ANGEL reviews eps 1.09 thru 1.16

Please verify you get this, because I haven't heard from you about the
others yet.

ANGEL ep 1.09 HERO

Cordelia wants to film a tv advert, to boost their customer numbers (and
income) up from the current zero.

Angel's in Super-Sad mode (yeah even more than the usual). Cordy and Doyle
can't understand why, I mean hey he only saw Buffy for 5 minutes eh.
Eventually Angel spills the beans to Doyle about the day that never was.

Doyle has another one of his favourite headsplitting mindnumbing visions.
It concerns some frightened demons, hiding out in fear of their lives.
Angel and Doyle investigate and find a bunch of demons huddled in a cellar
like scaredy little rabbits.

They are in fear of "The Scourge" a bunch of pure breed demons out to kill
all the half-breeds. Angel decides an evacuation is in order and sorts out
some surrepticious shipping for the human half-breeds. Doyle goes out to
round up a youngster who's strayed. He finds the young bloke but they get
caught out in the street by the "SS" style demon army, who are out havin' a
grand ol' time killin' all the half-breeds they come across.

Angel turns up and fakes killing Doyle, this gives Angel an "in" into the
demon army. At the pre killing-spree pep-talk, Angel sees the trial of a
new weapon that kills humans and half-breeds alike.

Doyle and the straggler make it to the pier where Cordy gives Doyle a right
big serve for keeping secret from her, his half demon parentage.

Angel arrives seconds later with the SS demon-army guys hot on his tail.
The old freighter ship does it's best at a high-speed getaway, but it's no
Little Red Corvette. The badguys use a crane to lower the weapon into the
freight-hold where the half-breeds as well as Angel, Cordelia and Doyle are
trapped.

Angel intends to pull the plug on the weapon gizmo, before it's completed
it's booting up sequence, but Doyle reckons he wants all the limelight for
himself, for a change. So he knocks Angel down with one punch and gives
Cordy the best kiss she's ever had, before he jumps onto the weapon gizmo,
which is gradually building up power, and starts pulling on the electrical
cables. He manages to disconnect the electricity before the weapon builds
up sufficient power to kill all those in the hold.

Review by Catherine Jemma 10 April y2k

Here's the next review, I'll try to do the next 2 before I go away for
Easter, but might not be able to, yes I know that in ES Buffy/Angel screens
one day earlier each than in WA

ANGEL ep 1.10 "Parting Gifts"

After Doyle's demise, Cordelia's in sob city. A diminuitive demon runs
into Angel's office terrified. He's scared of some dude who's been chasing
after him. Cordelia's a wreck and fluffs bigtime her audition for a tv
advert. Upon her return to the office, Cordelia has a face sucking session
with both Angel and the demonguy.

Angel goes to check out the demonguy's apartment, there he bumps into
Wesley. Big nasty demonguy jumps them from out of nowhere and a huge fight
ensues. But the demon gets away from Angel and Wesley by jumping out the
window. After a briefing back at the office, Angel heads off to Chinatown.
Angel catches up with the big demon, but he's already at death's door.
He's been mutilated and had his Attack-horn cut off.

Meanwhile the diminuitive demonguy, has proven himself to be not so
harmless and helpless after all. He attacks Cordy, beats her unconscious,
ties her up and kidnaps her (delivering her to an auction of slightly-used
body-parts).

Angel and Wesley arrive back at the office, to find the place a wreck and
Cordy missing. Taken to a hotel/complex, she's trying to drag out the
auction process for as long as possible. Cordelia helps bid the price on
herself up, eventually she gets it up so high that only our friends at
Wolfram and Hart can afford to buy her.

Angel and Weslay arrive at the hotel complex just after the auction has
ended. Cordy's about to have her eyes cut out, but after a monster fight,
the good guys (and gal) prevail.

After a debriefing session back at the office, Wesley's about to hit the
road again, but ends up hangin' road for a spot of brekky.

Review by Catherine Jemma 18 April y2k

Hi I have also done the next review, but won't get 'round to typing it up
until tomorrow

Anyway here's a review, one day late for WA or 2 days late for ES. Note
that some of the wording, in the second paragraph , is almost exactly
Buffy's wording, from the ORIGINAL (unaired in Australia) concept pilot
episode. Many fans who've seen it will pick up on that "in" joke

Blessed be

ANGEL ep 1.11 "Somnambulist"

Episode opens with a young woman running frantically down a dark alley.
The vampire giving chase catches her, carves a cross sign in her cheek and
then sucks her dry. The vampire is revealed to the camera, it's Angel.
Then Angel awakes. It seems it was all just a dream.

Detective Kate Lockley's called to a murder scene. In a dark alley the
body of a young woman's been found. She has a cross sign carved in her
cheek. And ain't it the darndest thing. She's got two itty bitty holes in
her neck, and all her blood's been drained. Aren't you just going "ooh,
argh" ?

Angel's at the copshop on other business, when he happens to see a file
containing details of three similar attacks. Wesley's research shows that
the modus operandi is the old favourite of old Angelus. That night Angel
gets chained to his bed by Cordelia and Wesley.

The next morning there's good news, overnight another young woman's had her
throat ripped out. Angel's still chained to his bed, so he's apparently
not to blame. Angel tells Cordy and Wes that he reckons that the killer is
an offspring he sired some 200 odd years ago. This vampire bloke is a real
sick puppy. He's an absolute bloody homicidal nutcase (and that'd be the
best thing you could say about him).

Angel swings by Kate's office and gives her a sketch of the bloke she
should be lookin' out for. The bad guy is tracked to a large abandoned
building. Kate puts a few slugs in his chest (that's 9 mm rounds I mean,
NOT yeerks). But hey, it don't even give him heartburn. Angel drops by
and goes vamp in full view of Kate. The two guys do their best to beat
the stuffing out of each other for awhile, before the bad guy does a
runner, leaving Kate and Ange' behind to exchange a few terse words with
each other.

Bad dude fronts up at Angel Investigations office, pretending to be a new
client. He gets some info out of Cordy before she twigs. He's just about
to have lunch with Cordy, with Cordy for lunch, when Angel and Wes show up.


Angel goes to Kate's apartment, not much good comes of it though. (1)
Kate's in a bad mood. (2) She won't invite him in. (3) She says that the
next time they meet, she'll ram a wooden stake right through his heart.

Later Kate's at the copshop briefing her officers on a plan to track down
the badguy, when said badguy (who'd already snuck in earlier) kicks the
kakka out o' the coppers and steals Kate away. Angel catches up with them
in a sewer underneath the police station. The vamps are busy going
mano-a-mano, when Kate stakes them both (the badguy getting the worst of
it).

That night while overlooking the city from a rooftop balcony, Cordelia and
Angel have a deep and meaningful '. Cordy assures him he's got a good
friend in her, and she'll happily dust him anytime.

Review by Catherine Jemma 27 April y2k

I did another review this morning, however I'll prob only get 'round to
typing one in at this session.

Oh by the way, in my last review I did especially refer to our resident
good vampire as " ANGE' ", I didn't forget the "L". Especially if read
aloud, I just preferred the flow of it that way, OK ?

ANGEL ep 1.12 "Expecting"

Couple o' girlfriends stop by the office and pick up Cordy, they're off for
a night on the town. At an exclusive club, the girls are hanging 'round a
clique of apparently rich guys. The guy Cordelia's chatting to at the bar,
seems nice. He sees her safely home to her door, her bedroom door that is.


After a night of passion, Cordelia awakes very late the next morning, to
find her lover's side of the bed empty, but her belly full. Angel and
Wesley, concerned that Cordy's neither turned up for work, nor answering
her phone, go to her apartment to check on her. Doing a good impression of
a beached whale, she's flat out on her bed, 8 1/2 months pregnant.

Wesley helps Cordelia to a doctor's for a check-up, while Angel tries to
trace the guy who shoots loads of demon-seed. The doc's scan goes ok,
although showing multiple offspring, but an amnio test weirds out when the
fluid does "an Alien" (blood trick). Cordelia meanwhile is coming over all
protective like for her rapidly ripening demon hatchlings.

Angel's tracked down another one of the girls from the bar. She's also got
an 8 1/2 months Club membership , since yesterday. After finally tracking
down the clique of rich young playboys, Angel talks them into spilling the
beans on bad-demon-father-guy. Meanwhile Cordy's bashed the bulldust out
of Wesley, legged it from Angel's office, and rendezvoused at a warehouse
with umpteen other heavily pregnant maidens. The demon-father cuts a fine
figure, some two stories high that is. Angel and Wesley get the guy to
chill-out somewhat, which breaks the spell over Cordy. She then proceeds
to bash him to bits.

Review by Catherine Jemma 28 April y2k

Hi another review, actually done yesterday. If you happen to know of a
more accurate spelling for "Zhe-ra" , as I have just guessed, then feel
free to correct those

Hey whenever you receive a review from me, I'd appreciate a brief email
back, so's I know it got through to you alright

ANGEL ep 1.13 "She"

There's a fine party going on in Cordelia's apartment. Wesley's a reeal
party animal, though Angel's mood is even more sombre than usual.
Meanwhile, "back at the ever present warehouse" some guy opens up a sealed
wooden crate, that he shouldn't.

The next day, while at work, Cordelia gets a vision. A worker in an Ice
Factory (well hey it looks like a warehouse) has just burst into flames and
burnt to death. Cordy remains at the office with a cold drink and an
aspirin, while Angel and Wesley go off to investigate.

Angel finds a being at the Iceworks/warehouse. He's a bit short on words
but seems to indicate he's some kind of inter-dimenshional policeman on the
trail of some super-deadly something.

Later Angel goes to the dead guy's office (he was in private security).
While there he's surprised by some female 'demon'. She boxes his ears a
bit and zooms away. Angel speeds after her, but he's having some trouble
working with 20th century technology. He manages though, to tail her into
an art gallery. In a backroom he witnesses her catching a girlfriend as
she drops in through an instant mini wormhole. Right then a bunch of
heavies burst in (led by the dude Angel saw earlier at the Iceworks). A
fight ensues and the new arrival is dragged away by the heavy mob, kicking
and screaming.

Reckoning that the female-demon-leader-person (Zhe-ra) (sp?) is really a
bit of a good sort, he takes her back to his office. Wes and Cordy do a
midnight raid on a garden centre and overhear the heavy mob making plans.

Later, together with Angel, they zoom over to Zhe-ra's villa, to help
protect the burning beauties. As the bad guys are bursting in through the
front door of the villa, Cordy and Wes are helping to usher the girls out
the back-door, into a waiting ice-filled truck. Said truck then rattles
off in a most un-impressive 'low speed getaway', however Angel runs
interference with the heavy mob, giviing the girls time to escape.

A few days later, Zhe-ra shows up in Angel's office. They're obviously
never going to be friends, but a truce, or perhaps more accurately, a
stand-off, is negotiated.

Reviw by Catherine Jemma 29 April y2k

ANGEL ep 1.14 "I've got you under my skin"

At a quaint little house in the suburbs, a young couple are putting their
children (son and daughter) to bed. Tucking them in and padlocking their
bedroom doors shut that is.

Angel and Cordelia are having a heart-to-heart about Doyle's demise, when
she gets another one of her favourite headaches. Wesley and Angel pull
obbo detail, and are parked outside the suburban house, when they notice a
wee boy sleepwalking out of the house and onto the road. After saving the
boy from being run-over, Angel cops an invite to dinner for the following
night.

The next evening, he show's up at the house for dinner, bearing a plate of
Cordy's special recipe brownies. They contain a secret ingredient. A
demon-revealer. Dinner seems to be going off fine, until the young boy,
Ryan, goes off his face. The boy's whisked away to Angel HQ in preparation
for an exorcism.

Wes and Ange' go off in search of a priest but are unable to scare up a
live one. They return empty handed, but determined to try doing the
exorcism themselves. Just as the guys are arriving back at Angel's
office/apartment, things are going to hell in a handbasket real fast. They
manage to stabilise the situation.

Cordelia's sent out shopping for an "Ethros box" but must accept a
substitute. A little later Angel manages to exorcise the boy successfully,
but the containment system they had organised.......Well Cordy sums it up
best. "Uh-oh".

The Ethros demon is tracked down in some caves, he's got a lot to say, and
Angel and Wesley don't like what they hear. Angel leaves the demon fella
feeling a bit cut-up about it all. He then races off with Wes to the
family's home. The young boy, Ryan, seems to have gone from bad to worse.
He torches the family home, although Angel arrives in time to help those
inside escape the flames.

Review by Catherine Jemma 1 May y2k

ANGEL ep 1.15 "Prodigal"

Detective Kate Lockley races to a hostage situation in a subway tunnel.
Angel's already there though, he's taken care of the demon with the
attitude problem.

Back at Angel HQ, Wesley's identified the type of demon as a very peaceful,
non aggressive type, that (supposedly) couldn't fight it's way out of a wet
paper bag if it wanted to.

Angel swings by the copshop, but Kate's not in the mood to help him
investigate the demon further. Meanwhile Wes and Cordy are on carcass
clean-up detail.

Angel tails a suss looking delivery van driver. The guy stops by an
apartment and collects a package. The apartment belongs to retired police
officer Trevor Lockley (Kate's dad). A few none-to-friendly words are
exchanged before Mr Lockley slams the door shut in Angel's face.

Kate and her dad do lunch, but really he's pumping her for info on Angel.
Wesley's autopsy on the demon has shown that it was as high as a kite on
some kind of steroid-drug concoction.

Mr Lockley stops by an exotic car warehouse and tells the dudes inside that
Angel P.I.'s on their tail and they should take a holiday for a bit. He
leaves with a large envelope stuffed full of cash. After he's gone, the
bad tempered demon running the operation, appears from a backroom. He
orders Angel and Mr Lockley to be killed.

Cordy and Wes are still trying to work out how to use the flash new
security system they've had installed. Kate enters, she's got some info
for Ange'.

After Kate's gone, Angel heads out for a reccy on the exotic car warehouse.
He's no sooner out the door than a pair of demons burst in and start
making a nuisance of themselves. Cordy and Wes aren't doin' to good, until
Angel pops back in moments later and starts kickin' some demon butt. Angel
beats some information out of one of the demons. He phones a warning
through to Kate, but can only leave a message on her service.

He speeds off to Mr Lockley's apartment, who by now has been tricked into
inviting in, two of the dudes from the exotic car place. Angel arrives at
the apartment just after the two dudes have gone inside, but un-invited
he's forced too stand on the thresh-hold and watch helplessly as they vamp
up and drain the blood from Kate's dad.

As soon as My Lockley's dead, Angel enters the apartment and dusts one of
the vamps, the other escapes, running past Kate who's just arriving. She
turns into a blubbering mess (not surprisingly really, her dad lying dead
on the floor with his throat ripped out and all).

Angel returns to base and tools up for a real bad attitude session. Kate
shows up at the exotic car warehouse. She squeezes off a few rounds from
her service weapon and stakes one vamp. But she's in danger of getting out
of her depth what with the big ugly demon leader bloke as well.

Angel turns up, and together they off all the badguys.

Review by Catherine Jemma 9 May y2k
ANGEL ep 1.16 "The Ring"

Cordelia and Wesley are slugging it out, verbally at least, in Angel's
office. Middle aged bloke staggers in saying his brother was kidnapped the
day before.

Angel chases up a bookie who the missing guy owed money to. He follows
several leads that eventually leads to the basement of a nightclub. A
subterranean pit contains two demons in a prize fight to the death. The
senseless brutality and killing displayed sickens even Angel.

While sneaking around backstage, Angel's accosted by the middle-aged bloke
(who'd pretended to be a client). Yep. It's a set-up, and Angels shocked
into unconsciousness with electrical cattleprods. He awakes in a barred
cell, with a bracelet on his wrist. The cell's unlocked and he's allowed
the limited freedom of a larger area, but told not to cross a red painted
line, or else a type of force field will disintegrate him.

Angel's missing, it's morning, and Cordy and Wes are frantic. Wesley
(who's enthusiasm so often exceeds his abilities) goes out on Angel's
trail. The bookie eventually, reluctantly, gives Wesley a hand with his
enquiries.

In the caged area, a ragtag bunch of assorted demons (including Angel) are
warming up for that night's fights. They're told if they survive to make
21 kills, the bracelets will be removed and they'll be released. Angel
however says he won't kill anyone.

The crowd watching from above the fight ring pit, are howling "boo's" as
Angel ducks and dives from his demon opponent but doesn't actually strike
back much. Just to make things a wee bit more interesting and push things
along a bit, a large knife is thrown down to the demon.

Outside Cordelia does a snow job on a couple arriving at the nightclub's
streetside entrance, she and Wesley then gain entry using the purloined
passes. They arrive ringside just in time to see Angel (reluctantly) kill
his opponent. Cordy and Wes slip away, Cordy having managed to pocket a
spare enchanted bracelet that she found left lying around.

After an abortive escape attempt, Angel is again electrically zapped into
unconsciousness. When he comes to, he's in the office of a spunky young
lawyer from Wolfram and Hart. They have bought him off of the prize fight
organisers. She offers him a deal, but her turns her down and is taken
back to the cells in the basement arena.

Experimenting with the stolen one, Wesley eventually figures out how to
unlock the bracelet. That evening he and Cordy attend at the fight ring
again. Angel's in a fight to the death with a really motivated demon, he's
already done 20 kills. They beat the stuffing out of each other but are
both still alive. The fight organisers are getting right jacked off.
About then the entire cageload of demons escapes (having used the key
furnished by Wesley). They go ballistic and beat the crappola out of the
cattleprod armed guards and the fight organisers. The demons then make
good their escape. Angel's a right mess but is helped to stagger off by
Cordy and Wes.

Review by Catherine Jemma 15 May y2k