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| Review of Episode 19, Season 3
"The Price"
This seems to be an episode about cracks. Cracks in the wall of baby Connor’s old room that Angel says should never be repaired -- which, we could get all subtexty and say mirror the crack in Angel’s, er, well, does an undead guy have an actual heart? Then there’s the cracks in the flesh of the two victims of the gelatinous lobster-creatures -- and the sparking/crackling fissures in the seams between dimensions through which these “Slimies” enter our world… and then Fred’s cracking of the snow globe to wet her whistle! Finally, and most apparently, bonds of trust and friendship are fracturing all around. Angel Investigation’s new case turns into a roadmap, back-tracking our soulful vampire’s missteps into dark magic. Despite the consequences that now begin to threaten the safety of everyone around him, Angel affirms that he would do it all over again for the sake of regaining the only blood family he will ever have, demonstrating the very human (as in “mortal”) irrationality of a parent defending its young. But also underscoring a very rigid, unilateral position against the friend who made a bold, if misguided, choice to try and save Angel from an unthinkable fate -- and an act for which Angel might never have forgiven himself, had the Prophecy turned out to be true, rather than a fabrication, and “the father [had killed] the son”. But even as people try, albeit in the wimpiest of ways, to lobby Angel for a smidge of forgiveness toward the abandoned Wesley, Angel chooses to ride the wave of denial into any flimsy excuse for a case. This is also a tale depicting great thirst. Lilah and Gavin’s competitive thirst for supremacy among the ranks of Wolfram & Hart as Gavin bates Lilah, hoping she will make the wrong choice (regarding her handling of Angel) and fall out of favor. Then there’s the unslakable thirst engendered in the “Slimies’” involuntary hosts. There’s Angel’s thirst to hide a broken piece of himself in the contrivance and distraction of anger and blame toward Wesley. And Gunn’s thirst for any tactic, sanctioned or not, that will save his Fred from becoming sandbox filler. A thirst that finally takes us to what we have to ultimately investigate: the arid solitude of an embittered Wesley, ironically, the only person who knows the cure. For me, this moment was peak. Wes has found himself battered about in the past two seasons by thugs, mishaps, the sundry demon here and again, and, worse still, his withholding father. It’s fair to say that his mettle has been stretched to (or maybe beyond) the breaking point. Now, when it truly matters more than ever, he “fought to live again” and to shed light on his actions for the benefit of the people he “loved and trusted” only to find that the power’s been shut off down in the basement, figuratively as well as literally, in the AI household, and no light can shine on anything, least of all Wes. Personally, I am savouring the pathos. I’m simply in favor of anything that might foist the accomplished (and ubersexy) Alexis Denisof into the foreground for a change and give him a challenge with emotional teeth. He’s one of the most interesting players in this cast, and in my opinion, has been occupying the position of scene glue far too long. I can’t wait to see what his/Wes’ next move will be. But now we have a ball game! The Destroyer with a Son’s face. I can only hope that the new (and definitely improved!) “Generation Y” Connor gives Angel a deep, dark run for his money. After all this time and build-up I, for one, would like to see some good-old-days Angel-style angst heading our way! It seems pretty promising from the looks of things. As a sidebar, I’d just like to express my thanks for the artful interjection of the Groosalug and all his clumsy valor and charm. After all that Cordy’s been through in her bumpy passage from fashion maven to true braveheart, last night’s “blinding” demon revelation notwithstanding, it still warms my cockles to hear Groo call her “Princess”. And last but not least, I want to sing my final verse of praise to a master scenewriter for his generous trip (well, just a brief stumble, really) down memory lane, as he allowed Cordy’s voice to pay homage to the wonderful episode “Amends” (Season 3, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) with the allusion to the time it snowed in Sunnydale. That was the delicate rose on the delicious icing of a very satisfying cake, called “Price”. Nicely done Dave!
I give it... Written by CoA Staff Writer/ Editor, Pie
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Groo: (on painting Angel’s room) Summer Splendor is a hue more worthy of a champion. Or, perhaps this unique one called ‘purpla.’
Angel: Purple. Yet you have no problems pronouncing pomegranate. Groo: It was my mother’s name. Angel: (sarcastically) What are the odds? Cordelia: (about the pentagram) Oh, I give up. I tried soaking it out, tried scrubbing it out. No question, we’ve got ring around the lobby. I say we toss in the towel and buy a big-ass throw rug. Who’s with me? Clerk: Look out! Dude’s got Ebola or something. Groo: This ‘Ebola’ is a weapon forged in magic? Lorne: No, forged in monkey poo. Angel: (to Cordelia about Phil Spivey) He’s the one we should be concerned with, not me. This has nothing to do with me. Mr. Spivey: You! This is all happening because of you! This is all your fault! (turns to dust) Groo: (picking up an axe) This weapon shall serve me. Angel: It’s a little big for our purposes, don’t you think? Groo: I’ve had no complaints. Angel: (on paying the price for dark magick) No, that spell I did was for nothing. I didn’t find my son. Now he’s gone forever. So you ask me, ‘was it worth it? Would I do it again?’ In a heartbeat. Because he was my son. Lorne: (on the ballroom) Man, this space is one part ‘hum,’ two parts ‘dinger.’ Ever think of turning it into a nightclub? Angel: (about Fred) You can’t do this. How is she going to feel if taking her out of here causes more people to die. Gunn: She? Or you? Angel: Me? Gunn: All this is happening because of you, what you did. This is your fault. Messing with scary-ass mojo no sane person should be messing with. Angel: I did what I had to do. Gunn: You did what you want to get what you want. To hell with the consequences. Angel: My son– Gunn: Is dead. Fred’s not. Slug/Fred: We have to flee. It brings pain, such pain. Lorne: It? What happened to we? What’s with the pronoun switcheroo? Angel: What are you fleeing from? Slug/Fred: The bringer of torment, agony, death. The Destroyer. Cordelia: Oh, that is just not the name you want to hear. Angel: Why is this Destroyer after you? Slug/Fred: It’s not. It’s coming after you, Angel. Gunn: What, we’re going to have a drink now? Did you hear what I said? She’s dying. Wesley: I was dying. Throat cut. Life pouring out of me. Know why I fought to live again? Gunn: Wes, I don’t have time. Wesley: I wanted to live to see my friends again. To explain to the people I loved and trusted my side of what happened. Gunn: We know what– Wesley: You don’t know anything. I’ll help because it’s Fred, but don’t come here again. Any of you. Lorne: (after the flash of light) Okay, unless anyone else has something, let me be the first to say, what the hell was that? Angel: Cordelia. That was Cordelia. Groo: You are truly a goddess. Cordelia: Well, demoness, anyway. Mmm, beats horns and a tail. Lorne: Hey, I’m standing right here. Gunn: I saw an opportunity to get some kind of help. I did what I had to do, and if you don’t get that (pauses) Yeah, I guess you do. Angel: So, we good? Lorne: Good? We’re not good. Is everybody forgetting we’ve got a little unexpected company on the way? It goes by the initials of ‘the Destroyer.’ Fred: The Destroyer. I remember the Destroyer’s coming. Cordelia: Yeah, we get that. Any idea when? Fred: Umm, I think (pauses) now. (a hideous creature emerges from the portal, followed by and killed by a young man) Connor: Hi, Dad. Quotes by Council member, Seeker |
