Heh. So is this
> unreasonable to expect from these two given past portrayals? At this
> point, my stance is a firm whatever. Continuity be damned, it's good
> to see the crew playing to their strengths and working well together.
I think Cordy has mostly always performed well on her feet and has had a
lifetime's experience at putting on a bold confident front. She just
doesn't know how to read lines. Maybe she should try a comedy improv group.
In any case, what stood out the most about the two of them I thought was
their chemistry together. The exchanges were easy - almost warm. The
family thing actually showed up. (CC also seemed to be really enjoying
herself.) The humor seemed to come out of their way together as much as
from their lines (which weren't especially funny this episode).
Though I did have to smile at the idea of Cordelia keeping sentimental
horsehairs from her palomino named Keanu.
And Wesley's sudden display of physical skill with the bookie was rather
startling. He was terribly lucky to be able to pick up that conveniently
sliding gun. But, still, it was an impressive effort. Maybe we'll see
Wesley, action hero, yet.
Anyway, the development of these two were the best part of the episode for
me. Maybe they'll build upon it for a change.
> This episode doesn't lend itself to being talked about too much.
I have little to say about the main story. Gladiators.
> So...
>
> One-sentence summary: Fights the okay fight.
>
> AOQ rating: Decent
Yeah, fine.
OBS
KenM47
<SNIP>
I have not yet rewatched this ep, b/c I hate it. Too many people know
too much about demons in L.A., but the cops don't? At least, Kate
doesn't?
Anyway, I just want to say things do get better and the season does
end with a bang, IMO. I don't think that is a spoiler.
And where it goes for much of next season really is special in its
way.
Don't give up on the show yet. There's plenty of time for that later.
Again, IMHO.
Ken (Brooklyn)
Apteryx
Arbitrar Of Quality wrote:
> A reminder: Please avoid spoilers for later _Buffy_ and _Angel_
> episodes in these review threads
>
>
>
> So...
>
> One-sentence summary: Fights the okay fight.
>
> AOQ rating: Decent
Very dull fare this. Not much to say because I couldn't bring myself to
rewatch it (there are some great AtS episodes, but there is always
something better to do than watch the weaker ones.
Maybe we can put some of the blame on the fact that Gladiator was one
of the big movies the year this was made. "What we do in life echoes in
eternity" (or maybe it's "You sold me queer giraffes. I want my money
back"). A year or two later and an episode with this title might have
featured Angel helping a small demon destroy a ring to prevent it
falling into the hands of the W&H senior partners, or coming across a
mysterious video.
This is my 102nd favourite AtS episode, 21st best in season 1
Apteryx
Exp315
not a great episode, and honestly Angel did not hook me as a series in
Season 1. It's hard to say if it ever would have, independently of its
BtVS heritage - I don't think it was ever quite consistently up to the
standard of Buffy. It constantly raises one's hopes with flashes of
brilliance and interesting characters (like the just-introduced Lilah
of W&H), only to dash them with the next crappy pedestrian episode.
Fortunately there are some episodes coming up which will considerably
raise your hopes. (at last!)
burt...@hotmail.com
As I'm sure you've noticed by now, there is no overarching storyline in
AtS season 1. It's all monster-of-the-week, and some of the monsters of
the week are better than others. This is the only season of the show
that's like this. After this, the monster-of-the-week episodes are
still there, but there are also intensely personal, character-driven
storylines that carry the bulk of the show from that point on. So if
you're not liking what they're doing with season 1, don't worry. It's
the only season of the show that has this format.
eli...@gmail.com
share my AtS viewing history...
I watched Buffy from the beginning, but for some reason didn't wach
Angel when it started, and didn't actually watch any until Buffy had
finished. So the first episode I saw was 'Home', the S4 finale (which
aired just before the Buffy S7 finale). Not surprisingly, this left me
scratching my head, since it's the culmination of 4 years worth of
story lines. But since there then started up re-runs of both series on
TV, I caught up with all of Angel before S5 started, one episode a day.
My memories of S1 are fairly hazy, but I can safely say that after the
next episode things *finally* start to pick up - the last 5 episodes
all lending themselves very well to being re-watched with great
pleasure. :)
gree...@gmail.com
Arbitrar Of Quality wrote:
> But this is starting to get a bit trying. As
> I've said, I don't like watching a lot of television. I prefer to
> watch good TV, not entertaining-enough-but-disposable TV.
I see people are assuring you that "things will get better," but to my
mind, if you're 'Excellent' episode to date is "Somnambulist," you're
going to basically dislike the entire series, with some exceptions here
and there. If you have season two discs already, fine. If not, were I
you, I'd not bother. And I mean that in a "save you some money" kind of
way.
> He avoids the killing whenever possible, tries to
> forge an alliance with his fellow prisoners, and nobly rejects his
> chance to go free under W&H's terms (why? He could always come back
> with weapons, right?).
Maybe. It depends what the fine print says. I wouldn't take a regular
lawyer's word for anything, let alone one who worked for Wolfram and
Hart.
> And despite all the complaints about it after IGYUMS, Angel
> seems to be playing up his role as dad
Well, if a) all you expect from Dad is scoldings and b) you enjoy
watching adults act like children, then I suppose you can enjoy this
aspect. As far as I'm concerned, it's the second-worse thing _Angel_
indulged in.
> AOQ rating: Decent
Another episode as forgetable as IGYUMS. There are more coming though.
Terry
Espen Schjønberg
> A reminder: Please avoid spoilers for later _Buffy_ and _Angel_
> episodes in these review threads
>
>
> ANGEL
> Season One, Episode 16: "The Ring")
> (or "I must break you...")
> Writer: Howard Gordon
> Director: Nick Marck
>
> Just to say something that's been bothering me for a little: I've
> pretty much committed to watching at least some of the way into Season
> Two, just because so many ATS fans who weren't wowed by S1 either
> have vouched for it. But this is starting to get a bit trying.
Yeah, but this was one of the "What is the point with this" episodes.
> AOQ rating: Decent
I don't understand how this conclusion follows of your "this is a bit
trying" line of thought.
Why not just : Weak?
Or bad, but it is in a way not important enough to be bad.
Or perhaps it is bad enough. The demons are immensely well-known in LA
in this episode, I do get the feeling too many of the onlookers realize
or must realize this is demons. The no deals with the devil is OK,
though. A good thing to turn down W&H. But in a way: he are making a
deal with the devil by letting demons loose. Weird...
> [Season One so far:
> 1) "City Of" - Good
I guess...
> 2) "Lonely Hearts" - Weak
Decent
> 3) "Into The Dark" - Good
Decent. I subtract very much for the immensely silly plan: give him the
ring. Yeah, clever. And DB panting, hate it.
> 4) "I Fall To Pieces" - Good
yeah, I think so, too. Underrated, many people hate this episode.
> 5) "Rm W/ A Vu" - Decent
No man, it's Good. Very good. And I am not looking like Willow after
tasting Buffys drinks here. Plot twists and everything.
> 6) "Sense And Sensitivity" - Weak
Decent.
> 7) "The Bachelor Party" - Decent
yes, decent.
> 8) "I Will Remember You" - Excellent
I think Good. I somehow didn't like the Buffy/Angel scenes when they
were happy. I am afraid I have gotten the explanation now. (two words:
Marti Noxon.) Also, I am not big on the reset-button. The whole world,
one day? Big stuff.
> 9) "Hero" - Good
Well, I lean to decent. To kill a major character should make it easy to
write a good episode, so it should be jugded by a different standard.
And then it is not good enough to be good.
> 10) "Parting Gifts" - Decent
Yes, but in the lower range.
> 11) "Somnambulist" - Good
Well, no, very good! ;-)
> 12) "Expecting" - Bad
Absolutely
> 13) "She" - Good
Barely decent. The way the female demons kill people here, they should
not be allowed to get asylum in this world. I don't see how Angel could
feel he could do that. Like, the men being fried, are they so evil they
deserve it, or what?
> 14) "I've Got You Under My Skin" - Decent
And this is my point with this, to get an excuse to ask you: Why save
the child if he had no soul? Are the powers this incompetent or what?
But decent, ok.
> 15) "The Prodigal" - Decent
No! Excellent! Man. The last scene? "You've think you won?" Heavy.
> 16) "The Ring" - Decent]
And once more: Decent? After you ask yourself why you are watching? That
should be a clear indication of either Weak or plain Bad.
I give Weak, but then I feel like I am too kind.
--
Espen
peachy ashie passion
>
> And this is my point with this, to get an excuse to ask you: Why save
> the child if he had no soul? Are the powers this incompetent or what?
I think they were saving the demon.
Lord Usher
$Go6.640@trnddc04:
No, they killed the demon. Seems like the point was to save Ryan's family
and restore Angel's faith.
--
Lord Usher
"I'm here to kill you, not to judge you."
peachy ashie passion
> peachy ashie passion <exquisi...@hotmail.com> wrote in news:%goag.3091
> $Go6.640@trnddc04:
>
>
>>Espen Schjønberg wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>And this is my point with this, to get an excuse to ask you: Why save
>>>the child if he had no soul? Are the powers this incompetent or what?
>>
>> I think they were saving the demon.
>
>
> No, they killed the demon. Seems like the point was to save Ryan's family
> and restore Angel's faith.
>
But they saved him from a long long life inside the monsterous kid.
burt...@hotmail.com
> Arbitrar Of Quality wrote:
>
> > But this is starting to get a bit trying. As
> > I've said, I don't like watching a lot of television. I prefer to
> > watch good TV, not entertaining-enough-but-disposable TV.
>
> I see people are assuring you that "things will get better," but to my
> mind, if you're 'Excellent' episode to date is "Somnambulist," you're
> going to basically dislike the entire series, with some exceptions here
> and there. If you have season two discs already, fine. If not, were I
> you, I'd not bother. And I mean that in a "save you some money" kind of
> way.
I don't really see how you can come to that conclusion. It's not just
that the series gets better (although it does), it's that the focus of
the series completely changes after season 1. With only a couple of
exceptions, season 1 is pretty much just a bunch of monster-of-the-week
episodes. After this, there are seasonal storylines and the show
becomes much more character-driven. It's completely different from what
we've seen so far.
kenm47
And, IMO, worked pretty well for a while.
Ken (Brooklyn)
Lord Usher
>>> I think they were saving the demon.
>>
>>
>> No, they killed the demon. Seems like the point was to save Ryan's
>> family and restore Angel's faith.
>>
>
> But they saved him from a long long life inside the monsterous kid.
Somehow I doubt that Our Heroes or the PTB were hugely interested in
rescuing an evil demon who'd spread violence and hatred and corrupted the
souls of men since before the dawn of human civilization.
gree...@gmail.com
burt1...@hotmail.com wrote:
> I don't really see how you can come to that conclusion.
Well, I probably can't explain it then, but it just seems to me like
_Angel_ isn't AOQ's cup of tea.
Terry
peachy ashie passion
HEY!!!
Don't MESS with my FANwank!!!
burt...@hotmail.com
Well, you may be right, but like I said, you really can't judge that by
season 1.
Now, if he was two-thirds of the way through season 2 and was saying
the same things, then I'd probably agree that the show just wasn't for
him.
Arbitrar Of Quality
Well, I already have S2, since that seems to be the universally agreed
litmus test for the show...
-AOQ
Slayah
> I occasionally write my reviews backwards, or jump around within them,
> if comments about the ending or a final thought are most prominent in
> my mind. As a haphazard approach, I mean, not as an organized plan.
> But this week once I realized I was doing it, I decided to literally
> do things backward. Write the last paragraph first, keep working
> strictly forward that way, and then post the whole thing in reversed
> order. I realize that I'm running the risk of getting too gimmicky
> here -
It's ok, but you left out the best part, the "made me laugh anyway"
part. I nominate Wesley's "Something's going down tonight. Something
with the man."
Slayah
I love Season 4, and I love you-know-who.
Slayah
>
> In any case, what stood out the most about the two of them I thought
> was their chemistry together. The exchanges were easy - almost warm.
> The family thing actually showed up. (CC also seemed to be really
> enjoying herself.) The humor seemed to come out of their way
> together as much as from their lines (which weren't especially funny
> this episode).
I thought they had some hilarious lines. Wesley says something about his
rich and varied social life every night and Cordy guesses that it's
Jeopardy followed by Wheel of Fortune and a hot cocoa. LOL!
Slayah
Not fair, unless you say Angel Season One is not his cup of tea. Who's
cup of tea IS season one, really?
Arbitrar Of Quality
> > 13) "She" - Good
>
> Barely decent. The way the female demons kill people here, they should
> not be allowed to get asylum in this world. I don't see how Angel could
> feel he could do that. Like, the men being fried, are they so evil they
> deserve it, or what?
Nope, they're clearly described as innocents. The episode is supposed
to involve moral ambiguity, which is why they take a minute to show us
just how oppressive the society the demons are fleeing is.
[The vision of the psycho/sociopathic kid from IGYUMS]
Maybe it was for the family? The
helping-teach-Angel-and-awkwardly-delivered-lesson theory is also still
in play.
> > 16) "The Ring" - Decent]
>
> And once more: Decent? After you ask yourself why you are watching? That
> should be a clear indication of either Weak or plain Bad.
I think there're two issues being conflated here. An episode that
makes me say "why am I watching this?" does indeed earn a Weeak or Bad
rating, as "Expecting" learned. "The Ring" didn't do that; although it
wasn't great, the act one scenes kept my attention, as did the stuff
with Cordelia and Wesley. So I wasn't really bored, and didn't see
anything too objectionable. However, a series that rarely gets above
Decent, produces strings of Decent episodes in a row, etc., will leave
me asking "why am I devoting so much time to this show?" I don't like
TV enough to accept okay-ness as a reason to watch.
-AOQ
Xande...@gmail.com
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(eryngviryl)Qnex Jrfyrl?
Slayah
Pbaabe. V qvqa'g yvxr uvz ng nyy svefg gvzr nebhaq, ohg sbe fbzr ernfba,
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One Bit Shy
news:d_rag.53090$nA3....@news-wrt-01.rdc-nyc.rr.com...
I wouldn't describe that line as particularly funny in itself, though it's a
funny moment in the context of their personalities and relationship and the
barb fest they're throwing at each other and Cordy's knowing expression on
her face (as in she's got Wesley pegged and she knows Wesley knows it) and
so on.
OBS
Slayah
> "Slayah" <Sla...@hellmouth.com> wrote in message
>> I thought they had some hilarious lines. Wesley says something about
>> his rich and varied social life every night and Cordy guesses that
>> it's Jeopardy followed by Wheel of Fortune and a hot cocoa. LOL!
>
> I wouldn't describe that line as particularly funny in itself, though
> it's a funny moment in the context of their personalities and
> relationship and the barb fest they're throwing at each other and
> Cordy's knowing expression on her face (as in she's got Wesley pegged
> and she knows Wesley knows it) and so on.
I find it so funny because I am watching Jeopardy as we speak!
gree...@gmail.com
Slayah wrote:
> Not fair, unless you say Angel Season One is not his cup of tea. Who's
> cup of tea IS season one, really?
Mine.
Terry
gree...@gmail.com
Arbitrar Of Quality wrote:
> Well, I already have S2, since that seems to be the universally agreed
> litmus test for the show...
Just don't get your expectations too ramped up based on all the 'it
gets better' posts.
Terry