Couplet

Couplet
Written by Tim Minear & Jeffrey Bell
Directed by Tim Minear

Original Airdate: February 18, 2002

Plot:Exacerbating the tension caused by the office's two latest couplings, Cordy asks Angel to help her achieve the next level of intimacy with Groosalugg. Meanwhile, Fred and Gunn discuss the new wrinkle in their relationship and track an alleged cheating fiancé, whom they promptly lose during a brief make-out session.

Review

Warning: If seeing SPOILERS for the latest episode of Angel, "Couplet" will have you feeling out of sorts and a bit left out, then I strongly suggest you turn back now. There are major SPOILERS just ahead....

In short: So, this was the follow-up, eh?

Is it just me or is Angel quickly collapsing under its own weight--or lack thereof in the middle third of season three?

After such a hugely promising start to the season with a solid arc, some entertaining character work and some scripts that were willing to take some big chances, the series has come back to the same level of feeling like it's only willing to tread water that doomed the final run of six episodes last year. As most of you know, last year I was severally unhappy with the season-long story arc ending in late February only to see the rest of the season play out as at attempt to fill time. It seems as if the same trend has happened this year--but the momentum of the season has been drained earlier. Again, it all goes back to one scene that I feel was the turning point--Holtz has Angel in his sights, after coming through time to destroy him and has one moment of compassion and lets him go.

I keep trying to separate my frustration over that moment from the rest of the show.

But, honestly, as a series Angel hasn't offered me much since then that has made the forgiveness any easier to come by.

And the latest offering of "Couplet" hasn't really helped me to feel much better.

Indeed, if anything, it's made me feel a bit worse about things.

Most of you know that two weeks ago, I was not happy with the final five minutes of the "Waiting in the Wings." And at the time, I'd hoped that the next new episode would help put a new spin on things and redeem what I felt was nothing more than a sit-com like attempt to extend the building tension between Angel and Cordelia.

I will say that after seeing "Couplet" I'm not any more encouraged than I was this time two weeks ago.

I guess part of my disliking of the whole plotline is that I really don't care for Groo. He was never that interesting to my in the Pylea trilogy and so far, he's done nothing to really grow on me here.

If anything, this plotline seemed very, very derivative of a lot of other things I've seen. The idea that Cordy is attracted to a guy who is just like Angel--to the point she essentially turns him into Angel is really nothing new at all. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of an old episode of Friends when Rachel dates Russ--who is exactly like Ross in every way (both characters are played by David Schwimmer, in fact). The point of the whole episode is that, on some level, we find out that despite her protests to the contrary, Rachel is attracted to Ross. A few episodes later, romance blooms and, well, I think we all know how that one goes.

It's exactly the same thing that's happening here with Groo. He's a warrior like Angel, but he can go into the sunlight. Groo is a heroic warrior who is fighting the good fight. I get that point. Seeing Cordy give him a new look in dark and brooding just like Angel's didn't really come as a shock. (Something that might have been an absolute riot was to see her dress Gross as Xander does, but that might be too much continuity for non-Buffy fans and would run the risk of alienating certain members of the audience). So, I guess that Groo is serving as the Russ character--to make the audience realize that Cordy does care for Angel and it might be something more. And I'm sorry, but there are a lot more subtle and emotionally satisfying ways to do this--as we've seen all year in the build-up to this potential relationship. We got the subtle glance, the growing depth of friendship, the ability to call each other when needed and so much more. As I've said before, Greenwalt and company sold me on this relationship--one that I originally opposed. But they did it by getting all the small things right.

I'll give them some credit--they are getting some of the smaller things right, still.

Despite how much I disliked the whole Groo's a substitute for Angel plotline, I did like a few things that came out of it. The moments that worked the best were those between Angel and Cordy when it was a few quiet moments. Seeing Cordy concerned about not wanting to lose her visions to Groo was a nice continuation of her character arc from this year. Also, seeing the lengths Angel will go to make Cordelia happy--despite how much pain it was causing him, were nicely done. The final scene as Angel gives Cordy the money to take Groo away and into the sunlight was poignant and nicely done. There was an emotional resonance to that scene that, quite honestly, was lacking from a lot of the "Angel is concerned Cordy had sex" scenes from earlier in the story.

Also, while I've got to wonder if that little jug of magic juice won't come in handy later on this year--possibly so Angel and Cordy can get together without our hero losing his soul and going all demon on us. Honestly, that was my first thought when this was brought up--and it also made me yearn again for crossovers to see how Buffy might take that news.

But, while the entire Cordy-Groo-Angel love triangle left me cold, the entire Wesley-Gunn-Fred triangle was far more interesting.

For one thing, Alexis Denisof seems to be doing far better at portraying the losing end of the triangle. It's probably because the writers have chosen to have Wesley suffer in silence at the events unfolding before him. And Denisof has really taken the ball and run with it. Several Wesley scenes really stuck out in my mind from Couplet.

The first was as Wesley talks on the phone and moves aside so that his view is only of Fred and her being so happy. We saw Wes's attempts to try and get some time with Fred alone--such as sending Gunn out on the stake-out--and their failing. I think we saw Wesley slowly realize that Fred is happy and that is what matters most to him--the happiness of his friend, who he cares deeply about. It doesn't make it any less painful--if anything it may make it more painful for him.

That sequence of events led directly to the nicely done scene in Wes's office with Gunn. Seeing Wes ask Gunn not to hurt Fred was a nicely done moment--and it felt right. Wes wants what is best for his friends--and he doesn't want anyone to get hurt. Seeing that quiet scene with Gunn worked remarkably well.

Finally, the scene with Angel at the magic store with the books worked well. Seeing the bond between Angel and Wes was nice--even if it's just the two understanding where the other was coming from in terms of seeing the woman you loved happy with another person.

As for the rest, it wasn't anything good, but it wasn't horribly bad either. The scenes with Fred and Gunn felt like they should--certainly the idea of the couple excitement and feeling like everything has changed and they're both different is something completely understandable. Again, I found these scenes to be a huge contrast to what we were seeing in the Angel plotline and I found that refreshing.

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

--Seeing Angel happy with Conner was nicely done at the end, but I have a feeling it's only setting us up for the fall, as we saw in the prophecy.

--The tree that fed on humans as batteries was interesting. But if made me wonder just why it grabbed Fred and Gunn since it seemed to only need one victim at a time. (I know, I know--if it doesn't grab them, they can't call for help and yada, yada, yada...)

--Seeing Angel force the tree to feed on him worked well and I think was a good contrast to what he brings to the gang Groo doesn't.

--OK, this has little to do with Angel, but seeing he and Groo dressed in essentially the same outfit except for the different colored shirt reminded me so much of Farscape and the split-Crichtons this year. If you missed it, basically, one of our heroes was doubled and one wore a green shirt and the other the black. It was one of those little things I missed until I went back and watched a repeat or two.

--Poor ol' Andy Hallet--all that time in make-up for essentially two scenes.

Well, that's about it for now. Overall Couplet is not my favorite episode of Angel. The faith I had in the show is slipping. I feel like a broken record, but I'm going to say it again--I hope next week improves things and does it quickly. Based on the preview, I have hope that it will.

My rating: 3.0 (out of 10.0)

Next up: Prophecies and how they might affect Conner. (Based on the preview, this looks like a return to what made Angel so good early this year. I only hope it is).

"That's my shirt."

--Angel.