Episode Trivia
Angel Investigations AKA
details | 1 comment | suggested by Mel
Nicknames for Angel Investigations throughout the seven seasons of Angel have been:
- “A bunch of proto-losers” by Cordelia in 4.06 Spin The Bottle
- “Fearless vampire killers” by Lorne in 4.06 Spin The Bottle
- “A bunch of superheroes” by Roger Burkle in 3.05 Fredless
- “A demon-hunting, helpless-helping, dysfunctional family” by Fred in 5.03 Unleashed
- “Bunch of pantywaists” by Skip in 4.17 Inside Out
- “Little gang of supernatural detectives” by Darla in 3.07 Offspring
- “One big happy Manson family” by Spike in 5.22 Not Fade Away
- “Plucky little boatload of good” by Hamilton in 5.19 Time Bomb
- “Team Angel” by Gunn in 4.04 Slouching Toward Bethlehem
- “Team Angel” by Faith in 4.13 Salvage
- “Suckers at Angel, Inc” by Angelus in 4.13 Salvage
Darla, The First?
details | 3 comments | suggested by Bakatulip
When Darla appears to Connor in 4.17 Inside Out, he is the only person who can see her. This is similar to the M.O. of The First, who was at the time terrorizing Sunnydale.
It may be possible that the First foresaw the arrival of Jasmine and might have wanted to ward off anything that might interfere with it’s own apocalypse, and was thus trying to convince Connor to not bring it forth. Pure speculation, but fun speculation nonetheless.
Harsh and cruel theme
details | add a comment | suggested by Meghann
A theme present within season four of Angel is that the world is a harsh and cruel place. It’s first presented to us in 4.01 Deep Down:
Angel: “What you did to me - was unbelievable, Connor. - But then I got stuck in a hell dimension by my girlfriend one time for a hundred years, so three months under the ocean actually gave me perspective. Kind of a M. C. Esher perspective - but I did get time to think. About us, about the world. - Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. - It’s harsh, and cruel. - But that’s why there’s us. Champions. It doesn’t matter where we come from, what we’ve done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world was what it should be, to show it what it can be. - You’re not a part of that yet. - I hope you will be. I love you, Connor. Now get out of my house.”
Connor turns Angel’s words around on him in 4.10 Awakening:
“Why? Nothing in this world is the way it ought to be. It’s harsh and cruel—Because of you!”
In 4.17 Inside Out, Connor speaks to Cordelia:
Connor: “I wanted to see you again. I had to, to know that you’re still here… with me. I’m sorry I haven’t— It’s started, Cordy. The new beginning. Just wish you’d wake up and see it. Just what you wanted. I mean… it is what you wanted, right? Why you came to me? You know…what this was all about? Protecting our baby—Jasmine—so she can…be, and make this world the… the kind of place you wanted. And it is better. Not harsh and cruel—the way that angel likes it so he has a reason to fight. ‘Cause you know that’s what he’s about, him and the others. Finding reasons to fight. Like that’s what gives their lives any meaning. The only damn thing! I’m not like them. I just… I want to stop. Stop fighting. I just want to rest. God, I want to rest. But I can’t. It’s not working, Cordy. I tried. I tried to believe. I wanted it. Went along with the… the flow. Jasmine, she’s…she’s bringing peace to everyone, purging all of their hate and anger. But not me. Not me! I know she’s a lie. Jasmine. My whole life’s been built on them. I just… I guess I thought this one was better than the others.
And finally, in 4.22 Home:
Lilah: “Again, your choice. Think of what you can do with the resources of Wolfram & Hart at your fingertips, the difference that would make. Nothing in this world is the way it ought to be. It’s harsh, and it’s cruel, but that’s why there’s you, Angel. You live as if the world were as it should be. With all this, you can make it that way. People don’t need an unyielding champion. They need a man who knows the value of compromise and how to beat the system from inside the belly of the beast.”
Lizzie Borden
details | 7 comments | suggested by Meghann
Lizzie Borden has been mentioned twice during the course of Angel. The first time was in 1.14 I’ve Got You Under My Skin while discussing the Ethros demon:
Wesley: “Oh, it can’t hurt you. Only the demon itself is dangerous.”
Cordy: “How dangerous?”
Wesley: “Tends to go in for mass murder. - You’ve heard of Lizzie Borden? She killed her parents with an axe?”
Cordy: “I remember the children’s rhyme. And how come they’re all full of death and cradles falling, and mice getting tails cut off? Anyway, the whole thing needs a ratings system, don’t you think?”
The second mention is from 4.17 Inside Out:
Gunn: “Wait a minute. When Gwen and I came in, faux Cordy didn’t have any blood on its clothes. How’d it abracadabra that?”
Wesley: “Lizzie Borden. It wasn’t wearing any.”
Lizzie Andrew Borden (July 19, 1860 – June 1, 1927) was a New England spinster and central figure in the axe murders of her father and stepmother on August 4, 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts. Although acquitted, no one else was ever tried, and she has remained notorious in American folklore. The slayings, trial, and the following trial by media became a cause célèbre; and the fame of the incident has endured in American pop culture and criminology. Dispute over the identity of the killer or killers continues to this day.
The rhyme based on Lizzie goes as follows:
Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks.
And when she saw what she had done
She gave her father forty-one.
One can tour and stay over at the home of the murders. This website provides information on the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast.
Nobody comes back from paradise
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In the Angel season four episode 4.17 Inside Out, the demon Skip says the following line to Angel about Cordy ascending to a higher plain:
“Whoa, wait. Nobody comes back from paradise. Okay, a Slayer once but…”
This is a reference to Buffy coming back from heaven in season six’s 6.01 Bargaining (Part One).
Special Julie
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Julie Benz is credited as a “Special Guest Star” in the Angel episode 4.17 Inside Out.
Spider-Man
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Spider-Man is a popular Marvel comic starring Peter Parker, who leads a double life as superhero Spider-Man. Made into two successful movies starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. There are many similarities between Peter and Buffy, as she too is trying to lead a normal life, and (occasionally) make a living, whilst saving the world. Spider-Man has been mentioned in numerous Buffy and Angel episodes, including:
- 1.07 Angel - The Master says, “With power comes responsibility”, which is the motto of the Spider-Man comics and movie.
- 1.08 I Robot, You Jane - Buffy says, “My spider-sense is tingling”.
- 4.12 A New Man - Riley says to Buffy, “You’re strong. Like Spider-Man strong”.
- 5.05 No Place Like Home - Ben suggests Buffy’s strength comes from a “Radioactive spider bite”.
- 6.04 Flooded - Anya and Dawn argue over if Spider-Man charges for helping people - Xander reminds them that “Action is his reward”.
- 6.21 Two To Go - Andrew says, “Lex Luthor had a false epidermis escape kit in Superman Versus the Amazing Spider-Man Treasury edition”
- 7.05 Selfless - Xander says, “This isn’t springy high-flying fun!”
- 7.10 Bring On The Night - Andrew says “My spider-sense is tingling”.
- 4.17 Inside Out - Cordy says “That’s it? I get away with bringing the world down around you and two eensy words tingle your spider sense?”
- Additionally, Buffy stuntman Erik Betts was director Sam Raimi’s choice for doubling actor Tobey Maquire for the movie Spider-Man, but was told by the costume designer that his shoulders were too large. Nicholas Brendon auditioned for the role of Spider-Man in the movie.
Steven DeKnight
details | add a comment | suggested by Jess
Steven DeKnight was a writer on Buffy and a writer and director on Angel. He was also a supervising producer and writer on Smallville. Steven met Joss Whedon originally to talk about the animated version of Buffy, but eventually Joss asked him to write for the show itself.
[Goof] Moving bruise
details | add a comment | suggested by Mel
When Connor punches the young girl in 4.17 Inside Out, a bruise is visible on her face, but when we see her lying dead after Cordelia kills her, the bruise is not there.