Angel: 1x9 Full Reaction
Added 2024-03-11 04:44:30 +0000 UTCComments
The way that I personally heard the story is that the plan was always for Doyle to go out as a hero, but it was meant to be a mid to late season 1 thing. Unfortunately Glen Quinn's substance abuse problem reared it's ugly head pretty early into production (personally, I think you can see it in a few episodes where in random scenes the poor guy seems unusually pale and/or sweaty), and the decsision was made to release the guy from his contract early so he could get the help he needed. Massive shame, as he is a fantastic actor, and played his role well. Unfortunately, as others have said, his demons eventually caught up with him and we lost him only a couple of years later from when he was let go from the show. RIP my dude. You are still missed.
Anthony Greene
2024-03-17 19:46:33 +0000 UTCAren't the scourge the same demons as the ones in Buffy 3x01 when Buffy is in the hell dimension?
Ahmad
2024-03-15 03:36:01 +0000 UTCThey had to let him go. They could've had Doyle leave on the boat, but decided to really give him the big redemption and end scene. I agree that the first half of the episode was a little rushed, but once we got to the main story they filled it out really well emotionally. The atmosphere and sets were so down-and-out it looked like a real horror movie, authentic poverty, like people living below notice really do. It added to the emotional impact. Of course it brought to mind the Jewish Ghettos of the late 1930s, it couldn't be more evocative of that type of story. They even got into the fascist mind set a bit -- so relevant even today, kinda prescient of the writers for that time and not usual for TV in the late 90s at all. Much like Jenny Calendar, Doyle didn't deserve it and they hit us with it suddenly and it makes a difference going forward with the entire show and how it changes the characters and the story, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse, sometimes both. Trauma is such a theme with both shows, and the way they work through it leads to some good drama. I remember many years ago on Archie Bunker, of all shows, in the 70s, they suddenly got serious and tackled a sexual assault on Archie's wife, Edith, and it was like the whole show changed from then on, and the characters changed along with it. Maybe before your time, but still reminds me about how something heavy can go down in a light-hearted show that hits home, after the audience comes to care about the people on the show. Angel the series tackles human frailty and character flaws, bad acts in a way deeper and darker than Buffy -- usually. Buffy is more centered on how external events affect the individual cast members, whereas Angel takes on Society and its flaws in a bigger conversation. Buffy fights monsters coming after people close to her, Angel is led to fight evil on its own ground and stop its long-term plans. I guess -- these characters are too real like they matter and we care about them, and feel things along with them. These shows can break your heart sometimes.
spikeysnack
2024-03-11 08:08:11 +0000 UTCWhat I find the episode so meaningful, especially with Doyle's character is in the beginning that he wouldn't make that sacrifice. He would want the all the pleasures that life has to give and he asks Angel and he tells him about "knowing when you are face with it" and by the end, he does exactly the opposite of what he said in the beginning and truly became 'a hero'.
carly powell
2024-03-11 07:53:18 +0000 UTC
