Rapid Reviews - Angel Season Two DVDs - Part VI

Angel [2-11]: Redefinition: I'd already seen much of this episode thanks to reruns on TV. It plays a lot better in context. Particularly the bit in the bar with the trio singing their poor little hearts out. Angel is off his rocker, but then, he's a vampire with a soul, whaddya expect? Not a bad little installment.

Angel [2-12]: Blood Money: Angel is frightening here. He's headed over the edge, and Wolfram & Hart not only know it, they are banking on it. The whole stalking thing was very not-good. I did like the trio's independent activities during this episode, though I kept expecting them to intersect with Angel at some point. A solid little story.

One thing I really enjoy about this show is how the characters develop. Not only are the non-static, but there's always the threat that one might die (like, oh, Doyle) so you aren't really sure what will happen next. Anyway, I'm thinking at the moment of Cordelia. I haven't watched much Buffy, just the first four episodes, really, but she was shallow and pretentious in those episodes. By the time she gets to Angel, she's still shallow and pretentious, but she's also enduring a lot to try and get by in Los Angeles. The visions give her an added depth that no one could have imagined watching the first episodes of Buffy. She's still got the trappings of shallowness, but there's a lot more to her as the show moves along.