Angel - 2x13 “Happy Anniversary” FULL REACTION

I can understand someone finding this episode to be... "interesting". I honestly found this episode to be... interesting.

UTU49

I kind of love Virginia. Not sure why.

UTU49

I know this is kind of off topic, but I just realized I've been a patron for 1 year now! Wow time flies! Can't wait for another amazing year of reactions <3

Jenn Rose

This entire episode fails for me. I mean, I don't hate it as much as She or Expecting, but it's definitely somewhere near the bottom of my rankings. The A plot had some great moments between Angel and The Host, but the main plot with Gene was just gross, and the fact that nobody really called Gene on the evilness of what he was trying to do really irritates me. As for the B plot, I love the idea of it, but the execution... the pure campiness of Wesley's Sherlock Holmes routine as he was solving the case... it just makes the whole storyline fall flat for me.

peggin

Are you sure you missed them? Maybe you actually saw them and then wiped them from your brain.

Christine

There was one episode from season 1 and one episode from season 2 that I missed during their original airing and was so excited to finally catch them on the DVD sets when they were released. The season 1 episode I missed was She, and the season 2 episode I missed was this one. Imagine my disappointment.

If the world ended, Kevin would have to listen to Wesley calling him impotent and stupid forever. I think the Wes, Cordy, Gunn plot works, because it comments on the theme of the episode. They start out in a bad place and end up in celebration. That's music. I like this episode.

Moon Logic

I like where the story is going but don't find this episode very entertaining. Gene's plan doesn't seem to work logically so I try not to spend any more time thinking about it than the characters do. After discovering the thing he'd been seeking (a chance to become human – because he earned it rather than a lucky blood stain), something bad happens (he fails to save Darla and W&H create the two-headed monster). Rather than continuing on (as Cordy, Wesley and Gunn are doing), he puts everything on hold in order to focus entirely on the Darla situation, ignoring the helpless in order to pursue his own demons. Is 'quixotic' the proper word to use there? I'm sure Angel thinks firing the others is for their own protection too, as long as they don't do anything dangerous like continue to fulfill his mission. The Host told Angel not to get caught up in the Darla drama back in 2-5: “Let her go, bro. That way lies badness...this is way off your path, sweetie. Go home.” Angel seemed to listen to him a little more in this episode.

Bruce Trogdon

Oh, that episode... written by Joss Whedon no less.

S144

“Now, I can hold a note for a long time. Actually, I can hold a note forever. But eventually that's just noise. It's the change we're listening for. The note coming after, and the one after that. That's what makes it music." It’s a beautiful quote, but it rarely gets cited because this is one the worst episodes of Angel. The Angel & The Host buddy cop show/therapy is wonderful, and I would happily watch more, but the underlying plot of what Gene is attempting to do is so gross and horrifying, and they really gloss over it. So I’m uncomfortable the entire time because I know what’s coming. The parallel with Angel and how it helps Angel to confront some uncomfortable truths is fine, but I hate the way they handle the Gene plot. Liam is right about the rushing of the Cordy, Wesley, and Gunn storyline. It feels like underdeveloped ideas stitched together. I love an Agatha Christie parlor murder mystery as much as the next person, but this one started at the end, which was… just to show how clever Wesley is, I guess? The show wanted to get them from misery to celebratory moving on, but it’s too fast, and I find it strange that they’re not worried about Angel’s descent into darkness. I love the characters, and the actors work hard to sell it, but the writing is just not there.

Rachael

I love a good rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. ... The Lubber demons have a slight Spencer Tracy quality. Like older Spencer Tracy in It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

Koz

I agree that the comedy was forced in this one. It seems like the writers were like, "This A-plot of this episode is super depressing, but rather than let the natural chemistry of the actors carry the the B-plot, let's make it as over-the-top campy as possible." Overall I think I tolerate this episode a bit more than others. It's bad for a season 2 episode, but honestly would probably rank in the top half of season 1 episodes, which means it isn't nearly as dreadful as episodes like, "She," or "Expecting."

Second_Strike

I understand 😂

Please don't make me watch this episode ever again.....

Christine