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This episode gave me an epiphany: Angel is just a masculine version of Cordelia. How? Angel is a vampire who gains a soul after being cursed by a Gypsy to feel the pain of his victims. And Cordelia is a mean rich girl/socioeconomic vampire who gains a soul after being cursed by an Irishman to feel the pain of all victims. They're the same person. What's the first thing Angelus does whenever he seizes control? He starts saying mean girl stuff to everyone. That's why it's not ultimately a problem for him to wear the pink motorcycle helmet. And why Wesley is into him. It's all clear now.

One of my favorite jokes in either series is Wesley being surprised Denzel didn't win an Oscar for Malcolm X and Angel following up with who doesn't love Denzel.

It’s ironic that you enjoyed this episode more on your second viewing

Fussy/pouting Angel is totally my favorite aspect of the character. It's always gold whenever they bust that out.

I got a flashback to season 2. Buffy : "I think I just violated the guy code, big time." Willow: "Poor Xander. Boys are so fragile."

This episode has the most underrated pairing in the Buffy verse of Gunn and Cordy. I love the friendship they formed in this episode and wish it had more spotlight. When you add Wesley and that was a perfect trio that we'll soon see more of in these reviews.

Really good. Little disappointed we didn't cover the rapey aspect of Darla's brilliant plan. I mean if you woke him up he would say no to this. So even if he's enjoying what he thinks is just a dream, it clearly isn't and that definitely violates consent. Still your analysis on the exact buttons she's pushing here to turn him evil again were worth the watch, even without that.

I love the scene where they're spent after fighting vamps so much. Gunn leaves and Wes scoots over to rest his head on Angel's shoulder. Adorable.

In my opinion Gun is important to the group, because he is the only true person from Los Angeles. Every other came from the Buffy-Town Sunnydale.

Darla went from Harley Quinn to Catwoman.

Wesley: Come on. What are you waiting for? Angel: *Holding pink helmet* I don't think it's gonna fit. Wesley: Oh, of course it will. Put it on. Angel: You know I don't need a helmet for protection. Wesley: Angel. It's the law in California. Do you want us to get pulled over? Angel: No. Wesley: Then what's the problem? Angel: Well, it's just, you know... the whole visibility issue. Not to mention the whole hat-head thing and, you know, when you really think about it, how come I have to wear the ladies helmet? Wesley: Stop being such a wanker and put it on! *Angel puts the pink helmet on* Wesley: Looks good. Hop on board gorgeous. Angel: You'll pay for this.

I’ve gotta say that David Nabbit was one character I always wanted to see more of. David Herman played him really, really well. I will say, however, that this does read as white folks writing what they think is a black story, and it’s just laughably...not 😂

Angel's issues in this season are really relatable. Who doesn't want comfort from significant other?

"Sniveling, whiny little cry-Buffy" is one of my favorite lines.

True, but Gunn is trying to push Cordelia out of his world. By showing she can't be part of it, he's hopes she'll give up and leave him alone. Because, even if we want to be saved - we never act like we do. And we are willing to hurt those trying to save us.

This episode made me hopeful for a cordy/gunn ship and all of their scenes are just tasty af

Darlee Quinn!!! :-D

I love Gunn He is my favorite character after Angel

This episode shows how much of a great character Darla is. I LOVE IT!!!

Wanted to say a huge thank you for reigniting my love for Buffy and Angel. I loved them when I was first introduced to them over 15 years ago but then went through quite a long period of barely watching them. Your episode guides have reminded me why I love these shows and given me details that I had forgotten. As a result, I am now going through every episode of Buffy and Angel, watching the relevant episode guide before each episode. Thank you!

I've never seen "26 seconds ago" in the 'when was this video posted' line before. Guess I just hopped on KZfaq at the right minute 😊

I'll admit, this is far more thought than I've ever put into this particular episode. I've never been a big fan of the A plot, concentrating more on the Darla/Angel seduction scenes. This is one I need to revisit.

Hey youtube algorithm! I enjoy this content, please recommend this to more people as I am an engaged viewer!

With this comment I do decree that the dreaded algorithm of video approval look favourably upon the offer Ian hath given it.

I comment to compliment. I comment to express gratitude for your work. But mostly, I comment for the algorithm.

Pro wrestling taught me an extra flip does more damage.

I like that they are wearing sunglasses and are sunbathing in the middle of the night.

Watching this episode, watching this episode guide, watching the discussion on masculinity and how what might be true of it in the past compares to what is true now is something we could spend days discussing. Just to go into a little bit keeping the focus solely on Angel... Was there some deeper meaning to Wesley making him wear the girl's helmet aside from poking a bit of fun or maybe hinting a little at Angel having insecurities about his masculinity? Well I do think there are signs that he does want to appear cool, play it cool. We saw this in the past when he was busted with the Mr. Gordo pig doll for example, we saw it with his embarrassment on singing and dancing, he wants to do it, do it well, but is something he seemingly feels is humiliating, something he's terrible at. *spoilers on* And we'd see it again when the swarmi discusses with him, of all the modes of transportation he could have goes for a cool hot rod convertible, in LA, with the sun and the vampire bit. We see it when Angelus goes off about the singing of Mandy and going to Mannilow concerts, for him this was hell, that's not cool, and Angel is embarrassed by it. We see it when he sees the cars Wolfram & Hart have ("Knew you'd pick the Viper.") We see it with the puppet episode and how important Angel's self image is and how much the curse affects him and the way others see him affect him. And we see it in the comics when Faith points out one time Angel confronts a bad guy how he set it all up to be some cool mano a mano showdown. Angel wanted this sort of Hollywood moment, and he accepts being called out on it. *spoilers off* To a large degree I think it speaks volumes to how important it is for Angel to have Buffy in his life, or to have had her in his life, because he would not have moved on from the self inflicted punishment for what he did had he not. Same with Doyle, he would have been happy playing vampire Bat without his involvement. And same with Lorne. And going into spoiler territory again... *spoilers on* We see Angel strike out on his own and we see the results, and at rock bottom we can identify with the despair he has, and cheer when he has his...uh, reverse "wake up and bang" moment. *spoilers off* If anything the scene with the women's helmet shows that Angel is self conscious about his masculinity, and in a broader sense having others around you, to rely on, whether it be a super powerful woman or a British nerd or a African street hoodlum, is not being unmanly. Angel draws strength from them and is stronger for it.

One of my favorite scenes from angel is the scene where they are sitting around after having just fought those vampires you get a sense of their daily routine and kind of relate to them in way

Seriously good stuff. I keep telling my friends about the amount of insight and heart you put into your breakdowns. As always I’m looking forward to your next installment, thanks again!

now I really wish we would have seen more David nabbit and how he and Gunn might of development.

*intro about the necessity of new models of masculinity* "Oh wait, is this the episode with the pink helmet?"

As always a fantastic guide, you really do help me see elements of the shows so much clearer, or make me think about it in a different way! 😊 thank you

One of my favorite things about these videos is how you always take episodes I enjoy, but ultimately forget, and mine for so much meaningful goodness -- that when I go back and rewatch them later, they're richer experiences, almost like I'm watching the show again with new eyes.

The opposite of insomnia is cinderellavitus.

Bravo! Another insightful analysis. Thank you.

Well done on this one

Honestly ur videos make my day like so much better 😁

Really enjoyed this review. The line between authors intention and possible interpretation is an slippery slide and I like that you consider it in your reviews.

Awesome as always ... I truly do enjoy being shown things from a perspective beyond face value. My friends might be surprised to hear that if we have ever disagreed on politics, but I would never let a political disagreement come between my friends and I, I am not so petty as that.

"...punched Riley in the Everything..." I'm gonna use that somewhere...HAHA

Side note I love Cordelias hair here lol

I stopped watching Angel on season 4. Couldn't handle the whole Connor thing, specially seeing Cordy as a shell of what she used to be. Always my favorite character. I also haven't been able to forgive Angel for (SPOILER!) trying to kill Wes after the whole baby Connor thing. I understand Angel's rage, but it felt so unfair that everyone turned on Wesley after he tried to save the baby. I can't wait to hear your take on that. However, your videos are reminding me of what made me like Angel in the beginning: Despite this being "his show", he's not supposed to be likable, but rather relatable. He has quirks and little details that make him likable, but not better than his teammates. I'll give Angel another chance...I'll remind myself that I'm not seeing a journey for redemption where he corrects his old mistakes without making new ones, but rather...tries his best to clean up a previous mess without making a bigger one in the process.

I think the episode was made to do more with Gunns character which works but it works more in season 5 because his character goes through more of a growth in that season.

I write stuff sometimes, and from doing so I've noticed on several occasions that making purely accidental foreshadowing for things I had not yet decided to add in later on in the story, is definitely a thing. Obviously I notice when editing though, but tend to leave it as is because it just feels like a little grain of pure gold. A little piece of the writer's unconscious creativity. Accidental foreshadowing, double meanings, metaphors, subplot connections... these are the things that make writing so much fun. Contrary to that, not every aspect in a story has some greater, deeper meaning. Sometimes a character has the personality traits he has for no particular reason, other than you just so happened to imagine him that way, and then you have to stick to it and sometimes shoehorn it into the story, unless you wanna do some really drastic editing, which... probably isn't even possible if what you're writing is a tv series and the later discovered "oopsies" you now wish to edit are already on air. Yes, I agree that Gunn's character was a bit clumsy here and there, especially with the extra showy macho and racial comparisons that really got tiresome eventually, but at the same time I think they it played kinda nicely in this particular episode? I dunno about you, but I kinda felt like Gunn was just saying what a lot of us are thinking in situations like that but biting our tongues on. Things we're not supposed to say, lest we be labelled misogynist, but which in reality is telling of feeling encroached on, or belittled. I think Cordy crossed his boundaries, and that he was trying to establish them. So I could relate a lot to him there upon re-watching, but I cringed the first time I watched it years ago, because I hadn't yet understood those kinda things back then. Or maybe that's just me realizing I have similar kinda issues as Gunn: letting down my guard. So it may be a stereotype, but perhaps one worth exploring?

The main thing I remember about this episode is that you shouldn’t pull glass/sharp objects out of you or you’ll bleed out quicker. Life lessons from Cordelia.

1:25 there are FOUR lights!

The "binging, chewy, getting to the meat" watching of this episode is a hard way to watch this one. Not because the episode is bad, but because I don't see a lot of said meat when casually watching. But when I "rewatch while taking notes" I get to it easier. The problem with that is that I have never tried to do that with this episode. I like the fact that Gunn and Cordelia are getting to know each other, but never really thought much past that. Like always you have made me see more than that. David Nabbit was a character I was confused on why they tried making him a part of the group. They should of kept him in just his single guest episode. The Divac storyline confused me for years or perhaps I was just bored by it. Still don't know which sometimes. The comfort references is something I never put together. Perhaps its because I never really thought much about that word when Angel used it in _Amends._ I was always confused as to why Angel never felt guilt or why Darla never made him feel guilty for him staking her in these dreams. Am I just forgetting that she did that? Love the Jane Austen reference. Cordelia complaining about ruined clothes but having no problem with being able to jump in when the need arises is why she is better here than with The Scoobies as the Scoobies don't see her that way. They still see her as S1 Cordy. I think Gunn being treated by the main cast the way he is in this episode compared to Judy in the last has more to do with the lack of Angel who wouldn't treat Gunn that way. I is the point of the story line to have Cordelia grow a little tiny bit more comfortable in the world she didn't know much about before. Learning what perceptions they have are correct and not correct is a part of the point to them being together without Angel being there. Cordelia "teaching independence" to Gunn isn't so much a bad moment so much as them realizing they have both made progress in learning about each other's and correcting their misconceptions. I think a part of the problem is that themes always have a good point, but tropes about race sexuality and gender can change with the times. Its why Xander and Gunn, for instance, have not aged as well as a lot of other characters, but themes are always well written throughout the generations.

Love how Darla and Angel are Moon-bathing.

Interesting points about separation vs unity in this and "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been". But I think it's a little simplistic to say that the unity approach in AYNoHYEB is entirely the better one. Judy and Gunn do work as doubles for Angel in their own ways, but their experiences are still shaped by race in a way that Angel's isn't. I agree that relying on this stock-character stereotyping nonsense isn't the way to go about indicating that separation and definitely does a disservice to Gunn's character. But the unity approach of relating every struggle to Angel also leads to problem. Universalizing Judy's experience and the issue of racial "passing" to apply to vampirism (which is not a real thing) and a white character strikes me as rather appropriative. That's not to say that there aren't good things in that episode or in the idea of shared suffering. I just think it's a bit more complex than this approach good, that approach bad. It would have been interesting to have seen an episode that captured both unities of suffering and realities of social isolation without stereotyping. tldr: I think there's a story to be had in the social (race, class) isolation aspect of Gunn's character, but they effed up the execution here.

Great review, Ian, thank you!! And despite of the way too white writers room I enjoy Cordy and Gunn's interactions in this episode

It's funny when Wesley and Spike use swears/insults that are far less offensive in the US than they are in the UK.

When are we going to address the fact that Darla literally rapes Angel, out main character, for episodes on end???

I have the feeling that I didn't get most of the points you were trying to make in this guide. Too bad, because they seem to be interesting ( your points usually are to me). I'll try to put back in my mind the silences between sentences and ideas to make some sense of your work at a later time. As you said, I might enjoy it more on a second viewing, when I'll understand all the parts that are still ambiguous for me.

Funnily enough first time I saw this episode I also didn't care for it but I recently re-watched it for the first time in years and found it too be quite fun.

Aaaaaah. Finally got my PotN fix. But wait... Oh shit! It's gonna be another couple of weeks before we get a new video. Well, there went my fix. Hope I enjoyed it. (I did!)

What I remembered about this episode was nerdy guy doing his genius brain thing, Dreamla, and the pink helmet. I'd forgotten about Gunn and Cordy in this one.

Lorne reminds me so much of Lucifer from the show Lucifer.

"Would it have been too much to ask for a little Boreanaz butt? Not like we haven't sEen it" Haha, yees! love it!

"Whatever the opposite of insomnia is" - Err... Narcolepsy?

I hadn't picked up on the Pride & Prejudice element of the title. But with this as with Sense and Sensitivity, I'm left wondering, did anyone actually bother to read the book? It's a thing I find with Angel, that they will often borrow from something deep and complex to promise depths they aren't prepared to explore. Yet in other moments they create true depth out of very little. It's part of the weird puzzle that is this series.

that last point was epic

Why is this in my favorites. I've never seen this video before.

"Vlade Divac"😂

Did you really say vlade divac 😂😍😂

A top 10 video should be the top ten episodes that changed after doing a guide. The list could be endless... haha

6:00 I think that trope is called Arbitrary Skepticism when a character lives in a world where strange or outright supernatural things exist and accepts that some exist but not others.

Ohhhh sneaky sneaky

I have no interest in the show yet I just listened to you speak about it for half an hour and I enjoyed it

I never thought they did too bad with the gang stuff from what I've always assumed was an all white writing staff who have no background in it.

God I fucking love Cordy😊

Love becomes your master and you just debate with it. Eventually through practice you become a master debater.

I think we need a Sisyphus mug. Can it be black with any other color logo, though? Tea stains white mugs. I promise I’ll buy one.

It'd be funny if Nabbit tried to become an alchemist. @Passion of the Nerd would you ever review the comics?

4:52 Julie Benz would later play someone who was held like that by another character in Dexter and it didn't end so well.

Yaaaaaaay!

I love Cordy in this episode

14:11 People are a lot like this today: attributing their weaknesses or overcompensations to sexuality, race, gender, and class. I think Joss deals with that as a side issue in season 5 after some of Gunn's intellectual insecurity is proven to have had no basis, but people often hide what they COULD change behind things that cannot be changed

Andy Hallett was a treasure to this world. However he did one thing that for the world. Hi reminded everyone you need to take care of your teeth or bad things can I happen to you.

I’m beginning to suspect that Ian is one of those guys who is like “I’m straight...*however*...” lol

Buffy was in high school and Angel was what........ 200 years old.

I enjoy this episode David and Julie reunited after Buffy 1st season in E7 when his well Angelus’s ex mate (tried to kill his one true lover) have great chemistry when Darla appears in angel’s dreams (sleeping late!😂) she is now more Selina Kyle catwoman❤️and cause harmony is the Harley Quinn now😂 but funniest part Angel waking up choking Wesley making his voice squishing and not breathing 😂also the pink women’s helmet embarrassing😂🤣

i'm looking forward to sleep tight, one of the most powerful episodes they ever produced

Lines like "punched Riley in the everything" 9:40 are why I'll never be a great KZfaqr. I'm just not that clever.

I can't believe this channel still hasn't discussed Fred.

Justice for david nabbit! I loved him. Also cordy and gunn shoulda been a thing not fred

This probably wasn't intentional, but I love the fact that the person who CAN hot wire a car in the Buffyverse is the upper-class British man who is implied to be independently wealthy instead of the working class black man.

This episode is also kind of disappointing after the first two being so amazing.

Vlade Divac lol! Well done sir, though I somehow don't think there is a ton of crossover between Angel and 90's NBA fans. Wait, is that my toxic masculinity creeping in? Oh well, its on theme for that episode at least.

I think part of why Judy and Gunn are treated in opposite ways regarding race in these two episodes is that Judy was a mixed Black woman entering into a white space, while in this episode Gunn is a Black man existing within a Black space and team Angel, specifically Cordy, is entering that space, but only long enough to help their Black friend. You can't exactly say "it's just blood" about race when the accompanying social, cultural and economic differences are on display--not in a fully accurate diisplay, but an attempt is made. The writers dont actually know what real-life Gunn's world is like, and writing that part seems much harder for them than writing an individual Black character, even one who is dealing with uniquely Black experiences. This of course comes up again in future episodes, especially in Thin Dead Line, which I find fascinating because of all the amazing parts mixed in with all the stupid ones

This is one of the episodes I usually skip because it is so cringe worthy with how Gunn speaks and just the overly dramatic way they try to show the dark side of the streets and being a gangster. The guide did allow me to find pieces of the episode I truly do love especially Angel and the pink helmet but I agree that J.August made this episode as good as it is. I just wish the writing had been better and less dated at times.

Joss shows many things pretty right, but race is definitely one of those things!

Whatever can I go?

I don't know about you but for a guy who is more a Buffy fan than Angel fan (love both BTW), putting back to back eps 1-3 of S5/S2 respectively IMO Angel first 3 eps destroy Buffy first 3 eps (so far.....). Judgement is well meh but so is BvsD. And I really enjoy Have you now... (duh) and this one even though is not that popular

Isn't the opposite of insomnia hypersomnia ?

Narcolspys sideaffects are insomnia agresstive outbursts, bouts sleepy semi comas

Narcolepsy is perhaps as close as you can get to the opposite of insomnia.

Some of the production issues in this episode really prevent me from enjoying it. That first fight with the vampires is terrible, I don't know if they didn't have enough time/money to schedule it properly but it just cuts halfway through and we see them all tired on the ground. Yes as mentioned the after-affects of the fight are a great touch, but I'm reminded of the term "show don't tell".

I choose to see it not as a white girl saving a black man but as the ptb recognizing gunn as vital to the mission and trying to help him before he self destructs from guilt, could it have been a simple convo with angel talking about guilt yes, but angel always does that with anyone whose got a guilty conscience. And yes the writing couldve been better for the villains but I like gunn pointing out class and race, his story arc was interesting as well. the writers didnt have to do this, focus on humans in LA completely separate from the angel sphere, but it makes angel better they did.