S4.E16: Players

[Joe Hellandback]

The Good; I like this ep, nice to see that Gunn isn't just 'The Muscle', he's suave as well as tough. The best Gunn-centric ep and you could see J. August as James Bond. Love Gunn's little look when Wes goes 'Well the last time this happened..."

The Bad; Quite humdrum in places, actually drags a bit

Best line; Gunn describes the last few months of AI as a 'Turgid supernatural soap-opera'.

Inverting the Hollywood cliché; the little girl isn't in danger, Gwen has hoodwinked Gunn

In disguise; 8

DB get's his shirt off; 12

Cheap Angel; 6

Fang Gang in bondage: Cordy: 5 Angel: 14 Wes: 6 Gunn; 4 Lorne; 4 Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy: 15 Angel: 16 Wes: 5 Doyle; 1 Gunn; 2 Lorne; 5 Groo; 1 Connor; 1 Faith; 1

Kills; Cordy: 5 vamps, 3 demons Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans Doyle; 1 vamp Wes; 12 demons+4 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans Kate; 3 vamps Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans. Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human. Groo; 1 demon Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies Connor; 13 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons Fang Gang go evil: Cordy: 3 Angel: 3 Gunn; 1 Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: Cordy: 4 Angel: 10 Fred; 2 Wes; 1 Gunn; 1

Characters killed: 255

Recurring characters killed; 9;

Total number of Angel Investigations: Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, CC, Connor,

Angel Investigations shot: Angel: 12 Wes; 1 Wes; 7 Doyle; 1 Angel; 3 Gunn; 2

Packing heat; Wes with his shotgun again Wes; 9 Doyle; 1 Angel; 3 Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Gunn and Gwen Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen. Fred; 1 Gunn Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky: Lorne refers to a female friend Wanda as a 'peach'. Gwen in her customary tight PVC outfits. Wes explains his tryst with Lilah to Fred, he was lost and cut off from those he loved as indeed was she.

Captain Subtext; Gwen calls Fred a babe and honey, obvious tension between the 2.

Know the face, different character; 4

Parking garages; 6,

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; Plenty of fic out there where Gwen joins AI or if the original gang is destroyed helping the new champion form their team or she (and the Groo) show up to save everyone from everything

Questions and observations; Only a few weeks after becoming a dad Angel is now faced with becoming a grandfather! 'Dramarama' is referred to, an old supernatural British kids TV series which Joss Whedon may have seen growing up in the UK. 'Clash of the Titans' also referred to. Angel and Wes refer to 'The last time' CC got supernaturally knocked up both in Expecting and Epiphany. 8 million people in LA, didn't think it was that big. Not only did Angelus not kill Lilah he never actually killed anyone but a vamp? Andy Hallet in the titles, hooray! The last time we'll see Gwen whom was obviously supposed to be a possible regular but they went another way. A pity but at least we see her in the comics. For my money after this ep I figure she goes to see her parents and catches up on a lifetime's worth of hugs. Gunn's love of suits foretells season 5. We see Angel's photgraphic memory again. CC refers to the Fortress of Solitude, Xander's influence again. At what point does Angel twig CC's betrayal?

Marks out of 10; 7/10 a lightweight ep but probably what we need after all the power of the last few eps

[Spartan Girl]

"'Woosh,' 'pop', 'easy-bake oven' -- I don't skulk!"

Hee hee hee.