grapevinecinema patreon

Angel: 2x22 Full Reaction

🕑 Added 2024-11-05 17:03:47 +0000 UTC

Comments

MaggieStormborn

I always wondered how they decided to have Willow be the one to come tell Angel. I think Giles would have also nailed the scene.

spikeysnack

Angel "facing his demons" and overcoming them has been the season 2 theme. He had to go it alone, face his evil and his uncaring past, then his past came calling (Darla, Dru), he learned that people can be worse monsters than monsters. He lost trust in himself, and only got it back through offering up himself to be judged on his actions in the present. Even after all the trials of season 2, at the end he had to defeat the monster within. Only then did he let down his guard, lighten up, feel decent about the future .... then the final blow. Season 3 might be a rough start. All season they talked to clients and to each other about how they can always make a new start, get out from under the oppression, the darkness, see a way forward, together. All season they were tested on this and managed to barely keep going, finally ending with a world-saving victory, but not at home. The Big Bad City is still waiting, in need.

dreamsofspike

I think the idea with the books that read "Wolf," "Ram," and "Hart" is that the cult/religious order that uses those books in Pylea is the form Wolfram and Hart takes in this universe. In our universe, it's a law firm. In other universes, it probably takes other forms. But they're basically the embodiment of evil in all its forms. I feel bad for Fred and do like the complexity of her character. She's being kinda selfish trying to keep Angel there with her, but who can blame her given how very lonely and isolated she's been for so many years. I also love Wesley's inherent leadership ability that everybody sees but him <3 And the confidence he gains in this episode. He's just a natural leader who's been suppressed and torn down for so long that he doesn't realize it anymore - until now. It also shows his darker, harder side - but the look on his FACE when the first rebels ran out to create a diversion, the WEIGHT of his choice/plan... he is one of my very favorite characters in all his complexity and compelling story arc. <3

Mornir

I'm the opposite. I find trying to watch Angel s2 after The Gift excruciating. The tonal difference between the shows is so stark, I can't stand all the fun Pylea hijinks after the epic tragedy of Buffy season 5. Just want to get straight in Buffy s6.

Preaching to the Horse's Mouth

Big turning point for Wesley being able to make those kinds of big time command decisions... because of his daddy issues.

DanielOrme

"I need him to think it" is such a great Wes moment. It shows how much of a leader he really is, how much he understands leadership.

JBK405

Going on a bit of a ramble, if you notice they never directly say how old Cordelia is supposed to be in this series. In "Buffy" you could keep track of her age through her school year, but in this show they only vaguely refer to her as "twenty-something". If you do the math and assume that one season equals one year, then she should be around 20/21 in season two. So Fred should actually be about ten years OLDER than Cordelia. She was a grad student five years ago when she was sucked in the portal, probably around 25 or so, which means she should be 30 now. But Charisma Carpenter is actually 6 years older than Amy Acker. Fred's trauma from her time in Pylea naturally makes her seem younger and more vulnerable so it's not a problem, but I always found it hilarious that because "Buffy" chose to cast a 27-year-old as a high school sophomore the entire rest of the franchise has to pretend that she's not 10 years older than she's supposed to be.

Ahmad

As far as Wolfram and Hart's involvement, I think they're alluding to the fact that W&H is everywhere, just like Holland Manners told Angel, they were there when the first caveman clubbed his neighbour and they have always existed in some form or another.

Ahmad

Loved your reactions to these last few Angel eps. Came back from a stressful day at work to watch these, watching the show with you has been a joy so far.

Preaching to the Horse's Mouth

Although my anxiety is definitely appreciative of the quick turnaround time on these last two uploads in particular lol

Rebecca

I'm so glad you enjoyed the Pylea arc and understood it's significance for the characters! It's definitely a lot more than just proverbially 'going to Oz'! I adore Cordelia's fairy tale romance with Groo. The two actors have wonderful chemistry and sold their relationship very believably. I also love that Doyle used to call Cordelia 'princess' and then later... she actually became one ❤️. I think the implication with the books is that Wolfram and Hart's influence potentially extends into other worlds.

El

Also, Fred was in Pylea for five years, the same amount of time Lorne has been in L.A.. There's a strong implication that the portal that sent her to Pylea was the same one that brought Lorne here.

El

This is one of the big reasons I like the watch order, because it takes four whole Angel episodes after The Gift to get to that ending, and with all the chaos and humor in Pylea, it's easy to forget what happened on Buffy, making Willow's appearance hit that much harder. The Pylea arc and its placement here is also pretty neat and convenient, because by sending Angel and crew to another dimension, it made it impossible for them to show up in Sunnydale to help Buffy, which at least Angel would have surely done had he still been on earth.