Angel S3-02: The Short Review

'That Vision Thing'

Written by Jeffrey Bell

Directed by Bill Norton

"It's not about winning, Cordelia. It's about what's at stake. And in this particular scenario, you were way more important than winning" - Angel.

I really, truly think that there is a classic episode here, struggling to get out. There are a lot of really neat ideas, from the Host's attempt to trace the source of the visions to the whole blackmail scenario - but somehow, none of them seem to be explored in quite enough depth. As it stands, 'That Vision Thing' is a good, solid episode; but with just a little more polish, it could have been something truly memorable.

There are several things that seem just a little off. A case in point is Angel's acceptance of Wolfram and Hart's blackmail. I don't have a problem believing that he would do whatever he had to to save Cordelia; but I expected to see slightly more resistance. He seemed far too willing to believe that Lilah, of all people, would keep her side of the bargain. Of course, in the end we find out that he was just playing along until he could take out the psychic affecting Cordelia; but you would have thought he would have put on a better show for Lilah's benefit.

Another example is the treatment of the Angel-Cordelia relationship, which forms the core of the episode. Throughout, the tone teeters on just the right side of overdoing it; we know how much Angel cares for Cordelia - we've seen it. What we don't need is characters telling us how much he cares for her; it is, to my mind, a far less effective way of getting the point across. I'm also nervous about where this might go in the future. Traditionally, the first few episodes of a season hint at the themes to be developed over the course of that season, and if there's one thing I don't want to see develop it's an Angel-Cordelia romance. The show simply doesn't need it. Having said that, I think I could stand a story about misplaced love - Angel confusing friendship with romantic feeling, for instance - especially if it was unrequited. That would be a story with something to say, rather than just a relationship for the sake of it.

'That Vision Thing' also seems to be an episode that it is difficult to judge entirely in isolation, without knowing what might happen later. If, for example, nothing is heard of the released prisoner again, it would be a serious disappointment, and I would have a major problem with Angel's relaxed attitude to letting him go. If, on the other hand, he comes back (which I think is more than likely, given the dramatic lightning and brooding glances we got), I have high hopes that this issue will be dealt with. Angel is living according to his epiphany, one day at a time, which is interesting in itself, but I can't help wondering whether he might find out that it isn't the whole story. That a focus on the here and now doesn't excuse him from worrying about what consequences might result from his actions. I think there's a fair chance that something like this will come to pass, because just as Angel finishes saying that he can't care about the consequences of his decisions, we cut to his most recent serious consequence and see that she's about to come back and deliver a wake-up call.

Similarly, although we may be supposed to assume that psychic hackers who can tap into the vision network are extremely rare, and that even when they do exist they can't help causing telltale physical side-effects, the episode still raises issues about the trustworthiness of the visions. However, we know the visions are taking a steadily-increasing toll on Cordelia, and that there has to be resolution; it's possible that their unreliability could be used down the line as an argument for ridding her of them. Other loose ends include the sudden appearance of the fumigators at the Hyperion, and Angel apparently being let into Wolfram and Hart's offices by Gavin Parks.

On the up side, it's good to see the return of Angel: Vamp Detective, and Fred seems to be fitting in nicely. Despite her having been only peripherally involved in the two episodes so far this season, I already have a fondness for the character - and she's made visible progress in making contact with the world again. Fred brings a quality of innocence to the proceedings that contrasts nicely with the often-jaded worldviews of the others. There was also, of course, the sublime Skip, and the appealingly phlegmatic Gavin Parks. The latter's relationship to Lilah was especially interesting; it is a different dynamic to the Lindsey/Lilah relationship because Gavin appears to be clearly the junior at the moment, but perhaps with the ambition to unseat Lilah. The final Darla scene was reassuring; the writers haven't just thrown continuity to the wind - it turns out that Darla is as shocked and confused as the rest of us. Finally, the episode made me think; think about the characters' relationships to each other, about the role of the PTB, even about the morality of Angel. And that has to be a good thing.