SPEAK THE SPEECH
THE GOOD
Cordelia: You’d think that for someone who spends so much time creeping around underground, Angel would know the entire L.A. sewer system by now.
Wesley: There are hundreds of miles of tunnels under this city, Cordelia. I don’t think Angel’s had time to travel through every single one of them.
Cordelia:Well, he should find the time. At least then I’d be able to go home and get my beauty sleep instead of trying to break into the city’s not-so-public records.
Angel (oc): Found anything yet?
Cordelia: How long have you been standing there?
Angel: Not long.
Cordelia: Why do you have to be so quiet when you enter a room? Make some noise once in a while. Would you?
Angel: I’ll try and keep that in mind. That is, when I’m not taking the city’s guided tour of the sewer system.
Cordelia: Well, how was I to know she wouldn’t be able to find a job? Or that she would actually remember something I said to her - in passing - nearly a month ago?
Angel: What’s on your mind?
Cordelia: Okay. You know how you’re always saying that we’re here to help people when they need it?
Angel: I’m vaguely familiar with the concept.
Cordelia: Right. Well, someone needs our help. But it’s not the I’m-being-harrassed-by-demons kind of help.
Angel: What kind is it then?
Cordelia: It’s the I’m-in-need-of-a-job kind.
Angel: Cordelia, there’s barely enough work here for you and Wesley, let alone someone else. What are they going to do? Clean the office?
Cordelia: Kind of. They could do my job.
Angel: Your job. And what’re you going to do?
Cordelia: You could always promote me?
Angel: Promote you? To what?
Cordelia: I don’t know. How about making me an Associate?
Angel: You already are one, Cordelia.
Cordelia: I am?
Angel: It was your idea to start this little business venture. Remember?
Angel: Cordelia and I were just discussing the details of the job.
Paris: She didn’t tell you it was me. Did she?
Angel: She hadn’t quite gotten around to that part.
Paris: If you don’t want me here, I’ll go.
Angel: No. I’m sorry. Please. Stay.
Angel: Are you going to be comfortable working for me?
Paris: Why?
Angel: Because you haven’t been able to look at me since you arrived.
Paris: I can’t.
Angel: You’re still scared of me? (off Paris’ nod) What’s is it about me that scares you so much?
Paris: I don’t know. All I do know is that since I arrive in LA, this office is the only place I feel safe.
Angel: You could have told me it was Paris who was looking for a job before she showed up last night.
Cordelia: Well, I figured if you knew it was her, you wouldn’t give her the job. And given that she doesn’t know about all the things that go bump in the night, I never expected you would actually hire her.
Angel: I had to, Cordelia.
Cordelia: You felt sorry for her, didn’t you?
THE BAD
Angel: Don’t you know it’s not nice to pick on little kids?
Cordelia: Aye aye, Captain.
Angel: It doesn’t hurt to ask a few questions, does it?
Cordelia: Only if you’re the one at the painful end of your fist.
Paris: So, what sort of clientele do we deal with?
Cordelia: Normal people who have problems with demons and vampires and, well, basically all things supernatural.
Paris: No, really. What sort?
Cordelia: What’s with the twenty questions?
Angel: Close but no heart.
THE SAUCY
Cordelia: This doesn’t look very deep.
Angel: It isn’t.
Cordelia: You want me to leave it?
Angel: Yeah.
THE FUNNY
Wesley: Did Angel save the boy?
Cordelia: I guess he did. I kinda went home before he got back.
Wesley: You should have stayed until he returned.
Cordelia: Well, when he starts paying me overtime, then I’ll stay as long as he wants. Anyway, what was all that about when you rushed out of here at five-thirty? Hmmm?
Wesley: I had to pick up my motorcycle from the garage before it closed.
Cordelia: That was your great emergency?
Cordelia: I’m still having major issues with you riding a motorcycle. It’s just not…you.
Wesley: What do you expect me to drive?
Cordelia: I don’t know. Something…James Bond-ish. Something British.
Cordelia: By the way, you never did tell me what you drove back in England. Other than people crazy, that is.
Wesley: If you must know, I drove a Jaguar.
Cordelia: Ooh…very nice.
Wesley: That kept breaking down at the most inconvenient of times. (mutters) Unless piece of junk.
Cordelia: (smirks) Oh.
Wesley: And what do you think she’d do if she came face-to-face with one of these (ref drawing in book)
Cordelia: If she’s smart, she’d turn and run.
Paris: Is he always like this in the morning?
Cordelia: Usually he’s…yeah, pretty much. He is so not a morning person.
Artuno: Kill them!
Cordelia: Not terribly hospitable, are they?
Wesley: They’re killer, Cordelia. I don’t think hospitality is exactly at the top of their to-do list.
Cordelia: Okay, they’re even uglier in person. We really should put them out of their misery. And mine. Wesley, demons that ugly should not be wandering around, especially in those outfits. I mean, are they rejects from the medieval era or what?
Cordelia: Let me go, you ugly freak!
Cordelia: Damn.
Angel: What is it?
Cordelia: I broke two nails. Hey, not funny, guys. Do you know how much I paid for this manicure?
DEMONS, DEMONS, DEMONS
Pregonian Demons
Pregonians are fighting demons that usually work in pairs, but there are never more than five pairs working together at any one time. The demons are strong, extremely ugly and dress like they’re rejects from the medieval era. When they die, they go all gooey and stink. One of their aims is sometimes to stop something big from happening. The best way to deal with them is to separate a pair and fight them one on one. The demons move from one location to the next with some frequency.
DETAILS, DETAILS
NITPICKY FACTS
- the Vision Quest for this episode was of a teenaged boy being attacked by two Pregonian Demons.
- the Villains of the Episode were the Pregonian Demons.
- the Victims of the Episode were a teenaged boy, Angel, Cordelia and Wesley.
- Wesley still rides his motorcycle.
- Paris goes for job interviews at Wilcox Enterprises and Crandell & Finch Law Offices.
- Paris lacks any work skills (ie. Computers, typing, etc)
- Wolfram & Hart is on Paris’ list of potential employers, but she crosses them off.
- Wesley reveals he drove a crappy Jaguar back in England.
- Paris’ apartment is broken in to.
- Paris doesn’t own a TV, VCR or stereo.
- Paris remembers Cordelia saying if she couldn’t find a job to give her a call.
- Angel tells Cordelia that she’s an Associate for Angel Investigations.
- Paris arrives at Angel Investigations before Cordelia can tell Angel who is looking for a job.
- Paris is still scared of Angel and still can’t look him in the eyes.
- Paris has been in Los Angeles for a month.
- Paris’ rent is four hundred dollars a month.
- Paris hasn’t eaten in a day.
- Angel gives Paris $600 which he calls an advance in pay.
- Angel Investigations is the only place Paris feels safe.
- Someone is watching Paris.
- Paris brings doughnuts to the office on her first day of work.
- Angel, Cordelia and Paris are not morning people.
- Paris doesn’t believe that Angel Investigations deal with all things supernatural.
- Angel hired Paris because he felt sorry for her as she was on the verge of becoming homeless and starving.
- Angel asks Cordelia to keep and eye on Paris.
- Angel has not been able to find any information on Paris.
- Cordelia asks for Friday off because she has an audition.
- Paris finds a photo of Buffy and thinks she’s very pretty.
- There is a vampire gang heading to LA presumably to seek out Angel.
- Cordelia says that Paris seems to be a quick learner.
- Cordelia says the episode title.
- The body count for this episode is 10 Pregonian Demons.
REFERBACKS
- Wesley had to pick up his motorcycle from the garage. We first saw Wesley's motorcycle in Parting Gifts.
- Paris has Angel's business card. She was given this in In The Game.
- Paris takes Cordelia up on the offer of employment which was given in In The Game.
- Wesley refers to Paris' demon trouble. Paris encountered some Divani Demons in In The Game.
- Paris was ready to leave LA until Angel convinced her to stay. This occurred in In The Game.
- Angel reminds Cordelia that it was her idea to start Angel Investigations. This happened in City Of....
- Angel tells Cordelia that Paris was on the verge of becoming homeless and starving. This reminds us of Angel living on the streets of New York City in BtVS Becoming Part 1 and BtVS Becoming Part 2.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMMM
- Monica at Wilcox Enterprises is talking on the phone to Mr McDonald. Could this possibly be Lindsey?
- Why is there a vampire gang coming to LA and what do they want with Angel?
- Why doesn’t Paris have any work skills what-so-ever? Did she really grow up in the middle of a big nowhere?
- Does Paris have a really good memory, or did she secretly want to work for Angel Investigations?
- Why has Angel got a great wad of cash lying around in his desk?
- Why would Angel just hand over $600 to a relative stranger?
- Why is Paris scared of Angel when the only place she feels safe is in his office?
- Why does Paris assume that the photo in Angel’s desk drawer is Buffy?
- We wonder what Paris wanted to talk to Cordelia about? Maybe she wants to know about Buffy???
HITS & MISSES
HITS
- Angel saving the teenaged boy from the Pregonian Demons.
- Cordelia and Wesley oblivious to Angel's presence when discussing the tunnel system.
- Cordelia and Angel discussing a possible job for Paris.
- Wesley and Cordelia helping Angel fight the Pregonian Demons.
MISSES
- Paris' apartment being broken in to. What else can happen to her?
- The fact that we still know very little about Paris.
- Angel saying that if Buffy can move on, then so can he.
REVIEW
by Fiona
So what is this episode all about then? Well, on the surface it would seem to be slowly just getting us into the characters, but for me it’s a lot more than that. There are many clues as to what will happen later in the series and importantly the budding relationship between Paris and Angel.
Let’s start at the beginning.
This episode starts with a vision sent to Cordelia of a young boy who is being attacked by 2 demons. Angel rushes out of the office after checking Cordelia will be okay and goes to save the boy. He does this but it’s not as easy as it would normally be for him. It’s just 2 demons, strong yes, but Angel is a very strong and skilled fighter. We would normally expect him to be able to deal with 2 demons quickly and easily, but from the description of the fight, Angel struggles a little. Why? Does he have something or someone on his mind?
The next thing we see is Paris going around to different companies trying to find a job. The first one we see her at is Wilcox Enterprises and the receptionist is speaking to someone on the phone called Mr McDonald. Co-incidence? However that particular job had already been filled.
Back at Angel Investigations and Wesley and Cordelia are arguing as usual. They also get the impression that the fight was a lot harder than Angel is letting on.
It looks like Paris is going around to a lot of different firms trying to get a job, however, we learn here that Paris has a definite lack of qualifications and this is hampering her chances.
We next go to a warehouse and we see that Wesley and Angel’s ideas are confirmed, there is indeed a general and a lot more of the demons and their plan is to attack team Angel and they are going after either Wesley or Cordelia.
Skipping ahead a little and it looks like Paris’s luck isn’t getting any better as he apartment is broken into, and there doesn’t look like there’s a lot of hope of finding those responsible unless they left fingerprints. At team Angel, things aren’t going much better in the luck department as they try and find out anything on the demons. This ends with Angel reverting to a tried and tested method of getting information – beating up a demon for information.
Later in this scene, we hear that Paris is now taking up Cordelia on her offer of speaking to Angel about a job for Paris. Cordelia is surprised that Paris remembers her offer but shows a sign of growth here in that she will follow through with her promise, albeit, reluctantly and nervously when Wesley points out that Angel is in fact their employer. The old Cordelia just wouldn’t have cared what she promised; she would have left Paris high and dry.
A little later on, we see the old Cordelia come out when she tries to wheedle her way out of having to talk to Angel about the job. Wesley reminds her it was she who invented the job in the first place and doesn’t let her get away so easily. She then feigns being tired and tries to go home early, leaving Wesley having to tell Angel about the job and Paris. Wesley is having none of it, and Cordelia goes to talk to Angel about Paris and a possible job.
The statement that Angel makes to Cordelia when she suggests promoting her is important because it shows growth in both Cordelia and Angel. Angel telling Cordelia that she already is an Associate, as she was the one that suggested the business in the first place, shows that he sees her as an equal to him. This is important as Angel is the one who gives the orders, but from this statement he obviously sees Cordelia as someone who is not only important but just as needed for the business as he is.
Cordelia being surprised that he sees her this way is unusual because let’s face it, for the majority of her life, Cordelia’s world revolved around one person – herself. The fact that she willingly put herself under someone else’s dominion shows great character for the previously spoilt queen C.
Scene 18 where Paris and Angel discuss the job has major clues as to just how deeply their feelings are going to go for each other. Paris still can’t look at Angel, and it’s obviously very difficult for her to be in the same room as him. When she figures out that Cordelia didn’t tell him it was her, she offers to leave.
PARIS (rising): If you don’t want me here, I’ll go.
ANGEL (sharply): No. (Off Paris’ startled reaction) I’m sorry. Please. Stay.
Angel sounds almost panicked here, as if Paris leaving would be the end of the world for him. He obviously wants her in his life in one way or another as he didn’t think twice about offering her a job even when there isn’t really one to be had.
Paris is very reluctant to tell him how dire her financial situation actually is, and is utterly embarrassed at having to, yet she does. &bnsp; She is scared of Angel but goes to him for help. This would indicate that there is something in Paris telling her that Angel is trustworthy. Is this some kind of bond or magical attachment telling her this? Why is Paris going to someone who scares her for help? Why is she ignoring her head that tells her to leave? Is it her instincts that are ruling her here?
Angel asks some of these questions to Paris; will she be okay working for him and why is she scared of him? She isn’t able to answer him which would give the impression that it is some instinct that tells Paris he isn’t trustworthy…possibly telling her that he is a vampire? Yet, at the same time, the only place she feels safe is the offices of Angel Investigations. There is definitely something going on here with Paris in that the place of someone who scares her is the only place she feels safe. Why is this?
The next morning when Paris comes in and starts her first day on the job, Wesley comes in having been attacked by the demons. We learn that Paris is most definitely ignorant of the demon underworld and the supernatural. This is important as it shows just how naive Paris is and how small the town she came from actually was as there is pretty much demon activity the world over.
Angel is slightly annoyed at Cordelia for not telling him it was Paris who was looking for the job, but we get the impression that it is just show for Cordelia’s benefit as he doesn’t really take his annoyance or anger anywhere with her. He starts asking Cordelia all sorts of questions about Paris, where she came from etc, and even Cordelia twigs that this may be the real reason why he got stuck into her. Cordelia asks “what’s with the 20 questions?” and she doesn’t buy it when he says he just wants to know who is working for him. Why is Angel so interested in Paris and why is he interested in her “family name”? If someone just wanted someone’s surname, they would ask what is your last name? However, Angel crucially says “her family name is O’Riordan, right?” What does this mean?
In the following scenes we find out what has been going on. The demons have been after Angel all the time via a phone call from Buffy. Wesley and Cordelia go to help Angel during his fight with the demons even though Wesley is hurt and Cordelia, while she may have spirit, is not going to hold out much of a chance against a demon but still they go.
Paris is left back at the office to hold the fort and work on files. She goes into Angel’s office to put some files on his desk and while looking for some paper in one of the drawers finds Buffy’s picture. She remarks how pretty she is, and this would seem unusual unless Paris really is interested in Angel. Also, nobody has actually told Paris that Angel’s ex is Buffy; there has only been the phone call, yet, from this Paris has worked it out.
Back at the fight, and Wesley and Cordelia are showing just how close this family has become and eventually, albeit with some injuries, they come through it intact. At the end, patriarch that he is, Angel gives them bother for coming down and helping him but we know that he is grateful and Wesley promises to explain why back at the office. At this point, Angel shows just how deeply he cares when Cordelia exclaims oh damn; he immediately turns to her to see if she is hurt. We can always count on Cordelia to put things into perspective when she exclaims that she broke 2 nails.
The very last scene is very important. Firstly, why did Paris leave the drawer slightly ajar? She must have known that at some point Angel would have noticed. Did she leave it ajar so that Angel would know she had been in so that he would know she hadn’t been snooping? Secondly, Angel says to himself that he can move on from Buffy as she has moved on from him. Does Angel see Paris as his future? It would seem to be her note that has caused this musing of Angel’s.
I don’t want to give all episodes a 10 as when we do get a really exceptional episode there is no way to distinguish it, for example, the episodes Chameleon and Leviathan. I really enjoyed this episode, but I really love it when Paris comes into her own and here she is just finding her feet. I think this episode sets up what is going to happen in future episodes really well especially with Paris as there is a clue in here - albeit an obscure one - about what is actually going on with Paris and Angel.
RATING: 8 / 10 - I do find this an exciting episode.
