Episode Trivia
A hero on tape
details | 3 comments | suggested by Mel
In 5.12 You’re Welcome, Angel finds Cordelia watching the video tape of Doyle that was made in season one and was last seen in the episode 1.09 Hero in which Doyle died.
Anthony Cistaro
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Anthony Cistaro played the Ethros demon in 1.14 I’ve Got You Under My Skin, and the Scourge commander Trask in 1.09 Hero. He has also been in Alias, Friends, She Spies, Witchblade, Alright Already, The Nanny, Seinfeld, Cheers and The Method.
Baldwin brothers
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In 1.09 Hero, Cordelia mentions hiring “one of the cheaper Baldwins” for the AI commercial. This is a reference to a group of acting brothers, who include Alec, William, Steven and Daniel.
Brachen demons
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Brachen demons have red eyes, spiked greenish skin, and are very strong. They are also reputed to have a good sense of direction. One of the clans lived in Oregon woods for a time. Doyle’s father, whom he never met, was a Brachen demon, making Doyle part-demon too.
Braveheart
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Cordelia says in 1.09 Hero:
“He’s a larger than life character, way too Braveheart for Joe Couch Potato to relate to.”
This is a reference to Mel Gibson’s film about William Wallace.
Carnival Cruises
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In the Angel episode 1.09 Hero, the following piece of dialogue is heard:
Cordelia: “So we’re booking them on a cruise?”
Doyle: “Basically, yeah.”
Cordelia: “I’m guessing not Carnival.”
This is a reference to the Carnival Cruise Lines company. It planted the idea for shorter and cheaper cruises, and its line of ships are known as The Fun Ships.
Death to the cast
details | 16 comments | suggested by Jess
Many of the main Angel cast have been killed or near death. Angel was killed and vamped in 1753; Doyle was killed in 1.09 Hero; Gunn was electrocuted by Gwen and revived in 4.02 Ground State; Wesley’s throat was slashed in 3.16 Sleep Tight, he was shot in 2.14 The Thin Dead Line and finally killed in 5.22 Not Fade Away; Cordelia was comatose for most of season five before dying in 5.12 You’re Welcome; and Fred was killed when Illyria took over her body in 5.15 A Hole In The World.
Everyman
details | add a comment | suggested by Wynter
In 1.09 Hero, in regards to Doyle’s acting performance, Cordelia says:
“I don’t know. I’m not getting Everyman.”
This is a term used in literature and drama which describes an ordinary individual who frequently finds him/her-self in extraordinary situations. Its origins lie in the 16th century play Everyman. Where typical protagonists possess charm, charisma, are talented in everything they do and encounter adventure after adventure (successfully making it through each one), the everyman character is there for the audience to relate to, so they can imagine themselves in the same situation without having to possess knowledge, skills, and abilities outside his or her everyday experience.
This also fits with what Cordelia says earlier about needing someone “who’s average, run of the mill, ordinary…” for the commercial.
Howard Gordon
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Howard Gordon co-wrote the episode 2.09 What’s My Line? (Part One) with Marti Noxon, and was consulting producer on the show. He was also a consulting producer and writer on Angel. He wrote the Angel episodes 1.09 Hero, 1.12 Expecting and 1.16 The Ring. Howard worked with Buffy’s executive producer David Greenwalt before, on an episode of The X-Files. He wrote many episodes and was co-executive producer of both 24 and The X-Files.
Sean Gunn
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Sean Gunn played Lucas in 1.09 Hero, and Mars the Spa Worker in 1.13 She. He has also appeared in Pearl Harbour, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Going to California, Fish Out of Water, Man Who Invented the Moon and Gilmore Girls.
Ship scenes
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The pier that was used for the scenes with the ship in 1.09 Hero was at Southwest Marine, in Sanpedro/Long Beach, the Port of Long Beach.
The Man with Two Brains
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During 1.09 Hero, Doyle gets hit with a vision as a women passes by. In order to cover up his involuntary convulsions, Cordelia acts as though they are playing charades. She guesses that he is acting out the 1983 flick, The Man with Two Brains:
Cordelia: “Oh, Uh, I know this one! Ah, mask - mask head, ah, The Man with Two Brains!”
The Scourge
details | 4 comments | suggested by Jess
The Scourge are a military organization of pure-blood demons whose intention was to destroy all half-bloods. They attempted to kill a group of Lister demons using the Beacon, a hexagonal machine which disintegrates any creature with human blood within a quarter mile radius of it’s cleansing light. Doyle sacrificed himself to save the demons and destroyed the Beacon in 1.09 Hero.
Tucker Gates
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Tucker Gates directed the Buffy episode 4.04 Fear, Itself and the Angel episode 1.09 Hero. Tucker has also directed episodes of Skin, CSI: Miami, Roswell, Providence, Cracker, Dark Skies, and The X Files.