Are You Now, Or Have You Ever Been?
Angel Episode Review
In which there are flashbacks.
What Happened
Angel asks Cordelia and Wesley to look into the history of the Hyperion Hotel, a deserted structure downtown. They learn that the Hyperion was the epicenter of weird happenings for much of its history, murders and suicides galore, and spot Angel in the background of a photograph from 1952.
Angel was trying to keep to himself, but impulsively helped a young woman dodge a private investigator. Judy had a bag full of money stolen from the bank she where she used to work. When they found out that she was "passing" for white and fired her, she helped herself to a pile of cash and took off for Los Angeles.
A suspicious death threatened to draw attention from the cops, so Angel hid the cash in the basement. When the paranoia in the hotel grew, Angel diagnosed a Thessalac demon, whispering to the residents. By the time Angel got the spell and orb he needed to destroy it, however, the others had decided that everything's all Judy's fault.
Judy pointed the finger at Angel and announced that he had blood in his room, so the mob decided to lynch Angel, which is exciting, but didn't leave him any deader than usual. After the crowd dispersed, the Thessalac appeared to Angel, telling him that the tortured souls in the hotel could really use his help. Take them all, Angel said, walking out.
Wesley, Cordelia and Gunn help Angel summon the Thessalac and Angel electrocutes it. When he realizes that the demon has still been feeding, he goes upstairs to Judy's room and finds her sitting inside. You're safe now, he tells her, as she dies.
What We Learned
- Angel is not particularly interested in cinnamon on his O positive.
- You cannot evict residents on the grounds of the heebie-jeebies.
- Gee, I guess Angel does mind.
- It's not that vampires don't photograph, it's that they don't photograph well.
- The death-wishers usually tip better.
- Fear makes people do stupid things.
- "Orb of Ranjurin, please," makes it happen.
- The kitchen's closed.
Best Lines
Judy: "Can you imagine that wallpaper being the last thing you see before you go?"
Angel: "Maybe it was the wallpaper that drove him to it."
Cordelia: "It's kind of like a puzzle. The 'Who Died Horribly Because Angel Screwed Up Fifty Years Ago' Game."
Wesley: "I've been accused of a great many things, but paranoia isn't one of them. Unless they've been saying it behind my back."
What Did I Think?
John Kapelos, Nick's partner from Forever Knight or the guy from Due South? He played some kind of sidekick somewhere. Now that's gonna bug. And you can obviously see how much attention I paid to this one...