Review of Episode 11, Season 4 "Soulless" While watching the episode “Soulless”, a quote spoken by my all-time favorite big screen heroine, Ellen Ripley (Aliens) came to mind, “Did IQ’s just drop sharply while I was away?” Over the past ten episodes, the once intellectual and brawny group known as Angel Investigations has withered into a desperate, and dare I say, frightfully stupid lot. So consistently wracked by their own poor choices, internal strife and smack downs by evil incarnate, I was starting to think the A.I. team should re-name the Hyperion the “The 7 Deadly Sins Inn” and just never bother coming out. But then this week in “Soulless”, we get the absolute mother of all mistakes when they think they can manipulate Angelus into giving them information about how to stop The Beast. The A.I. team has become the dumb blond chick in the horror movie as I was screaming: “No! Don’t go in there!” As written by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain (“Supersymmetry”) and directed by first-time Angel director, Sean (LoTR hobbit: Samwise Gamgee) Astin, “Soulless” plays out like the taunt Hannibal Lecter interrogation scene from Silence of Lambs. And like the evil Doctor, Angelus may look like a “caged animal” but we know the monster within is far too smart to be contained by mere forged bars. Thus, the highlight of the episode is watching David Boreanaz slip back into the blackly wicked cloak of the sublimely evil Angelus hurling stinging taunts and sexual innuendos at the various member of the “team.” His “truths” burn like acid and they melt apart the barely present strands keeping the once close-knit lot together. Astin does an impressive job keeping the single-cell room compelling and sinister. His selection, variety and composition of shots were key in making what could have been a completely static environment the exact opposite. The Hobbit’s got chops. Connor as a character continues to baffle though his acknowledgment to Angelus of him actually being his true father gave me a moment of pause with the hopes of seeing the duo come together as a malevolent father/son team from hell. But then, we get Connor’s breakthrough at the end of their field-trip of futility in the last act and I’m thinking the path of righteousness is probably the road Connor is meant to take. Whatever. This episode is all about the reintroduction of Angelus to both the characters and the viewers. He may have been gone but he certainly wasn’t forgotten. He’s actually made a welcome return - the personification of illustrating that the mad man may be saner right now than the group responsible for containing him. Fun Fact: Director Sean Astin is the son of Hollywood legends Patty Duke (The Patti Duke Show) and John Astin (Gomez on The Addams Family TV show.) Astin’s short film Kangaroo Court was nominated for the Best Short Film Academy Award in 1995. I give it... Review by CoA Staff member, Phoenix

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!

Angelus: We all want something, Wes. It’s the way of the world. Everyone’s got an agenda. Cordelia: He distorts everything. He lies with the truth. It’s part of what makes him so dangerous. Angelus: You’ve got no leverage. What are you going to do? Kill me? Wesley: If I have to. Angelus: (laughing) Wait til they drop, Wes. Then try that line again. Angelus: Yeah, let’s talk about Cordy, shall we? Now there’s a rack to write home about. Too bad about her personality, though. Yap. Yap. Yap. Yap. Fred: (re: Connor and Cordy) Well, now that’s just ridiculous. Connor’s Angel’s son. It would be like sleeping with your own… (long pause as Lorne motions for quiet) Oh. Angelus: (to Connor) When you think about it, the first woman you boned is the closest thing you’ve ever had to a mother. (gasps) Screwing your mom and trying to kill your dad. Hmm… there should be a play. Connor: The truth is, Angel’s just something that you’re forced to wear. You’re my real father. Angelus: What’s a better ride than a Mustang? Cordelia: Me. Gunn: (re: Angelus) Why is Sid Vicious suddenly Mr. Show & Tell? Angelus: Bodies, bodies everywhere and not a drop to drink. Fred: I’m shaky on Freyan runes, but kind of seems like it’s only a general idea of who or what got banished. Wesley: Translation, something like big, uh, (pauses) hard thing. Cordelia: Sounds like our guy. Cordelia:(to Connor) It’s different, isn’t it? Dead demons are just a big blob of oozing mess. Vampires turn into dust like they were never anything at all. But humans… (pauses and sighs) it’s different. Angelus:(to Cordelia) The more you piss me off, the longer I’ll keep you alive. Ooh, there’s something tells me she’s a screamer. Quotes by CoA Council member, Seeker