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| Review of Episode 3, Season 2
"First Impressions" First impression here? Darla’s back! You can’t go wrong with that. I mean, this episode has just about everything you could ever ask for: nekked Angel for the girls, nekked Darla for the guys and more humor than Cordelia could possibly dish out in one hour! So why was I sort of disappointed by this episode? The pros certainly outweigh the cons here. This was a great showcase for Gunn (J. Agustus Richards) as he enters the arena as a full-fledged member of the L.A. Scooby Gang. I wasn’t too convinced that he had as much of a ‘death wish’ as Cordy implies at the end of the episode. In fact, he didn’t come off that way at all. Not the loaded cannon you would expect from a street-wise vigilante of the demon world. He seemed tougher at the end of last season than he does now. He would certainly add to the dynamic of our ensemble if he had a bit more edge to himself. The introduction of the subplot brings Darla (Julie Benz) in and out of Angel’s dreams. No one does the dream sequence better than Joss Whedon. And yet, the paradox ensues — just how is it that Darla is able to come back from the demon undead anyway? Yeah! What’s up with that? Although we only get a taste of what Wolfram & Hart have in mind with the use of Angel’s old love, she is obviously affecting him and to see this play out over the course of the next several episodes will be very interesting. Let’s hope Joss doesn’t kill her off too soon! Shawn Ryan penned this humorus episode, and it’s not surprising that his wit may well match that of Buffy’s Jane Espenson! Shawn comes to Angel from, of all places, the writing staff of Nash Bridges, and he seems to have quite a grip on where the funny is! His use of Angel in the human condition is a nice exposure that Joss is exploring this season as well as Wesley’s roll with his ability to take charge. On the other hand, James Contner’s direction, which I usually love, was a bit nerve-racking. It may have just been what happened in the editing room, but the fight sequences had so many close-up jump cuts you couldn’t tell were the action was coming from. In the final fight scene alone I counted over 76 cuts. Whoa! Shout Out’s to the appearance of Phantom Dennis! "We all love that actor." David Nabbitt’s sword-wielding enthusiasm was enjoyable, and we finally get to see more of Angel’s cool '67 Plymouth Convertible! Fun note: In a recent e-mail with Mike Massa (David Boreanaz’s stunt double), he was quite excited he finally got to do some motorcycle stunt work! He really enjoyed dumping the motorcycle under the garage door! Strange lad. I give it... |
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Cordelia: "Ah! This place is never gonna get clean." Wesley: "Buck up – it’s just a little dust." Cordelia: "This isn’t mere dust, this is ‘Son of Dust’. This is the kind of dust that spawns countless generations of little baby dust." Gunn: "Sleeping!? It’s 3:30 in the afternoon. I’ve been up since dawn." Cordelia: "Sort of missing the whole creature-of-the-night angle, isn’t he." Cordelia: "He doesn’t use a coffin, and maybe you’ve never heard the expression, ‘Let sleeping vampires lie.’ He’ll rise on his own. He always does." Cordelia: "Maybe we can help." Gunn: "You two? I find Deevak I’m gonna need more than C3PO and stick figure Barbie backin’ me up!" David Nabbit: "Demons of the underworld beware! Your time on this earth is nigh!" Cordelia: "I am so sick of dust." Cordelia: "Grease stains all over my new outfit! Okay, so my pain isn’t physical, but do you have any idea of the dry cleaning bill I’m looking at!?" Wesley: "That was quite a performance." Cordelia: "I know, talk about wound up too tight!" Wesley: "No, I mean Danzel." Cordelia: "Oh. Well, he’s always great." Wesley: "What about you?" Angel: "Who doesn’t love Danzel." Wesley: "No, I mean . . ." Cordelia: "What is it with ghosts and cold rooms?" Wesley: "Angel, it’s me!" Angel: "What are you doing here?" Wesley: "Gunn’s in trouble. Can’t breathe!" Angel: "Gunn can’t breathe?" Wesley: "I can’t breathe!" Angel: "Oh, sorry." Wesley: "Now, about the naked thing." Angel: "I’ll get dressed." Wesley: "Much appreciated." Cordelia: "Whether you want to believe it or not, you are in big time danger! I’m Vision Girl. I saw you." Cordelia: "Do you know what he’s gonna do to me when he finds out I let his car get stolen? What are the chances that a vampire has full insurance with a low deductible?" Gunn: "I’ll say please." Cordelia: "Oh I forgot, you’ll use your famous charm like you did this afternoon with that pigeon stool." Gunn: "It’s stool pigeon." Cordelia: "Paging Mr. Rationalization!" Gunn: "Paging Miss About-to-be-thrown-out-a-moving-vehicle!" Angel: "Well, it – it’s, you know. The whole visibility issue, not to mention the hat head thing. You know, when you really think about it, how come I have to wear the ladies’ helmet?" Wesley: "Stop being such a wanker and put it on." Cordelia: "Who me? I’m no friend. I mean, I’m just here on business. I’m a working girl. That didn’t come out right. I mean, obviously I’m not a ‘working girl’. Not that I couldn’t be if I wanted to. Of course, I could be. God, that sounded stuck up didn’t it? I didn’t mean to imply that I could be a working girl and you couldn’t. Far from it! You’d make a great . . . Could you just point me to the hor d’oeuvres?" Gunn: "You know, I gotta tell you, you are one high-maintenance chick!" Cordelia: "The keys are here. Somewhere." Gunn: "You are killing me!" Cordelia: "Can’t you, you know, hot-wire it?" Gunn: "Just because I know some car thieves doesn’t mean I am one." Cordelia: "Hey, instead of you being high-moral-ground-boy why don’t you help me find them!" Wesley: "I found your keys. Unfortunately this substance doesn’t seem to be coming off." Angel: "What is that?" Wesley: "Demon blood, or demon puss or possibly both. Cheers." Angel: "Easy! Anyone know how to hot-wire a car?" Darla: "I could just eat you up." |
