It looks like she's back to her old self again. Funny comments, but since she has lost so much credit to me last season, I don't really like her taking up that tone to Angel. 🙁
It has been suggested before, but it looks certain now, what the ending of this episode will be.
And here we come to The Last Scene, which has been reported in detail already. Angel tells Cordy that he feels like he's back on track, like he can really do this, blah blah confidencecakes. Cordy says she always believed in him, she just needed him to believe it too. And then she starts to say goodbye. Her words are very carefully chosen -- if you already know, then it's clear she's talking about her time in this dimension being almost up, but if you don't, it works equally well for her to be talking about her path as a living human being not being Angel's anymore. Either way, it does come across that it's a very final goodbye, even if the real reason isn't explicitly stated. She leaves the room, stops, says "Oh, what the hell," and runs back for a big kiss that, as I said before, only feels a little bit forced, and mostly just feels sweet, and sad. The phone rings, Angel wants to let it ring, Cordy won't let him, so he picks it up. "Oh," she says, "and you're welcome." And then she's gone, and Angel is being told by the voice on the phone that Cordelia Chase is dead. She never did wake up.
I dont think Cordelia is actually DEAD, she just pulled a Angel and erased some of his memories so he doesnt have to worry about her anymore, but this will make it harder for Cordelia to appear in future episodes.
yup i have seen this everywhere also, it's a great ending (though i do like cordelia) it just seems fitting i didn't think she would have just left the group unless she died. very sad but good.
A vampire's search for redemption finds creative legitimacy and network success with 100 groundbreaking episodes.
When the cast and crew of the WB Network's 'Angel' wrapped their debut episode five years ago, series co-creator David Greenwalt leaned toward star David Boreanaz and wryly quipped, "One down, 99 to go!" But the actor had more modest goals. "While we were shooting the first pilot sequence, I wasn't concerned about getting to 100 episodes," he recalls with a chuckle. "I was more concerned with getting through the night."
Boreanaz need not have worried on either count. Although television spinoffs can be risky propositions -- after all, for every hit like NBC's "Frasier," there's a train wreck a la ABC's 1980s entry "Joanie Loves Chachi" -- "Angel" has proved a worthy heir to the WB's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" since spinning off from the pop-culture juggernaut. As "Angel" celebrates its 100th episode, set to air Wednesday, Buffyverse mastermind Joss Whedon finds the milestone particularly sweet.
"It legitimizes this ******* stepchild of 'Buffy,'" jokes Whedon, the show's co-creator and executive producer. "Because 'Angel' has flown under the radar a little bit and isn't as strictly structured as 'Buffy' was, we've been able to take some really interesting chances. I have an incredible staff, and they work hard to make each episode worth watching."
Like its predecessor, "Angel" uses a heady mix of fantasy, action, horror and hilarious wit to examine all-too-human foibles.
In 1999, Whedon conceived of a spinoff featuring Buffy's 200-year-old vampire-with-a-soul boyfriend Angel and recruited "Buffy" executive producer Greenwalt as a partner on the project.
They originally developed the show as a noirish monster-of-the-week drama that found Angel (Boreanaz) and his breezy girl Friday, Cordelia Chase (fellow "Buffy" alum Charisma Carpenter), helping other lost souls in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles. The brooding bloodsucker's search for redemption offered an opportunity to tweak the superhero concept, and Whedon knew Boreanaz could sink his teeth into the challenge.
"What's great about David is that he's able to subvert the (hero) image very slyly while not taking away its power," Whedon says. "He gives me the necessary anguish but has no problem winking at himself as the big hero, which the show constantly does because my whole career is devoted to subverting that idea. He definitely plays both sides beautifully."
But a problem presented itself a few episodes into the first season: The self-contained detective-plot elements didn't quite have the emotional pull that the writers had expected. "We found we were more interested in the characters themselves than in the guest star of the week," Whedon says.
In response, he and Greenwalt subtly retooled the series so its story lines focused on sustained arcs featuring core characters -- which eventually grew to include vigilante vampire hunter Gunn (J. August Richards), bookish occult expert Wesley (Alexis Denisof), sweet science whiz Fred (Amy Acker) and Lorne (Andy Hallett), the golden-throated, green-skinned owner of a demon karaoke bar. With each subsequent season, "Angel" became more assured in exploring dark emotion, whimsical humor and a portentous mythology, often within the same episode.
"We can go to darker and lighter episodes than you would expect," Whedon says. "That opportunity to be very true to the intensity of these characters' lives and at the same time free-associate about the world they live in means that the show stays fresh. It differentiated itself (from 'Buffy') because it was a different world, different characters, a different feel. It's the same parents, different child."
The dramatic intensity reached a crescendo during Season 4, when the writers conjured a full-blown apocalypse for Los Angeles and Cordelia entered into a creepy affair with Angel's son before turning evil. Die-hard fans delighted in the ominous, complex action, and several TV critics hailed the series as one of the best on the air. Unfortunately, the acclaim came with a slight wrinkle: The arc was so all-encompassing that casual viewers who tuned in during the middle of the year were nearly unable to figure out what the heck was going on.
"Season 4, we were more linear than (Fox's) '24,'" showrunner and executive producer Jeff Bell says. "It wasn't our intent, but when you tell a story with as much gravity as an apocalypse, you can't really have stand-alones stuck here and there. When our 'previously on' (promos) were longer than the episode itself, we knew we were in trouble."
Complicating matters further, after "Buffy" jumped ship to UPN in 2001, "Angel" lost its lead-in and some of its audience, averaging a mere 4.4 million viewers a week. By the 2002-03 campaign, that number dropped to 3.7 million. Not helping matters was the fact that "Angel" had, as Whedon puts it, "danced the schedule dance": The network changed its time slot four times in four years.
"It certainly is a show that has a loyal following, and honestly, I think to some extent, we may have taken advantage of that, knowing that they would follow the show anywhere," the WB president of entertainment Jordan Levin says. "At the same time, it's a little bit more of a challenge to support a show that has such an impassioned audience simply because once they watch it, they're not always there for the repeat. Plus, they want storytelling that is open-ended and serialized and has a deep and complex mythology. That makes it very tough to bring a new audience in."
So tough, in fact, that last spring, the WB executives flirted with the idea of canceling "Angel." As "Buffy" wrapped its successful series run in 2003, viewers grimly faced the prospect of losing both their beloved slayer and her former flame. In an effort to convince the network to pick up the spinoff for a another year, the Season 4 finale concluded with Angel and his gang taking over the evil law firm of Wolfram & Hart, a setting that would help support a return to more stand-alone episodes.
"This whole idea of getting the keys to Wolfram & Hart was kind of marvelous but a little scary," says Greenwalt, who continues to consult for the series. "But what a great way to reinvent this show the first year 'Buffy' isn't on; it's almost like starting a new franchise."
The network approved of the concept and hammered out a deal with 20th Century Fox Television to renew the series. As an added show of support, the WB paired "Angel" on Wednesday nights with top-rated drama "Smallville."
"Actions always speak louder than words, and providing our strongest lead-in for a show in its fifth season I think says a lot about our company's love for 'Angel' and our appreciation for everything Joss, 20th Television and the two Davids -- Greenwalt and Boreanaz -- have done for us," Levin says. "What fun to take a show and reinvent it without undermining its core strengths."
Along with more contained episodes, the new season has brought another crucial change: the addition of fan-favorite punk vamp Spike (James Marsters), last seen sacrificing himself to save the world in the "Buffy" finale. Now a ghost of sorts, the delightfully sarcastic anti-hero provides an intriguing foil for Angel: Both vampires have a conscience, and both are desperately in love with Buffy.
"Some people were like, 'Uh-oh, he's the other vampire with a soul; it's redundant,'" Whedon says. "But he couldn't be any more different from Angel. I think of him in a way as the new ingenue. It's a very intense, contentious situation, and they bring out the worst in each other -- but ultimately, it's one of the strongest and certainly the oldest relationship in Angel's life."
The changes have helped ease new viewers into the show without alienating loyal Buffyverse aficionados. "Angel" also is performing well in syndication, enjoying triple-digit percentage growth in some markets. Meanwhile, DVD sets of the first and second seasons are selling briskly.
"How remarkable for a show at this point in its life to keep reinventing itself and to appeal to a group of people who, prior to this, weren't loyal viewers," 20th Century Fox Television president Dana Walden says. "It does very well internationally; it's done well on DVD. It's an incredible franchise."
The 100th episode strives to find balance between a stand-alone story and the deeper mythology,
with Carpenter returning as Cordelia (the character has been in an offscreen coma since last year's season finale).
"It's very much a 'Where did we start; where are we going?' episode," Whedon says. "We want to keep it new-guy-friendly, but an arc will begin to reveal itself toward the end of the season."
Subsequent episodes will include flashbacks to Angel's time on a World War II submarine and a lighthearted puppet episode that Whedon promises "will have to be seen to be believed." One story development not in the cards is a long-hoped-for visit from Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar); though Gellar has expressed interest in revisiting her signature role, nothing has materialized yet.
"I really don't know if it will happen -- the ball is in her court," Whedon says. "If she wants to come, I have two characters who are in love with her, so it's not like we'd be lacking for story. However, if she doesn't come, it's not like we're lacking for story, either."
Clearly, Angel has been more than able to make a go of it on his own. Whedon, on the other hand, credits the show's success to a dedicated team effort: Looking back on 100 episodes, he has noticed that most of his favorite installments are not necessarily those he has written or directed himself.
"My favorite 'Buffy' episodes tend to be my own, but not so much with 'Angel,'" Whedon says. "When the thing gets bigger than the person who made it, that's when it becomes art."
* Angel
* "You're Welcome"
* Starring David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter and James Marsters
* Created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt
* Written and directed by David Fury
* The WB
* Premieres Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Grade: A+
Now in its fifth season, Angel celebrates its 100th episode by bringing Cordelia (Carpenter) back to guest star in a very pivotal episode. "You're Welcome" opens with Angel and the gang hunting for one of their wayward evil clients. When they discover that the client in question has murdered five nuns and jumped dimensions, Angel decides to quit Wolfram & Hart. He's serious, and the others argue about the merits of leaving the evil law firm. Gunn (J. August Richards) feels they've done a lot of good, and he's not so sure the senior partners would even let them leave.
However, the discussion gets tabled when Angel discovers that Cordelia has mysteriously come out of her coma. Angel and Wesley (Alexis Denisof) rush to the hospital to discover that not only has Cordelia woken up, but she looks fabulous and remembers everything that led up to her coma when she was possessed by an evil entity. She's thrilled to see them, but shopping is top on her list, considering all she has to wear is a hospital gown.
Once that's taken care of and she discovers that her former partners in "helping the helpless" now run the very law firm they were fighting to destroy, she wastes no time in reminding Angel why he became a champion in the first place. She believes he's made a deal with the devil and he needs to get back on track.
In the meantime, Lindsay (Christian Kane) continues to manipulate Spike (Marsters) while plotting his revenge with a little help from Eve (Sarah Thompson). And when everyone in Wolfram & Hart deserts the building, leaving Angel and gang alone, Lindsay's revenge springs forth full throttle.
A sanguinary celebration
Not many series make it to 100 episodes, and even fewer do it with style, but Angel is one of those shows-and its 100th episode shows why. "You're Welcome" offers the return of former regular Charisma Carpenter in a very important episode that fans of the series will not want to miss.
Carpenter is a stitch, reminding us why she was so great, first on Buffy and later on Angel, until her character got stuck in a clunky romance with Angel and in a coma last season. Cordelia returns in fine form to give Angel a reality check, and she does so in a way that only Cordelia could. It's a great guest turn for the actress and her character, who deserved more than to be left in a coma for months, nearly forgotten as Angel's story went on. However, that said, this excellent episode almost makes up for the bad treatment of a wonderful character. The rest of the cast, led by Boreanaz and Marsters, play it just right, with Boreanaz's Angel a confused mess when it comes to trying to explain to Cordelia why he's running Wolfram & Hart.
David Fury's script is very funny and packs a terrific punch at the end. All the characters get a moment or two to shine, and the story, like the best episodes of Angel, weaves its tale around the events that have come before and has consequences for what will follow.
Recent episodes have touched on how others perceive the deal Angel made with the Wolfram & Hart devil, and this episode crystallizes the doubts the characters have about what they've done. "You're Welcome" is a high point for this very good season, and it will no doubt galvanize the show as it heads toward the end of its fifth and possibly last season.
Finally, Cordelia's back. Angel fans, don't miss this one. It's a biggie and, even though Joss Whedon didn't write it, "You're Welcome" is a standout episode.
's back and if I were Eve I'd take a permanent vacation.
Charisma Carpenter returns
for the practically perfect 100th episode of "Angel" (Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on The WB). There's so much to absolutely adore.
Cordelia
is back to her gloriously snarky self.
She puts Eve in her place and refers to the little dear as "Lilah Junior." Also her shock that Spike is now thought of as a hero
is hilarious.
There's also a touching tribute to Doyle, who was played by the late Glenn Quinn in the first season. I was delighted that the series remembered the actor and his great performance in this landmark episode. Also great is the scene that features
Carpenter
(who looks fantastic by the way, her hair is much better now that she's not evil), David Boreanaz and Christian Kane (Lindsay). This trio was in the original pilot and it's great to have them back together again. And I dare say the episode manages to satisfy both those who were for a
Cordy/
Angel romance and those who were not.
Really there's nothing not to love here. But I do have some concerns that I won't speak of yet because I don't want to spoil anything for you. Check out my column Thursday to find out more. But this really is a can't-miss episode. So be sure to tune in.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"I've got 12 vampire slayers behind me and none of them has ever dated you," Andrew to Angel on "Angel." Can I quote everything that came out of Andrew's mouth? From his pronunciation of "vampire" to his constant "Lord of the Rings" references ("He's alive Frodo. He's alive.") to his announcement that he's "82 percent more manly," this was definitely one of my all time favorite "Angel" episodes. Plus, we got updates on the Scooby gang.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
