AOQ Angel Review 5-10: "Soul Purpose"
Arbitrar Of Quality
threads.
ANGEL
Season Five, Episode 10: "Soul Purpose"
(or "It's still a dream no matter how far I go. I can never return to
reality - caught in an endless nightmare")
Writer: Brent Fletcher
Director: David Boreanaz
Before talking about anything else, a disclaimer: this is the first
incomplete AOQ Review. By which I mean that I haven't actually seen
the episode all the way through, relying on transcripts for the point
where my disc was scratched beyond recourse. Basically I was unable
to watch two sections: Spike telling off the first chick he rescues,
and the last three minutes or so (I leave just after the climax, with
Spike doing some exterminating, delivering his last one-liner, and
just about to stride away, possibly in slow motion). My biggest hope
at this point is that we'll be able to make it through "Damage"
without running into more, uh, damage.
Clever opening this week, with a rewritten version of the scene from
"Destiny." It's a nice mix of same and different, and it doesn't take
much creativity for Angel's mind to turn Spike into a gloater who'll
hit at someone's perceived weakness. It's also a signal that it's
time to get back to the main story, after the interlude. To Angel,
basically nothing of note has happened since losing to his rival and
deciding that maybe he's not as important as he thought. Instead of
angsting about it out loud, the show decides to surround itself with
dreams, and ends up as a weird enough experience that it could be a
BTVS episode. That's meant as a fairly good thing.
There is one brief look at what life is like for him, so we can see
the extent to which his fears are based in reality. Given the choice
between actively siding with one evil group over another in an
involved way or a less involved way, our hero bursts out with his
"kill everyone" plan and starts demanding to bring an emphasis back to
morality rather than profit. It's a nicely played little exchange,
and it ends with him backing down. See it as a sign that he's
corrupted, or that he accepts that there are complications in life.
He's still taking charge and making these decisions, even if he hates
himself for it. That leads to a rather obvious nightmare of Wes
telling him flat-out that he's irrelevant. Staging is a bit off here
- dude, can't you tell what he has in mind given that he's brandishing
a stake and slowly moving towards you? - but hey, dream, so whatever.
Lindsey takes a totally different tack than I was expecting and starts
pretending to be the new conduit for the forces of good, seeking a new
champion. What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in being an
interesting premise. At first I wasn't sure how much of the truth he
might be telling, before the scenes with Eve came along to wave
"EVIL!" signs at us. (When they set things up, though, does that mean
that everyone's an actor or just that they arrange for real innocents
to get attacked?) Calling himself "Doyle" is a touch of continuity,
and clearly had enough of an effect that, amusingly, the transcriber
at Buffyworld refers to him by that name. That sets up the rest of
that story, full of nods to ATS's past and the life left behind. The
apartment looks a bit like Angel's original pad under the old office.
It's really the alley scenes that play up the "City Of" callbacks,
with the stakes up the sleeves and everything; it helps that it's also
a strong contrast to Angel's more recent reenactment in "Conviction."
One thing that struggles a bit to work for me is the way Spike's not
much of a sympathetic crusader. It's striking; mocking the people he
saves and never warming up to his "Doyle" is one thing, but he doesn't
seem to be enjoying himself much, or acting fulfilled by the rescuing
he thinks he's doing. Lindsey wants him to think that he's now doing
good for its own sake, not to impress a woman. But I wouldn't call it
a sense of duty, because since when has Spike ever had such a thing?
Toward the end of the episode, though, he does show a few signs of
what could be satisfaction, so maybe he's just hiding it.
At the point of Fred's visit to Angel's room, the dreams need to start
distinguishing themselves if they're going to keep repetitiously
hammering home their point. This one accomplishes that, starting the
road to giving the later parts of the show the spark they need. Amy
Acker carries things very well with her comedic timing, relentlessly
slightly chipper but business-like no matter what she's called on to
do. It makes lines like the TCTO#5 callback "there's your heart.
Hey! What do you know? It *is* a dried-up little walnut" quite funny
with the way they're delivered, and the introduction of the bear is
timed very well. In its dark way, this part could be argued to be
funnier than anything in "Harm's Way." As our laughter was quieting
down, I commented to Mrs. Q. that this should be the last dream,
because we got the point, and how were they going to top that?
The episode has an answer in mind, quickly grabbing one's attention
with the well-composed series of reveals in the next construction.
First you have Angel rolling over and seeing Spike next to him, then
you see that sex is going on, and then you have the soundbites from
"The Prom" and see Angel's dreams regressing ever further. Now he's
the kid who sees the cooler guy taking away his date. Then we go on
stacking hallucinations on top of each other (mixed in with our hero
actually taking care of the real problem for a second, before Eve
intervenes), and that's a good choice. Once everything's imaginary,
"Soul Purpose" as an episode has a distinct mood so that the dreams
can be the point in and of themselves, not just serve it. It's like
those mornings when one is trying to wake up but keeps slipping back
into the same unpleasant doze, over and over and over.
Watching while Rome burns has some funny parts, and a rather expensive
effect (it doesn't look like it's taken from AN, which is what I'd
have expected) for a throwaway scene. But the highlight is Spike's
party, as he acts gracious in a very un-Spike way and gets to be a
real boy. "But I didn't do this for a reward." "Well, that's why
you're getting one." The silliness of the stuff with the Blue Fairy
is part of the point - besides making the audience laugh, which it
does, it trivializes this fantasy as infantile as much as possible -
said fantasy, of course, is Angel's, not Spike's.
>From there, we cut back to real life and see what Angel's crew
actually thinks of the new champion in town, and vice versa. That's a
nice bit of pacing. One might argue, despite Spike becoming the
action hero, and the cleverly realized meta-fears about Spike stealing
the series, that Captain Peroxide's part exists almost entirely in
service of Angel's story. (I know someone here who used to say that
kind of stuff all the time.) Still, Spike makes it his own, right
down to the fridge being filled with beer rather than blood. This is
a perfect role for him, as the low-income punk who'd sooner be staked
than sell out to The Man, taking refuge in fighting the good fight and
listening to his loud music. Sadly, after that it's a little hard to
get back into the dream sequences, since not only has their momentum
been interrupted, but they're finally running out of steam. Yes,
empty inside, got it. I do like Spike's demeanor when he saves Angel
at the end.
Can't comment on the final scene, not having seen it, except to say
that one would think the good guys would make some effort to go after
Eve once they've realized what she did. Hopefully the villains' plan
will end up making some semblance of sense - they have a chance at
Angel but don't take it, after Eve sounded disappointed (although
that's not the only way to read it) that Spike didn't kill him in
"Destiny." Um, huh. There's a line suggesting that these two see
Spike as way to divert attention away from the most important player.
We're moving towards the part of the season when we can hopefully
expect to start seeing some more half-answers soon.
Quotes Worth Quoting:
- "Everything you've done-the lives you've saved, dreams of redemption-
all that pain... all of it for nothing. Cuz this was never about
you. Cheers"
- "Prima ballerina up there's Sunshine. Though I'm fairly certain
that's not her real name"
- "Guys! C.E.O., right here, in the dark"
- "Vigilante reportedly killed 2 vampires at a gas station, then asked
the women he saved if they'd, quote, 'like to get a bottle of hooch
and listen to some Sex Pistols records with him'"
- "Great. Another ruddy basement"
- "You want creature comforts? You can go to Wolfram & Hart"
- "Hey...down in front!" "Yeah, Angel. You're blocking the
apocalypse"
DB makes his directorial debut here. So is he upgraded to "ME
staff?" Does that mean that, by the conventions the reviews have been
using, we're on a first-name basis now? You gotta love it when TV
leaves you with questions.
So...
One-sentence summary: Trippy, with momentum.
AOQ rating: Good
[Season Five so far:
1) "Conviction" - Weak
2) "Just Rewards" - Good
3) "Unleashed" - Good
4) "Hell Bound" - Decent
5) "Life Of The Party" - Weak
6) "The Cautionary Tale Of Numero Cinco" - Decent
7) "Lineage" - Good
8) "Destiny" - Good
9) "Harm's Way" - Good
10) "Soul Purpose" - Good]
Sandy
> 8) "Destiny" - Good
> 9) "Harm's Way" - Good
> 10) "Soul Purpose" - Good]
Wow...four goods in a row! Is that a record?
I loved this episode, and I was impressed by the directing by David
Boreanez. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts on all the episodes.
It's a great way to re-experience the episodes I've seen so many
times, and you provide a new way to think about the material.
JJ Karhu
<tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote:
>A reminder: Please avoid spoilers for later episodes in these review
>threads.
>
>
>ANGEL
>Season Five, Episode 10: "Soul Purpose"
>At the point of Fred's visit to Angel's room, the dreams need to start
>distinguishing themselves if they're going to keep repetitiously
>hammering home their point. This one accomplishes that, starting the
>road to giving the later parts of the show the spark they need. Amy
>Acker carries things very well with her comedic timing, relentlessly
>slightly chipper but business-like no matter what she's called on to
>do. It makes lines like the TCTO#5 callback "there's your heart.
>Hey! What do you know? It *is* a dried-up little walnut" quite funny
>with the way they're delivered, and the introduction of the bear is
>timed very well. In its dark way, this part could be argued to be
>funnier than anything in "Harm's Way." As our laughter was quieting
>down, I commented to Mrs. Q. that this should be the last dream,
>because we got the point, and how were they going to top that?
How many double entendres were there in that scene, I've sort of
forgotten. Angel "gives" Fred a pearl necklace, and she has a
"bear/bare" behind; was there something else as well?
// JJ
Elisi
>
> - Show quoted text -
There's the dead fish (sole=soul) - and the bear is obviously Spike
(blondie bear). Does anyone know what the raisins mean?
mariposas rand mair fheal greykitten tomys des anges
> to watch two sections: Spike telling off the first chick he rescues,
spike goes into one of his usual wind ups getting more and more irate
and finally screaming at the poor woman and chasing her out of the alley
its similar to season five spike
practising his apology to buffy with the mannikin
> and the last three minutes or so (I leave just after the climax, with
> Spike doing some exterminating, delivering his last one-liner, and
> just about to stride away, possibly in slow motion). My biggest hope
they arent sure of eves relation to senior partners
did they set her to this? is she playing her own game?
so its ends without resolving what they will do with her
> party, as he acts gracious in a very un-Spike way and gets to be a
> real boy. "But I didn't do this for a reward." "Well, that's why
> you're getting one." The silliness of the stuff with the Blue Fairy
> is part of the point - besides making the audience laugh, which it
> does, it trivializes this fantasy as infantile as much as possible -
> said fantasy, of course, is Angel's, not Spike's.
and angel becomes the mailboy
the new numero cinco retired from the good fight at wrh
meow arf meow - they are performing horrible experiments in space
major grubert is watching you - beware the bakalite
impeach the bastard - the airtight garage has you neo
Elisi
> My biggest hope
> at this point is that we'll be able to make it through "Damage"
> without running into more, uh, damage.
Oh dear - 'Damage' is one of those you *really* need to see all of.
Can't you get hold of an unscratched disk from somewhere? Borrow, buy,
steal? Heck, I'd lend you mine if I didn't happen to live in England
and thus have the wrong region disks.
(Will be back tomorrow with a proper reply to your review. V. busy
tonight, sadly.)
Jeff Jacoby
The fish/sole/soul in the fishbowl could also be a callout
to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" (We're just two lost
souls floating in a fishbowl...")
Jeff
One Bit Shy
news:1171556068....@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
> ANGEL
> Season Five, Episode 10: "Soul Purpose"
> Before talking about anything else, a disclaimer: this is the first
> incomplete AOQ Review. By which I mean that I haven't actually seen
> the episode all the way through, relying on transcripts for the point
> where my disc was scratched beyond recourse. Basically I was unable
> to watch two sections: Spike telling off the first chick he rescues,
> and the last three minutes or so (I leave just after the climax, with
> Spike doing some exterminating, delivering his last one-liner, and
> just about to stride away, possibly in slow motion). My biggest hope
> at this point is that we'll be able to make it through "Damage"
> without running into more, uh, damage.
Oh, that's a shame. And you know I've been there. Fortunately, the parts
you appear to have missed can be filled in decently by the transcript. It's
a shame not to have heard Spike berating the gal he saved - it's quite
funny. But I think the words alone get the idea across adequately. The
closing scene is a little more complex, but I think still largely expressed
in the script. The two things I'd point out are:
1) Angel is groggy and coming to terms with reality again through the
scene. Pointing out the people in his dreams reminds one of the close of
Wizard of Oz when Dorothy is pointing to people saying, you were there and
you were there... This further accents the fairyland quality to his dreams.
Of course Angel's remembrances are rather more perverse. But it's a very
nice touch.
2) Watching Eve franticly seeking to deflect Angel's growing realization
is, I think, the highlight of the scene. She goes through several
approaches and facial expressions along the way that are a lot of fun.
She's nowhere near as successful at it as she has been in the past, but she
does stay cool, and is good enough at it to leave everyone frozen and
staring at her as she slips out. The play of her leaving without
interference works better than it probably appears to with the words alone.
> Clever opening this week, with a rewritten version of the scene from
> "Destiny."
I like how the scene still resolves as a kind of destiny for Angel - albeit
one of burning up.
> There is one brief look at what life is like for him, so we can see
> the extent to which his fears are based in reality. Given the choice
> between actively siding with one evil group over another in an
> involved way or a less involved way, our hero bursts out with his
> "kill everyone" plan and starts demanding to bring an emphasis back to
> morality rather than profit. It's a nicely played little exchange,
> and it ends with him backing down. See it as a sign that he's
> corrupted, or that he accepts that there are complications in life.
> He's still taking charge and making these decisions, even if he hates
> himself for it. That leads to a rather obvious nightmare of Wes
> telling him flat-out that he's irrelevant. Staging is a bit off here
> - dude, can't you tell what he has in mind given that he's brandishing
> a stake and slowly moving towards you? - but hey, dream, so whatever.
There's an odd kind of bluntness to this episode. I haven't decided whether
that represents a criticism, since it mostly works rather well, but what the
episode can't express obviously, it makes up for with bluntness. A funny
thing about this to me is Boreanaz's commentary, which makes a big deal
about him seaking to blur the lines between reality and imagination. Well,
yeah, if you're Dorothy Gale. (Maybe that explains the ending.) The
hallucinations and dreams are so over the top and decidedly unreal in this
episode, that I really don't have a clue what Boreanaz was thinking of.
> (When they set things up, though, does that mean
> that everyone's an actor or just that they arrange for real innocents
> to get attacked?)
I have the same question. I think that's one curtain we aren't supposed to
look behind.
What strikes me about Lindsey doing this is that he's taking a chance
showing himself to Spike. Spike doesn't know him, of course, but plenty of
others do. If Spike isn't manipulated perfectly, word could easily leak and
then Lindsey's screwed.
Evidently he feels the risk is necessary. It appears that Lindsey is
attempting to make his play with as few outside participants as possible.
(Sirk is the only one besides Eve thus far, and one suspects Sirk was bribed
without knowing who was behind it.) Expanding the conspiracy must be a
bigger risk than showing his face to Spike.
> The
> apartment looks a bit like Angel's original pad under the old office.
Evidently some of the props from that old apartment were used here. Mainly
the kitchen I think.
I loathe this set though. Possibly the ugliest ongoing set of either
series.
> Toward the end of the episode, though, he does show a few signs of
> what could be satisfaction, so maybe he's just hiding it.
Or maybe just getting more comfortable with it as he wears the role.
I was startled to see the show move Spike into such a literal replay of
early Angel. We've been talking about how Spike seems doomed to follow in
Angel's footsteps, but wow, this is really obsessive. Obviously he doesn't
fall into the role naturally. Not at all like Angel did. (It's Angel's
dream - not Spike's.) Which is a little puzzling both within Lindsey's plot
and the greater themes.
But I saw it a little different when Wesley and Gunn came to entice Spike
back to W&H. Spike is adamant about not being sucked into W&H's web that
will change him. No, Spike is gullible a different way. Instead he's drawn
into Angel's fantasy to be crafted into somebody else there. In a way
that's far more foolish of him than going to W&H would be. He himself has
just made a big stink about not being anything like Angel. But seduction
comes in many forms, and he does seem to be warming up to it by the end.
Surely saving Angel must make him gloat a little.
As for not enjoying it, there's one clue in the show when the police report
of Spike's activities speaks of him inviting victims out to drink and listen
to loud music. Evidently there were scenes cut showing Spike out for a good
time with people he saved.
> It makes lines like the TCTO#5 callback "there's your heart.
> Hey! What do you know? It *is* a dried-up little walnut" quite funny
That got an audible snort from me.
> First you have Angel rolling over and seeing Spike next to him, then
> you see that sex is going on, and then you have the soundbites from
> "The Prom" and see Angel's dreams regressing ever further.
And here we thought BtVS crossovers were over and done with.
> Watching while Rome burns has some funny parts, and a rather expensive
> effect (it doesn't look like it's taken from AN, which is what I'd
> have expected) for a throwaway scene.
Yes, it was expensive, but way cool. We're also told that the second of the
two chest sucking blob monsters cost $80,000 to make.
> But the highlight is Spike's
> party, as he acts gracious in a very un-Spike way and gets to be a
> real boy.
I howled at that.
> "But I didn't do this for a reward." "Well, that's why
> you're getting one." The silliness of the stuff with the Blue Fairy
> is part of the point - besides making the audience laugh, which it
> does, it trivializes this fantasy as infantile as much as possible -
> said fantasy, of course, is Angel's, not Spike's.
I really enjoyed this scene. The cake is fantastic. And the close of Angel
trundling off with the mail cart like Numero Cinco is a really nice touch.
(He also had to lean on it. It seems that he was recovering from knee
surgery at the time. That's why he's almost always sitting or lying down
this episode.)
But infantile is right. Somewhere around here, as with you, I was ready for
this to end. The hallucitions may be filled with a bunch of crazy dream
logic to entertain, but the messages are far from subtle.
> Can't comment on the final scene, not having seen it, except to say
> that one would think the good guys would make some effort to go after
> Eve once they've realized what she did. Hopefully the villains' plan
> will end up making some semblance of sense - they have a chance at
> Angel but don't take it, after Eve sounded disappointed (although
> that's not the only way to read it) that Spike didn't kill him in
> "Destiny." Um, huh. There's a line suggesting that these two see
> Spike as way to divert attention away from the most important player.
> We're moving towards the part of the season when we can hopefully
> expect to start seeing some more half-answers soon.
Is something coming to a head mentally for Angel? Or will this be supressed
too? Or maybe suspicion of Eve will distract? (Eve's game surely must get
harder for her now, but attention on her could be useful for her too.)
The mystery - and I love it for its mystery - is what in the hell Lindsey is
thinking with Spike. We get a big hint with the suggestion that the Senior
Partners will think they're backing the wrong horse. Does that make it a
big play to bring down Angel? (Lindsey certainly has reasons not to be fond
of him.) Somehow that doesn't seem adequate though. When he left in S2,
his greater gripe seemed to be with W&H.
> So...
>
> One-sentence summary: Trippy, with momentum.
>
> AOQ rating: Good
It's an intriguing episode with a few really nice images and amusing lines.
Not a great one though. So I'll agree with the Good rating.
OBS
MBangel10 (Melissa)
> A reminder: Please avoid spoilers for later episodes in these review
> threads.
>
>
> ANGEL
> Season Five, Episode 10: "Soul Purpose"
> (or "It's still a dream no matter how far I go. I can never return to
> reality - caught in an endless nightmare")
> Writer: Brent Fletcher
> Director: David Boreanaz
>
> Before talking about anything else, a disclaimer: this is the first
> incomplete AOQ Review. By which I mean that I haven't actually seen
> the episode all the way through, relying on transcripts for the point
> where my disc was scratched beyond recourse. Basically I was unable
> to watch two sections: Spike telling off the first chick he rescues,
> and the last three minutes or so (I leave just after the climax, with
> Spike doing some exterminating, delivering his last one-liner, and
> just about to stride away, possibly in slow motion). My biggest hope
> at this point is that we'll be able to make it through "Damage"
> without running into more, uh, damage.
>
I've tried this before and it has worked for me. I use it for music CD's
all the time... (My car is a rough place for CD's to travel)
http://lifehacker.com/software/macgyver/macgyver-tip--smooth-a-scratched-dvd-with-pledge-190634.php
Arbitrar Of Quality
> > 7) "Lineage" - Good
> > 8) "Destiny" - Good
> > 9) "Harm's Way" - Good
> > 10) "Soul Purpose" - Good]
>
> Wow...four goods in a row! Is that a record?
No. The longest run of uninterrupted Goods that I can remember came
in BTVS Season Two - five in a row for the run from "Halloween"
through "What's My Line, Part II." Now, if you include Good-and-
higher, there have been quite a few streaks of at least four in a few;
the longest one that comes to mind is the cross-season run from "The
Price" through "Ground State;" that's six consecutive episode that I
rated either Good or Excellent.
-AOQ
~well, you did ask~
Arbitrar Of Quality
wrote:
> Arbitrar Of Quality wrote:
> I've tried this before and it has worked for me. I use it for music CD's
> all the time... (My car is a rough place for CD's to travel)
>
> http://lifehacker.com/software/macgyver/macgyver-tip--smooth-a-scratc...
Hmmm. Worth a try.
-AOQ
Apteryx
news:1171556068....@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
> threads.
>
>
> incomplete AOQ Review. By which I mean that I haven't actually seen
> the episode all the way through, relying on transcripts for the point
> where my disc was scratched beyond recourse. Basically I was unable
> to watch two sections: Spike telling off the first chick he rescues,
> and the last three minutes or so (I leave just after the climax, with
> Spike doing some exterminating, delivering his last one-liner, and
> just about to stride away, possibly in slow motion).
That's an unfortunate episode to have that problem with. I was luckier; I
bought the complete series set from amazon, and the only disk I had a
problem was the one with season 4's episodes 9, 10, and 11 (which is the
disk I'd have picked to not be able to play properly, if I'd had to pick
one). But subsequently I found that washing it in warm water with a little
dishwashing liquid removed the thin film of dirt that obviously caused it,
so I had to watch the damned thing.
> deciding that maybe he's not as important as he thought. Instead of
> angsting about it out loud, the show decides to surround itself with
> dreams, and ends up as a weird enough experience that it could be a
> BTVS episode. That's meant as a fairly good thing.
A very good thng :)
> Lindsey takes a totally different tack than I was expecting and starts
> pretending to be the new conduit for the forces of good, seeking a new
> champion. What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in being an
> interesting premise. At first I wasn't sure how much of the truth he
> might be telling, before the scenes with Eve came along to wave
> "EVIL!" signs at us. (When they set things up, though, does that mean
> that everyone's an actor or just that they arrange for real innocents
> to get attacked?)
If "everyone" is an actor, how much do they pay the vampire to get staked?
And if the vampire's not acting, how much do they pay the victim?
> Calling himself "Doyle" is a touch of continuity,
It probably slightly increases the chance of their scheme being detected, if
Spike should happen to mention his new friend Doyle. But in return, it
offers an extra twist of the knife in Angel if it is detected.
> and clearly had enough of an effect that, amusingly, the transcriber
> at Buffyworld refers to him by that name. That sets up the rest of
> that story, full of nods to ATS's past and the life left behind. The
> apartment looks a bit like Angel's original pad under the old office.
The commentary notes that they used furniture from that season 1 set.
> It's really the alley scenes that play up the "City Of" callbacks,
> with the stakes up the sleeves and everything; it helps that it's also
> a strong contrast to Angel's more recent reenactment in "Conviction."
It's not subtle, but it doesn't need to be. Angel's not "special" anymore.
>
> Watching while Rome burns has some funny parts, and a rather expensive
> effect (it doesn't look like it's taken from AN, which is what I'd
> have expected) for a throwaway scene. But the highlight is Spike's
> party, as he acts gracious in a very un-Spike way and gets to be a
> real boy. "But I didn't do this for a reward." "Well, that's why
> you're getting one." The silliness of the stuff with the Blue Fairy
> is part of the point - besides making the audience laugh, which it
> does, it trivializes this fantasy as infantile as much as possible -
> said fantasy, of course, is Angel's, not Spike's.
And love the cut to Angel, in his uncool clothes, consigned to pushing the
mail cart - well there is a vacancy.
>>From there, we cut back to real life and see what Angel's crew
> actually thinks of the new champion in town, and vice versa. That's a
> nice bit of pacing.
Wes and Gunn could almost be Lyndsey from season 1, trying to get Angel to
keep out of his business. And its not just in this scene. Wes and Fred get
diverted from checking on Fred by the project Eve gives them from the SP,
without even asking why the SP want the runes translated. They've just
become W&H operatives. And Wes is still not listening to Harmony.
> listening to his loud music. Sadly, after that it's a little hard to
> get back into the dream sequences, since not only has their momentum
> been interrupted, but they're finally running out of steam.
The last dream puts Angel deeper into helplessness, because now its the
larger creature driving it. Now he's retired, and can't even get out of the
easy chair.
> Yes,
> empty inside, got it. I do like Spike's demeanor when he saves Angel
> at the end.
"Just helping the helpless". One more twist of the knife for Angel, and this
one he's awake for.
> Can't comment on the final scene, not having seen it, except to say
> that one would think the good guys would make some effort to go after
> Eve once they've realized what she did. Hopefully the villains' plan
> will end up making some semblance of sense - they have a chance at
> Angel but don't take it, after Eve sounded disappointed (although
> that's not the only way to read it) that Spike didn't kill him in
> "Destiny."
Clearly death isn't the only the only thing they want for Angel, since it
was presumably "Doyle" who warned Spike of the danger Angel was in.
>
> So...
>
> One-sentence summary: Trippy, with momentum.
>
> AOQ rating: Good
Good for me too. Very Good in fact. The MOTW makes Angel dream, but the
nightmares are clearly his. It's my 7th favourite AtS episode, 5th best in
season 5. That makes it for me the best AtS episode since mid season 2 (The
Trial and Reunion), and marks the return of the series to form. The only
other 4 AtS episodes that I rate as better than this are all still to come.
--
Apteryx
Arbitrar Of Quality
> "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in messagenews:1171556068....@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
> 2) Watching Eve franticly seeking to deflect Angel's growing realization
> is, I think, the highlight of the scene. She goes through several
> approaches and facial expressions along the way that are a lot of fun.
> She's nowhere near as successful at it as she has been in the past, but she
> does stay cool, and is good enough at it to leave everyone frozen and
> staring at her as she slips out. The play of her leaving without
> interference works better than it probably appears to with the words alone.
Yeah, that doesn't come off well in transcript form (it sounds like
she just casually strolls away with no one else making a move), so
that's good to know. Sounds worth seeing.
> There's an odd kind of bluntness to this episode. I haven't decided whether
> that represents a criticism, since it mostly works rather well, but what the
> episode can't express obviously, it makes up for with bluntness.
A line I cut from the review at the last minute just because it's the
kind of thing people jump on is "I'm not seeing a whole lot of
subtlety anywhere this week." And people are claiming to see all
sorts of hidden meanings in the dreams, so there you go. But I say
that blunt is the right word. It's very blunt in the notes it sounds,
at least to those who understand the context, and it's going to sound
them as loudly and intensely as possible. The fact that the episode
is so free with the nice imagery lets it get away with that - maybe
I'm digging the rare-for-Joss chance to get dreamy content that's
*not* oblique in its purpose and meaning.
> > The
> > apartment looks a bit like Angel's original pad under the old office.
>
> Evidently some of the props from that old apartment were used here. Mainly
> the kitchen I think.
>
> I loathe this set though. Possibly the ugliest ongoing set of either
> series.
You don't seem to be alone, but I never had a problem with the Season
One sets. Both the office and the living space had character, kind of
an old-fashioned feel befitting a detective serial, or a vampire
struggling to figure out how to be a hero in the modern world.
-AOQ
Ken from Chicago
"Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in message
news:1171556068....@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
> threads.
>
>
> ANGEL
> Season Five, Episode 10: "Soul Purpose"
> (or "It's still a dream no matter how far I go. I can never return to
> reality - caught in an endless nightmare")
> Writer: Brent Fletcher
> Director: David Boreanaz
>
> Before talking about anything else, a disclaimer: this is the first
> incomplete AOQ Review. By which I mean that I haven't actually seen
> the episode all the way through, relying on transcripts for the point
> where my disc was scratched beyond recourse. Basically I was unable
> to watch two sections: Spike telling off the first chick he rescues,
> and the last three minutes or so (I leave just after the climax, with
> Spike doing some exterminating, delivering his last one-liner, and
> just about to stride away, possibly in slow motion). My biggest hope
> at this point is that we'll be able to make it through "Damage"
> without running into more, uh, damage.
You need the disc.
> Clever opening this week, with a rewritten version of the scene from
> "Destiny." It's a nice mix of same and different, and it doesn't take
> much creativity for Angel's mind to turn Spike into a gloater who'll
> hit at someone's perceived weakness. It's also a signal that it's
> time to get back to the main story, after the interlude. To Angel,
> basically nothing of note has happened since losing to his rival and
> deciding that maybe he's not as important as he thought. Instead of
> angsting about it out loud, the show decides to surround itself with
> dreams, and ends up as a weird enough experience that it could be a
> BTVS episode. That's meant as a fairly good thing.
>
> There is one brief look at what life is like for him, so we can see
> the extent to which his fears are based in reality. Given the choice
> between actively siding with one evil group over another in an
> involved way or a less involved way, our hero bursts out with his
> "kill everyone" plan and starts demanding to bring an emphasis back to
> morality rather than profit. It's a nicely played little exchange,
> and it ends with him backing down. See it as a sign that he's
> corrupted, or that he accepts that there are complications in life.
> He's still taking charge and making these decisions, even if he hates
> himself for it. That leads to a rather obvious nightmare of Wes
> telling him flat-out that he's irrelevant. Staging is a bit off here
> - dude, can't you tell what he has in mind given that he's brandishing
> a stake and slowly moving towards you? - but hey, dream, so whatever.
Plus it's La La Land.
> Lindsey takes a totally different tack than I was expecting and starts
> pretending to be the new conduit for the forces of good, seeking a new
> champion. What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in being an
> interesting premise. At first I wasn't sure how much of the truth he
> might be telling, before the scenes with Eve came along to wave
> "EVIL!" signs at us. (When they set things up, though, does that mean
> that everyone's an actor or just that they arrange for real innocents
> to get attacked?) Calling himself "Doyle" is a touch of continuity,
What? You ducked a chance to call it "continuity porn"?!?!!?!
> and clearly had enough of an effect that, amusingly, the transcriber
> at Buffyworld refers to him by that name. That sets up the rest of
> that story, full of nods to ATS's past and the life left behind. The
> apartment looks a bit like Angel's original pad under the old office.
> It's really the alley scenes that play up the "City Of" callbacks,
> with the stakes up the sleeves and everything; it helps that it's also
> a strong contrast to Angel's more recent reenactment in "Conviction."
> One thing that struggles a bit to work for me is the way Spike's not
> much of a sympathetic crusader. It's striking; mocking the people he
> saves and never warming up to his "Doyle" is one thing, but he doesn't
> seem to be enjoying himself much, or acting fulfilled by the rescuing
> he thinks he's doing. Lindsey wants him to think that he's now doing
> good for its own sake, not to impress a woman. But I wouldn't call it
> a sense of duty, because since when has Spike ever had such a thing?
BUFFY, s6 debut 2-parter, "Bargaining".
He had spent several months helping a bunch of annoying people (from Spike's
POV) and females long after Buffy's death.
One could even argue BUFFY, s5, "Intervention", altho I'm sure Spike-haters
would argue he hadn't had a chance to brag about his bravery standing up to
Glory's interrogation.
> Toward the end of the episode, though, he does show a few signs of
> what could be satisfaction, so maybe he's just hiding it.
Spike's long been about the "tough guy" image hiding a more sensitive
side--from the very first time talking sequence in BUFFY, s2, "School Hard",
where he had just had this Big Talk as the new "Big Bad"--and thus coining
the phrase--only to do a 180 when his ailing beloved enter.
In fact, the Spike / William dichotomy clearly represents that tough guy
shell / sensitive guy center combo--as demonstrated by the end of BUFFY, s6,
"As You Were", when Buffy refers to him as "William".
> At the point of Fred's visit to Angel's room, the dreams need to start
> distinguishing themselves if they're going to keep repetitiously
> hammering home their point. This one accomplishes that, starting the
> road to giving the later parts of the show the spark they need. Amy
> Acker carries things very well with her comedic timing, relentlessly
> slightly chipper but business-like no matter what she's called on to
> do. It makes lines like the TCTO#5 callback "there's your heart.
> Hey! What do you know? It *is* a dried-up little walnut" quite funny
> with the way they're delivered, and the introduction of the bear is
> timed very well. In its dark way, this part could be argued to be
> funnier than anything in "Harm's Way." As our laughter was quieting
> down, I commented to Mrs. Q. that this should be the last dream,
> because we got the point, and how were they going to top that?
A Fred-centric episode would be nice counterpart to Harmony. But then again,
who know what twist mindmuck TPTB behind ME would put Fred thru. Last time
they had Fred fighting her brainwashed friends and potentially all of
brainwashed Los Angeles and soon the world.
> The episode has an answer in mind, quickly grabbing one's attention
> with the well-composed series of reveals in the next construction.
> First you have Angel rolling over and seeing Spike next to him, then
> you see that sex is going on, and then you have the soundbites from
> "The Prom" and see Angel's dreams regressing ever further. Now he's
> the kid who sees the cooler guy taking away his date. Then we go on
> stacking hallucinations on top of each other (mixed in with our hero
> actually taking care of the real problem for a second, before Eve
> intervenes), and that's a good choice. Once everything's imaginary,
> "Soul Purpose" as an episode has a distinct mood so that the dreams
> can be the point in and of themselves, not just serve it. It's like
> those mornings when one is trying to wake up but keeps slipping back
> into the same unpleasant doze, over and over and over.
Buffyverse dreams are fun to watch, but bad to experience, be they
"Restless" or "Hush" or "This Year's Girl" or "Solambulist" or ""First
Impressions" or "Untouched".
> Watching while Rome burns has some funny parts, and a rather expensive
> effect (it doesn't look like it's taken from AN, which is what I'd
> have expected) for a throwaway scene. But the highlight is Spike's
> party, as he acts gracious in a very un-Spike way and gets to be a
> real boy. "But I didn't do this for a reward." "Well, that's why
> you're getting one." The silliness of the stuff with the Blue Fairy
> is part of the point - besides making the audience laugh, which it
> does, it trivializes this fantasy as infantile as much as possible -
> said fantasy, of course, is Angel's, not Spike's.
You DARE to trivialize candy mountain dreams?!!?!!?!
>>From there, we cut back to real life and see what Angel's crew
> actually thinks of the new champion in town, and vice versa. That's a
> nice bit of pacing. One might argue, despite Spike becoming the
> action hero, and the cleverly realized meta-fears about Spike stealing
> the series, that Captain Peroxide's part exists almost entirely in
> service of Angel's story. (I know someone here who used to say that
> kind of stuff all the time.) Still, Spike makes it his own, right
> down to the fridge being filled with beer rather than blood. This is
> a perfect role for him, as the low-income punk who'd sooner be staked
> than sell out to The Man, taking refuge in fighting the good fight and
> listening to his loud music. Sadly, after that it's a little hard to
> get back into the dream sequences, since not only has their momentum
> been interrupted, but they're finally running out of steam. Yes,
> empty inside, got it. I do like Spike's demeanor when he saves Angel
> at the end.
Spike's a hero of the people, a helper of the helpless.
Wow, I missed the fact Boreanaz directed the episode when it aired live.
> So...
>
> One-sentence summary: Trippy, with momentum.
>
> AOQ rating: Good
>
> [Season Five so far:
> 1) "Conviction" - Weak
> 2) "Just Rewards" - Good
> 3) "Unleashed" - Good
> 4) "Hell Bound" - Decent
> 5) "Life Of The Party" - Weak
> 6) "The Cautionary Tale Of Numero Cinco" - Decent
> 7) "Lineage" - Good
> 8) "Destiny" - Good
> 9) "Harm's Way" - Good
> 10) "Soul Purpose" - Good]
-- Ken from Chicago
Elisi
*crosses fingers*
On Feb 15, 4:14 pm, "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote:
> A reminder: Please avoid spoilers for later episodes in these review
> threads.
>
> ANGEL
> Season Five, Episode 10: "Soul Purpose"
> (or "It's still a dream no matter how far I go. I can never return to
> reality - caught in an endless nightmare")
> Writer: Brent Fletcher
> Director: David Boreanaz
> Clever opening this week, with a rewritten version of the scene from
> "Destiny." It's a nice mix of same and different, and it doesn't take
> much creativity for Angel's mind to turn Spike into a gloater who'll
> hit at someone's perceived weakness. It's also a signal that it's
> time to get back to the main story, after the interlude. To Angel,
> basically nothing of note has happened since losing to his rival and
> deciding that maybe he's not as important as he thought. Instead of
> angsting about it out loud, the show decides to surround itself with
> dreams, and ends up as a weird enough experience that it could be a
> BTVS episode. That's meant as a fairly good thing.
I *love* dream episodes! You seem to think that this one is a little
on the blunt side, but that was never a problem for me - if something
seems simple there's probably more layers underneath somewhere.
First of all I'll rec this analysis, which does a very good job of
separating the different parts of the episode (what's real for whom):
http://www.soulfulspike.com/nanreviews/nanangel_5-10.html
(I think I agree with most of this, except for Eve not being in on the
final stage of the plan - I think she is. Will explain further down.)
> There is one brief look at what life is like for him, so we can see
> the extent to which his fears are based in reality. Given the choice
> between actively siding with one evil group over another in an
> involved way or a less involved way, our hero bursts out with his
> "kill everyone" plan and starts demanding to bring an emphasis back to
> morality rather than profit. It's a nicely played little exchange,
> and it ends with him backing down. See it as a sign that he's
> corrupted, or that he accepts that there are complications in life.
> He's still taking charge and making these decisions, even if he hates
> himself for it.
This ties in with the discussion I've had with OBS in the previous ep
thread. How Angel is tied into a role he hates, but can't get out of.
To illustrate it perfectly, here are two crucial (and familiar, I
know) quotes - from 'Deep Down' and 'Home' respectively:
ANGEL: Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. - It's harsh,
and cruel. - But that's why there's us. Champions. It doesn't matter
where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a
difference. We live as though the world was what it should be, to show
it what it can be.
LILAH: Nothing in this world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh,
and it's cruel, but that's why there's you, Angel. You live as if the
world were as it should be. With all this, you can make it that way.
People don't need an unyielding champion. They need a man who knows
the value of compromise and how to beat the system from inside the
belly of the beast.
The two speeches are almost identical - except for that last bit.
Angel sees the role of Champion as 'showing the world what it could
be' - and that's the one thing he can't do as CEO of W&H. Angel _is_
an unyielding kinda guy, and yet every day he has to bend and find
compromises. No wonder he's so depressed.
> Lindsey takes a totally different tack than I was expecting and starts
> pretending to be the new conduit for the forces of good, seeking a new
> champion. What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in being an
> interesting premise.
I'd forgotten just how slashy some of those scenes were:
Spike (at the club): "Uh, yeah, thanks... but not really my type,
Mary."
Spike (in the basement): "Look-I appreciate what you've done for me,
making me corporeal and all, but I draw the line at being your kept
boy."
As if we didn't have enough vibes between Lindsey and _Angel_! *g*
(Also it's interesting to note how sex goes from being the objective
to the currency. Sorry, I notice this stuff.)
> At first I wasn't sure how much of the truth he
> might be telling, before the scenes with Eve came along to wave
> "EVIL!" signs at us. (When they set things up, though, does that mean
> that everyone's an actor or just that they arrange for real innocents
> to get attacked?) Calling himself "Doyle" is a touch of continuity,
> and clearly had enough of an effect that, amusingly, the transcriber
> at Buffyworld refers to him by that name. That sets up the rest of
> that story, full of nods to ATS's past and the life left behind. The
> apartment looks a bit like Angel's original pad under the old office.
> It's really the alley scenes that play up the "City Of" callbacks,
> with the stakes up the sleeves and everything; it helps that it's also
> a strong contrast to Angel's more recent reenactment in "Conviction."
> One thing that struggles a bit to work for me is the way Spike's not
> much of a sympathetic crusader. It's striking; mocking the people he
> saves and never warming up to his "Doyle" is one thing, but he doesn't
> seem to be enjoying himself much, or acting fulfilled by the rescuing
> he thinks he's doing. Lindsey wants him to think that he's now doing
> good for its own sake, not to impress a woman. But I wouldn't call it
> a sense of duty, because since when has Spike ever had such a thing?
> Toward the end of the episode, though, he does show a few signs of
> what could be satisfaction, so maybe he's just hiding it.
Oh he likes the gig! I'm surprised that you can't see it. There's the
quiet, almost sombre, way he answers the question "Who are you?" with
"I'm the hero." He's trying out a new role... and he finds that it
fits him very well indeed. Because what Spike has always been looking
for is 'purpose'. Some call him 'Spike the Vampire Slayer' at this
point, which works rather well. I think he sees Doyle more as a
Watcher than a 'guide' or friend.
We see his satisfaction most clearly when Wes and Gunn come to see
him. Because the thing is, that Spike - _Spike_ of all people, forever
looked down on by the Scoobies on BtVS - is now morally superior to
Angel and all his crew. _He_ knows it - and _they_ know it. And _that_
is something that's worth more than all the creature comforts in the
world! To quote 'As You Were' for a moment:
SPIKE: Well, looky here. I don't usually use the word delicious...but
I've gotta wager this little tableau must sting a bit, eh? Me and your
former? Must kill.
'Former' in this case of course being 'destiny' or 'shanshu'...
Now before someone jumps on me, I'm going to make a distinction: I'm
not saying that Spike is a better _person_ than any of the AI team.
He's shown to be rather unpleasant thoughout (Doyle: "You this prickly
with all your friends?" Spike: "I'm soft on the inside."), and Angel -
to pick the obvious example - probably has a much finer sense of
morals... But - Spike is doing the right thing for the right reasons.
He holds the high ground for the first time in his entire life, and
honestly I can't blame him for being a little smug.
It is also one of the things I love most about S5. Of course it would
have been lovely for him to go off to be with Buffy, but I like that
he's trying to find out who he is on his own (more or less). Much as I
love Spike being 'Love's Bitch', I don't want him to sit around
moaning that 'he's nothing without her'.
> One might argue, despite Spike becoming the
> action hero, and the cleverly realized meta-fears about Spike stealing
> the series, that Captain Peroxide's part exists almost entirely in
> service of Angel's story. (I know someone here who used to say that
> kind of stuff all the time.)
Indeed. *g* Although it is _also_ Spike's own story. I like multi-
purpose stuff.
> Still, Spike makes it his own, right
> down to the fridge being filled with beer rather than blood. This is
> a perfect role for him, as the low-income punk who'd sooner be staked
> than sell out to The Man, taking refuge in fighting the good fight and
> listening to his loud music.
Hee! But I've dealt with that already. Worth noticing though, is that
his appartment is #2! (No way that was not done on purpose.)
And interestingly Spike appears to get through to Gunn in a way Angel
has failed to all season:
FRED: "Like what?"
WESLEY: "Apparently we're not good enough for him."
GUNN: "Thinks we sold out."
FRED: "We didn't sell out. We're changing the system from the inside."
GUNN: "You know, when you say it out loud, it sounds really naive."
> Sadly, after that it's a little hard to
> get back into the dream sequences, since not only has their momentum
> been interrupted, but they're finally running out of steam.
Oh I don't think so. I like the way we see how horribly Angel's dreams
jar with reality. And also the dream where he tries to sing is one of
my favourites. Lorne as Honky-Tonk is fabulous and also illustrates
Angel's most basic fear most clearly. And it's not being 'empty':
LORNE
Now you're gettin' it. Everything hurts, and then we die. Or in your
case, everything hurts and... then you go on...
(hits a low note on the piano)
and on...
(hits a lower note on the piano)
and on...
(hits a lower note on the piano)
and on.
Because that is Angel's tragedy... he's immortal. Everyone he cares
about will eventually die, leaving him alone. To qote Anna again:
'Heaven is completion, hell is eternity'.
But I love that scene for other reasons, only one of which is
Harmoney's costume! ;) Because we also see how wary Angel is of Gunn.
But the best line is undoubtedtly Wesley's:
WESLEY
Yes, but this is ridiculous!
(leans forward)
We paid good money for this.
(cocks his head)
We paid blood for this.
Blood? ("Because it's _always_ got to be blood...") Contracts signed
in blood (Lilah: "I knew what I signed up for!" Did the AI team?) ...
they all followed _Angel_'s lead when they joined W&H (except for
Gunn, and possibly Lorne). They paid blood for Angel - and for what?
He feels he has nothing to offer, that he's lead them into a fool's
paradise. They look to him to lead, but can he?
Oh and the final dream, where he's been put out to pasture is just
gorgeous. It's my current wallpaper.
> Yes,
> empty inside, got it. I do like Spike's demeanor when he saves Angel
> at the end.
Now this is where I think Lindsey is very, very clever indeed. Giving
Angel the nightmares is all very well, but a dream is after all only a
dream. But then Angel wakes to find the dream coming true. Spike _has_
taken over his old role. Right down to the tagline ("I help the
helpless!"). If it hadn't been for Eve's mistake with the ear rings
(and yes, I think she was in on the whole plan - otherwise why change
her clothes?) Angel would be in pretty deep water. But - thankfully he
realised that he was being played. Not the full extent of course, but
part of it. Hopefully he won't despair as much as Lindsey obviously
hopes.
> Quotes Worth Quoting:
> - "Prima ballerina up there's Sunshine. Though I'm fairly certain
> that's not her real name"
A vampire watching 'fake' sunshine... Hmm. For some reason I'm also
reminded of Connor and Sunny, although I can't really make any sort of
connection apart from the names.
> - "Guys! C.E.O., right here, in the dark"
Oh Angel...
> - "Vigilante reportedly killed 2 vampires at a gas station, then asked
> the women he saved if they'd, quote, 'like to get a bottle of hooch
> and listen to some Sex Pistols records with him'"
And we see straight away why Spike never needed the real Doyle's
speech:
Doyle: "You see this vampire, he thinks he's helping. Fighting the
demons. Staying away from the human's so as not to be tempted. Doing
penance in his little - cell. But he's cut off. From everything. From
the people he's trying to help."
Spike - not so cut off. Although that bed is awfully narrow... but
then he and Buffy tended to miss the bed, so that's not necessarily a
problem.
> - "Great. Another ruddy basement"
Told you! Spike and basements...
> - "Hey...down in front!" "Yeah, Angel. You're blocking the
> apocalypse"
Brilliant! And I really, really love Angel and the mailcart - because
that one image refers back to a whole episode's worth of fears and
doubts. It's beautiful shorthand!
> One-sentence summary: Trippy, with momentum.
>
> AOQ rating: Good
I think this is another excellent for me... but then it _is_ possible
I was just brainwashed by the hotness of Spike (wearing The Coat!)
fighting in slo-mo! ;)
Clairel
wrote:
--Well, another "Good" from you that I would call "Excellent" (or
maybe "Superlative"--this is an absolutely brilliant stand-out
episode!), but I'm glad to see from the details in your commentary,
AOQ, that you appreciate most things about Soul Purpose.
I am surprised that toward the end of the dream sequences, you got so
bored that you completely left out the very important dream in the
saloon with Lorne as "Honky-Tonk," plunking the piano keys and talking
about how the immortal Angel is doomed to just keep going on, and on,
and on, and on. I always saw that as an extremely important and
effective scene, and for once I'm not speaking as a Lorne fan but as
someone interested in Angel's character and Angel's dilemma.
If any of the dream sequences dragged a bit for me, it was the one
with Fred dissecting Angel. There were funny bits in it, sure, but it
was also a bit slow and went on a bit too long.
Also, I think it's wrong to say that Spike has no sense of duty. He's
a soulful world-saver. What was "It's for me to do the clean-up," (in
Chosen), if not a sense of duty?
Clairel
One Bit Shy
> On Feb 15, 4:47 pm, "One Bit Shy" <O...@nomail.sorry> wrote:
>> "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in
>> messagenews:1171556068....@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
>> > The
>> > apartment looks a bit like Angel's original pad under the old office.
>>
>> Evidently some of the props from that old apartment were used here.
>> Mainly
>> the kitchen I think.
>>
>> I loathe this set though. Possibly the ugliest ongoing set of either
>> series.
>
> You don't seem to be alone, but I never had a problem with the Season
> One sets. Both the office and the living space had character, kind of
> an old-fashioned feel befitting a detective serial, or a vampire
> struggling to figure out how to be a hero in the modern world.
Oh, I liked the S1 set. Angel's space felt like a home. It's Spike's new
basement digs that I don't like.
OBS
mariposas rand mair fheal greykitten tomys des anges
"One Bit Shy" <O...@nomail.sorry> wrote:
> "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1171608581....@h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> > On Feb 15, 4:47 pm, "One Bit Shy" <O...@nomail.sorry> wrote:
> >> "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in
> >> messagenews:1171556068....@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
>
> >> > The
> >> > apartment looks a bit like Angel's original pad under the old office.
> >>
> >> Evidently some of the props from that old apartment were used here.
> >> Mainly
> >> the kitchen I think.
> >>
> >> I loathe this set though. Possibly the ugliest ongoing set of either
> >> series.
> >
> > You don't seem to be alone, but I never had a problem with the Season
> > One sets. Both the office and the living space had character, kind of
> > an old-fashioned feel befitting a detective serial, or a vampire
> > struggling to figure out how to be a hero in the modern world.
>
> Oh, I liked the S1 set. Angel's space felt like a home. It's Spike's new
> basement digs that I don't like.
its a bland dismal monochomatic
its very spartan
Elisi
anges <mair_fh...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> In article <12tc0jl2qq7k...@news.supernews.com>,
Like Faith's room back in S3, which is of course the obvious reference
that they're going for.
One Bit Shy
news:1171653864.3...@s48g2000cws.googlegroups.com...
Oh, I get what they're going for. And not just the Spartan. It's got the
connection to early Angel and the total contrast to the fancy W&H
environment. Even a reminder of the miserable places Spike has lived in
before.
None of that makes this less ugly though. It's an -er- offense to my
palate.
OBS
Elisi
> "Elisi" <elis...@gmail.com> wrote in message
Oh I agree with the ugliness. And the *terrible* lighting for Spike
(throughout most of S5... *sigh*).
Arbitrar Of Quality
> I posted this already, but it ain't showing up... So here we go again.
> *crosses fingers*
>
> On Feb 15, 4:14 pm, "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote:
> Worth noticing though, is that
> his appartment is #2! (No way that was not done on purpose.)
Indeed; nice touch that I didn't catch.
> And also the dream where he tries to sing is one of
> my favourites. Lorne as Honky-Tonk is fabulous and also illustrates
> Angel's most basic fear most clearly. And it's not being 'empty':
>
> LORNE
> Now you're gettin' it. Everything hurts, and then we die. Or in your
> case, everything hurts and... then you go on...
> (hits a low note on the piano)
> and on...
> (hits a lower note on the piano)
> and on...
> (hits a lower note on the piano)
> and on.
>
> Because that is Angel's tragedy... he's immortal. Everyone he cares
> about will eventually die, leaving him alone. To qote Anna again:
> 'Heaven is completion, hell is eternity'.
Okay, I'll allow that. Kinda rushed through the summary of the later
stuff, and although I like your insights, I still feel like the Blue
Fairy was the pinnacle of the dreams, and it's about spent afterward.
Particularly the field, where the content makes sense, but it seemed
so damn long (probably mostly because it comes right after the
similarly protracted Honky-Tonk bit, since it's not all that long).
> Now this is where I think Lindsey is very, very clever indeed. Giving
> Angel the nightmares is all very well, but a dream is after all only a
> dream. But then Angel wakes to find the dream coming true. Spike _has_
> taken over his old role. Right down to the tagline ("I help the
> helpless!").
Of course, the original tagline was the much more appropriate
*hopeless*. Just thought I'd bitch about that again, since it's been
awhile.
> If it hadn't been for Eve's mistake with the ear rings
> (and yes, I think she was in on the whole plan - otherwise why change
> her clothes?) Angel would be in pretty deep water.
I don't know why anyone would conclude that Eve wasn't a fully
informed participant. I just don't see any indication at all that
Lindsey's hiding anything about the plan from her.
-AOQ
George W Harris
reference in the dream with Fred, when she pulls out the license
plate:
Unh!
(pulls a piece of metal out of Angel's chestęt's a blue 1978/79
Mexican license plate with yellow letters "HUZ 332")
Hmm. Came up the gulf stream, huh?
(tosses the license plate over her shoulder, and it lands on the floor
with a clatter; reaches in Angel's body again)
Although in "Jaws", it was a Louisiana license
plate (Sportsman's Paradise).
--
Never give a loaded gun to a woman in labor.
George W. Harris For actual email address, replace each 'u' with an 'i'.