We Help The Hopeless

Episode 1.04: I Fall to Pieces. Original Airdate: 10.26.99

“Angel aids a woman being stalked by a deranged surgeon who is literally coming apart.”

Zelda’s Thoughts:

• Banter bicker bills and all so we can have a Doyle vision and Cordelia pulls out the phone book to tell Angel where to go. Because this is still the 90s so phone book.
• And as he swoops out majestically with long black coat flowing, Doyle concedes to Cordy, “Maybe I'm a little attracted.” Everyone’s a Little Bit Gay, Doyle.
• Our client of the week, Melissa, is popping pills but why? Who is Ronald and why is his flower gift scaring her? (har har, we know the reason, but hey let’s play along)
• Oh Angel found her. Good job!
• Wow did we not need Cordelia using the word r*tard pejoratively wow did we not need that.
• And back to our creepiness, Andy Umberger changed Melissa’s ATM PIN and like wtf.
• It’s striking me how many of our cases so far have been these awful predatory men who treat women like belongings. Russell in the Pilot, Lenny and Rachel last episode (Lonely Heart was an equal opportunity predator), and now creepo Ronald, stalking his former patient and trying to control her every move. I wish I could say we’ll have less of this as the show goes on, but why kid ourselves.
• It’s just. I’m tired. I’m tired of this being the world.
• Angel: He sees her when he is nowhere around. // Me: He knows when she’s awake, he knows when she’s been bad or good
• And at last the reveal: Creepy Dr. Ronald can detatch body parts at will and send them floating around, and his eyeball is watching Melissa undress.
• Doyle, re: bungee jumping, “Oh I've always meant to do that but I intensely don’t want to.”
• Melissa also has a picture of a doggo on her desk and I want to know why this doggo isn’t in her apartment, chasing down roving body parts and chewing them up like they’re toys.
• Wow, W&H filed a restraining order in defense of creepy Dr. Ronald, they are GREAT
• Kate reminds us “He took her power away and no one can get it back for her but her.” Okay psychologically yes, but we can still help take the creepo out of her life, yes?
• Ewwww, Angel’s in Dr Creepy’s office and he has a framed photo of Melissa on his desk. And he’s claiming she’s his fiancée.
• And a very helpful book for us about the pseudoscience behind his special power.
• So does he count as a human or a not-human, for when we kill him? A human who acquired special skilly powers?
• Cordelia, posing as a journalist, “So he’s good at the cutting and the sewing. He ever strike you as a big dangerous creep?” Cordy at the forefront of the #MeToo movement.
• “Did you steal this book?” // “Yeah.” // “Good.” *snort*
• Gasp! Disembodied hands! As played by noted disembodied hand actor Christopher Hart.

• And those hands are creeping below Melissa’s covers to do naughty things.
• Aaaaaand now they’re throttling a cop.
• And Dr. Creepy has seen Angel with Melissa. Wuh oh.
• Doyle: “At least it was just his hands down there.” Hate to break it to you, Doyle, but hands can rape a body as much as what you’re thinking.
• Dr. Creepy shot a poison dart at Angel and he may be currently incapacitated, but that can’t kill our vampire, now can it?
• Angel’s apartment is effing massive. If I were Cordelia with her tiny place, I’d be angling the “need a roommate?” line right about now.
• I’m gonna miss Glenn Quinn when he’s gone. It’s really such a damn shame.
• And Melissa gets the moment Kate said she needed, taking back her power from Ronald (before Angel disassembles him). And really, he wouldn’t have fallen so completely to pieces without her having said all that.
• Oh, I guess Ronald isn’t technically dead. Just separated into boxes buried all over the place, much like our old smurfy friend The Judge.
• “You guys go ahead, I think I’ll stay here and not burst into flames.”
• The plant Melissa gives Angel, is it the same one that gets destroyed by The First later? I’ll try to remember to pay attention. 

Daniel’s Thoughts:

• Doyle’s kind of a douche.  I mean he’s supposed to be a lovable whatever, but calling Cordelia “Princess”, telling her she doesn’t need “much in the way of clothes.”  It’s pretty gross.  Another Xander nice-guy.  At least Glenn Quinn is more charming.
• Doyle’s visions suck, too.
• Oh man, the dramatic coat thing Angel does. 
• I like that Doyle admits he’s at least a little attracted to Angel.
• The damsel of the week looks familiar but IMDB didn’t tell me anything.  She also stopped working after 2003.  A lot of good 90s actresses I look up stop working in the 2000s.  It’s very sad.  I mean, I’m hoping it was her choice but…
• The thing about Cordelia saying the R word…I mean, I’m absolutely stunned now – but back then?  Who knows if I even gave it a second thought.  I most likely didn’t.  It’s hard sometimes to go back and watch this shit.  Same with Spike being casually homophobic in the last episode.  I probably dismissed that, too. [Same to both. I didn't even clock it back then and now it's such a cringe of why. - Z]
• Meanwhile , our damsel of the week – Melissa – is being stalked by our villain of the week.  That’s…how it works.
• “We help the hopeless.”  Cordelia’s first time saying that!
• Melissa’s British accent is coming out a bit.
• “It’s terrible” “We're going to take care of that” “No, I mean the coffee.” 
• Fun with visual effects!  Surgeon guy can take out his eye…and it can travel on his own, I guess.
• Hey, Kate’s back.  She uncomfortably asks if Angel is there to ask for a favor or a date.  Someone’s thirsty.
• I like these subtle references to the law firm Wolfram & Hart – we don’t know yet that they’ll be a major part of this show.
• I looked up Elisabeth Rohm to see what she’s been up to.  I remember her guesting on Jane the Virgin but it’s nice to see her IMDb page filled with upcoming projects including Bombshell.
• Angel’s pretty good with the undercover.  He’s fast thinking.  He gets doctor creepy to admit things about Melissa.
• He’s not just a stalker, but a delusional stalker….which I guess is kinda redundant.
• Cordelia’s not bad with the undercover either. She slips up a bunch but uses it to her advantage.
• Angel says “All’s he sees.”  All’s. I am judging him.
• Zelda and I are noticing that a lot of the sets are looking like the future Hyperion.
• The guy who plays the hands also played Thing in The Addams Family.
• Oh man, it’s so creepy.
• “You should listen to him, Melissa.  He knows what he’s talking about.  He’s stalked plenty of…books on the subject.”
• I mean as far as supervillain powers goes, it’s not great?  Just kinda creepy.
• Ha, the shot of his ear falling off.  Well done.
• “I didn’t do it for the money.”  Come on, Angel.  People gotta eat.  And by people, I mean your employees.

  

Crossfire!

Cop: Lady, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong!

Z: Don’t yell at the victim!

D: Yes, let her talk! Jesus!

Favorite Lines:

Z:  “So he’s good at the cutting and the sewing. He ever strike you as a big dangerous creep?” - Cordelia

D: "You should listen to him, Melissa. He knows what he’s talking about. He’s stalked plenty of … books on the subject". - Cordelia

Arc/Continuity:

First Appearance: “We help the hopeless”

Recurring: Detective Kate Lockley

Generally Known TV Face: Brent Sexton, Andy Umberger

NOTED HAND ACTOR: Christopher Hart 

Whedonverse Hat Trick: Andy Umberger (D’Hoffryn on Buffy, Dortmunder Captain on Firefly)

Angel’s Alias: Mr. Jensen, husband of woman with an ocular tumor

Cordelia’s Alias: journalist for Journal of Diagnostic Orthoped ... Et Cetera., Jensen International Holdings receptionist

Stats:

Cordelia’s Hair – loosely straight, high ponytail with flyaways, loose bun with headband

Dead Humans – 1

Dead Undeads – 0

Dead Flashbacks – 0

Dead Lawyers – 0

Doyle Has a Vision – 1

Lawyered Ex Machina – 1 (Dr. Roland's restraining order)

Evil Reveal – 0

Unevil Reveal – 0

Shenanigans Called – 0

Apocalypse Called – 0

Prophecy Called – 0

Big Fluffy Puppy With Bad Teeth

Episode 1.03: In the Dark. Original Airdate: 10.19.99

“Spike and a colleague torture Angel in hopes of ascertaining the whereabouts of a ring that makes the wearer invincible.”

Daniel’s Thoughts:

•  Hey, Spike's in this episode:

• Episode starts with pretty blond girl running.
• TW: domestic violence – which is such a big theme in 90s tv.  But it’s almost weirdly glamorized.
• But Angel stops it!  Turns out this was planned.
• Oh, hey it’s Spike – and he’s kinda hilarious here creating dialogue as he’s watching Angel & Rachel, the victim girl. Except for all the homophobic shit.
• And then he gets all sinister, narrating that he’s going to kill Angel.  I mean, who is he talking to?  He’s such a grandstanding villain.  Let me monologue my plans for the audience.
• Oh hey, It’s Oz!
• Cordelia is so cute being excited over writing an invoice. Is it any wonder Anya was her replacement…

• Cordy greeting Oz and being all happy to see him and then realizing they really have nothing in common.  It’s so the perfect after-high-school metaphor.
• “Does he have a hat and a gun?” “Just fangs.” “That works.”
• Ah, the gem of Amara.
• Angel broods over the ring, as he’s wont to do.
• Man, I can’t get over those giant computer monitors.
• Angel gets jumped by Spike.  And they fight like old times.  All good.
• Angel warns Cordelia & Doyle to stay hidden.  Good call. And I guess we’ll finally see what Doyle’s place looks like.  It’s slightly nicer than Cordelia’s.
• Huh.  Doyle has a skull on his bookcase.
• Angel: “Go with faith.” Me: “But Faith doesn’t show up til later.” BA DUM BUM
• Angel’s playing with that weapon he had in the pilot where spikes come out of his sleeves.  I don’t remember him having all these contraptions.
• The woman that Spike is feeding on is rescued by Angel and is told to run.  But what now? Does she go to the ER?  'Some vamp was draining me'? Like, I can imagine this happens a lot– How do doctors deal with this?  THIS IS A WHOLE OTHER SPINOFF THAT I WILL NOT WRITE. [CSI: Hellmouth - Z]
• “Can we get on with the ouchy part?”
• Spike calls Angel his sire – which I feel like we found out before this that Dru actually sired him.  I don’t remember where in that particular timeline we’re in.  Maybe we haven’t seen that Spike flashback yet. I think one of the writers explained this little plot hole that …a grand sire…is still…a sire? I guess? 
• “Listen you little cockney”
• Oh hey, Oz didn’t actually go home.  He’s part of the rescue team!
• Ohh, torture vamp got the ring.
• Hey! They’re filming on location. 
• Angel on fire!  Oh no!
• Ok, so I thought this might be the third episode in a row where the baddie gets killed by fire.  It would be perfect since they’re on a beach and all.  But no, he gets staked.
• Oz, to Angel: You’re incredibly pale. Me: Like you’re one to talk, Oz.
• The green screen of the dawn is not….great

Zelda’s Thoughts:

• Look, it’s our first real crossover, as this is a direct follow up to BtVS episode “The Harsh Light of Day,” where Spike finds the gem of amara, then Buffy pries it off his cold, dead hand and sends Oz with it to L.A.
• We also get possibly my favorite monologue in all of Angel, courtesy of Spike.
• Current schmuckbait girl’s vibe is very Chantarelle/Lily/Anne

• Wow this Lenny dude is the worst. Can we get rid of him? Maybe before he shoots her.
• Ah, Angel to the rescue.
• This be one of his for-hire rescues, rather than passer-by or vision-sent rescues.
• “How can I thank you, my mysterious, black-clad hunk of a night thing? No need, little lady. Your tears of gratitude are enough for me. You see, I was once a badass vampire, but love and a pesky curse defanged me. Now I'm just a big fluffy puppy with bad teeth. No, not the hair! Never the hair.”
• Ugh I love JM so much here. Could SUPER do without the homophobic stuff but it’s such a fun performance otherwise.
• “Quickly, to the Angelmobile! Away!”
• Oz! It’s Oz, and he’s driving the van.
• I am curious how Oz knew where to find Angel, but maybe Angel did let Buffy know where to find him, just in case.

• “Oz.” // “Hey.” // “Nice surprise.” // “Thanks.” // “Staying long?” // “Few days.” // “Are they always like this?” // “No, we’re usually laconic.” I like the reminder that Oz has a good sense of humor, even about his brevity of speech.
• “I’ve got something that will boost your spirits. Why don’t you put [the ring] on and then I’ll stake you! It’ll be fun!” I'm gonna miss Doyle.
• Angel is troubled by the ring. Because Buffy sent it? Because of its power? Because it puts a target on his back? Because he fears that wearing it would make him lazy or overconfident, with nothing personal ever at stake?
• Aw, Doyle’s wearing a claddagh ring!
• And apparently called Oz “my little Bam-Bam” while drunk, and that’s the effing cutest.
• So the fact that Spike waylays Angel on his way to help Rachel out again … do we … do we hear from her again? Or is it only about the Spike conflict? I don’t remember and I’m quietly worried about her.
• “I had a plan … a good plan, smart, carefully laid out, but I got bored.” At least he’s in character. That’s how “School Hard” happened, right?
• Spike sees Cordelia and greets her with pleased surprise. Did they … did they know each other? I mean, I know she knew who he was, but did he actually know who she was?
• How is Cordelia being so rude about Doyle’s apartment when at least he has books on his shelves and solid painted walls?
• Oh good, Angel did go to Rachel’s after the Spike fight.
• Ah, a montage of Angel kicking the shit out of … they look like humans, looking for Spike. How do they all know him? I thought he was a bit of a loner, our Spike.
• At least Angel is managing to rescue some people this episode.
• Ah, I see they’re still painting in James’s eyebrow scar all bright and fierce.
• Seriously though, so much sunlight hitting our vampires in this torture scene.
• Torture man keeps asking Angel what he wants, and it’s a fair question.
• Spike refers to Angel as his sire again, because we haven’t yet had the episode that reveals Dru was his direct sire.
• Oh look, Spike is slutshaming Buffy again. I guess sometimes I need the reminder that even if I love James's performance, Spike is kiiiiiiiiiiiind of a villain?
• All those tumblr posts comparing Spike to a cat … are not wrong, as he destroys everything in Angel’s kitchen, knocking everything off the shelves item by item.
• Spike, frustrated, asks what is it about good guys that makes them run in packs. It does seem to be what keeps stymying him. Buffy was the first Slayer we saw him go after whom he couldn’t kill, and he credited that to her having friends (Joyce with the ax helped too).
• So it turns out one of Doyle’s powers with his demon half is enhanced smell, so he’s able to find the ring where Angel hid it.
• Oz and his van to the rescue! 

And two crossbows!

• Oops, Spike miscalculated and it turns out our torture vamp wanted the ring after all.
• And now his head’s on fire.

oops

• Amazing that torture vamp found sunglasses specifically shaped to hide the worst of his vamp forehead but still show enough that we know what we’re looking at.

• And Angel, because he’s our hero, runs out in the blazing sun to tackle the vamp into the water, and we can quietly pretend we don’t see how completely covered in flamegel the stundman is.
• And with torture vampire ashed, Angel puts on the ring to enjoy a few minutes of sun. They’re probably enjoying the metaphor of him being washed clean etc etc
• Oz remarks that Angel is incredibly pale and like … hi ginger boy, how are your freckles?
• Seriously, DB has more bronze in his skin tone than Seth Green.
• It’s still funny dialog, so long as you pretend it has no connection to reality. “He’s very pale. Paler than most people.”
• Angel’s worried that if he lived freely in the daylight, it would be too easy for him to ignore the dark underbelly, and the unnoticed victims. Okay, sure, I know they needed to give him a reason to destroy the ring because they don’t want him to be OP, but it’s still dumb. It’s a losing battle, it’s always a losing battle, why not give yourself whatever help you can?

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: “Does he have a hat and a gun?” “Just fangs.” “That works.” - Oz and Cordelia

Zelda: “Quickly, to the Angelmobile! Away!” - Spike as Angel

Arc/Continuity:

First Appearance: Spike

Generally Known TV Face: Jenni Blong

Buffy Crossover: Oz, Spike

Stats:

Cordelia’s Hair – loopier waves

Dead Humans – 0

Dead Undeads – 1

Dead Flashbacks – 0

Dead Lawyers – 0

Doyle Has a Vision – 0

Lawyered Ex Machina – 0

Evil Reveal – 0

Unevil Reveal – 0

Shenanigans Called – 0

Apocalypse Called – 0

Prophecy Called – 0

What is This, A Lobster?

Episode 1.02: Lonely Heart. Original Airdate: 10.12.99

“Angel tracks a wormlike demon that preys on lonely hearts at a trendy nightclub.”

Zelda’s Thoughts:

• Angel, dimly lit, pensive.
• Doyle, weird shirt, crushing on Cordy.
• Cordelia, bright and excited about business cards.
• And oops the drawing of an angel might be a butterfly or an owl and maybe Cordelia should have run the art by a focus group.
• Oooh our first seizure vision.
• And as we see randos Kevin and Sharon meet, Kevin leads with “God, I hate places like this, don’t you?” (which is only important as setting up a red herring later in the ep)
• Oh hey, the bartender is Bodie from Dawson’s Creek.
• “The services our friend Angel provides might put people in mind of the V word.” // “Vampire?” // “No, vigilante.”
• IT’S KATE. HI KATE.

HI ZELDA

• I like that her first line is asking if Angel is okay. It’s the same impulse that drives Angel, I think. Looking for a way to help, to make the world better.
• Doyle calls the visions he gets his gift. Cordy: “If that was my gift, I’d return it.” WILL SHE THOUGH. (Well, yeah, I mean, she’ll try.)
• “But I’ll know it when I see it.” // “Would you?”
• The thing is, is Kate coming on like this because she thinks he might be the serial killer, or because she’s interested? Or an awkward bit of both?
• Aaaaand Doyle’s in a fight with two randos because they assumed Cordelia, handing out cards (that have, for the record, no name of the business, just a drawing), must be a prostitute.
• And Angel, looking to help people, has left Kate behind and she leaves.
• Ah, back to Kevin and Sharon, having had sex but both feeling empty.
• Kevin asks to hold her, and it’s a clever bait and switch they set up to us, with Sharon walking away and Kevin emptied out. We think Sharon is the actual baddie, not realizing it’s a parasite passing from body to body.
• I’m pleased Angel listened to me during the Pilot and got a computer for the office.
• “You can go to hell.” // “Been there, done that.” Good line, meh delivery.
• “Ugh, demons, is there anything more disgusting?” And oops Doyle’s face. Just tell her, Doyle!
• Angel’s on the case! Paging quickly through a phone book to find Sharon’s address.
• And Sharon and new rando are post-coital, still feeling nothing, and she asks him to roll over so she can spoon him. Time for another body transfer for our parasite.
• And Angel is able to burst into the apartment – not a good sign – because Sharon is already dead.
• But Angel is here in time to see it finish swiveling its way into new guy’s body, who turns and says “You’re not human.”
• GASP! Kate is a detective!
• Why are we meeting at Cordelia’s apartment instead of the office? Oh, right, Kate might come looking for Angel there, now we know she’s a detective with detective resources.
• The guys need to stop being such shits about Cordelia’s home. She has no money and they’re her guests. Also remember when Angel lived on the streets? Don’t be shits.
• Montage of Angel hunting for the demon, of Kate snooping through Angel’s office and home, and another dead human.
• So far the dead human count on this series is not looking good for our heroes.
• Demon is named Tahlmer.
• Oh and a rando approaches Kate with “God I hate places like this, don’t you.” So we think he’s the parasite, because TRICK.
• Because actually Bartender Bodie is the current carrier and he’s knocked Kate out intending to transfer to her … even though they haven’t had sex? I thought sex was supposed to happen before the transfer? I’m confused. [I don't think sex is necessary - like the guy before who I assume couldn't get it up - I think it's just the being close part- D]
• So we don’t see her die, but I guess we can assume another woman died when the parasite transferred to Bartender Bodie.
• And Angel tries to Batman grappling hook his way out of the basement, but oops the beam broke.
• It’s okay, Angel, Kate’s got this.
• Bodie’s looking worse and worse, begging women to let him hold them. 

• And as human and parasite burn to death, Kate shoots for good measure.
• And the version the police are getting, and that Kate believes, is that the bartender was behind all of it.
• Kate admits she searched Angel’s place so they can “start fresh, no secrets.” Um, good luck with that?

Daniel’s Thoughts:

• Lonely Hearts will become a theme on this show.
• The episode starts, like most, with Angel brooding.
• Doyle: we deserve a night of fun.    Really?  They’ve had one case.
• And thus also begins Doyle’s crush on Cordelia.
• Angel’s got a business card!  And it’s hilarious that they don’t know the drawing is an angel.
• And I remember this story of the week and it’s kinda cool.  It’s very sci-fi horror-esque.
• What kind of club is this?  It’s weird.  Is this what LA was like in the 90s? It’s just so quiet for a bar.
• I love Cordelia’s just giving out cards.
• “I’m an actress.”  So we’re still doing that, huh?
• And we’re introduced to Kate – someone who could have been a great recurring character if she didn’t just disappear off the face of the earth one day.
• I love that Kate and Angel are both kinda working each other for information, though we don’t know about Kate yet.
• “I’m a veterinarian.”   Weird lie, but ok.
• Kate actually looks like she feels rejected. 
• This bar looks like the Hyperion, too.

So...does every building in LA look like this or?

• This bartender reminds me of Wes from HtGAwM
• Angel’s back at the bar, as is Kate.
• Doyle & Cordelia doing book studyin’ of demons: Willow would be proud.
• “She’s with some Screech.” Really?    I guess he’s TV ugly? I mean, not even.  Ick, this episode is not good for my self-esteem.
• Omg! Dude gets Aliened!
• Ooh, but plot twist – the alien goes from body to body.  It’s kind of a cool concept and definitely unexpected.
• Oh man, the 90s looks are distracting me from this fight.   All the black over-sized sweaters.
• What?? Kate’s a cop??
• Angel: Do you really live here?  Me: Rude.
• “It’s a burrower.”  “It’s a donkey?  We didn’t see any donkey demons.”
• It’s gotta keep trying to make a connection. Do you get the metaphor yet???
• Kate’s a good detective, though.  She found out where Angel lives/works.
• Montage of death!  What is this song, though?
• Kate reveals herself to bartender Wes who is so obviously the new bad guy.  And he proves it by concocting an obviously false story that Angel is in the back.
• Parasite donkey demon’s skinsuit is falling apart and he’s having trouble making a connection.
• Continuity, I guess – Angel uses his utility belt thing, the grappling hook.
• Second bad guy to die by fire in two weeks.
• Oh man, that fake LA street is just so…fake.
• What kinda sucks is that the innocent bartender is now known as a serial killer...  What about his family, his friends?  That just really bites.

Crossfire!

"Dowdy"

Dudebro: Sharon? That dowdy chick?

Daniel: In what UNIVERSE is she dowdy?

Zelda: She didn’t wear eye makeup.

Favorite Lines:

Zelda:  “The services our friend Angel provides might put people in mind of the V word.” // “Vampire?” // “No, vigilante.” - Doyle & Cordelia

Daniel: “It’s a burrower.” “It’s a donkey? We didn’t see any donkey demons.” - Angel, Cordelia

Arc/Continuity:

First Appearance: Detective Kate Lockley

Generally Known TV Face: Elisabeth Rohm

Whedonverse Hat Trick: Lilli Birdsell and Derek Hughes (Lucy Bauer and The Amazing Mertz on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., respectively)

Stats:

Cordelia’s Hair – curled at the ends

Dead Humans – 5 (even though we don’t see the final woman’s death)

Dead Undeads – 1

Dead Flashbacks – 0

Dead Lawyers – 0

Doyle Has a Vision – 1

Lawyered Ex Machina – 0

Evil Reveal – 1 (Bartender carried the burrower demon)

Unevil Reveal – 1 (Sharon carried the burrower demon but wasn’t the actual predator)

Shenanigans Called – 0

Apocalypse Called – 0

Prophecy Called – 0

Can You Fly?

Episode 1.01: City of… Original Airdate: 10.05.99

“Angel relocates to Los Angeles, where he encounters a stranger who experiences visions of those in need, and a woman who lives in fear of a vampire.”

Daniel’s Thoughts:

• And so we begin Angel. 20 years later.
• Angel narrates.  Is this a thing that continues/ I don’t remember
• Oh man, Angel’s drunk.
• This douche playing pool is so 90s.

This is how all men dressed in 1999.

• Ah, but is Angel really drunk or is he just acting?  Surprise, he’s acting.
• Oh no, Vampires!
• Nice move, Angel, with the double staking.
• He’s a hero! But he’s also a brooder.  THIS IS OUR SHOW’S PREMISE.
• Oh, I remember this theme music now.
• So Angel’s in this fab basement apartment which he can afford how?
• Enter Doyle, human/demon hybrid.  He says he was sent by the powers that be.  How exactly?  Through his visions or?
• Doyle reminds us of Angel’s backstory….for the new viewers I guess?
• Buffy! Aw, I miss Buffy.
• Now Doyle is telling us the premise of this show.  Its mission if you will. Awful nice of him.
• Ah ok, so Doyle says that he was sent by the visions.  I was right? It’s almost as if I’ve seen this show before.  It’s been a while though.
• “Have you looked in the mirror lately?” Heh.
• So, I mean, it’s setting up a very weekly premise where Angel helps someone every episode.
• Angel accepts this scenario very quickly and without much argument.  Better to just get into it, I guess.
• Doyle gives Angel a name and a time.  He says that’s all his vision told him.  But whatever…it’s a vision. So how did he just see a name?  The rest of his visions prove otherwise. Plus, what is this, Dead Like Me?
• Tina is wearing a nametag, though, so how convenient.
• Tina is played by Tracy Middendorf….my favorite Nightmare on Elm Street babysitter.

• So Angel inserts himself into Tina’s life by flirting.  Is this how he’s going to do it every week?
• “Have you been to Missoula?” “During the depression…err…my depression.  I was depressed there.”
• Ok, Hollywood party.
• Gross manager type already preys on Angel
• Familiar face: Cordelia!
• I forgot she’s introduced as an actress.  I do remember her being at this party though.  I can't remember if this is something that comes up past season 1 or even that far into season 1. [Clearly you don't remember her turn in Doll's House. - Z, shuddering]
• Uh oh, Tina’s in trouble.
• Kidnapping! Car chases! Fights!  This. Is. L.A.
• We quickly check-in with Cordy who is not living in a beach-side condo.  I mean, we kinda knew about her money issues from last season on Buffy.  No big surprise.
• Tina reminds us a lot of where we are. “This is LA.”
• Angel is doing research in the LA public library!  I guess his batcave doesn’t have dial-up.
• I’m sorry, David Boreanaz looks even hotter as a vampire.
• We meet Russell who is a spoiler…standing…near the sunlight?
• Aww, Tina’s dead.  Not as bad as when Freddy killed her, though.
• Now, Angel’s putting Doyle to work.  But he doesn’t want to talk about his feelings.  He just wants to brood.
• Hey, it’s Lindsey!  And the introduction of Wolfram & Hart.
• Oh no! Cordy might be the next victim!
• Angel’s breaking in!
• Poor Cordy’s being all vulnerable. 
• “Hey, you’re a vampire!”  I love how she just comes out with it.   She’s from Sunnydale, damn it!
• Man, where did Angel get all this break-in equipment. A grappling hook? Really?
• Look, Cordelia has survived demons & dick monsters & Marcies.   She can survive a Hollywood elite vampire.
• Aww, Angel meets Lindsey
• Angel kinda Vampire-ex-machinas the bad guy of the week. 
• It’s a cool effect, really – vamp falling out the window while simultaneously catching on fire and dusting from the sun.  It also establishes that Angel is not Batman.  He’s not superhero that plays by established morals.
• ANGEL CALLED BUFFY AND THEN HUNG UP BEFORE SAYING ANYTHING. 
• Cordelia wants to work for Angel. And I love how she sets up a payment plan for people Angel helps.  Something, ahem, Anya attempted to explain to Buffy but of course was shot down by everyone.  I think she would have done well on this show.

Zelda’s Thoughts:

• Here we go!
• Oh good, we start with a montage and David Boreanaz monologuing at us and blugh.
• Although the reveal of drunky Angel in the bar talking about the girl he left behind is adorable. It’s my favorite thing David does, is his doof.
• And okay, his transition as he goes into Follow the Baddies mode is well done.
• Fighty mcfight!

Two wrist stakes. No waiting.

• And in case anyone is watching this show without having seen Buffy, we see Angel’s vampface as the fight concludes, and a close shot of the girl’s bleeding face.
• I think the implication must be that since he drank Buffy’s blood so recently, he’s got a renewed hunger for it. They lean into the recovering addict metaphor with him now he's got his own show.
• Aw, the OG office of Angel Investigations! So beautifully noir, slatted windows, dim lighting, and a gated elevator to his basement apartment. I really do like the design of this place.
• Aw it’s Doyle!
• “You don’t smell human.” // “Now, that’s a bit rude. So happens that I am very much human *sneezes into demonface* on my mother’s side.”
• Oh right, our first invocation of The Powers That Be, guiding our heroes’ moves.
• Doyle is here to provide helpful backstory over clips borrowed from BtVS.
• I’m glad he’s here because DB’s acting is already boring me. His stoic is not the most interesting thing.
• Woof, there’s so much random ADR with Doyle’s lines because they thought his real life accent was a bit too thick (which of course led to complaints from the audience that his accent was clearly fake because of its inconsistencies).
• Seriously, Glenn Quinn is so good.
• Oh right, transitions on this show are all smash-cutty with quick frames of other things.
• “Why would a woman I’ve never met even talk to me?” // “Have you looked into a mirror lately? No, I guess you really haven’t, no.”
• The Coffee Spot allows fluffy doggos!

• Did someone really leave behind a full mug of coffee? What kind of monsters come here? Besides Angel.
• Gasp, Tina pulls a pepper spray on Angel! And who is Russell, pray?
• Ooooh I want a star-shaped sammy!
• Angel, lost at a Hollywood party.
• Hey, we know that voice!! That’s our Cordelia!
• And she’s an actor now, making her life sound very glamorous.
• And a creeper named Stacy is there, manhandling Tina.
• Welp, we’ve been jumped getting off the elevator.
• Did they really distract Angel long enough to abduct her? It was two humans. We saw him take out two vampires faster than that.
• Snerk I do like the misdirect of him Batman-jumping into the wrong car.
• And in the game of car-chicken, the vampire wins.
• Aw man, after the party we see Cordelia hanging her one party dress in her empty closet, eating pilfered star sammies in a sad, rundown apartment. But at least no roommates?
• Angel, making tea (apparently this was a thing that tickled Greenwalt to no end). “Do you take milk and sugar?” // “Yeah” // “Cuz I don’t have those things.”
• Tracy Middendorf is so good as Tina. She’s so good that it even seems like she might not be a one-off, if we don’t know the future.
• Research! At the Los Angeles Public Library! Angel needs an office computer.
• Aw shit, Tina saw the note Doyle gave him tipping him off Tina needed his help. And with how trapped she’s feeling, it’s enough to send her running. Doesn’t help when Angel's hand catches fire and he vamps out.
• Oh look it’s Russell. True story: until this week I’ve been assuming that Vyto Ruginis and David Rasche were the same dude. 

Spoiler: They're not.

• Annnd Russell is a vamp.
• And because of tricksy scene cutting, we think Angel might arrive in time to save the day, but no, he's arrived long after Russell has vamoosed.
• It’s an interesting move, having Angel fail to protect the victim in his first case. It’s very much in keeping with the themes of the show though, and Angel himself. Like he told Buffy in "Gingerbread," We never win, not completely. It’s not a war to be won. But we keep fighting. “Let’s get to work,” Angel says, the same thing he’ll say in the finale (well, get vs go, but come on, it's there).
• LOOK IT’S LINDSEY. Dang his hair is shorrrrrrrrrrrt.

• And hey his briefcase is embossed with Wolfram & Hart, so we know just who our bureaucratic bad guys are.
• And noooooooooooo Russell already has his eye set on Cordelia for his next victim.
• I’m just gonna say now that it won’t be worth our time and energy tracking how often Angel and other vamps seem to be hanging out in something resembling sunlight. But like. Don’t think we’re not annoyed.
• Margo the party host calls Cordelia and she’s a walking cliché, pouring out a pile of OOH!PILLS! to swill with her Bloody Mary.
• “I’m not combat ready! I’m just the messenger.” // “I’m the message.”
• Aw Cordy, “I grew up in a nice home.”
• Snort, Angel shows up at Russell’s in a Hawaiian shirt, his trademark Doof Uniform.
• In Los Angeles, Angel can fly-jump.
• “I finally get invited to a nice place with no mirrors and lots of curtains. Hey you’re a vampire!” God, I love her. It’s just so good.
• I wonder what the rationale was with making Russell’s vampface look so green and sickly. Is it implying that the blood he tends to drink is tainted with Hollywood!Drugs!?

• Angel, taking bullets, protects Cordelia with his chest, picks her up, and jumps off the balcony.
• And Doyle, making sure we want to keep him around, almost drives away in a panic, then turns around and drives back heroically … and crashes into the gate, probably bruising his ribs.

• Wow, I’d forgotten that Angel came for Russell at his own office (In my memory, he came for him at W&H). I wonder what happens to Russell Winters Enterprises after the owner goes for a fly.
• Shenanigans! Lindsey hands Angel a business card with W&H on it, but not his actual name. I get they might not have named him yet, but no attorney would have a card that didn’t have his name on it. It’s not a hardware store.

• “Can you fly?” Seriously, this is so good. I’m not going to enjoy a lot of DB’s performance this series, but I’m gonna celebrate the good good stuff that happens sometimes.
• “Guess not.”
• “Set up an interoffice meeting for four o'clock. Seems we have a new player in town. No, no, there isn't any need to disturb the senior partners with this. Not yet.”
• Aw, and then Angel calls Buffy’s house. She answers, but he says nothing and hangs up. She had her own vampire problems at the time, as I recall.
• Cordelia screaming about a roach, fair, but there’s no way her tiny apartment doesn’t have a similar problem.
• Aw, and Cordelia has decided she’s a part of the mission too. I love how quickly she moves. “I mean uh, that is if … you think you can use me?” And they share the warm smiles of characters forming a team at the end of a pilot episode.
• So, here’s my world-building question. Sunnydale is a small town with a high vampire population because the Hellmouth energy draws them near. L.A. also seems to have a lot of vampires, because … it’s a city? But that means that every other major metropolis has a massive unchecked vampire problem and how have they not taken over the world yet? Unless Gunn and his crew are not unique, and other cities have self-designated protectors.

Crossfire!

Cordelia: I really should be talking to people that are somebody.
Angel: It’s nice that she’s grown as a person.

Daniel: She will.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: 

Zelda: “I finally get invited to a nice place with no mirrors and lots of curtains. Hey you’re a vampire!” - Cordelia

Arc/Continuity:

First Appearance: Lindsey McDonald, The Powers That Be, Wolfram & Hart

Future Famous Person: Josh Holloway, apparently ==>

Generally Known TV Face: Christian Kane, Tracy Middendorf, Vyto Ruginis.

Buffy Crossover: Angel and Cordelia, we suppose

Angel! In! History!

Angel’s been to Missoula during the Depression … his depression … he was depressed there.

Stats:

Cordelia’s Hair – blown straight, past the shoulders

Dead Humans – 1

Dead Undeads – 4

Dead Flashbacks – 0

Dead Lawyers – 0

Doyle Has a Vision – 0

Lawyered Ex Machina – 1 (the cover up for Tina’s death)

Evil Reveal – 0

Unevil Reveal – 0

Shenanigans Called – 1

Apocalypse Called – 0

Prophecy Called – 0