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Angel
Episode 3.14 "Couplet"
Written by Tim Minear & Jeffrey Bell
Directed by Tim Minear
Whenever an episode is centered totally around "Funny Angel" gimmick, it never really seems to work. Sure they're good, but I bet they'd be a lot better if Angel didn't act like he switched bodies with Bobcat Goldthwait. So how'd this episode manage to break that curse?
We open with Angel being quite bummed about Gru coming to L.A. to be with Cordy. He broods, he checks on Connor, he broods some more. The Host tries to make him feel better, but Angel just brushes him off with a few snarky remarks. "Sarcastic Snarky Angel" was always better than "Funny Angel," so that's a plus.
Zipping across town we see Cordy and Gru getting reacquainted. It's not that kind of acquainting, they're just talking you perv, although Cordy is half naked during the whole thing. Definite bonus points for showing Cordy change out of her ballet clothes. After I picked my jaw off the floor, we hear Gru explaining how the Pyleans have already turned their democracy into a bickering mess. "They did the Dance of Revolution" he says and you gotta love that. Where's a Joss Whedon cameo when you need it? We also learn of Cordy's new vision thing. A 360 image of the hellspawn of the week right in front of her.
Back from the commercial (in which we learn that Verizon guy's phone works anywhere), Wesley is worried about Connor. He and Angel have a heart to heart about how Connor might be evil and that they should really know what they're dealing with. Angel agrees and has Wesley try to track down a book of prophecies that might explain it all. Poor Angel, after having to think his son might be evil, in walks Cordelia with Gru. Cordy whines about that pesky prophecy that says if she does the deed with Gru, he'll get her visions (can anyone have sex on this show without something bad happening?). And maybe she says I can use a paranormal prophylactic to keep my vision-ity.
After all this sex talk we cut to Fred and Gunn... eating breakfast. This is a great scene. Amy Acker and J. August Richards got that teenage puppy dog love thing down. Call it corny. Call it cheesy. And it is, but it's all good.
Back at the hotel, the gang is being briefed on the slimy spiky demon from Cordy's vision. Everyone seems all laid back, except for Angel who's trying to look taller than Gru by standing on his toes. Angel and Gru track the demon through the sewers, there's a little fight and the demon escapes into daylight. Gru chases after it, does a little slice and dice and saves the day (and a girl). There are hugs and congratulations all around while Angel just gets to watch (and brood) from the shadows of the sewers.
The celebration continues back at the hotel as Angel interviews a women who says her fiancee is being seduced by a witch. Wesley sees this as an opportunity to separate Fred and Gunn, so he sends Gunn to check it out. But Fred tags along anyway. Heartbroken, he tells Angel at least he found the prophecy book they need for Connor. It turns out Angel's just a little bit insecure about the Groosalugg. He thinks if the visions are passed to Gru he could replace him. So Wes tells him how it's his mission, everyone else is just along for the ride, like the book they're trying to find, he's all one of a kind. It's touching, of course now the shopkeeper must come back and say he has three copies of the book they're looking for. I saw that joke coming a mile away, but it was still funny.
Fred and Gunn trail our cheating fiancee. But instead get caught up in a little "voodoo booty ritual" as Gunn puts it and everyone gets sucked into the ground. Meanwhile, Cordy fixes Gru up to look like Angel ("Is he wearing my clothes?"). And to top it all off, Cordy has found her paranormal prophylactic in the form of a potion ("I take it and bang. I can."), she just needs Angel to go to a demon brothel to get it.
Holy Total Recall Batman. The demon brothel is jumpin' including a demon chick with three breasts and a guy that's chained to the wall that Gru tries to save. "I think he likes it up there" Angel tells him. Gru replies back with "Angel, your coat is singing." It's Gunn calling for help.
It seems they've been captured by a tree-like (but still made of flesh) demon that uses it's DSL connection to lure men down there to suck the life out of them. Silly demon, doesn't it know the wonders that is a Cable modem? The demon taps into Gru and becomes stronger because Gru is "magnificent." Finally, Angel gets to release a little pent up jealousy by kicking the crap out of Gru and making the tree demon tap into him. Being dead and all, his lifeless self killed the demon. It was a very unique fight. Even the demon looked great. Angel got to be all snarky and killed the demon in a clever way. Let's here it for cleverness!
Back at the ranch, I mean hotel, Wes pulls the big brother thing on Gunn. At least he accepts that they're dating and wishes them happiness. Angel does the same for Gru and Cordy. Who then promptly run off to kamshuck each other's brains out. Angel then realizes he's not alone, he plays with Connor and tells Wesley, "we're not alone." But all Wesley can do is look at the translation he's pulled from the prophecy about Connor: The Father Will Kill The Son. Then it ends, damn you David Greenwalt! Such an amazing ending and then that's it. No mas. No soup for you. You must wait until next week. Just like the end of "Hush" on Buffy, there's this huge revelation that we are forced to wait out. I'm pissed, but what an ending.
Overall "Couplet" is a solid outing. I feared a Funny Angel sighting from the previews, but we get Sarcastic Angel instead, so it was all for the better. Cordelia and Gru still feels forced though, because let's face it, it was forced. They fell in love after roughly 20 minutes together at the end of last season. It's not any more believable now. Although I do find myself liking Gru more as a character. His dumb guy schtick will probably get old quick, but it was put to good use here. He got some funny lines, now get rid of him before it gets stupid. And I'm really amazed at the turn Alexis Denisof is taking Wesley. He's becoming increasingly isolated from the gang and I can see big things coming of this.
Episode Rating: 8 out of 10
John the Slacker does the dance of employment.
