S1.E20: War Zone

[Joe Hellandback]

WAR ZONE

The Good;

Charlie Gunn, yay! David Nabbit too and some nice humour at the brothel (love the characterisation of the Madam, hard as nails but extremely streetwise as to the sensitive realities of her business)

The Bad;

Not much, good story although the slum allegory is laid on a bit thick.

Best line:

Gunn; "I don't need advice from some middle class white dude who's dead"

Jeez, how did they get away with that?

A nasty incestuous vibe between Gunn and his vamped-sister.

Apocalypses: 4

Angel Clichés

Damsel in distress; 15, in this case it's the male characters who need help

Inverting the Hollywood cliché; We expect a patrician speech from Angel to Gunn at the end. Instead Angel actually asks Gunn for his help in future, again recognising talent when he sees it. CC and Wes rescue Angel who forgets to use his mobile phone to get himself out of the meatlocker.

In disguise; 4

DB get's his shirt off; yep, Angel getting patched up so 7

Cordy's tattoo;3

Cheap Angel; A paying client for AI, Cordy must be so happy. Angel also wants to 'see the cheque'

4

Fang Gang in bondage: Cordy: 5 Angel: 8 Wes: 2

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy: 9 Angel: 10 Wes: 4 Doyle; 1

Kills: Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons Angel: 3 vamps and 1 demon for Angel so 4 demons so 14 vamps, 10 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans. Doyle; 1 vamp

Wes; 1/2 a demon

Kate; 3 vamps

Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.

Gunn;

Fang Gang go evil: Cordy: 2 Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang: no but Angel refers to himself as Angelus to intimidate the other vamps Cordy: 2 Angel: 6

Characters killed: 2 of Gunn's people killed.

27

Recurring characters killed;

2;

Total number of Angel Investigations: 3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Spoiler

Gunn a long way from joining yet

Angel Investigations shot: Angel: 8,

Packing heat; no but one of Gunn's guys uses a flamethrowers which

Spoiler

 

Wes will employ later to good effect.

Wes; 2

Doyle; 1

Angel; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky:

Angel's entire visit to Madame Dorians and the David Mabbet stuff is just SOOO out there, especially the tail gag (this was the era of Madame Alex/Hedi Fleiss etc). That said of all the demon girls am I the only one to find Lina the only attractive one? One of the demons appears to be one of the girls from She, her Ko well and truly intact (hope she's still not burning people)Cordelia is once again tempted to prostitute herself to a wealthy man as she was in the pilot. Cordy says that David's name feels 'Good in her mouth'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I don't think even Faith would say that?)

Captain Subtext;

Not so subtle racial and social hints, even the vamps bemoan the sort of people they now have to feed on.

Know the face, different character; 2

Parking garages;

4,

Guantanamo Bay;

Angel once again tortures a vamp

Buffy characters on Angel; 11

Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla

Questions and observations;

Gunn's strategy seems OK to me, taking the fight to the enemy rather than waiting until they come to you. By contrast Angel lets the vamps go at the end, to kill others? The vamps attacking Gunn's headquarters resemble the aliens in the War of the Worlds series. Both Angel and Gunn have killed their sisters as Wes will one day

Spoiler

kill his 'father' and Spike his mother.

Marks out of 10; 6/10, an OK ep but one that's hard to watch at times, largely significant for the introduction of Gunn (and his truck) and his motivations.