Angel 5x02 Just Rewards
Wed, Oct. 8th, 2003 11:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterLoved it loved it loved it.
Some quibbles: first, does James Marsters feel a little off? Not in the show, but as Spike? It could just be me, and I've kind of had this feeling ever since Spike came back from Africa, so it could just be the whole soul thing. Two, are we going to keep getting episodes with not much plot? I don't know why, but these two just didn't seem... plotty.
Things I loved:
- Harmony, who has already won me over. Her pseudo-psych thing is her own and not Cordy 2.0, and I love her for it. Also, great reaction to the Buffy thing
- The entire first bit, ending with Spike in the middle of the desk "Bugger"
- All the Spike/Angel snarkage about Buffy, about their souls ("You were in a basement for three weeks!"), about everything
- Spikesnark is back! Also loved the very vulnerable, small body language when Fred was scanning him. Also loved the random fade outs.
- pissed off Angel! Man, I love Angel on this show, in charge, morally ambiguous (loved the throwin about mercy for Spike), and just really, really pissed off.
- the entire bit with the spoon.
- "Uh, I think your aim is off."
Lots of other stuff. And well, I was never of the mind that Spike was going to ruin the show anyway, so I'm just kind of enjoying him there right now. Yeah, the show was rather Spike-centric, but I'm thinking that's just setup. Besides, I love the Spike/Angel dynamic too much to complain. I love how both of them are spouting things their respective fans have said for forever and how both of them are kind of right but mostly stupid. I miss the Spike who goes around and completely pisses people off like this, instead of being Buffy's shadow and moral support in S7, because half the time he's completely off mark and ridiculous, and half the time he's not. And of course, he's off mark whenever he thinks he's brilliantly insightful and vice versa. Plus, he brings out all the bad in Angel. Huh, thanks to fandom politics I almost feel like putting in a disclaimer: I am a Spike fan, but I also love Angel the show and Angel the character (ok, not so much in Buffy S2 and S3 when he was the Romantic Lead, but in his own show? Love him. Really love him). And I wonder if Angel is particularly snarky because it's Spike or because he remembers Connor, or what. I seriously thought they were going to bring that up in the graveyard, when Spike says he's glad it's Angel killing him, Angel being his grandsire and all.... even if that was all planned out priorly, the little hesitation was Angel's, not the necromancer's, or so I would like to believe.
Was properly surprised when I thought Spike had gone evil again (though a bit disappointed), was more surprised when it was a trick. I wonder who thought of it? I wonder if Angel, in the end, didn't want to kill Spike and suggested it? I want to know what they said to each other after Spike's rather heartfelt soliloquy in the bedroom. That bit, and the bit to Fred, really hit me -- Spike has a soul. And it's made him just a little wearier and a little more afraid. I particularly liked how resigned yet horrified he was at the hell staring up at him, not arguing that he didn't deserve it, like he was for most of the episode. I think maybe he does realize that most of the time, he was a right bastard. Maybe not. Who knows?
And guh, I love this completely irrational, ruled by emotion Angel whose buttons Spike hits perfectly. It's this inground annoyance that only happens when you've known someone waaaay too long. He's making mistakes resulting in bucket-o-lawyer, he doubts himself with the amulet, and he's not quite sure what he's doing. Can't wait to see what he'll do next.
Am sad the rest of the gang didn't get much time, but holding off till later episodes come off. Looks like the Spike and Fred thing could potentially bring out bits in Fred that Wes and Gunn never really did. I still love the new/old Angel/Wes interaction, both of them kind of in charge, Wes completely his own man, and yet, some connection. And Gunn is getting scary. It's weird hearing him be exposition guy. I desperately want to see more of Gunn and if they've planted some secret bomb in his head metaphorically or what. I have to admit, I'm kind of wanting Spike and Harmony to get together again... I think the parallels between Angel/Cordy and Spike/Harmony plus Buffy in the mix would be hilarious. But then, I am probably very strange. I've already stopped being annoyed at her, especially with the leopards and their stripes comments.
Next week's preview? Looks stupid, but hey, so did every single UPN preview. Glad the werewolves are back though! Maybe she knows Oz?
And again... my show is back! Huzzah!
Some quibbles: first, does James Marsters feel a little off? Not in the show, but as Spike? It could just be me, and I've kind of had this feeling ever since Spike came back from Africa, so it could just be the whole soul thing. Two, are we going to keep getting episodes with not much plot? I don't know why, but these two just didn't seem... plotty.
Things I loved:
- Harmony, who has already won me over. Her pseudo-psych thing is her own and not Cordy 2.0, and I love her for it. Also, great reaction to the Buffy thing
- The entire first bit, ending with Spike in the middle of the desk "Bugger"
- All the Spike/Angel snarkage about Buffy, about their souls ("You were in a basement for three weeks!"), about everything
- Spikesnark is back! Also loved the very vulnerable, small body language when Fred was scanning him. Also loved the random fade outs.
- pissed off Angel! Man, I love Angel on this show, in charge, morally ambiguous (loved the throwin about mercy for Spike), and just really, really pissed off.
- the entire bit with the spoon.
- "Uh, I think your aim is off."
Lots of other stuff. And well, I was never of the mind that Spike was going to ruin the show anyway, so I'm just kind of enjoying him there right now. Yeah, the show was rather Spike-centric, but I'm thinking that's just setup. Besides, I love the Spike/Angel dynamic too much to complain. I love how both of them are spouting things their respective fans have said for forever and how both of them are kind of right but mostly stupid. I miss the Spike who goes around and completely pisses people off like this, instead of being Buffy's shadow and moral support in S7, because half the time he's completely off mark and ridiculous, and half the time he's not. And of course, he's off mark whenever he thinks he's brilliantly insightful and vice versa. Plus, he brings out all the bad in Angel. Huh, thanks to fandom politics I almost feel like putting in a disclaimer: I am a Spike fan, but I also love Angel the show and Angel the character (ok, not so much in Buffy S2 and S3 when he was the Romantic Lead, but in his own show? Love him. Really love him). And I wonder if Angel is particularly snarky because it's Spike or because he remembers Connor, or what. I seriously thought they were going to bring that up in the graveyard, when Spike says he's glad it's Angel killing him, Angel being his grandsire and all.... even if that was all planned out priorly, the little hesitation was Angel's, not the necromancer's, or so I would like to believe.
Was properly surprised when I thought Spike had gone evil again (though a bit disappointed), was more surprised when it was a trick. I wonder who thought of it? I wonder if Angel, in the end, didn't want to kill Spike and suggested it? I want to know what they said to each other after Spike's rather heartfelt soliloquy in the bedroom. That bit, and the bit to Fred, really hit me -- Spike has a soul. And it's made him just a little wearier and a little more afraid. I particularly liked how resigned yet horrified he was at the hell staring up at him, not arguing that he didn't deserve it, like he was for most of the episode. I think maybe he does realize that most of the time, he was a right bastard. Maybe not. Who knows?
And guh, I love this completely irrational, ruled by emotion Angel whose buttons Spike hits perfectly. It's this inground annoyance that only happens when you've known someone waaaay too long. He's making mistakes resulting in bucket-o-lawyer, he doubts himself with the amulet, and he's not quite sure what he's doing. Can't wait to see what he'll do next.
Am sad the rest of the gang didn't get much time, but holding off till later episodes come off. Looks like the Spike and Fred thing could potentially bring out bits in Fred that Wes and Gunn never really did. I still love the new/old Angel/Wes interaction, both of them kind of in charge, Wes completely his own man, and yet, some connection. And Gunn is getting scary. It's weird hearing him be exposition guy. I desperately want to see more of Gunn and if they've planted some secret bomb in his head metaphorically or what. I have to admit, I'm kind of wanting Spike and Harmony to get together again... I think the parallels between Angel/Cordy and Spike/Harmony plus Buffy in the mix would be hilarious. But then, I am probably very strange. I've already stopped being annoyed at her, especially with the leopards and their stripes comments.
Next week's preview? Looks stupid, but hey, so did every single UPN preview. Glad the werewolves are back though! Maybe she knows Oz?
And again... my show is back! Huzzah!
(no subject)
Thu, Oct. 9th, 2003 04:26 pm (UTC)Angel/Harmony 4ever
(no subject)
Fri, Oct. 10th, 2003 06:18 am (UTC)