Redefinition

Redefiniton
Written by Mere Smith
Directed by Michael Grossman

Original Airdate: January 16, 2001

Plot: After firing his staff, Angel begins an intense physical and mental training program to prepare himself for a showdown with Druscilla and Darla, who are attempting to assemble a demon army to bring the City of Angels to it's knees. Meanwhile, Cordelia, Gunn and Wesley contemplate what will happen to them now that they've been fired by Angel and if they will continue to "fight the good fight." And at Wolfram and Hart, the aftermath of Darla and Dru's massacre begins Review

Warning: You won't have to sing any songs here to reveal what's about to come--there are major SPOILERS just ahead for the latest episode of Angel, "Redefinition." If you haven't seen it yet and would like to go in unaware of what happens (and it's probably one of those episodes that is better if you don't know much about what is going to happen up-front), I strongly suggest you turn back now.

In short: Impressive.

I think I've found a new favorite writer for Angel--Mere Smith.

I base this statement on a her two offerings so far. I really enjoyed her debut script "Untouchable" and I loved her offering here with "Redefinition."

"Redefinition" was, in many ways, a definite shot in the arm for Angel. It was exactly the right story at exactly the right time. It did some nice things with the characters, had some nice continuity nods to previous storylines and it also moved a lot of the long-term plotlines forward and really twisted them off in new and potentially interesting directions. It also made the wait for next Tuesday's new episodes seem just a bit longer than usual.

I've got to admit that I really enjoyed the fact that Smith touched base with all of the dangling plotthreads that have been developing over the course of this season. And she did so in such a way that I never felt as if one plotline was getting slighted or overlooked in favor of another. It's hard to bring a balance to a show that is struggling to find a good balance and a way to highlight all of the talented cast members--both regulars and those who have recurring roles.

The most interesting part was the fact that while Angel was involved in the main storyline, he was really more of a catalyst to get us into the minds of the other characters whose lives he was affecting by his actions. Yes, we did get to see Angel become darker and more brooding than usual. And I also find it interesting that beyond the voice-overs by David Borenaz in the episode, there was very little spoken dialogue by Angel. In fact, the only time that springs to mind right away of Angel actually speaking to another person is when he's interrogating the demon for information on just what Dru and Darla are up to and how he can find them. Beyond that, I'm not really certain if he spoke much. But he conveyed so much in his silences that it worked well.

I was absolutely chilled by his scene with Dru and Darla at the warehouse. Seeing Angel standing there calmly smoking after having defeated their potential demon army was nicely done. In a lot of ways, this scene reminded me of Angel's fall from "Surprise" when he tries to get Willow to come to him by hiding in shadows and calling out to her.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

I liked that Mere Smith was willing to take a chance on giving us a script that was strong on the supporting cast. With "Untouchable" she showed that she has a good touch on what it is that makes Angel tick and gave us a nice study of him. And it was nice to see her turn her attention on some of the other characters who inhabit the Angel universe here. And for her to turn her attention to three characters who have desperately needed a good script all year--Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn.

I've got to admit that one of the things that has been the most frustrating all year is the lack of quality screen-time for these three characters. We've been so caught up in Angel's obsession over Darla and his slow spiraling descent to the dark-side that these three have been left in the dust a bit--especially Cordelia. Cordy is a strong character, but of late it seemed as though all she was reduced to was having visions (and she hasn't had them on a consistent basis of late...at least not that we've seen) and offering sarcastic one-liners in an attempt to satisfy the Charisma Carpenter's contract that as a member of the main cast she must appear in every episode. But here, Cordelia is given a bit more screen time and a chance to really shine.

Indeed, until now, the only thing that really registered about Cordelia as a character this year was that she'd changed her hair style.

I liked the scenes that took place between Wesley, Cordelia and Gunn. I enjoyed Gunn's attempts to cover up how much being fired by Angel hurt him and left him wondering--"what next?". I liked Wesley's turning to Virginia for support and as a sounding board (and I've got to give major thumbs up to Smith for including her in the script). I liked Cordelia's being lost and not sure of what to do next. It's been a rough couple of years for her character--and indeed this is probably another set-back on her career goal. I mean, she did once aspire to be an actress and she didn't have a lot of success at this and now she's been cast aside from her other choice of profession--working with Angel to make the world a better place. I think there is some interesting potential for Cordelia to have an episode where she questions the choices she's made and the events that have led her to this point in her life--if it's done well.

I liked the opening scene and I liked the scenes at the karaoke bar. I've been a bit of a detractor of this setting all year, feeling that it's used too much as a plot device to keep things moving. But here I liked what it did. It was a setting to get the characters to be open and vulnerable and talking to each other. I loved how each one let their hair down (though the use of alcohol) and let out certain feelings that have been under the surface all year. Each character's assessment of the other was, in its own way, dead-on and funny. I found there to be a great sense of teamwork between each of the members as they all realized they had a place with each other and that wouldn't change even if Angel had fired them.

I also like their decision to keep fighting the good fight, despite what Angel has done or will continue to do. This plotline has some major ramifications and consequences as the season develops. I can only imagine that at some point a real sticking point might be when the trio of Wesley, Gunn and Cordy might cross paths with Angel. Also, the fact that they don't have the obvious strength Angel does in a one-on-one fight. I think that the three of them fighting together is one thing--but there will be a point where they don't have the same resources he does--from physical strength to being undead to even his contact with Kate and the police.

One thing I wonder about--will the good fight eventually lead the three of them into some kind of confrontation with Druscilla and Darla. It seems that if Darla is hell-bent on destroying I.A., that eventually the Powers That Be might want to put a stop to it. It will be interesting to see how that develops.

Speaking of Darla and Druscilla, I found their plotline intriguing. I like the fact that Darla has gone from being a "victim" of what Wolfram and Hart did to her to being a major player in the power struggle that is going on. I have a feeling Darla is yearning for the good old days when it appeared she was the queen of the roost alongside the Master. I have a feeling that her attempts to re-established herself as a vampire force to be reckoned with will all be interesting to watch--especially in the fact that we've seen a lot of other vampires try to do this in the past and not really succeed that well at it. We've seen Spike try to assemble minions to very little affect and we've also seen Adam try to raise a demon army to take out the Slayer. But, I do like that Darla is finding a way to payback Wolfram and Hart but all the while trying to distance herself from Angel. I don't think she'll be able to do that. Their destinies seemed linked for some reason and I have a feeling it's only a matter of time until she and Angel go toe-to-toe in a final battle.

I also find it interesting that Lindsay and Lila survived the blood letting that we saw at the end of the last episode. And to see how these two have moved forward. Seeing Lila attempt to get Lindsay to take the blame or make a mistake to create a position of power for herself was nicely done. I found the scene where Lila brought up the fact that Lindsay knew which files to take and that he should do it to be utterly compelling. For the longest time, I figured Lila would not be much longer for this world and that Lindsay would end up being the one who takes over as the vice president of special projects. And while there is some potential drama to be mined out of the two being co-VP's I'm not sure I really bought that they were made co-VPs. It felt a bit too, well, contrived. Indeed, it felt as if this measure was being taken to keep both characters on the show. And I'm not convinced that Lila serves any more purpose on the show. I may be proved wrong and be surprised by how this develops. But for now, I have my doubt.

But, that was pretty much the only negative spot of an otherwise stellar episode.

One thing I also loved was the structure of the episode. For a lot of episodes, we've had the action focus on Angel. In this episode, we got the action focused on how people reacted to what Angel has become and his journey to darkness.

We got to see a little of it from Wolfram and Hart--the shock that Lindsay and Lila felt in that he left them to die at the hand of Druscilla and Darla.

But the really interesting contrast was the reactions of Cordy, Gunn and Wesley as compared to Druscilla and Darla. At several points in the story, both sides noted how Angel wasn't the same person they thought they knew. And how he has changed. And I loved it. On one side, you had Darla who was furious that Angel wasn't there to enjoy the carnage she wanted to inflict on I.A. and then there was the Scrappy gang who wondered why Angel had fallen and what had led to his obsession over Darla and its destroying his quest to regain his humanity. Indeed, as I thought about this point, I realized how far Angel has fallen off the wagon as it were. At season's beginning he was obsessed with saving the innocent so he could be human again. Now he's tossed that aside in a vendetta against Darla and damn the consequences. In both cases, he started out with noble intents, but those have been perverted. He's lost sight of the big picture and it will be interesting to see if and how he comes to the light (not literally, of course).

I also loved foreshadowing of Darla's getting burned. At the start of the story, we see Angel burn his sketches of Darla in the fire. And then, we had Dru's vision, which I figured was her having visions of burning I.A. to the ground and didn't actually reflect what Angel was going to do to them later. Finally, we had Angel burn them both literally. That scene was one that grabbed your attention and wouldn't let you tear your eyes away from it. I loved the slow crawl of the flames toward the vamps and the look of calm contentment on Angel's face as he watched it happen. Michael Grossman's direction of this episode was superb in a number of spots. He created some nice visuals that are haunting--besides the fire sequence, the framing of Dru and Darla in Lindsay's office was equally superb.

But the one thing I appreciated the most about Mere Smith's script--and what elevated it from just a good script to a great one--was the nods to the continuity of what has been established on Angel. I hated "The Ring" last year, but it was nice to see that site brought up again--or something like it. I liked all the references to the past--especially the triumphs and failures that Lindsay and Lila have achieved. I liked Lillah's throwing in Lindsay's face that he's strayed and that it did have long-term consequences. And I liked seeing Virginia back and getting some screen time. I think there is some real potential there to bring her into the fold as part of the Scrappy gang--sort of like how Tara is or Ms. Calendar was on Buffy. You don't need her in every episode, but she can add something to a couple of episodes along the way.

So, I guess that's about it for now, except for a few small things.

--So the senior partners are watching Lindsay and Lila now. Does this mean we might see them? And who was the guy who delivered the news and what is his role at Wolfram and Hart?

--The scenes with Angel training worked. I also liked "The Matrix" like feel to the battles--especially Angel running up the wall.

--Dru is still a little weird. I loved it.

--Dru's reaction to being burned worked so well. I wonder if she might not crawl back to Spike for help taking out Angel.

--How will Faith react to Angel's fall? Might this spark a relapse for her where she breaks out and comes after him? Or might she feel that she needs to save him as he saved her?

--Will Buffy hear about this and come to I.A. to put a stop to all of this? Personally, I hope not. It seems like too easy a way out of the situation.

--OK, if you don't want to see any speculation and possible SPOILERS, skip this part here....

All right--here's my thoughts based on the preview. I've heard rumors that Angel wants to lose his soul so he can go all out after Darla. Now we know how he can lose his soul and based on what we've seen in previous episodes, we know he didn't lose his soul with Darla. I've heard rumors will try to lose his soul again with a woman--but it's mysterious as to who it is. Lots of speculation has it being Darla. But I wonder if it might not be Lila who tries to help Angel lose his soul. It seemed based on the preview he might try that route or that it might make sense. Plus it is in line with what she wants--to one-up Lindsay and get ahead at the firm. Just my thoughts.

OK, SPOILER time over.

Anyway, that's about it for now. A superlative episode of Angel that is had the perfect balance of everything. Probably the most enjoyable episode of the year and it leaves me anxious for more. I can't wait for next week....

My rating: 10.0 (out of 10.0)

Next up: Angel threatens to expose Wolfram and Hart while the Scrappy gang tries to figure out how to fight the good fight without Angel. And on Buffy, it's Buffy's birthday...and those are usually not good times to be the Buffster....

"When you're obsessed, you pretty much find a way to squeeze it into your calendar."

--Cordelia.