Angel

[rhienelleth]

Just when I thought season five was going to fade into mediocrity and leave me caring less about it, the characters, the show being cancelled, etc, we suddenly get these wonderful, amazing episodes, among the best Angel has ever produced. It began with the show's 100th ep, of course. Then we had last week's surprise puppet hit. And now last night.

Last night's ep was, IMHO, perfect. Perfect. We had the characters acting like themselves again. Things were addressed that have been left annoying unsaid of late. The episode wasn't just about a plot, but actual emotion and character driven story.

Now, those of you that may be seeing parallels here to last season, and the atrociously bad storyline that was the Cordy/Jasmine train wreck, let me assure you that I, too, saw the similarities. No one could possibly have loathed and despised last season more than I. But I believe, firmly, that the similarities will end with what we saw last night. I don't think she (whatever Fred has become) is going to be a Jasmine redux. I don't. I think, especially if the previews are any indication, that it's going to be so much better than that.

Allow me to speculate, just for a moment:

**The whole 'peace/love/we love you Jasmine' storyline never did a damn thing for me. It not once made me sit up and take notice, except to say "Wow, there had to be a better way to deal with Charisma Carpenter's pregnancy than this."

**I've already sat up, taken notice, and squee'd excitedly about this story arc, and it's only been the first ep so far. The special effects make Fred look damn cool, and according to previews, she's going to be kick butt, too. I kinda hope when they get her back, they keep the cool new look and stuff. Having super powers wouldn't be a bad thing for Fred.

**Joss Whedon personally wrote that ep. I don't know how many more he's penning, but having his personal touch on the story arc cannot be a bad thing.

**I don't think Fred is going to be the Big Bad. I think this will all have something to do with the Big Bad, but I don't think this turn of events is IT. (This is just a feeling I have, and is in no way based on spoilers or anything concrete.)

Stuff I really, really loved in this ep:

**Gunn, being Gunn again. The way he responded to the whole crisis, how he reacted when he found out his own part in it, and Knox's. Actually acknowledging and talking about his former relationship with Fred. About freaking time.

**Angel mentioned Cordy! He mentioned her! "I lost Cordy." *sniff*

**Fred to Lorne: "If people could be green, they'd choose to be your color of green, cause it's beautiful." (I'm paraphrasing here, but *sniff*.)

**Wes and Fred. Poor Wes. Poor Fred. Poor, poor Wes. He just can't seem to win.

**The guy guarding the Hole in the World -- what was his name? Anyway, he was cool. I'd like to see him continue on in this story arc, but doubt it will happen. No, we'll never get to find out what his history with Angel is, or why he can't tell a lie (had to be from before he became the guardian, because Angel was surprised to see him there, but knew he couldn't lie.)

**Fred's new look, even though it isn't Fred. Wow, did she ever look kick ass.