Angel Rewatch: 1.05 Rm w/a Vu

[nightshade]

Time to meet Dennis!

 

[telperion66]

This is a typical "season one" episode of Angel. I think its pretty good to watch on a rewatch. I'd give it 6.75/10.

The Cordelia/Doyle stuff is pretty cool and overall the episode is nicely pulled off by all involved.

 

[Btvs fan]

A fun if forgettable episode the best moments for me were with Angel and Doyle which highlights a problem for me that until Doyle dies and she takes his place regards her closeness to Angel, Cordy is just kind of there. She's not really central to the show or Angel until after Hero except to provide Charisma Carpenter a pay cheque. Once Doyle dies it changes but until then 🤷‍♂️.

Side note I wish my place had looked that good in real life ☹

 

[Puppet]

Yay, I just saw my favorite reactor react to this one, like, a week ago

Anyway, this is, by far, my favorite Cordelia episode. You can keep Birthday and You're Welcome, I'll just take Rm w/a Vu, thanks!

I love everything about this one; Cordelia's words about how she thinks she's being punished, such a great moment. Doyle thinking that Angel slept with Cordelia and Angel self-consciously touching his forehead. The fairly dark twist about what the ghost did to Dennis (we've gotten so used to it, but seeing it through the eyes of a newbie made me see just how dark that is) and that he sticks around in the end. I could go on and on, but I just love this episode.

Rating? Hmm, let's see... - 8.5/10. I think that'll do

 

[Tank1978]

I loved cordy's line "I'm not a crybuffy " 😂

 

[Taake]

Watched last night, whenever I watch this I'm always a little bit taken aback by how great Charisma looks in this episode.
It is forever one of my favorite episodes, I love it so much. I love Cordy doing the "creepy antlers", I love the introduction of Dennis, the twist with his mom, and Cordy refusing to give up her nice apartment. The Dennis story is underrated in my opinion, but then, I think Dennis overall is underrated. I just love him.

I'll forever loathe the "I'm not a cry-Buffy" line, and though I love the episode as a whole, that's always what reminds me of why I hated the idea of Cordelia on Angel in the first place. She was an unlikeable person all through BTVS and deep down remains that same person, however much material poorness they try to force down her throat to make her seem decent.

 

[Mr Trick]

There better Cordy themed episodes but I always enjoy this one a lot upon re-watch. Its a big character moment for her in getting used to L.A. life. Love Dennis just a shame we didn't get more of him. Its also great seeing character actress Beth Grant as Dennis's mother she never gives a bad performance. I like a good ghost plot too.

My only complaint is that the story gets a little too packed. The stuff with Doyle's demon debt collectors just get in the way. I didn't like Doyle treating Cordy like she was his property in the scene when he thought Angel had slept with her.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

Easily the best Cordelia-centric episode on Angel and probably in the entire franchise.

Jane Espenson is just an absolute treasure. I think she's my second favourite writer after Joss. I am so looking forward to see what those two maniacs are cooking up for The Nevers.

 

[Buffy Summers]

This is one of my favorite Angel episodes. I didn’t remember the bit where Angel sees his own redemption in Cordelia’s. Shows what he sees in her.

I fell like the team has really come together by this ep.

 

[nightshade]

Doyle trying get Angel to open up about Cordelia

Loan demons, kinda a normal thing, much better than the loan shark demon in Tabula Rasa

Wet Angel!

Peanut butter on the bed!

Like it would kill him to not see himself!

I really like the apartment.

I really like Angel threatening torture

Yay Cordelia invited Angel in without actually inviting him in.

Awww she's really getting to get Cordelia

Angel trying to get Cordelia motivated to move

No more people!

fighting all around!

The bitch is back, and she doesn't even look lie she was crying!

Flashback time! She does a good job though of building the wall

Sadly he doesn't have time

I love Dennis

 

[Cohen]

My absolute favorite part of this episode is Cordelia’s “Bitch is Back” monologue. I feel like Cordy was hit with some heavy blows from the end of BTVS S3 and throughout the first 4 episodes of this series. And this took away some of her personality. But I love that it’s back with this episode. She needed a win after Xillow, losing her money, not being able to afford the colleges she got in (COLUMBIA!), and then coming to LA to try to make it big and just falling flat.

One other thing I love is the call-back to Aura from the pilot of Buffy. It was a nice Easter egg for Buffy fans who have seen Cordy from the beginning.

 

[Mr Trick]

My absolute favorite part of this episode is Cordelia’s “Bitch is Back” monologue. I feel like Cordy was hit with some heavy blows from the end of BTVS S3 and throughout the first 4 episodes of this series. And this took away some of her personality. But I love that it’s back with this episode. She needed a win after Xillow, losing her money, not being able to afford the colleges she got in (COLUMBIA!), and then coming to LA to try to make it big and just falling flat.

One other thing I love is the call-back to Aura from the pilot of Buffy. It was a nice Easter egg for Buffy fans who have seen Cordy from the beginning.

I agree. Also I don't think the swipe she takes at Buffy is really about Buffy but more just a statement that Cordy is finding her feet and can be a force of her own.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

One other thing I love is the call-back to Aura from the pilot of Buffy. It was a nice Easter egg for Buffy fans who have seen Cordy from the beginning.

Aura is in WttH as well. A call-back that is pilot specific is the Cordettes. There are quite a few things from the pilot I wish they had kept, but it is nice that Angel mentions them here, making it official, sortaspeak.

@Cohen Well, here's a treat for you.

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

I think Phantom Dennis was the best relationship Cordy's ever had. He was protective of her, cared for her...it was quite sweet, actually. And best of all, she could never annoy him because he was already dead.

 

[Cohen]

@Cohen Well, here's a treat for you.

Semantics. The unaired pilot was essentially the same as the aired version. But WTTH/The Harvest is considered the “Aired” pilot. In my post, I was referring to WTTH/The Harvest, which is the canonical pilot. Thanks for the reminder of the hidden gem that is the unaired pilot though!

 

[Cohen]

@WillowFromBuffy I get what you are saying. I can see where you could have thought that. I should have referred to it by name, I get where that could be confusing!

 

[MasterBaderGins]

Season 1 is better than I remember. I tend to overlook the first seasons of Buffy & Angel because it’s all stand alone & something about that says “not as deep to me.” But the interesting & inventive new ways to look at common life experiences (like needing to prove your worth through the image you project with your apartment) & the fun iconic characters (like Dennis, either the best roommate or the cleanest pet ever, & obviously the rest of the cast like Cordelia before Joss became all consumingly obsessed with punishing her) are really underrated. I’m on season 2 now & all the joy is gone & it’s not really any deeper it just acts like it is, which is super pretentious & annoying. I think 1 or 5 are my favorite seasons of Angel & an episode like this is a good example of why. Relatable emotional issues, plot twists, enjoyable characters; it doesn’t pack the emotional wallop of some of the angstier, arc-ier seasons, but I don’t generally watch TV to feel pain anyway.