Steven Paul
Apr 24, 2004, 12:06 pm
Reviewer: Steven Paul Watson vipereyes_2000@yahoo.com
Quick Rating: Great!!!
Story Title: ‘Origin’
“I’d like to keep Spike as my pet…”
Writer: Drew Goddard
Director: Terrence O'Hara
Cast: David Boreanaz, Alexis Denisof, J. August Richards, Amy Acker, James Marsters, Andy Hallett, and Mercedes McNab.
Guest Starring: Vincent Kartheiser and Adam Baldwin.
Warning: Some Spoilers Ahead!
I’m relatively new to reviewing and I knew taking on the duties of reviewing Angel would not be easy, from both a fan, reviewer, and the time stand points. Especially at a weekly rate and this episode proved to be the hardest so far.
What is there to say about an episode that had everything? Comedy? Check! Action? Check! Drama? Check! Mystery? Check! Creepiness? Check! Questions answered? Check! There is so much that could be said about this episode that I’m left with exactly what should I say.
‘Origin sees the return of one of the more colorful characters to appear in this series, Connor, Angel’s son…though he isn’t his son but he is. Confused? It’s understandable; all you need to know is Connor is the son of two vampires Darla and Angel. After being born he was taken away to another dimension where he aged and came back what in reality was only weeks later as a teenager.
After a spell of fighting Angel…fighting along side Angel, the father got an offer he could not refuse. Giving his son what he deserved most, a real family, the cost? Clearing everyone’s memory of Connor and creating new ones for both the boy and everyone who ever came into contact with him. But of course Angel, the tortured soul that he is decided to keep those memories for himself and never asked how it happened. As long as Wolfram & Hart did it and here is where it all comebacks to haunt him.
Connor’s ‘parents’ visit Wolfram & Hart after their son is struck by a van and is unharmed. Angel wants nothing to do with this, after all it hits too close to home and he can’t take the chance of the others finding out about the deal he made (or Connor). He only agrees to it after a talk with the new liaison Hamilton, with some hilarious and tense dialogue between the two he explains that an outside source is responsible for the attack on Connor.
Angel comes to Connor and his family’s rescue and it all leads to a powerful warlock named Vale (the creepiness factor), very frail and old, he was responsible for reworking all of the memories for Wolfram & Hart when Angel came aboard. He has a problem in a demon named Sahjahn who Angel has fought before, somewhat unsuccessfully (it’s all in how you look at it) and he explains to Angel why he wanted to bring Connor back. It seems a prophecy tales of the one person who can kill Sahjahn and of course that one person is Connor. Vale uses Angel’s secret to force him into helping him, by getting Connor to face the other demon.
While all of this is going on, Wesley is trying to figure out who Vale is and more importantly why Angel is acting the way he is. It leads to one of the best scenes of this episode and the entire season, Wesley (with Illyria) confronts Angel about the secrets behind Vale. This exchange reminded me just how cool Wesley has been the past few seasons and his do what has to be done attitude.
The ending is near perfect, leaves a little mystery in exactly what Connor knows and what he doesn’t cause the final scenes can be taken in a few different ways. Adding to that it could be the perfect send off for Connor if he is never seen again.
The episode has a lot of laughs, most of which come at the expense of Spike who is trying to test Illyria’s abilities. But it turns into him just being thrown around and beaten by her. It really looks like Amy Acker is having fun playing this new character; after all there are a lot of differences between Illyria and Fred from body movements, to attitude, to the way she speaks. It’s just as fun to watch her deliver her performance, as I’m sure it is to play.
Adam Baldwin also appeared in another scene besides the one where he talked to Angel about Connor. The other is interesting, as he goes to the suburban hell where Gunn is and tries to offer him something. Gunn does not hear him out as he would rather remain and be tortured than help. I must say, I don’t know a lot about Baldwin or his other parts (most notable his role in Whedon’s sci-fi western Firefly) but he brings an imposing presence to the screen as the new liaison. It’ll be interesting to see where this is heading.
‘Origin’ is one of the best written episodes of the shows fifth season and maybe the series, with only a handful left it looks like the show will go out on a high note. Only one thing bothered me in this episode and it is only a minor disappointment and that was the battle between Connor and Sahjahn. The fact that it did not seem to last long, especially after Wesley broke the memory spell (which adds to the mystery of did it effect Connor inside the magical room or not). The battle could have, should have been more brutal. Here’s hoping the remaining episodes are just as good (if not better) than this one.
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhhalf.jpg
Quick Rating: Great!!!
Story Title: ‘Origin’
“I’d like to keep Spike as my pet…”
Writer: Drew Goddard
Director: Terrence O'Hara
Cast: David Boreanaz, Alexis Denisof, J. August Richards, Amy Acker, James Marsters, Andy Hallett, and Mercedes McNab.
Guest Starring: Vincent Kartheiser and Adam Baldwin.
Warning: Some Spoilers Ahead!
I’m relatively new to reviewing and I knew taking on the duties of reviewing Angel would not be easy, from both a fan, reviewer, and the time stand points. Especially at a weekly rate and this episode proved to be the hardest so far.
What is there to say about an episode that had everything? Comedy? Check! Action? Check! Drama? Check! Mystery? Check! Creepiness? Check! Questions answered? Check! There is so much that could be said about this episode that I’m left with exactly what should I say.
‘Origin sees the return of one of the more colorful characters to appear in this series, Connor, Angel’s son…though he isn’t his son but he is. Confused? It’s understandable; all you need to know is Connor is the son of two vampires Darla and Angel. After being born he was taken away to another dimension where he aged and came back what in reality was only weeks later as a teenager.
After a spell of fighting Angel…fighting along side Angel, the father got an offer he could not refuse. Giving his son what he deserved most, a real family, the cost? Clearing everyone’s memory of Connor and creating new ones for both the boy and everyone who ever came into contact with him. But of course Angel, the tortured soul that he is decided to keep those memories for himself and never asked how it happened. As long as Wolfram & Hart did it and here is where it all comebacks to haunt him.
Connor’s ‘parents’ visit Wolfram & Hart after their son is struck by a van and is unharmed. Angel wants nothing to do with this, after all it hits too close to home and he can’t take the chance of the others finding out about the deal he made (or Connor). He only agrees to it after a talk with the new liaison Hamilton, with some hilarious and tense dialogue between the two he explains that an outside source is responsible for the attack on Connor.
Angel comes to Connor and his family’s rescue and it all leads to a powerful warlock named Vale (the creepiness factor), very frail and old, he was responsible for reworking all of the memories for Wolfram & Hart when Angel came aboard. He has a problem in a demon named Sahjahn who Angel has fought before, somewhat unsuccessfully (it’s all in how you look at it) and he explains to Angel why he wanted to bring Connor back. It seems a prophecy tales of the one person who can kill Sahjahn and of course that one person is Connor. Vale uses Angel’s secret to force him into helping him, by getting Connor to face the other demon.
While all of this is going on, Wesley is trying to figure out who Vale is and more importantly why Angel is acting the way he is. It leads to one of the best scenes of this episode and the entire season, Wesley (with Illyria) confronts Angel about the secrets behind Vale. This exchange reminded me just how cool Wesley has been the past few seasons and his do what has to be done attitude.
The ending is near perfect, leaves a little mystery in exactly what Connor knows and what he doesn’t cause the final scenes can be taken in a few different ways. Adding to that it could be the perfect send off for Connor if he is never seen again.
The episode has a lot of laughs, most of which come at the expense of Spike who is trying to test Illyria’s abilities. But it turns into him just being thrown around and beaten by her. It really looks like Amy Acker is having fun playing this new character; after all there are a lot of differences between Illyria and Fred from body movements, to attitude, to the way she speaks. It’s just as fun to watch her deliver her performance, as I’m sure it is to play.
Adam Baldwin also appeared in another scene besides the one where he talked to Angel about Connor. The other is interesting, as he goes to the suburban hell where Gunn is and tries to offer him something. Gunn does not hear him out as he would rather remain and be tortured than help. I must say, I don’t know a lot about Baldwin or his other parts (most notable his role in Whedon’s sci-fi western Firefly) but he brings an imposing presence to the screen as the new liaison. It’ll be interesting to see where this is heading.
‘Origin’ is one of the best written episodes of the shows fifth season and maybe the series, with only a handful left it looks like the show will go out on a high note. Only one thing bothered me in this episode and it is only a minor disappointment and that was the battle between Connor and Sahjahn. The fact that it did not seem to last long, especially after Wesley broke the memory spell (which adds to the mystery of did it effect Connor inside the magical room or not). The battle could have, should have been more brutal. Here’s hoping the remaining episodes are just as good (if not better) than this one.
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhhalf.jpg