The One and Only Angel Season 5 Thread

[Anya 0]

No.

[Guest Brian]

When I'm done with the DVD club, if it dies it dies. Until then, this is basically like my first true viewing of Season 5 where I've actually seen everything leading up to that point and understand all the context that applies.

[Jingus 0]

This thread will die under one condition: if Joss Whedon somehow creates a truly satisfying ending to the Buffyverse. And I kinda doubt that's gonna happen.

[Guest Brian]

I was, and am completely satisfied with "Not Fade Away".

 

Rudo, are you interested? I'll probably put up "Origin" on Friday.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Origin on Friday is good.

 

I am watching the season review first to hype me up.

[Guest Brian]

Should we hit the chatty room? Anyone else interested?

 

I have to ref a couple backyard brawls, but I'll probably be good to go at 5 pst.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

We'll talk about Angel in the chatty room

 

5pst is like 8 est, right?

[Mole 0]

I love the geekienensnsnes.

[Guest Brian]

You interested Mole?

 

Yeah Rudo, 8 est. We'll put up the transcript on here, as our review.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Just finished the blooper reel.

 

Oh man, DB is SUCH a ham.

[Mole 0]

You interested Mole?

 

Yeah Rudo, 8 est. We'll put up the transcript on here, as our review.

Mole doesn't own season 5. Mole is broke.

 

Very broke.

[Guest Brian]

I have a feeling you're not going to be sleeping tonight.

 

Well, have fun.

[Anya 0]

It's Emma's birthday!

[Jericholic82 0]

It's Emma's birthday!

well my moms bday was yesterday and i have some cake left so Ill eat it in her honor.

 

 

oh i saw buffy on fx this morning the season 4 finale with the dreams. Funny every time I see it. Especially giles and spike on swings.

 

 

Quote of the day

 

"Oh go ahead, I've learned how to drive by gesturing emphatically"

[BlackFlagg 0]

so weird seing Buffy/Angel people in certain roles, just watched an episode of CSI where Wood played a pedo rapist, heh

[Guest Brian]

If anyone wants to watch Origin and talk about it, Rudo and I are going to set up a chatty room. IM me at briancasmath

[Jingus 0]

I found a Blockbuster that has all of Joss's stuff to rent, and I've been watching and rewatching the Angel Season 5 dvd set. I gotta say, the extras were disappointing. Great, GREAT episodes, but disappointing extras.

 

Also, I watched all of Firefly. I said godDAMN, but that was some amazing TV. I want to be Whedon when I grow up.

[Guest Brian]

Rudo and Brian do the tandem. "Origin". HUZZAH~!

 

ABlueEyedSamurai: illyria is much hotter than fred

ABlueEyedSamurai: the physical changes in wes are noticable, i like how they have done that with his character

briancasmath: I love Angel all business. And "we'll make Spike do it."

ABlueEyedSamurai: i like how they're bringing back the stubble

briancasmath: "Fred's dead Wes. You're still alive. Start acting like it."

ABlueEyedSamurai: oh, but hes already gone

briancasmath: He's always been dead, or at least part of him. They all have.

briancasmath: The first time Angel sees Connor is awesome.

ABlueEyedSamurai: look at all the open collars on this show... just crazy

ABlueEyedSamurai: yeah, its such a mixed reaction

briancasmath: Did they replace angel doing the double-staking in the credits with Spike?

ABlueEyedSamurai: i'm too busy rocking out to notice

ABlueEyedSamurai: i think the opening to the show was what first sold me on it back in the pilot

briancasmath: It's a nice ode to Spike as the hero now.

ABlueEyedSamurai: do you think the name "Riley" has any significance, outside that of Buffys ex

briancasmath: What do you mean?

ABlueEyedSamurai: goddammit BUTTON YOUR COLLAR, MAN!

ABlueEyedSamurai: well the families last name is Riley

ABlueEyedSamurai: its a fake last name.

briancasmath: I missed. Interesting.

ABlueEyedSamurai: Wow, the sexual imagery here is nuts

briancasmath: Spike and Illyria are awesome.

briancasmath: That kick to the face was comical.

ABlueEyedSamurai: "she's not a horse, Spike"

briancasmath: I love how Wes says that Angel's earned their trust

ABlueEyedSamurai: yeah, its not because he wants to, but he has found a reason to linger around

ABlueEyedSamurai: baldwin is just awesome as hamilton

ABlueEyedSamurai: connor is even more annoying as normal

briancasmath: Are you kidding?

ABlueEyedSamurai: yeah, he's over-the-top normal

ABlueEyedSamurai: oh man that was a righteous ass kicking

briancasmath: I love when he hits that first monster.

briancasmath: "You almost broke that guy in half. That's awesome."

ABlueEyedSamurai: "...okay"

ABlueEyedSamurai: this small talk is awesome

briancasmath: Connor asks him if he has family.

briancasmath: Really interesting because he kinda discovered his family last season, and also lost some of it.

ABlueEyedSamurai: Spike was such an awesome addition to the cast

briancasmath: Your body warms.

This one is lusting after me.

ABlueEyedSamurai: "they were supposed to fix that"

ABlueEyedSamurai: i love that angel is enjoying this

briancasmath: The ivy league.

ABlueEyedSamurai: DAMMIT, even Connor has an unbuttoned collar

ABlueEyedSamurai: WHO THE HELL HAS THAT MANY BUTTONS UNDONE?!

ABlueEyedSamurai: WHAT WORLD IS THIS???!

ABlueEyedSamurai: wes trying to find meaning in his life, seeing this as a puzzle to solve, it goes back to "sometimes life will surprise you"

briancasmath: Angel's awesome pulling the tube and going for the throat.

ABlueEyedSamurai: not so good in conveying anger, though

ABlueEyedSamurai: how he tried to work his eyes

briancasmath: Sahjahn. Yes.

ABlueEyedSamurai: when i read the spoilers for that, i went nuts

ABlueEyedSamurai: "long lost enemies, tend to return"

briancasmath: Lindsay.

briancasmath: Angellus

ABlueEyedSamurai: yeah, and even the black thorn in some respect

ABlueEyedSamurai: near the end of the season

ABlueEyedSamurai: and the immortal

briancasmath: It's always creeping out from under him, something he's sought to control for so long. And he's beat it in some sense, in Orpheus.

briancasmath: But is it something he can ever contain.

ABlueEyedSamurai: i loved the concept behind the black thorn, and how WR&H was designed to protect them so they could carry out the Sr P plans

briancasmath: And also, there's the old Connor.

ABlueEyedSamurai: but the execution wasnt too great

ABlueEyedSamurai: yeah, truth

ABlueEyedSamurai: YES

ABlueEyedSamurai: HAMILTON

ABlueEyedSamurai: BUTTONED UP COLLAR

briancasmath: I wish they had dropped more hints, but I can except how it went down. Connor and Wesley's memories were part of the reason Angel went, and he lost that. Another piece falls. He lost Cordy despite the medical care. Gunn and Fred despite the protection.

briancasmath: And eventually Buffy despite the necklace.

ABlueEyedSamurai: fuck baldwin is smooth in this

briancasmath: Hamilton trying to get Gunn to make another deal. And Gunn accepts his responsibility. What a fucking hero.

briancasmath: CONNOR

(wringing his hands)

Hardly seems fair.

 

ANGEL

Fair's not something we worry about.

 

CONNOR

Maybe you should. I'm not a bully. If I'm gonna do this, you gotta let me do it my way.

briancasmath: Angel finally getting to truly train Connor, like he should have growing up.

ABlueEyedSamurai: "yet fred changed the moment her memory did"

ABlueEyedSamurai: OOOOOOOOOOOUCH!

briancasmath: What about the "We are more than just memories."

briancasmath: He found the document. Angel's signature.

ABlueEyedSamurai: which looks different from his signature in NFA

briancasmath: I love Connor trying to be threatening.

ABlueEyedSamurai: "sorry, go gettum"

ABlueEyedSamurai: ~!~

briancasmath: This is all the fatherly stuff Angel wanted to do, in a way.

briancasmath: Except for the little hockey sticks.

ABlueEyedSamurai: wait for it...

briancasmath: Maybe I won't cry as much watching the baby Connor arc, realizing what happens.

ABlueEyedSamurai: THREE WISHES~!

briancasmath: Genie in the lamp. Awesome.

briancasmath: We so need a Sahjahn spin-off.

ABlueEyedSamurai: YES

ABlueEyedSamurai: Sahjahn and like Ethan Rayne

briancasmath: "You're him."

briancasmath: Buddy cops~!

briancasmath: Angel playing the worrying father in the wings.

ABlueEyedSamurai: i was thinking more like bumbling crooks

briancasmath: The fight scenes, on average, have gotten better each season.

briancasmath: Wes' speech is so many shades of awesome.

ABlueEyedSamurai: wes just loss 2 reasons to live

ABlueEyedSamurai: he solved the mystery and he isnt loyal to angel

briancasmath: "Was Fred the price?"

briancasmath: Fred was the one who was affected in "The Price".

ABlueEyedSamurai: flash backs!

briancasmath: Caught some Lilah in there.

briancasmath: Wes understands why Angel did it.

ABlueEyedSamurai: one thing they missed

ABlueEyedSamurai: gotta love the connor look

ABlueEyedSamurai: OH YEAH! Gotta love the hand movement after the decaping

briancasmath: Angel doesn't know whaqt there, whether it's his son or the kid that was created.

briancasmath: "I don't really like people touching my neck." Is that a reference?

ABlueEyedSamurai: i would assume so

briancasmath: Was it the cut at the end of "Home"?

ABlueEyedSamurai: that makes sense

briancasmath: "Does this now make you Wesley?"

ABlueEyedSamurai: wes is now living for the lie

ABlueEyedSamurai: great line there with connor

briancasmath: "Nothing he can show me I haven't already seen."

ABlueEyedSamurai: that slow mo shot of connor walking out was ballstompingly good

briancasmath: And that last look.

briancasmath: Last thoughts?

ABlueEyedSamurai: leading into the episode, i had really high expectations because of the great continuity involving sahjahn

ABlueEyedSamurai: when it aired, i was a lil disappointed

ABlueEyedSamurai: i saw it again about 2 months ago and i enjoyed it a lot more

ABlueEyedSamurai: tonight, it continued to rock

briancasmath: It's one of my season 5 favorites.

ABlueEyedSamurai: its hard for me to distinguish the last 6 or 7 episodes after AHITW, because I view them as one sweeping arc

ABlueEyedSamurai: the immortal one excluded

ABlueEyedSamurai: but this had some classic moments

briancasmath: I view the season as an arc starting at Destiny, with Angel no longer as the hero.

briancasmath: After that, both guys start to crumble, and it really picks up after his first big loss in "You're Welcome".

ABlueEyedSamurai: the stuff with wes is just amazing, angel enjoying his normal time with connor was great, cyrus vail was a good villian, spike and illyria were all sorts of fun

briancasmath: And Gunn ruled it for his little time.

ABlueEyedSamurai: i think there are too many stand alone episodes in that though, i see the last few episodes as the "Illyria saga"

ABlueEyedSamurai: as she connects them all

ABlueEyedSamurai: her and wes

ABlueEyedSamurai: i recognize that there is an on-going storyline with angel, but that was a season-long thing, with cautionary tale of number cinco being one

briancasmath: There's been the hints, but I think up until Destiny, Angel still has some control.

ABlueEyedSamurai: i think that stuff like Why We Fight, and Harms Way takes away from the archyness

ABlueEyedSamurai: and there isnt the direct follow up on lindsey as there is with illyria

briancasmath: Did there need to be with Lindsay?

ABlueEyedSamurai: well shit yeah

briancasmath: I mean, Lindsay's awesome, but after the SP'd take him away, where do you go?

ABlueEyedSamurai: i think you could break the arcs up in the season

briancasmath: It's closer to Season Two in terms of structure of the season.

ABlueEyedSamurai: where theres something from destiny/cautionary tale to thank you, then something from AHITW to NFA

ABlueEyedSamurai: the more i think about it, the more i appreciate how well written season 5 is and how they paced themselves with the character arcs

briancasmath: And then you look back at Season Two, and that falls in really well.

briancasmath: I'm going to take off soon, but I'll put this up in word and post it on the board around midnight my tim.

ABlueEyedSamurai: nice

briancasmath: Should we try this again? See what people think?

ABlueEyedSamurai: i like doing syncovision

ABlueEyedSamurai: it changes the experience, though

ABlueEyedSamurai: writing when you are watching usually does

ABlueEyedSamurai: you're more conscious on the small details, but less conscious of the overall story

ABlueEyedSamurai: seeing the trees rather than the forrest

briancasmath: :-(

ABlueEyedSamurai: no, its a good thing

ABlueEyedSamurai: but not when you are first watching it

ABlueEyedSamurai: for repeating viewings, its very satisfying

briancasmath: I'm starting to do that with wrestling though. And it's starting to piss me off.

ABlueEyedSamurai: its really the only thing i find interesting about wrestling anymore

ABlueEyedSamurai: since i wouldnt be able to enjoy it on any other level

ABlueEyedSamurai: so picking up on the small details is fun

ABlueEyedSamurai: like the collar thing, what was the deal with that!

briancasmath: Like father like son?

ABlueEyedSamurai: everyone had a buttoned shirt, and none of them buttoned it up to the top

ABlueEyedSamurai: its like the wardrobe lady just got lazy and dressed everyone the same

ABlueEyedSamurai: casual motherfuckers

[Guest Brian]

“Time Bomb”

 

God, Gunn is awesome. Illyria rules. Gunn seeing Fred first, than realizing that it was Illyria and feeling all that pain and knowing what he’s done was great. The demon cuts itself open. Wow. That’s one interesting family. You thought Gunn as father to a white bread child was strange.

 

Wes has more stubble. Slowly creeping back.

 

Wes negotiating with Illyria was a nice scene.

 

Was this the first show with Harmony in the credits?

 

Wes is just scurrying around, obsessed with Illyria. Gunn and Wes make a nice scene. Trying to apologize, but can’t. Wes never could, remember back to “Awakening”. And don’t forget Gunn is finally dealing with the consequences. Sad stuff seeing the two talk about Fred, knowing how they both loved her.

 

Spike and Illyria rule. Spike adapting fucking rules. “A good knee to the ribs does tend to catch up on you.”

 

Gunn and the pile of papers. Shit is piling on, and he can hardly take it.

 

I love Angel questioning Gunn. And Wes.

 

“You are my guide. You’re more than that.” Wes the watcher.

 

I love the little flashes in and out.

 

I love Gunn’s little anecdote about the alternate dimension.

 

GUNN

Do you know what the worst part of that place was? Wasn't the basement. At least there, you knew where you stood. Demon was gonna cut your heart out and show it to you. Nah. It was the fake life they gave you upstairs. The wife, kids, all the icing on the family cake. But somewhere underneath it, there was the nagging certainty that it was all lies, that all the smiles and the birthday candles and the homework were just there to hide the horror.

(turns to face Angel)

Is that all we're doing here—just hiding the horror?

ANGEL

No.

GUNN

(upset)

'Cause I don't think I can stomach it anymore, not after all that's happened.

ANGEL

You have to. Listen to me, Gunn. I need you to get through this, to get through all of it so we can figure out the big picture and plot our next move.

GUNN

Angel... she is our next move.

After this episode, being left with Illyria, and after everything he’s lost, Angel’s going to see the trees, realize his next move.

 

Gunn is great.

 

Spike simplifying things is beautiful. “We’re motivated go-getters.”

 

Wes lying to Angel about Illyria is beautiful.

 

Oh fuck. Did they just do that? Okay, maybe it doesn’t have the same impact the second time through, but watching her take out four heroes like that is still pretty incredible.

 

Angel and Illyria just go right at it verbally, and it’s beautiful. “Serve no master but your own ambition.”

 

I love Illyria telling Angel about power. Telling Angel what he needs to do, who he needs to serve. This is the speech that helps to put him on his path. Excellent.

 

“Now I know you’re all that’s left.”

 

“Everything is different.”

 

ANGEL

"Serve no master but your ambition."

(turns to walk away)

WESLEY

What's that?

ANGEL

(stops at the door)

I think you may have been right before... about Illyria being a resource. She just might make the team yet.

(exits)

And Angel just gives up the baby.

[Mole 0]

I thought you guys finished watching season 5, so this thread would die.

[Anya 0]

Mercades McNabb was added to the opening in Underground.

 

Easily the worst addition to the Buffy/Angel group of regulars ever.

[Ripper 0]

Mercades McNabb was added to the opening in Underground.

 

Easily the worst addition to the Buffy/Angel group of regulars ever.

How is that? When Groo and Riley are RIGHT THERE.

[Anya 0]

I don't mean worst character, that title goes to Kendra or Parker. I mean least worthy of being a regular cast member(being in the opening credits). Groo was never in and Riley was a main character.

[Ripper 0]

well thats really a tricky list. Like saying which lord of the rings movie was the worse. They all kicked ass. Mercedes kicked ass in her role, and her character kicked ass. She just didnt kick quite as much ass as the rest of those that have graced the opening credits, but seriously....who could?

[LaParkaMarka 0]

I thought Harm was great in Season 5. Good enough for opening credits.

 

I thought Parker was kind of funny. Buffy was so retarded at the beginning of Season 4. And I figured Rona (the how-to people) was more hated than either Kendra or Parker.

[Anya 0]

I forgot about Rona. I hate her too. And the Bringers.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Ah, new picture of Emma. She's pretty hot for a thirty-something girl.

[SuperJerk 0]

Mercades McNabb was added to the opening in Underground.

 

Easily the worst addition to the Buffy/Angel group of regulars ever.

 

Harmony > Dawn > Tara > Riley.

[Anya 0]

Dawn isn't too bad. She's funny in season 7.

 

I still like Riley.

 

 

I would get a new signature pic along with my new avatar, but it's impossible to find good images of Xander and Anya together. I must showcase Xanya forever.

[SuperJerk 0]

Too bad it took 2 years for them to make the character even remotely likable. I still like Harmony better.

 

I always wanted Joyce to be a regular...at least until season 5.

 

 

Is it true that Julie Benz was offered a regular spot on "Angel"? How would that have worked?