Review of Episode 13, Season 2 "Happy Anniversary" News flash! "Tomorrow night the world’s gonna end." So says The Host in this week’s opening teaser. Okay, so how many of you retorted back at your television sets with, "Again?" I can’t believe I’m giving a Joss driven Ep such a low rating, but what’s going on here? This is by far a great showcase for Andy Hallett [The Host] and another footing in the cornerstone, of what looks like a long stronghold, has been laid for Angel Investigations ~ the Expansion. But I just get the feeling that Joss and David G. were sitting around breaking this story as if they’ve really got nothing better to do. So they decide, ‘Hey, let’s just write a fun ep for ourselves, screw the story line. And hey, what if there’s this family who is really rich so the gang can make some money! They need money." "Okay, how?" "They invented, um, I don’t know, like chairs or something." "That’s doable, I can work that." "I thought you could." On defense of the story it was definitely better the second time around or maybe that was just because I knew there was a lot of ‘Good Andy’ coming! And, ‘sympathy bone’ . . . not even going there! *L* But if you get really drunk and watch this ep again, there is subtext by the ton of sexual innuendo! Okay, we really don’t advocate anyone getting drunk to watch Angel, it was just a thought. Maybe they were just looking for a break from the dark and drama of Darla and Dru. Ditto, dealing! "I'm the Host, have you met me? I never shut up." But the Big Kahuna blessing goes to Andy who is quickly becoming a household name! This guy can belt out a song! No formal training, just a love for Patti LaBelle. Can you believe he’s never taken a singing or acting lesson in his life! He learned some of his vocal techniques from watching tapes of Patti. "It’s all Patti LaBelle’s Fault! Damn her!" said Andy. Not only is he fun to watch but did you catch the teaser he dropped, " . . . and the British boy, he’s gonna be playing a huge . . . well, never mind." He had a ton of great lines all through this episode that kept it from being a completely dull ride. "I’m the Host, have you met me? I never shut up." And Angel’s annoyance with him is even interesting to watch. Virginia Bryce [Brigid Brannagh] returns, again, and she is priceless this week! Her banter with Cordy and Gunn is almost too fast, forcing you a rewind to catch the skilled talents of timing and reaction! This girl is good! I’m liking that she is interacting with the gang like this as it reminds me of the classic 1940’s films. What’s up with positive-Cordy-girl? I don’t think we’ve ever seen her in this light but it’s intriguing to say the least. As intriguing as her ever changing hairdo! Wesley in his ‘Murder She Wrote’ soliloquy is hilarious! And he lies a rather frightening yet subtle bomb at the closing credits with his line, "It’s just a name," referring to there being an Angel Investigations with no Angel. So it may not be so easy to return to the fold once the sheep have sheared the shepherd! Huh?? "Nope-a!" Kudos to Loni Peristere at Radium [formerly Digital Magic] for creating some cool Special FX this week with the time paradox and last week with Boone, a classic cartoon character brought to life. Here, we get some masterful weaponry ala the likes of Wolverine and it looks fantastic! Something that Joss has been able to do better each time he tries.  I give it...

CoA Stakes Rating Guide = Disappointing, stake it, bury it! = Not too bad, Lacking a few graves. = Typical Dark Avenger saves the day Saga. = Better still, Quality Headstones. = Outstanding! Reward it with mortality!

Gunn: (after the power goes out in the new office) I am so glad I met you guys, it's entertaining. Really. The Host: Hey big fella. You gotta be all the time singing in here, am I right? Come on, with these acoustics? (singing) "And the Rockets Red Glare." Hear that resonance? Angel: What I hear and maybe, hopefully I'm still dreaming, is the "Star Spangled Banner" being belted out by a loud green demon. The Host: We're all brothers under the skin, mi amigo. Although the garden hue and the horns have kept me out of some key public performances. Just once I'd love to ring in a Lakers game with our national anthem. Is that too much to ask? Angel: Yes. Is there a reason you're here? The Host: Yes, there is. What's today, Thursday? Tomorrow night the world's gonna end - thought you might like to know. The Host: Don't feel the need to offer your guest a frothy cappuccino or a hot cinnamon roll? Angel: I don't. Angel: I don't have coffee. The Host: Or a duster buster. I don't know why you fired those three plucky kids. They were good company. Not to mention Cordelia. Whew. Hot-o-Rama. In the oh-my-sizzling-loins sense of the word. If you know what I mean. The Host: Oh. The man is such a moron, Angel. You have no idea how much I'm suffering since Ramone left. Angel: Oh I have an idea. Can you just get to the point already. The Host: Yes, I can, if you'd let me get a word in edgewise here Mr. Get-to-the-Pointy-Pants. The Host: Is this because I sent you on a couple of missions that turned out to be a little – Angel: (interrupts) That were pointless and deadly. The Host: As for example. But I sent you on those missions in good faith. And we interrupt this broadcast to inform you -- World ending. Kind of an emergency situation here. You might want to get on-board. The Host: So what we should do is check out the other local karaoke bars. See if we can get a lead on him. That is, if you're not too busy getting lawyers killed and setting girls on fire. Virginia: Hey. Wow. This place is great. I brought champagne. You guys must be so excited. (looks at group) in that really dry, suicidal way. Wesley: Sorry, sweetheart. You just caught us in a moment of well... Cordelia: Reality. Virginia: Oh, that. I avoid that. Gunn: How do you avoid reality? Virginia: Money. It cures everything but boredom, and food cures boredom. So there you go. Imported chips and packets of cheese. Gunn: Thanks. Wesley: We'll enjoy them huddled round our pathetic candles. Cordelia: (pops champagne cork) We'll make pathetic nachos. Virginia: Wow. You guys are really down. Gunn: Yeah and don't try to tell us there's nowhere to go but up. Cause the truth is, there's always more down. (Cordelia swigs the champagne.) Virginia: Oh. And that was very well said by the way. Um. But I found a case for you. A client! A rich one! Wesley: Really? Cordelia: And this isn't the first thing you say when you come in the room? Virginia: Well I got distracted by your waves of desperation. Cordelia: Wait, by 'big guy' do you mean demon? Virginia: Yeah, and by 'house', I mean palatial estate, and by 'grateful' I mean they'll give you big tubs of cash. Really rich family, they invented um, I don't know, chairs or something. Cordelia: We'll do it. We'll do anything. Virginia: Oh, that's so sad. Virginia: I'll call Patty and tell her you'll take the job. Wesley: Uh, sweetie? No phone. Cordelia: Also, no lights. Gunn: And there's a funky smell. Virginia: I wasn't gonna say anything. The Host: You know this whole sourpussy mode of yours? It's starting to grate. You know what your problem is? Are you listening? Angel: Do I have a choice? The Host: Your heart isn't it it anymore. Angel: I don't have a pulse, so technically, I don't have a heart. The Host: Technically, someone puts a stake through it, you don't have anything anymore. So bubba, you're heart counts. Angel: I don't know what you're talking about. The Host: Yes, you do. Tell the truth. If the world ended tonight, would it really, in your heart of hearts, be such a terrible thing. (Angel looks around) Now, sweetie, is that a fun place to be? Angel: I think you should shut up now. The Host: I'm the Host, have you met me? I never shut up. You pushed your friends away. You went from helping the helpless to hunting down the guilty. Blood vengeance is a luxury of the lesser being. You're a champion, Angel. I mean, you were at least. Angel: What do you want me to tell you? The Host: Everything, what's in your heart. Why you stopped caring. You know, the whole ball of wax, so I can help you get back on your path. No need to rush. We've got time. Ya know, not a lot. Angel: You wanna know what my problem is? I'm screwed. That's my problem. I can't win. I'm trying to atone for a hundred years of unthinkable evil. News flash: I never can. It's never gonna be enough. Now I've got Wolfram and Hart dogging me. It's too much. Two hundred highly intelligent law school graduates working full time to drive me crazy. Why the hell is everyone so surpised that it's working? Angel, why are you so cranky? Angel, you should lighten up, you should smile, you should wear a nice plaid. The Host: Oh, not this season, honey. Angel: Redemption. Darla had a shot at redemption, they took it from her. Now I have to hunt her down and kill her. I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna kill her, then I'm gonna burn that law firm to the ground. My crew, they couldn't handle that. That's good, that means they're still human. Means they're better off being fired. The Host: You kind of left them in the cold. Angel: It's colder in here. Angel: Well, you know. Love, it's a fire. Gene: You've been there? Angel: It burns you alive. Down to the bone, then it turns the bone to ash. The Host: I think what my chipper friend is trying to say here, Gene, is the wheel keeps turning. You can't stop it. Sometimes things get worse. Sometimes things get better. Gene: I want the wheel to stop. Which probably explains the whole time-in-a-box disaster. I can't emphasize enough how sorry I am about that. The Host: It just don't work, Genie. It's like a song. Now, I can hold a note for a long time. Actually, I can hold a note forever, but eventually that's just noise. It's the change we're listening for. The note coming after and the one after that. That's what makes it music. Gene: I guess. (pauses) You guys like beer? Angel: Beer sounds great. Gene: I'm glad you guys, uh... (stands up and heads for the kitchen) The Host: You're connecting to a human. It's a start. Although, I'd go easy on the bone and ash metaphors for a while. Angel: The guy's a disaster at love, he nearly destroyed the world. I can relate... I guess I did kind of leave them in the cold. The Host: What, your buddies? By firing them? Angel: Yeah. I guess I made it kind of hard for them. (Cut to Wes, Cordy and Gunn dancing.) Quotes by Council member Sasha.