Angel 5x01 Conviction

[oyceter]

Good god, I'm so out of the fandom loop I don't even know the name of the episode. For the first time in a very long time (or perhaps forever) I wasn't spoiled.

I mean, I knew the basics, like Spike was coming back, that Harmony would be there and that Eve person and Gunn would be a superlawyer.

I dunno. The episode left me kind of cold. It felt a little off, a little too much as though they were trying to introduce all the new things instead of trying to tell an actual story, as though I was being hit over the head with "look how grey we must be" anvil. Plus, Eve has Lilah's lines, without Lilah's past history with the gang. Same with Harmony and Cordy's lines. It's a bit odd. I figure I'll get used to it because I do, but it's so weird! I don't know what happened to my show! I was also completely flabbergasted seeing Spike in the opening credits, because that's when it really hit me that Buffy's off the air and all the Buffy refugees are on Angel now.

I did like little things:
- Angel's first rescue, and the lawyers everywhere. I was scared the melodrama was supposed to be real drama for a bit.
- Fred likes the Dixie Chicks! Woo! Altogether good Fredness in this episode, with her rant against the evil lab of doom, her "Head Fred" bit, and the comment about losing her appetite.
- Gunn has hair! It's so weird. He also looks really spiffy in a suit. And though I think having superlawyer powers is a kind of let down from the White Room scene, it was awesome having Gunn save the day.
- Not much for Wes or Lorne. I feel like they don't know what to do with Wes now, after he had this giant arc and huge character growth, and basically had it all taken away. I think it's easier for him to be grey, given his always-there ends justifies means bit. Funnily, seems as though Gunn is getting there first. It'll be interesting watching them interact.
- Harm isn't funny right now... she sounds too much like Cordy. Although I liked the "blondie bear?"
- Angel making the guy shoot himself in the head was one of the really chilling bits in this episode... want to see more of this.

That's all for now! Perhaps will get more into the loop later, but right now, it feels quite strange reentering the waters of fandom.

Comments

[deadsoul820.livejournal.com]

It's called "Conviction". I liked lots of it and was turned off by lots. Most especially Eve. Instant dislike. Of course, if they're aim was to make me miss Lilah even more, they accomplished it with bells on. Frankly, she came off more Kennedy than Lilah to me.

The line about mercy really reminded me of Buffy's Ghandi impersonation in "Anne".

I'm not sure what Lorne was supposed to be accomplishing in the courtroom. Was he just there in case anyone decided to sing their testimony? I guess he was just keeping everyone up to speed on the progress of the case. Yeah, they don't seem to know what to do with him.

Welcome back into the pool!

[oyceter]

Yeah... Eve was kind of boring. And... well. You could just tell they were Lilah's lines and Lilah's body language and everything. thebratqueen says it better than me, what with the lazy characterization.

Hee! I didn't think about that. Except Buffy's was
funny, and Angel had just blown some guy's brains out. Spooky. I also loved the silence when he knew where the bomb was.

And I forgot to add: all the slash callouts were great (even though in general am not a slasher). And I loved the moment of Angel, in the garage, drooling over cars. And the ritual sacrifices hotline, which just totally cracked me up.

Yay!! Angel's back on air!

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Hey unspoiled here too! Virtually shakes Oyceter's hand. I was very glad of that last night.

[oyceter]

^_^

It's so odd not knowing what to pick up on though! I mean, I've almost never watched a Buffy or an Angel ep unspoiled, thanks to my coming in a year or so ago... obviously, after a few minutes online, I knew what was going to happen in the Body and the Gift, etc.

Joining the (mostly) spoiler free party!

[knullabulla.livejournal.com]

I didn't know about Gunn being a lawyer until Wednesday morning! I'm spoiled on one more thing... mainly cause liquidram wanted me to guess... and my utterly rediculous (so I thought) guess turned out to be right. But I should have a clean slate by the 3rd or 4th episode (provided that I don't read something by accident)... so woohoo!

Re: Joining the (mostly) spoiler free party!

[oyceter]

*giggles* Was that what you were talking about at the Board meet? Bad liquidram ;).

Yeah, I just haven't felt a great need to go hunting for spoilers, although I suspect that'll change eventually. ^_^

Re: Joining the (mostly) spoiler free party!

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Its very hard not to. And it's the first time for me since Buffy season 5. At that point, I was so naive that I didn't even know there were spoilers. Now it's rough knowing with a click I could get everything that's out there.

I still think it _was_ better not knowing last night though. Not sure how I'll do on the long run though. ^__^

Re: Joining the (mostly) spoiler free party!

[oyceter]

Well, I don't quite have the spoilers are evil point of view, probably because I'm so used to watching TV already knowing what's going to happen. Kind of weird, that. It's like having this interesting kind of foresight/hindsight, where small things take more significance because you know what they're supposed to forshadow. Watching Tough Love for the first time was incredibly strange and thought-provoking after I had already seen Villains and Seeing Red and Grave.

But yeah, I succumb so easily to temptation!