Angel 5x18 Origin - Herc’s Review

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Angel 5x18 Origin - Herc's Review


Herc's Seen One of the Last Five ANGELs!! I am - Hercules!!

Angel 5.18 FAQ What's it called? "Origin."

Who's responsible? Teleplay is credited to Drew Goddard ("Lineage," "Damage," "1943" and the big upcoming ode to Buffy Summers, "The Girl In Question").

What does TV Guide say? "Angel's son, Connor, who has no memory of his old life, shows up at Wolfram & Hart and a prophecy reveals that he's the only one capable of vanquishing a powerful demon. Elsewhere, Hamilton (Adam Baldwin) tries to strike a bargain with the exiled Gunn; and Wes makes a stunning discovery about the gang's pact with the firm. Connor: Vincent Kartheiser."

Whoa whoa whoa!! What "stunning discovery" does Wes make with regard to Team Angel's pact with the firm? It's only stunning to Wes. Loyal fans have been aware of the pact since Tim Minear's geniusy 4.22.

If Connor has no memory of his old life, what compels him to visit the firm? He gets hit. Very hard. With a large motor vehicle. A cop suggests his family visit an evil law firm familiar to us all.

What bargain does Hamilton offer Gunn? Does Hamilton offer Gunn a bargain? Did I miss this? Admitted, he does pay a visit ... (Herc reaches for that rewind button).

Does Gunn accept? Does Gunn even have a clue as to what Hamilton is discussing? Hamilton has no problem with removing the magic necklace. Hamilton may remove it again. If not this week.

The big news? Wes has his memories restored. Even those involving the slashing of a certain ex-watcher throat.

What else is TV Guide not telling us? Cyvus, who'll be back, could be related to that song-happy demon from "Once More With Feeling."

What's doing with Spike? "Testing her might be hard without getting someone seriously hurt," admits Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. "We'll make Spike do it," explains his boss.

And Krevlornswath? I think he tells someone someone else wants him. Not a big role this week. Hi Andy!!

What's good? The versatile, versatile Amy Acker, who really should have been in that FHM top 100, and who looks very very good in blue. What I perceive as the references to "Unbreakable." "It's okay! Found it." "Let's be clear about this. I'm not a little girl. You and I won't be making love on this couch anytime soon." "Do you spend all your time making out with other vampires?" "This one is lusting after me!" Angel's excitement at Stanford. "I built your son. I am not the sort of man you want as an enemy." "Strange. There's not much activity on the "˜Rescue Gunn Front'." The way Dennis Christopher reaches to protect his throat. "Is this your 30 pieces of silver?" "Was Fred the price?" "I thought sunlight burned you up!" "Like the Pope has." Can I just say again how ****ing brilliant it is that the series is set at Wolfman & Hart this season?

What's not so good? Vincent Kartheiser looks like he's about 37.

How does it end, spoiler-boy? "You got to do what you can to protect your family. I learned that from my father."

Herc's rating for "Angel" 5.18? ***1/2 The Hercules T. Strong Rating System: ***** better than we deserve **** better than most motion pictures *** actually worth your valuable time ** as horrible as most stuff on TV * makes you quietly pray for bulletins 9 p.m. Wednesday. The WB. Swing the crebbil!

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Magui said:
Angel 5x18 Origin - Herc's Review


Herc's Seen One of the Last Five ANGELs!! I am - Hercules!!

Angel 5.18 FAQ What's it called? "Origin."

Who's responsible? Teleplay is credited to Drew Goddard ("Lineage," "Damage," "1943" and the big upcoming ode to Buffy Summers, "The Girl In Question").

What does TV Guide say? "Angel's son, Connor, who has no memory of his old life, shows up at Wolfram & Hart and a prophecy reveals that he's the only one capable of vanquishing a powerful demon. Elsewhere, Hamilton (Adam Baldwin) tries to strike a bargain with the exiled Gunn; and Wes makes a stunning discovery about the gang's pact with the firm. Connor: Vincent Kartheiser."

Whoa whoa whoa!! What "stunning discovery" does Wes make with regard to Team Angel's pact with the firm? It's only stunning to Wes. Loyal fans have been aware of the pact since Tim Minear's geniusy 4.22.

If Connor has no memory of his old life, what compels him to visit the firm? He gets hit. Very hard. With a large motor vehicle. A cop suggests his family visit an evil law firm familiar to us all.

What bargain does Hamilton offer Gunn? Does Hamilton offer Gunn a bargain? Did I miss this? Admitted, he does pay a visit ... (Herc reaches for that rewind button).

Does Gunn accept? Does Gunn even have a clue as to what Hamilton is discussing? Hamilton has no problem with removing the magic necklace. Hamilton may remove it again. If not this week.

The big news? Wes has his memories restored. Even those involving the slashing of a certain ex-watcher throat.

What else is TV Guide not telling us? Cyvus, who'll be back, could be related to that song-happy demon from "Once More With Feeling."

What's doing with Spike? "Testing her might be hard without getting someone seriously hurt," admits Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. "We'll make Spike do it," explains his boss.

And Krevlornswath? I think he tells someone someone else wants him. Not a big role this week. Hi Andy!!

What's good? The versatile, versatile Amy Acker, who really should have been in that FHM top 100, and who looks very very good in blue. What I perceive as the references to "Unbreakable." "It's okay! Found it." "Let's be clear about this. I'm not a little girl. You and I won't be making love on this couch anytime soon." "Do you spend all your time making out with other vampires?" "This one is lusting after me!" Angel's excitement at Stanford. "I built your son. I am not the sort of man you want as an enemy." "Strange. There's not much activity on the "˜Rescue Gunn Front'." The way Dennis Christopher reaches to protect his throat. "Is this your 30 pieces of silver?" "Was Fred the price?" "I thought sunlight burned you up!" "Like the Pope has." Can I just say again how ****ing brilliant it is that the series is set at Wolfman & Hart this season?

What's not so good? Vincent Kartheiser looks like he's about 37.

How does it end, spoiler-boy? "You got to do what you can to protect your family. I learned that from my father."

Herc's rating for "Angel" 5.18? ***1/2 The Hercules T. Strong Rating System: ***** better than we deserve **** better than most motion pictures *** actually worth your valuable time ** as horrible as most stuff on TV * makes you quietly pray for bulletins 9 p.m. Wednesday. The WB. Swing the crebbil!

Source

I wish I could be as enthusiastic as everyone else about Amy Acker, but I can't. I've seen characters similar to Illyria in at least two STAR TREK shows and what Acker is doing, is not original. Worse, I have the deep suspicion that Whedon is trying to make her the darling of the post-BUFFY Jossverse, squeezing her in a catsuit that doesn't do much for her figure and give her mannerisms similar to Halle Berry's portrayal of Storm in the "X-Men" movies.

Yes, Amy is a good actress, but she's not carrying the show for me. If anything, the Illyria story arc is turning me off to the second half of S5. I feel as if I'm being manipulated into accepting Acker as some kind acting marvel/sex goddess. Sorry Joss, but I'm not buying it.

It was good to see VK again.
 
Kryptonsite.com Review:

Angel - 5x18 - Origin ... "Crazy, Mixed-up World" Post #1 of 4

And as we wind on down the road...

We find ourselves heading down the final stretch of path. In a few steps this long marathon of glorious brilliance will come to a standstill, this universe as we know it, will stop dead in its tracks as a tribute to the beauty of the Whedonverse. Alas, we have four episodes left. So allow me to pay my respects.

Play Nice

It seems like Illyria didn't learn how to play nice with the other kids in the sandbox. Spike as a normal Coat and Yammer Wolfram & Hart employee was just the welcome they needed to dose us with good ole Vitamin C - as in chuckle. Illyria purportedly stuffing a Petrie Dish in her mouth was comical enough, but to have her seemingly analyzing what she had just done really made me giggle.

"Third, no touching my clipboard."

Seeing Spike in a bit of distressed aggravation was to a greater extent amusing. Seeing Spike try to layout the rules only to have Illyria ignore them like an ill-mannered child, and by "ignore" I mean "smack Spike upside the head," had me henning an egg.

Even throughout this side-splitting activity, there was enlightenment from Angel,

"Fred's dead, Wes. You're still alive. Start acting like it."

As much as it pains me to see Illyria, and realize that Fred has been expunged from the pages of time, Angel is right. Wesley still has the memory of Fred, and lo and behold, memories compel quite a reason for others to do good, but more importantly, live on.

Speak no Evil

Seeing Connor as a normal non-angst teen was rather refreshing. Seeing Connor as a non-complacent, mild and mannered teen, who felt no detestation towards Angel, was just as big as a relief. Quite frankly, I welcomed the dialogue and interaction from Connor's alternate self. That is a Connor I could grow to like and understand - if only Kennedy had her mind duped ... or combusted. Either or.

The most ambrosial dialogue spawned from anything related to Pleasant Connor would be when Illyria detected "heat" originating from Connor,

"This one is lusting after me."

My sides split, and I couldn't help but burst out with laughter. I guess humor isn't such a bad thing amidst the drama.

And the truth shall set you free...

How horrible Wesley must feel. Not only to lose your lover, and more importantly her very essence, which in itself justifies all concurring liquor and sleep habits, but to also be the reason of which quite the many laundry lists of problems that may or may not have ever occurred because of your actions would trigger catatonia and disbelief in the best of us. Although I am sure on some level that having your throat slit, and nearly being strangled was up there on the unpleasant barometer as well.

In the back of Angel's mind, I am sure that shattering the Olan Window box was a highly lingering thought. Once Pleasant Conner started to have his wits bashed around, I am sure that it went from a lingering thought to almost action. That is, until an Illyria-protected Wesley shattered it for him.

Wesley is not wrong in assuming that Angel sacrificed them all though. Angel's agreement was very self-serving, possibly rueful, but a gracious deed none-the-less. Could it have altered reality to skew it towards an Illyria derived arcing? Relatively yes. The slippery slope of signing themselves over to Wolfram and Hart, introducing Fred to Knox, and so on, is reasonably all Angel's fault; and I assume that Wesley realizes that in some form.

"To hide from the truth?" - Illyria

"No, to endure it." - Wesley

Quotes of the Night

*Spike goes flying out the swinging doors* "You filthy harlot! I'm going to tear your neck out!" - Spike to Illyria


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another delightfully hilarious exchange between Spike and Illyria.

"This one is lusting after me." - Illyria to everyone


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My stomach was aching for a good while after hearing that line, and seeing the look on her face. Well played. Game. Set. Match.

"There's nothing he can show me that I already haven't seen." - Connor to Angel


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Where it was definitely clear that Connor had his memories restored.

"You gotta' do what you can to protect your family ... I learned that from my father." -- Connor


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who knew Connor could be so ... human? This hurt, and brought a tear to my eye.

Crazy, Mixed-up World

Restoration.

Realization.

Remembrance.

An interaction between Giles and Buffy, from "The Prom," sums Connor's engagement best,

"I had no idea that children en masse could be gracious." (Giles)

"Every now and then, people surprise you." (Buffy)

"Every now and then." (Giles)

I always understood where in the depths Connor was coming from. Stolen as a baby, raised in a torturous Hell Dimension, brought up to believe that your father abandoned you. It's a crazy, mixed-up world to grow up in. And as contemptuous, and infuriating as Connor was, I could always feel for his mindset. Forgetting and forgiving would not be easy for any of us.

Which is why it floored me when I saw Connor exhibit a trait that only comes from experiencing a loving family - gratitude. In a moment which caught me off-guard, no matter how much I knew what Connor knew, it brought me to tears as Connor walked out, not before expressing his appreciation,

"You gotta' do what you can to protect your family ... I learned that from my father."

Awestruck and bewildered, how the once hostile child could be so gracious. I know what thoughts are being plucked from the well of Angel's conscious, and yes, it was worth it.

There was no other way. If Angel had not inked his name in blood, Connor would have never had the opportunity to feel the warmth of true adornment, genuine love. For the Connor that once was could not feel. He was jaded, apathetic in every sense of the word.

So Connor knows, and appreciates what Angel has done for him. Figure that, Connor appreciating. This is the most fitting closure to any relationship within the entire Whedonverse that does not involve a finale. Connor finally-FINALLY understands that Angel loved him enough to do what he did, and loves him enough to walk away. In light of all of this joy, Connor knows that Angel wants what is best for him, which is why Connor is going return to his surrogate rapture. Angel can once again sleep with a little more comfort in knowing that what he always wanted for Connor - to live a normal life, loved, in a crazy, mixed-up world, while Connor finally recognizes how much Angel loved the son he never will have.


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