S04.E02: Ground State

[Joe Hellandback]

GROUND STATE

The Good; Wonderfully clever opening, you think Gwen's parents and headmistress are uncaring but actually they love her, they can just never touch her no matter how much they want to. Also love Angel's drawing and Fred's show, especially her little ghost.

The Bad; Gwen is fab, the rest of it is pretty stupid truth be told

Best line: Gunn; (about their chances) "Operation chance in hell!"

Apocalypses: 5

Angel Clichés In disguise; 8

DB get's his shirt off; 12

Cordy's tatt; 10

Fang Gang in bondage: Cordy: 5 Angel: 12 Wes: 6 Gunn; 4 Lorne; 3 Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy: 12 Angel: 15 Wes: 5 Doyle; 1 Gunn; 1 Lorne; 3 Groo; 1 Connor; 1 Fred; 1

Kills: 1 demon for Wes Cordy: 5 vamps, 3 demons Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans Doyle; 1 vamp Wes; 13 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans Kate; 3 vamps Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans. Gunn; 11 vamps+ 11 demons. Groo; 1 demon Fred; 3 vamp Connor; 4 vamps and 1 demon

Fang Gang go evil: Cordy: 2 Angel: 2 Gunn; 1 Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: Cordy: 2 Angel: 8 Fred; 1

Characters killed: 46

Recurring characters killed; Gunn dies for a few seconds but then comes back. 8;

Total number of Angel Investigations:3 Angel, Gunn, Fred

Angel Investigations shot: Angel: 11 Wes; 1

Packing heat; Wes; 6 Doyle; 1 Angel; 2 Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Lilah and Wes Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah Gunn; 1 Fred Fred; 1 Gunn Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky: Gwen RRRRRRRRRR! Love a bad girl in leather/PVC. And you can see her nipples through her outfit when she enters the bar. Justine described Lilah as 'incredibly loud' during sex and there's some belt snapping action between her and Wes. Lilah describes herself as Mrs Robinson and indeed 

Spoiler

Connor will develop a thing for older women.

Gunn likes it when Fred is in charge. Gwen describes Angel as handsome and Gunn as 'Denzel' which certainly must have pleased him. Gwen describes Angel as a great kisser (the Furies were right) and sits astride him.

Captain Subtext; Fred's plans include going to prison and becoming somebody's bitch. She hopes her cellmate will be gentle (see also What the fanficcers thought). Gwen seems very close to her cute blonde Marlene Detreich-like female butler. Gwen calls Fred honey.

Know the face, different character; 4

Parking garages; 5,

Guantanamo Bay; Angel beats the building plans from a snitch

Buffy characters on Angel; 16 Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony

What the fanficcers thought; Read an interesting one where Fred does indeed go to prison and becomes someone's bitch. Lucky for her that someone is Faith. Also the last appearance (or not) of Phantom Dennis. Read a lovely fic once where CC in 'You're welcome' goes to visit Dennis and tell's him that she loves him and it's time to pass over to the other side which indeed he does, his love for her all that was keeping him on Earth.

Questions and observations; Wes has his own organisation with 3 employees, maybe that's why Gunn and Fred are broke, he's taking their business. The Chandler auction house is of course a homage to LA author Raymond Chandler. Angel's 2 previous break-ins were in The Shroud of Rhamon and Choices in Buffy. Neither is very successful. The squatter camp Connor goes to is the old power station you see in countless movies and TV.

So why does no one wonder about Groo? Possibly because he let Lorne, Fred, Gunn know of his plans or maybe he's been in touch with them since?

Marks out of 10; 7/10 but only due to Gwen really

[MerelyAFan]

I always really liked that scene between Angel and Wesley. Its the first real interaction they've had (hunger induced visions in Deep Down aside) since Forgiving and there's so much character subtext in what's said and ambiguity in what isn't. 

Angel does seem genuine in his gratitude for Wes finding him and on some level appears to want to get past the ugly events that's gone on between the two. It does contrast against the cold distance Wesley's developed and how far away he's gotten from the klutzy but competent researcher circa season 2/early 3. On the other hand, its entirely possible that the former watcher's cynicism about Angel's real reason for visiting is more correct than the vampire lets on, and it is telling that the latter never actually disputes Wes's claim of why he's there after getting the major information about Cordelia. Even Wes's expression after Angel says they're okay again seems both quietly grateful while deeply skeptical. 

It sets up an interesting dynamic between them for the rest of the season.

Spoiler

There's no apology from either man for their actions in season 3,; but no outright animosity either. Never an outright invitation to come back to the team from Angel, and no expression of wanting to by Wesley. Circumstances get the two reunited in the gang, yet it seems to happen with an unsaid agreement of not addressing what went down. 

[Joe Hellandback]

12 hours ago, MerelyAFan said:

I always really liked that scene between Angel and Wesley. Its the first real interaction they've had (hunger induced visions in Deep Down aside) since Forgiving and there's so much character subtext in what's said and ambiguity in what isn't. 

Angel does seem genuine in his gratitude for Wes finding him and on some level appears to want to get past the ugly events that's gone on between the two. It does contrast against the cold distance Wesley's developed and how far away he's gotten from the klutzy but competent researcher circa season 2/early 3. On the other hand, its entirely possible that the former watcher's cynicism about Angel's real reason for visiting is more correct than the vampire lets on, and it is telling that the latter never actually disputes Wes's claim of why he's there after getting the major information about Cordelia. Even Wes's expression after Angel says they're okay again seems both quietly grateful while deeply skeptical. 

It sets up an interesting dynamic between them for the rest of the season.

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There's no apology from either man for their actions in season 3,; but no outright animosity either. Never an outright invitation to come back to the team from Angel, and no expression of wanting to by Wesley. Circumstances get the two reunited in the gang, yet it seems to happen with an unsaid agreement of not addressing what went down. 

Brilliantly put, one of the more clever aspects of the writing is how things work out gradually and subtly, Angel

Spoiler

progressively takes charge of AI again in s3 whilst Angel and Wes reconcile little by little, there's never that big moment except when we see Angel's wish fulfilment fantasy in Awakening