[SPOILERS] Angel Episode 1/28/2004: "Damage"

[CrusaderX]

Great episode, but I didn't like the pycho-slayer getting away with literal murder. She hacks up innocent people and just gets to walk? Ugh. Insane or not, terrible childhood or not, her victims definitely deserved justice.

Now, the slayers may dish out some of there own justice on psycho Dana. But I really didn't get that feeling from Andrew at the end. Which makes me believe that the labeling of Angel and crew as the bad guys is just a lil' bit hypocritical of Buffy and her grrrl squad.

 

[Jeremy]

Which is more fun if you ask me. Super straight Buffy isn't as interested as Buffy that's seen hell and makes a few big picture decisions that don't jibe on the small scope.

Perhaps the reason so many were sent to retrieve her was because something is up that we don't have the skinny on. Good or bad, maybe they need her for something or maybe they need to stop her or something.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Gotta stink when your show is full of in-jokes from another show I guess. Sorry LP. Fun stuff if you knew what was going on.

True, though I will admit Andrew taking the girl away at the end was cool.

However, it wasn't just the fact that it was full of in-jokes from another show (though that didn't help), it was because the episode was just bad.

For one, her not killing Spike was extremely contrived, especially once she started hallucinating about him having tortured her. Now, I'm no psych expert but I have taken a few classes, and her being psycho combined with her need for re-empowerment suggests to me (read: IMO) that she would have just dusted him and been done with it. Same thing with Idiot Guy, why didn't she just kill him? She certainly had Spike on the ropes, no reason a kick or two to the head wouldn't have snapped his neck like a twig.

For another, the story was just boring and by the books. A homicidal maniac goes loose, we need to capture her alive. This is like the stock story for filler Angel episodes. I've seriously seen this premise two or three times every season. It wasn't even all that menacing, because it was obvious no one important was going to be hurt.

Not to mention the complete marginalization of the rest of the cast. Last I checked, Angel was an ensemble show. A few shots of them talking around a desk doesn't cut it. Not to mention the fact that Spike has already gotten a show of his own this season. I can't even remember the last time Gunn was featured in an episode.

The ending was complete cheese. Oh look, as if we didn't get the picture that Team Angel has lost their moral compass, let's hammer it in some more! And next week too! We've been covering this for a couple episodes now, it's time for there to be some resolution of their revelation.

And Idiot Guy - completely over the top, over-acted, and just plain not funny. His double-cross was pretty telegraphed, and the speech was just plain corny, like something I would have written. I expect better from professional writers. And just to cap it off, another "we committed evil, we were bad, boo-hoo" conversation between Angel and Spike.

But really, I don't really think this episode did anything that the last couple of episodes haven't. I'm talking in terms of advancing the story, of course.

And don't even get me started on how rediculous them just letting Eve go is.

No, it was just a terribly written episode.

 

[Vocenoctum]

I enjoyed the episode. Its best moment was definitely the ending, very somber and dramatic. My favorite episode of the season however was last week's. David Boreanz did a fine job portraying the slump of team Angel into darkness, particularly Wesley and Gunn,

I wanted the guy that tortured her to have turned out to be the doctor, ah well.

My problem with the ending is that it seems pretty heavy handed lately, pushing the corruption angle a bit heavy.
Why wouldn't Buffy trust Angel exactly?

 

[Vocenoctum]

And Idiot Guy - completely over the top, over-acted, and just plain not funny. His double-cross was pretty telegraphed, and the speech was just plain corny, like something I would have written. I expect better from professional writers. And just to cap it off, another "we committed evil, we were bad, boo-hoo" conversation between Angel and Spike.

having seen teh buffy eps with him, Idiot Guy was very funny. If you hadn't seen such, then I can see it being just irritating.
I still don't understand why he didn't do the work himself if he had all those slayers, but then I hate the "mass imbueing" as Buffy realized it.
OTOH, I think this "we commited evil" speech actually was better than most of the rest they've had, and didn't mind it at all.

But really, I don't really think this episode did anything that the last couple of episodes haven't. I'm talking in terms of advancing the story, of course.

I really wish SPike had mentioned "Doyle". They just seem to conveniently drop him when he's not important to teh show, but then later on he'll suddenly be important again. blah!

And don't even get me started on how rediculous them just letting Eve go is.

I can see them not capturing her or anything, after all, they have no proof...
But, they don't seem to be investigating her either. And why the heck haven't they contacted the Senior Partners or something of the sort?

 

[AuroraGyps]

That was SUCH a good episode! Dana was creepy & crazy... she really weirded me out, but I felt sorry for her at the same time. The Spike stuff was really good and the end was... the best word I can find is deep. I enjoyed it alot. Although, and I understand Angel & gang wanting to use all their fancy toys, I really don't understand why they wasted the time by moving in AFTER they got all the info and not having Angel "follow his nose", like Spike, while everyone else did research.

Great episode, but I didn't like the pycho-slayer getting away with literal murder. She hacks up innocent people and just gets to walk? Ugh. Insane or not, terrible childhood or not, her victims definitely deserved justice.

Well, she wouldn't stand trial any way because of her mental status. She'd just be put in a place for the criminally insane. I think the slayers and watchers are more equipt to deal with her.

 

[myrdden]

This episode was so-so for me. I definitely liked the re-appearance of Andrew in his new role as pseudo-watcher and I thought the show started out strong, but the ending was lack-luster for me. I think that it would have been a better story if it really had been Spike torturing the girl in the past. It would have brought his past back to haunt him in the present; something Angel has been living with for many years now, while Spike pretty much as brushed off. I thought for sure that Spike's comment of "letting the past go" to Angel was going to come back at him this episode.

My problem with the ending is that it seems pretty heavy handed lately, pushing the corruption angle a bit heavy.
Why wouldn't Buffy trust Angel exactly?

That was my thought too...on both counts. Afterall he did deliver the amulet to Buffy that ultimately saved the world. And they really haven't been in contact with one another, so how would Buffy and the gang know what's up with Team Angel?

Not to mention the complete marginalization of the rest of the cast. Last I checked, Angel was an ensemble show. A few shots of them talking around a desk doesn't cut it. Not to mention the fact that Spike has already gotten a show of his own this season. I can't even remember the last time Gunn was featured in an episode.

This is what I feared would happen with Spike being moved over to this show. Neither Gunn nor Wesley have been used in a very meaningful way this season. And I really don't like the legal upload plot hook with Gunn - it's getting a bit too much and way too convenient (i.e. contrived).

Myrdden

 

[Nightfall]

I still think it's pretty hypocritical as some one said. Yeah psycho slayer kills innocents and what, joins her slayer pals? Come on. I mean even FAITH got to spend some time in jail. Some times just doesn't make sense. That being said I felt this was still a decent episode.

 

[AuroraGyps]

It would have brought his past back to haunt him in
the present;

But his past did come back to haunt him. Dana remembers him attacking/killing the chinese slayer and Robin Wood's mother Nikki. I mean, I doubt Spike ever left any of the people he tortured alive, so he's never had to face, I mean REALLY face, what he's done in the past (Principal Wood doesn't count in my book... he wanted revenge, but he wasn't visibly damaged like Dana was). Plus, the fact that Dana would confuse Spike with the man that tortured her makes the Spike with a soul horrified I bet.

 

[Nightfall]

Well it certainly gave him perspective I think.