S2. E04: Untouched

[Joe Hellandback]

The Good; Some lovely stuff from Lilah and some nice humour with Gunn.

The Bad; I think the whole abused child bit is a little overdone, if you want to see that go so Michelle Tractenberg's excellent film 'Mysterious Skin' (but be warned, it's hard to watch)

Best line: Angel; "Do you know what it's like to get a re-bar through your torso?" Cordy; "Actually yes I do. Benefits of a Sunnydale education" (Lover's Walk)

Jeez, how did they get away with that? The whole incest storyline is super-icky, father's once more getting a rough ride in the Buffyverse. Plus Bethany squishing the thugs with the dumpster but as Gunn says "Mr rapist-for-hire? See me crying?"

Apocalypses: 4

Angel Clichés Damsel in distress; 17, yep and how

Inverting the Hollywood cliché; Bethany actually comes on to Angel which is unusual to see. Wes confesses he has no knowledge whatsoever about telekenisis. Cordy warns Bethany about Angel, hints of jealousy.

In disguise; yep as a detective, must have been taking hints from Kate so 5

DB get's his shirt off; yep, amazing how he always get's wounded in the chest but Cordy never does? 10

Cordy's tattoo;3

Cheap Angel; Cordy says she likes her men "Less broody, more spendy" 5

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

Fang gang knocked out: Angel and Cordy Cordy: 10 Angel: 12 Wes: 5 Doyle; 1

Kills: none this ep for anyone although I love the way Cordy fights off the thugs with her lattes. Cordy: 5 vamps, 1 demons Angel; 17 vamps, 18 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans Doyle; 1 vamp Wes; 1/2 a demon Kate; 3 vamps Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans. Gunn; 5 vamps.

Fang Gang go evil: Cordy: 2 Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang: Cordy: 2 Angel: 6

Characters killed: 25

Recurring characters killed; 4;

Total number of Angel Investigations: Gunn now being paid so add him in 4, Angel, Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Angel Investigations shot: Angel: 8,

Packing heat; Wes; 2 Doyle; 1 Angel; 1

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

Kinky dinky: Bethany comments that Angel's Darla dream must make him 'Pretty happy' to judge by his bed covers. Indeed they resemble the x-rated cover of a period romance novel, bodice-ripping by the fireside. Bethany says guy's love the whole 'innocent and fragile' thing. Cordy comments that she came in the top 10% of her class and Wes wonders was that class 'Advanced bosoms?" (I think she gets more a C in that area?

Captain Subtext; Lilah's relationship with Bethany smacks mightily of lesbianism just in the same way as her picking up Faith at the club did. When Gunn boasts about his new axe and hopes he might 'Get the chance to stick it in something" Cordy comments "Men, all alike!"

Know the face, different character; 2

Parking garages; 4,

Buffy characters on Angel; 11 Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla

What the fanficcers thought; read a very good one once where Buffy confronts Hank about abusing her as a child. He confesses to being abused himself, she forgives him then he turns himself in, REAL tearjerker called ' The Monsters of Childhood'

Incest fetish-fic of course HUGELY popular but almost invariably Buffy/Dawn/Joyce (Charmed sisters, Gilmore Girls, Wincest etc) as consenting adults, 'Don't go' probably the most acceptable story of a very dodgy genre.
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Questions and observations; Hugely dark, you wonder if this is what Joss and co intended the series to originally be like in terms of both 'Damsel in distress of the week' and in the dark nature of the subject matter (Lonely Heart for instance was originally called Corrupt and had Kate not only posing undercover as a prostitute but had gotten too far into her role, actually working as one and having sex with her clients. At that point the studio stepped in. Of course the studio seems to have no such problem with Dollhouse which is basically the ultimate fantasy escort agency).

Marks out of 10; 7/10. Good ep, surprisingly funny in places and all about redemption, I for one am glad Bethany didn't kill her father. Also more and more depth added to Lilah and that's always a good thing.