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Brief thoughts on Angel - .
Now that was an episode!
Oh, Andrew. Oh, Andrew! How do I love thee? Although not so much the hobbit hair.
Loved the crossover aspect. Tying up lose ends and continuing themes from BtVS. Most of all I love that we get to see the Jossverse deal with the consequences of Buffy's plan in 'Chosen'. There has to be some sort of repercussion, a new formation/re-alignment of power structures; also what it truly means for every girl who has the potential to become a slayer. In as much as it is a nice idea that these girls are empowered, considering the differences between the lived experiences, prior to and following the calling, among the slayers we've seen (Buffy, Kendra, Faith) it's a tricky thing to imbue a vast group of anonymous girls with such power and not expect some sort of negative fallout.
The actual requirements for Slayerhood is something that's never really been touched upon in Buffy (unless it's been dwelt upon in the comics, BtVS and Fray, which I do not read) and we've never been made to understand or had it explained exactly how and why one girl is chosen over another. I am assuming that there is some characteristics that make one girl better able to handle the stress over another. Some sort of balancing of the universe, checks and balances, etc. We've seen it in other areas of the Jossverse. Repercussions to spells, qualifications, and loopholes: Something Blue, After Life, Bargaining, Birthday, Villains, Judgment, What's My Line? IWRY, Lessons, The Magic Bullet.
Fandom had already begun to poke at the repercussions: Ultimately, I'm just glad that canon has as well. There is a tendency to drop or ignore season points: to a large extent Dark!Willow in Season 7, Jhiera from She, Dawn as a magic creation/the disruption of the natural order of the universe by inserting her into reality (there were few consequences to her presence and her continued existence, as a *real* girl, is never addressed. Consequences seem to be shoved out the door.), Anya in Selfless, Tara in Family (which to me was an introduction just scratching the surface), Kate, Doyle. Unfortunately I paid much less attention to Angel's early seasons.
Wesley had a really good point about the number of slayers to watchers. There is no infrastructure to really police these girls. There's too many of them, especially now that they're no longer merely potentials but are now actually slayers. The presence of such an army is an interesting concept especially considering what I pointed out before, the lived experiences and individual personalities of the slayers. Potentially what we end up with is a division in the army, fragmentation as some of the slayers follow the traditional path and others are 'corrupted' (re: Faith) by money, power, promises, etc. (Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely - which definitely applies to this season of Angel as well). To me, Dana isn't so much an anomaly as she is a true realization of what Willow's spell means. We're talking every single girl with potential, here.
The overt dividing line, Slayers and Angel, was awesome. The Slayer as a representative force for good set-up against Wolfram & Hart despite Angel's leadership and his history with Buffy. The idea that Buffy has grown beyond the point where she will be manipulated, although we've seen constantly throughout the seven seasons that she will do what's necessary. It makes me wonder if he's forgotten Becoming. The face off was a nice set-up to Cordelia's return as someone from the outside (and a woman who does or has loved him) is able to recognize the inherent danger that Angel is in. His position is ambiguous and tenuous. As he, and by extension the other members of AI, become more entrenched in W&H their position as 'Good Guys' become murkier (see The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco and the dream sequence in last week's ep where Angel is pushing the mail cart, supplanted by Spike).
I really loved the juxtaposition of scenes with Angel and Spike. Angel working from the office directing a large scale and mostly ineffectual search for the girl while Spike does what Angel would have done prior to this season, leg work.
Concerning Dana, she reminded me of Faith. Faith to the nth degree could have been very similar to what we see here. On the side, I found it very interesting that Andrew didn't mention where Faith or Wood had gotten off to. Kennedy and Willow are not what I wanted to hear about.
I really want to do something with the severing of Spike's hands, although I don't know what exactly. Dana cuts his hands off to keep him from touching her, harming her. We've got a theme of amputation in more ways than one. His ability to affect is compromised, as is his ability to protect himself, in a way he is again reduced to being toothless in a way that recalls the Intiative's chip implant. Andrew's presence is another reminder of that tie to Sunnydale.
I really liked seeing Spike dealing with his past, albeit obliquely, instead of ignoring it as he tends to do. Although, I don't want him to fetishize his evil as Angel does, I don’t think that it is appropriate, either, that he treats it as lightly as he does and some reference to his past and what it meant to the people he hurt. That closing scene was rather inspired. We are reminded of the differences between Angel and Spike, our resident ensouled vampires. Spike is inherently selfish, concerned only with his feelings and reactions, wants and needs. Although it is rather skewed, Angelus was generous in his mayhem where Angel has become incredibly self-centered. Angel admits to being deeply concerned and mesmerized by his victims. His method and type of evil were and are highly personal. Arguably customed to whomever he is torturing. The idea isn't fully worked out and I'm sure that there are holes in the argument.
Other things that I loved:
Wes standing just behind Angel. I'm curious to know what he thinks of the whole them and us concept. The critique of Angel and his alliance with W&H extends to the others. Although Lorne, Fred and Gunn are not invested in the relationships that Angel is, and to a much lesser extent Wesley, with the Sunnydale alums it is interesting to me where and how he sees himself falling in the grand scheme of things and their roles in the big fight. Soul's Purpose touches on it, Gunn and Wes playing the heavies and visiting Spike, trying to persuade him to their way of thinking.
I'd like to hear Wesley's justifications.
Andrew and the penny, ewww.
The blood scent getting stronger, Nickels.
The tale of the slayer of vampyres.
Andrew commanding a small force of slayers.
Tactical obvious nervousness when confronted with twelve little teenage girls!
Lighting and camera angles. I thought that this episode was beautifully shot.
I can't wait for next week. 100 eps and Cordelia!!!! I'm almost ready to start spoiling myself.
Includes very brief mention of promo spoliers for this week's Angel. So, if you watch the 'next on Angel' you know what it is.
Now that was an episode!
Oh, Andrew. Oh, Andrew! How do I love thee? Although not so much the hobbit hair.
Loved the crossover aspect. Tying up lose ends and continuing themes from BtVS. Most of all I love that we get to see the Jossverse deal with the consequences of Buffy's plan in 'Chosen'. There has to be some sort of repercussion, a new formation/re-alignment of power structures; also what it truly means for every girl who has the potential to become a slayer. In as much as it is a nice idea that these girls are empowered, considering the differences between the lived experiences, prior to and following the calling, among the slayers we've seen (Buffy, Kendra, Faith) it's a tricky thing to imbue a vast group of anonymous girls with such power and not expect some sort of negative fallout.
The actual requirements for Slayerhood is something that's never really been touched upon in Buffy (unless it's been dwelt upon in the comics, BtVS and Fray, which I do not read) and we've never been made to understand or had it explained exactly how and why one girl is chosen over another. I am assuming that there is some characteristics that make one girl better able to handle the stress over another. Some sort of balancing of the universe, checks and balances, etc. We've seen it in other areas of the Jossverse. Repercussions to spells, qualifications, and loopholes: Something Blue, After Life, Bargaining, Birthday, Villains, Judgment, What's My Line? IWRY, Lessons, The Magic Bullet.
Fandom had already begun to poke at the repercussions: Ultimately, I'm just glad that canon has as well. There is a tendency to drop or ignore season points: to a large extent Dark!Willow in Season 7, Jhiera from She, Dawn as a magic creation/the disruption of the natural order of the universe by inserting her into reality (there were few consequences to her presence and her continued existence, as a *real* girl, is never addressed. Consequences seem to be shoved out the door.), Anya in Selfless, Tara in Family (which to me was an introduction just scratching the surface), Kate, Doyle. Unfortunately I paid much less attention to Angel's early seasons.
Wesley had a really good point about the number of slayers to watchers. There is no infrastructure to really police these girls. There's too many of them, especially now that they're no longer merely potentials but are now actually slayers. The presence of such an army is an interesting concept especially considering what I pointed out before, the lived experiences and individual personalities of the slayers. Potentially what we end up with is a division in the army, fragmentation as some of the slayers follow the traditional path and others are 'corrupted' (re: Faith) by money, power, promises, etc. (Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely - which definitely applies to this season of Angel as well). To me, Dana isn't so much an anomaly as she is a true realization of what Willow's spell means. We're talking every single girl with potential, here.
The overt dividing line, Slayers and Angel, was awesome. The Slayer as a representative force for good set-up against Wolfram & Hart despite Angel's leadership and his history with Buffy. The idea that Buffy has grown beyond the point where she will be manipulated, although we've seen constantly throughout the seven seasons that she will do what's necessary. It makes me wonder if he's forgotten Becoming. The face off was a nice set-up to Cordelia's return as someone from the outside (and a woman who does or has loved him) is able to recognize the inherent danger that Angel is in. His position is ambiguous and tenuous. As he, and by extension the other members of AI, become more entrenched in W&H their position as 'Good Guys' become murkier (see The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco and the dream sequence in last week's ep where Angel is pushing the mail cart, supplanted by Spike).
I really loved the juxtaposition of scenes with Angel and Spike. Angel working from the office directing a large scale and mostly ineffectual search for the girl while Spike does what Angel would have done prior to this season, leg work.
Concerning Dana, she reminded me of Faith. Faith to the nth degree could have been very similar to what we see here. On the side, I found it very interesting that Andrew didn't mention where Faith or Wood had gotten off to. Kennedy and Willow are not what I wanted to hear about.
I really want to do something with the severing of Spike's hands, although I don't know what exactly. Dana cuts his hands off to keep him from touching her, harming her. We've got a theme of amputation in more ways than one. His ability to affect is compromised, as is his ability to protect himself, in a way he is again reduced to being toothless in a way that recalls the Intiative's chip implant. Andrew's presence is another reminder of that tie to Sunnydale.
I really liked seeing Spike dealing with his past, albeit obliquely, instead of ignoring it as he tends to do. Although, I don't want him to fetishize his evil as Angel does, I don’t think that it is appropriate, either, that he treats it as lightly as he does and some reference to his past and what it meant to the people he hurt. That closing scene was rather inspired. We are reminded of the differences between Angel and Spike, our resident ensouled vampires. Spike is inherently selfish, concerned only with his feelings and reactions, wants and needs. Although it is rather skewed, Angelus was generous in his mayhem where Angel has become incredibly self-centered. Angel admits to being deeply concerned and mesmerized by his victims. His method and type of evil were and are highly personal. Arguably customed to whomever he is torturing. The idea isn't fully worked out and I'm sure that there are holes in the argument.
Other things that I loved:
Wes standing just behind Angel. I'm curious to know what he thinks of the whole them and us concept. The critique of Angel and his alliance with W&H extends to the others. Although Lorne, Fred and Gunn are not invested in the relationships that Angel is, and to a much lesser extent Wesley, with the Sunnydale alums it is interesting to me where and how he sees himself falling in the grand scheme of things and their roles in the big fight. Soul's Purpose touches on it, Gunn and Wes playing the heavies and visiting Spike, trying to persuade him to their way of thinking.
I'd like to hear Wesley's justifications.
Andrew and the penny, ewww.
The blood scent getting stronger, Nickels.
The tale of the slayer of vampyres.
Andrew commanding a small force of slayers.
Tactical obvious nervousness when confronted with twelve little teenage girls!
Lighting and camera angles. I thought that this episode was beautifully shot.
I can't wait for next week. 100 eps and Cordelia!!!! I'm almost ready to start spoiling myself.
Includes very brief mention of promo spoliers for this week's Angel. So, if you watch the 'next on Angel' you know what it is.
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no subject
Date: 2004-02-02 01:25 am (UTC)From:Except of course Spike's method got him mutilated and Angel's leg work saved the day. I like the thought of the two of them having to meet in the middle. In terms of their methods and their motivations. I don't think it ever occured to Angel that HE was an innocent too, once upon a time, until Spike said it. And I don't think it occured to Spike that hanging back and waiting may be a better plan than rushing in where, uhm, Angels don't tread. They make a nice pair. Very complimentary if they can get there.
no subject
Date: 2004-02-02 03:42 am (UTC)From:Re:
Date: 2004-02-02 05:07 am (UTC)From:And of course, in terms of their methodologies in "Damage" it's essentially the same clash Angelus and Spike had in 1880.
Re:
Date: 2004-02-02 05:50 am (UTC)From:Re:
Date: 2004-02-02 05:56 am (UTC)From:Re:
Date: 2004-02-02 06:11 am (UTC)From:I'm hoping that we get to see some of them working together in the future or at least a shift in their continual blind butting of heads. Kita is absolutly right, they would make an awesome matched set - shading each other quite nicely.