Episode Trivia
(Non) Irish Doyle
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The character of Doyle wasn’t originally intended to be Irish, but was written that way when Dublin-born Glenn Quinn got the part. This was the first role in which he could use his own Irish accent. He said in an interview with The Irish Times in July 1999:
“I’ve been hiding it for so long that it’s amazing to have some freedom. It was like putting on an old pair of shoes–it’s bringing my soul back to life.”
Jane Espenson said in her commentary for 1.05 Rm W/A Vu that Glenn often had to redub his lines to sound more Americanised as his accent was sometimes hard to understand. This was often the case with ‘th’ sounds, which Glenn would pronounce as ‘t’.
Angel credits
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In the episode 3.01 Anne, there is a shot of a lonely-looking woman standing on the streets of L.A. The same image is used in the opening credits of the spin-off series Angel.
Angel theme
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When looking for the theme tune for Angel, music co-ordinator John King put out a call to local bands who might be interested in having their music heard every week on TV. He describes what he was asked for in Angel: The Casefiles Vol 1.:
“I just quoted Joss. He said: “I’m looking for Batman meets Smashing Pumpkins a la cello-rock”.
Beautiful Life
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During Cordy’s meditation scene in 1.01 City of, the book in front of her (with a dollar sign on it) is called Meditation: For A Beautiful Life by Amanda Smith. Dr Ronald Meltzer has the same book in his personal library in the episode 1.04 I Fall To Pieces.
Billy Dee Williams
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Doyle says in 1.01 City of:
“You know, I’m parched from all this yakkin’ man. Let’s go treat me to a Billy D”.
This is a reference to the Billy Dee Williams (Lando Carlissian in Star Wars) commercials for Colt 45 Malt Liquor.
Blood tasting
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In the original script for the Angel episode 1.01 City of, Angel was going to taste Tina’s blood after her death, but the scene was cut. The intention was to show that Angel is really on the edge, but it was decided that it was enough that he wasn’t able to save Tina.
In their commentary for the season one DVD, Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt mention that the original idea for the episode was to have Angel tasting the blood of a victim he tried to help.
City directions
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The following are two stage directions from the script for 1.01 City of:
A woman’s laugh draws Angel’s gaze to three GOOD LOOKING GUYS shooting pool with TWO GOOD LOOKING YOUNG WOMEN nearby. They’re laughing, having a good time. One of the guys gets behind one of the women (JANICE, who may resemble Buffy) helping her line up a shot.
and
Angel leaps over the last car and - cool action hero that he is - lands in a convertible. Problem is: it’s the wrong convertible.
City of flashbacks
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A few flashback scenes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are seen in the opening episode of Angel, 1.01 City of, whilst Doyle is telling Angel the story of his life:
Doyle: “Once upon a time there was a vampire. And he was the meanest vampire in all the land.” (Flashback to Angel biting Daniel and Margaret in 3.10 Amends and the girl in the alley in 2.14 Innocence). “All the other vampires were afraid of him, he was such a - bastard. Then one day he’s cursed – by gypsies.” (Flashback to the gypsy lady speaking the curse in 2.21 Becoming (Part One)) “They restore his human soul. And all of a sudden he is mad with guilt. You know: ‘What have I done?’ You know, he’s freaked.”
Angel: “Oh, okay, now I’m sleepy”
Doyle: “Yeah, well, it’s a fairly dull tale. It needs a little sex, is my feeling. So sure enough: enter the girl.” (Flash to scenes of Buffy from 3.01 Anne) “Pretty little blonde thing, vampire Slayer by trade. And our vampire falls madly in love with her.” (Flash to Angel and Buffy kissing in 3.07 Revelations) “Eventually the two of them, - well, they get fleshy with one another. Well, I guess the technical term is perfect happiness. But when our boy gets there…” (Flash to dream sequence from 3.10 Amends) “he goes bad again. He kills again. It’s ugly. So when he gets his soul back for the second time, he figures hey, he can’t be any where near Miss Young Puppy Eyes without endangering them both. So what does he do? He takes off.” (Flash to Angel walking away in 3.22 Graduation Day (Part Two)) “Goes to L.A. To fight evil - and atone for his crimes. He’s a shadow, - a faceless champion of the hapless human race. – Say you wouldn’t have a beer of any kind in here, would you?”
Cordelia’s surnames
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Cordelia has a habit of giving people sarcastic new surnames.
She has called Angel:
- “Mr. I Was Alive for 200 Years and Never Developed an Investment Portfolio” in 1.01 City of.
- “Mr. I can’t tail the suspect during the day because I’ll burst into flames Private Eye” in 1.15 The Prodigal.
- “Mr. ‘oh, you’re my big, fat hero!” in 3.05 Fredless.
- “Mr. Distance” in 1.17 Eternity.
- “Mr. Killing Spree” In 3.02 Dead Man’s Party.
- “Mr. ‘I’m so tortured’” in 1.11 Somnambulist.
- “Angel? Mr. Bumpy-face? Hello?” in 4.04 Slouching Toward Bethlehem.
She has called Gunn:
- “Mr. I don’t take orders - now where do I stick my axe?” in 2.11 Redefinition.
- “Mr. Rationalization” in 2.03 First Impressions.
She has called Lorne:
- “Mr. Big Mojo-guy” in 2.11 Redefinition.
- “Mr. Green-Mojo-Guy” in 2.20 Over The Rainbow.
She has called Wesley:
- “Mr. Fussy Pants” in 2.05 Dear Boy.
- “Mr. Grouchy Pants” in 1.16 The Ring.
- “Mr. Don’t Talk to Me Before I’ve Had my Flagon of Oatbran in the Morning” in 1.16 The Ring
- “Mr. Star-schmoozer” in The 2.08 Shroud Of Rahmon.
- “Mr. Too-much-cologne” in 1.14 I’ve Got You Under My Skin.
Others have also been named by Cordy:
- To Xander: “Mr. Excitement” in 3.13 The Zeppo.
- To Devon: “Mr. I’m-the-lead-singer-I’m-so-great- I-don’t-have-to-show-up- for-my-date-or- even-call” in 2.06 Halloween.
- To Xander: “Mr. Faithful” in 3.01 Anne.
- To Wesley and Gunn: “Mr. and Mrs. Bickerson” in 3.05 Fredless.
- To Pierce: “Mr. Armani” in 1.07 Bachelor Party.
- To Barney: “Mr. Emotional Radar” in 1.10 Parting Gifts.
- To Kate and Angel: “Mr. and Mrs. Spock” in 1.06 Sense And Sensitivity.
Cordelia has also thrown in a few Misses in her name calling. She has called Buffy:
- “Little Miss Likes-to-fight” in 3.22 Graduation Day (Part Two).
- “Miss Not-Over-Yourself-Yet” in 3.07 Revelations.
- “Miss Save-The-World” in 2.13 Surprise.
Cordelia has even called herself a name:
- “Miss one-foot-in-the-grave” in 5.12 You’re Welcome.
Cordy’s connection
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In 1.01 City of, Doyle says of Cordelia:
“You made a good choice. She’ll provide a connection to the world.”
This could be interpreted as a foreshadow of the fact that she does indeed provide a connection to the world when he passes on his visions to her in 1.09 Hero.
David and Sarah’s cameos
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David Boreanaz and Sarah Michelle Gellar had cameo parts in each others’ season première episodes. In 4.01 The Freshman, Buffy notices someone who looks like Angel in the Bronze (we see David for a split second). In the Angel episode 1.01 City of, a lonely Angel calls Buffy’s house. She answers the phone (seen in 4.01 The Freshman when she goes home to her mother) but he rings off. We briefly hear Sarah’s voice on the phone in City Of.
David Greenwalt
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David Greenwalt was a writer, director and executive producer on Buffy, and the co-creator, director, writer and executive producer on Angel. David was a director on The Wonder Years, and a writer and producer for The X-Files and Doogie Howser MD. David’s UPN show Jake 2.0 (which starred Christopher Gorham, who played doomed lover James in 2.19 I Only Have Eyes For You) was cancelled after only the first season. The show ran at the same time as Angel. David used to be a body double for Jeff Bridges. His nickname is Greenie.
David on Joss and W&H
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David Greenwalt (Angel’s Executive Producer) said in an interview with Angel:The Casefiles Vol.1 about the difference between working on Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
“Well, first of all I have Joss, and secondly Joss eats, sleeps and lives Buffy 24 hours a day and I eat, sleep and live Angel 17 hours a day”
In that interview, David also talks about why they picked a law firm as a haven for monsters:
Joss came up with the idea [for] Angel, to say we need some overarching villainous group that is not, you know, a black ops group or not monstrous. And he had this idea of a law firm. Wolfram & Hart. What Joss loved about using a law firm is that they broker deals for people. In the first episode they just represent the bad guy. They are not per se evil themselves, they just represent, they make deals. I love writing Wolfram & Hart, and we have a number of terrific running characters.
Double stake
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A bit of continuity in 5.10 Soul Purpose is the way Spike stakes the two vampires in the alley, with the wrist stakes. This is a copy of the shot in 1.01 City of, where Angel did the same thing, implying that Spike is taking his place.
Failed first mission
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In 5.10 Soul Purpose, Lindsay says to Spike:
“From what I hear, Angel didn’t save the girl on his first mission.”
This is a reference to Tina, the first “helpless” person Angel tried to save after Doyle’s vision in 1.01 City of. She was killed by Russell Winters (Lindsay’s client).
First time we met
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In 5.12 You’re Welcome, Lindsay and Angel have the following conversation:
Angel: “I’ve seen your tough act before, squirt. First time we ever met, you put on a show. Huffing and puffing, telling me I couldn’t lay a hand on your scumbag client.”
Lindsay: “So you kicked him out a window.”
This is a reference to 1.01 City of, where we see Angel kick Russell Winters out the window.
Fourteen wars
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In 1.01 City of, Angel comments on how many wars he has seen during his life:
Doyle: “Wow, you’re really going to war here. - I guess you – ah - you’ve seen a few in your time, yeah?”
Angel: “14, not including Vietnam. They never declared it.”
Gus Gus
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At Margo’s party in 1.01 City of, we hear “Ladyshave” and “Teenage Sensation” by Gus Gus.
Howie Beck
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Maybe I Belong by Howie Beck is playing while Angel watches Tina at the Coffee Spot, in 1.01 City of.
Lindsey as Riley?
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Christian Kane, who played Wolfram and Hart lawyer Lindsey McDonald on Angel, originally auditioned for the role of Buffy’s Riley Finn. He told EW.com:
“I auditioned for Buffy, for the role that Marc Blucas has”.
Missoula
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In 1.01 City of, Tina tells Angel that she’s from Missoula, Montana. Angel accidentally slips up by telling her that he had been there during the Depression. He quickly recovers:
Angel: “Where’s home.”
Tina: “Missoula, Montana. You’ve been to Missoula?”
Angel: “During the depression. - Ah, my depression. I-I was depressed there. - It’s pretty country though.”
He is referring to The Great Depression, which began after the stock market crashed. The crash occurred on October 29, 1929 and was termed Black Tuesday.
Not really a cure for that
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In City Of, Cordy and Angel meet:
Cordelia: “So are you still… Grr?”
Angel: “Yeah, there’s not actually a cure for that.”
We later learn that there is a cure - in 1.08 I Will Remember You Angel turns human after coming in contact with the blood of a Morah demon whose veins are said to run with the blood of eternity.
Russell Winters
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Russell Winters was a rich vampire with a taste for young, attractive women. He paid his legal firm, Wolfram & Hart, to keep his murderous nature a secret and to supply him with victims. He killed Tina, whom Angel was trying to protect and turned his interests to Cordelia, who he saw at a video of a Hollywood party. After realising Russell was a vampire - and just how vulnerable she was - Cordy was saved by Angel, who later pushed Winters from a high-rise window in 1.01 City of. The sunlight dusted him before he even hit the ground.
Tina
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Tina was a young woman who lived in fear of the powerful Russell Winters. Not realising he was a vampire, she got entangled in his life when he offered her money, and discovered herself unable to escape his clutches. Doyle had a vision that Tina was in danger in 1.01 City of and sent Angel to meet her at a coffee shop - Angel’s first case in L.A. After initially believing he was sent by Russell, Tina began to trust Angel, who saved her from thugs at a Hollywood party. After seeing Angel’s vamp face - Tina ran away from Angel - only to be killed by Winters in her own apartment.
Tracy Middendorf
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Tracy Middendorf played Tina in the first episode of Angel, City Of. Born in Miami Beach, Florida, she has played Carrie Brady on the soap opera Days of Our Lives, Risa Helms in two episodes of Ally McBeal, Adele in Six Feet Under, Laura Kingman in Beverly Hills, 90210, Carla Matheson in 24. Tracy has also appeared in House and El Cortez.
Tracy is married to Franz Wisner (author of Honeymoon with My Brother), and has two children.
V8
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In 1.01 City of, Angel says:
“Russell? Let me guess. Not big on the daylight and the mirrors? Drinks a lot of V8?”
V8 is a mixed vegetable drink, consisting mainly of tomatoes, and is a bright red colour.
Vikings
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In 1.01 City of, Doyle says:
“Well, listen, best of luck to you man. I’ve got some fairly large coin riding on the Vikings tonight, but I’ll be there with you in spirit, yeah?”
This is a reference to the Minnesota Vikings, a football team in the NFL.
In the same episode, Angel says to the guard:
Angel: “How’re you doing. I think we’re lost. We are looking for a Roscomere. What are you watching? Is that the game? (leans into the guard booth) The Vikings on?”
Vyto Ruginis
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Vyto Ruginis played vampire boss Russell Winters in 1.01 City of. Vyto has appeared in numerous films and television shows including Women’s Murder Club, The Unit, ER, Law & Order, JAG, The X Files, The Devil’s Advocate, Cliffhanger and Jumpin’ Jack Flash.
W&H’s L and M
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In Angel, many of the Wolfram & Hart lawyers have first names that begin with ‘L’ and surnames beginning with ‘M’ (Lindsey MacDonald, Lilah Morgan, Lee Mercer, Linwood Murrow).
Wellwater Conspiracy
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At the beginning of City Of, the song playing in the pool hall is Right of Left Field by Wellwater Conspiracy.
Whistler on Angel
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There’s a rumour that the character of Whistler, seen in 2.21 Becoming (Part One), was originally intended to be in the spin-off show Angel, but Max Perlich (the actor who played Whistler in Becoming) wasn’t able to commit to the series so the character of Doyle was created.
Window memories
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The following conversation is from 1.18 Five By Five:
Lindsey: “Well, we’ll just add slander to breaking and entering. While we’re on the subject, I remember you throwing one of my clients through a window. Killed him if I’m not mistaken.”
Angel: “Yes. I seem to remember. (Turns to point at the window) The window was just about that size. Hmm. Too bad the body burned up before it hit the ground. I might have needed a good lawyer.”
They are referring to Russell Winters in City Of.
[Goof] Angel opening reflection
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After Angel has killed the vampires at the beginning of City Of, he turns and walks away. This shot is used at the end of the credits sequence in every episode. If you look at the puddle beside him you can easily see his reflection.
[Goof] Vamp reflection
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When Angel kicks Russell Winters out of the window in 1.01 City of, you can see his reflection in the building windows when he is falling.