I watched the first new episode of Angel (“Forgiving") since rerun season and am continually impressed with the quality of this oft overlooked show. No better casting can be found for a brooding vampire than David Boreanaz. He also is blessed with an equally talented and likeable supporting cast led by Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia), Alexis Denisof (Wesley), August Richards (Gunn), and Amy Acker (Fred).
This season has unearthed some pleasing surprises. Darla, Angel’s long-time love/nemesis returned last season, and they made with the nasty during a moment of a delicious insanity. Can two vampires mate in the traditional sense? Well, that was answered this season when Darla returned several months pregnant. Two vampires and a baby? How can this not be preapocalyptic? It turns out the kid was good and Darla sacrificed herself to save him in a fitting end to a memorable character who appeared in the first episode of Buffy.
Julie Benz built a fascinating character with a continually innocent cheerful smile hiding the worst kind of evil imaginable. Creator Joss Whedon realized they killed her a little too quickly in Buffy and brought back Darla for more Angel-tormenting until her
very worthy redemption and sacrifice. Bravo, Julie Benz!
Then there’s the issue of that long-simmering chemistry between Angel and Cordelia which was unleashed when they were possessed by ghostly lovers at an old theater. Things were looking really good for these likely lovebirds when Cordelia’s old beau returned and they took off for some place tropical and romantic.
One of the joys of Angel is seeing how a character we all loved to hate on Buffy has grown up. Cordelia was the ultimate social climber and snob when she was at Sunnydale High unleashing the cutting put downs on Buffy and the Scoobs. To watch “Miss Self-Involved" mature into a powerful contributor to Angel’s fight against evil has been a treat. We’ve watched Cordelia struggle with money and getting along with a ghost that has taken up residence in her apartment (hey, it’s rent-controlled). Then Cordelia became the expert demon locator with puzzling visions which ended up incapacitating her at times.
Then a supernatural character gave her a choice. She could be relieved of the visions and realize every dream of fame and wealth she ever imagined. The downside? She would forget all about Angel and her friends. Or she could be turned part demon to help counteract the physically painful visions. Cordelia decided that she preferred to remember and help her friends and chose and the later. What will this mean for Angel and Cordelia in the future? How demonic is Cordelia really?
Wesley, former rouge demon hunter and former Watcher of Buffy and Faith, has been a critical part of Angel’s team since season one. In a surprising turn of events, Wesley went turncoat after reading several frightening prophesies that the father (Angel) would kill the son (Connor). Wesley cracked under the strain of this secret knowledge and kidnapped Connor who fell into the hands of Angel’s current nemesis, Holtz. It turns out the prophesies were a hoax perpetrated by an enemy of Angel’s and now Connor and Holtz have disappeared into a foreboding demon dimension.
Badger at the alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer newsgroup wrote about this latest episode, “No spoilers, except to say, man, that was an action-packed 45 minutes, with a startling ending."
Of course, all of this leaves Angel in a very dark place. Will he snap and become Angelus (his evil side) for good? A very shocking ending which brought Angel and Wesley face to face leaves this open to question. It doesn’t look good kids. But Angel’s pulled it together before with winning smile and broody forehead.
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"Two Vamps and a Baby"
