This episode sets up the remainder of the season and, in a way, the rest of the series. Darla's pregnancy and the ripple effects it sends through Team Angel resonate right into season five. Vampires can't have children. It's a rule in the Buffyverse. (Buffy and Angel have a whole discussion about it in BTVS season two's "Bad Eggs," in fact.) So when Darla shows up in LA pregnant, the consequences are just bound to be bad. Honestly, this isn't my favorite storyline or episode. But, if you plan on watching the rest of the show, than you need to see it.
Basically, the episode revolves around Darla arriving at the Hyperion to tell Angel that she is pregnant. He's...um... surprised. So are Wes, Gunn, Fred and Cordy. See they've been investigating this curse and something horrible is set to land in LA any minute. They all immediately suspect that the baby is the evil thing that they've been expecting. (No pun intended.) They head over to Lorne's for a reading, but he can't tell them much. Team Angel begins to wonder if the baby is part of the Shanshu Prophesy. But since nothing much ever comes of that possibility, it's kinna a dead end. Lorne's fixing up Karitos and he lets Darla lay down on his bed while they try to decide what to do.
Meanwhile, Angel is developing real feelings for Cordy. He's starting to see her as more than a friend and Darla's arrival is messing up his plans. Cordy is furious that Angel slept with Darla and risked going evil again. She sides with Darla... Until Darla bites her and runs off. Cordy has a vision that Darla is going to feed off of kids and Angel goes after her. But there's more. Darla is craving pure blood because her baby has a soul. When Angel realizes that he can hear its heartbeat, he tells her that the baby is alive and that they have to keep it safe. He takes Darla back to the Hyperion. Unfortunately, Angel's old enemy Holtz has been brought from the past and he has plans to see Angel pay.
There are some good parts to this episode. Wes and Gunn breaking into that house is really cute, as is Fred smelling the plastic flowers. And I like Gunn and Fred whispering about Darla. Fred confuses Darla with Buffy. "No," whispers Gunn, "This is Angel's other blonde ex who died and came back." It just makes me laugh. Cordy's reaction to Darla is also great. Angel lied to her last season in "Disharmony" when he said that he hadn't slept with Darla and Cordelia isn't about to let him off easy. She spends most of the episode snapping at him and he's trying to get her to forgive him... It's very fun. Also, I like how anxious Wes is around Fred. He's still not over his mystically induced attack on her in "Billy." I love Fred and Wes together, mostly because he's so sweet and stoic and in love that it just breaks my heart.
On a nit-picky note, I'm never completely satisfied with any of the explanations offered for Darla's impossible vampire pregnancy. In season four, the show tries to come up with a reason, but it seems a little tacked on and confusing. Basically, the pregnancy is one of those things that I finally just have to shrug and try to accept... Even if it makes no sense. Personally, I have a pet-theory that the pregnancy is possible because of Drusilla. She sired Darla and the vampires that Dru sires seem to be a little more "human" than most. Spike retained feelings, why couldn't Darla retain something, too? Just a thought.
On the downside, this is the start of my most unfavorite "Angel" storyline: The saga of Conner and Holtz. Basically, they both come to LA in this episode and the whole show suffers for it. I don't like Conner and I don't like Holtz. I don't like watching them, or hearing all the other characters constantly talking about them, or wasting valuable time on their endless storyline. I'm much happier when they're not on screen and, unfortunately, for the rest season and beyond, they're on screen A LOT. Also, I still don't get the whole prophesy that's predicting the arrival of the scourge of humanity. Is the scourge of humanity really suppose to be Holtz? I know next episode they say that he's part of this whole "confluence of events" or whatever, but what does Holtz ever really accomplish long term? He does stalk around town, talking in his low, scary (and - Okay, granted - kinna cool) voice and he ends up hurting Angel pretty bad when he steals Conner, but does that qualify as scourge of humanity time? Are we extrapolating it out Conner going bad and helping with the birth of Jasmine who's suppose to end the world? It just seems kinna weak. Maybe, I'm missing something.
My favorite part of the episode: Angel finally dealing with his reluctant feelings for Cordy. He's so cute and confused as he tries to talk to her about how much she means to him. "Are you trying to tell me you love me?" she finally asks, "Because I love you, too." Angel blinks, looking sort of hopeful and scared, "You do?" Then Cordy cheerily announces that they ALL love Angel. "We love you Angel!" Wes, Fred and Gunn all call in agreement. The scene just cracks me up every time I see it.
Basically, the episode revolves around Darla arriving at the Hyperion to tell Angel that she is pregnant. He's...um... surprised. So are Wes, Gunn, Fred and Cordy. See they've been investigating this curse and something horrible is set to land in LA any minute. They all immediately suspect that the baby is the evil thing that they've been expecting. (No pun intended.) They head over to Lorne's for a reading, but he can't tell them much. Team Angel begins to wonder if the baby is part of the Shanshu Prophesy. But since nothing much ever comes of that possibility, it's kinna a dead end. Lorne's fixing up Karitos and he lets Darla lay down on his bed while they try to decide what to do.
Meanwhile, Angel is developing real feelings for Cordy. He's starting to see her as more than a friend and Darla's arrival is messing up his plans. Cordy is furious that Angel slept with Darla and risked going evil again. She sides with Darla... Until Darla bites her and runs off. Cordy has a vision that Darla is going to feed off of kids and Angel goes after her. But there's more. Darla is craving pure blood because her baby has a soul. When Angel realizes that he can hear its heartbeat, he tells her that the baby is alive and that they have to keep it safe. He takes Darla back to the Hyperion. Unfortunately, Angel's old enemy Holtz has been brought from the past and he has plans to see Angel pay.
There are some good parts to this episode. Wes and Gunn breaking into that house is really cute, as is Fred smelling the plastic flowers. And I like Gunn and Fred whispering about Darla. Fred confuses Darla with Buffy. "No," whispers Gunn, "This is Angel's other blonde ex who died and came back." It just makes me laugh. Cordy's reaction to Darla is also great. Angel lied to her last season in "Disharmony" when he said that he hadn't slept with Darla and Cordelia isn't about to let him off easy. She spends most of the episode snapping at him and he's trying to get her to forgive him... It's very fun. Also, I like how anxious Wes is around Fred. He's still not over his mystically induced attack on her in "Billy." I love Fred and Wes together, mostly because he's so sweet and stoic and in love that it just breaks my heart.
On a nit-picky note, I'm never completely satisfied with any of the explanations offered for Darla's impossible vampire pregnancy. In season four, the show tries to come up with a reason, but it seems a little tacked on and confusing. Basically, the pregnancy is one of those things that I finally just have to shrug and try to accept... Even if it makes no sense. Personally, I have a pet-theory that the pregnancy is possible because of Drusilla. She sired Darla and the vampires that Dru sires seem to be a little more "human" than most. Spike retained feelings, why couldn't Darla retain something, too? Just a thought.
On the downside, this is the start of my most unfavorite "Angel" storyline: The saga of Conner and Holtz. Basically, they both come to LA in this episode and the whole show suffers for it. I don't like Conner and I don't like Holtz. I don't like watching them, or hearing all the other characters constantly talking about them, or wasting valuable time on their endless storyline. I'm much happier when they're not on screen and, unfortunately, for the rest season and beyond, they're on screen A LOT. Also, I still don't get the whole prophesy that's predicting the arrival of the scourge of humanity. Is the scourge of humanity really suppose to be Holtz? I know next episode they say that he's part of this whole "confluence of events" or whatever, but what does Holtz ever really accomplish long term? He does stalk around town, talking in his low, scary (and - Okay, granted - kinna cool) voice and he ends up hurting Angel pretty bad when he steals Conner, but does that qualify as scourge of humanity time? Are we extrapolating it out Conner going bad and helping with the birth of Jasmine who's suppose to end the world? It just seems kinna weak. Maybe, I'm missing something.
My favorite part of the episode: Angel finally dealing with his reluctant feelings for Cordy. He's so cute and confused as he tries to talk to her about how much she means to him. "Are you trying to tell me you love me?" she finally asks, "Because I love you, too." Angel blinks, looking sort of hopeful and scared, "You do?" Then Cordy cheerily announces that they ALL love Angel. "We love you Angel!" Wes, Fred and Gunn all call in agreement. The scene just cracks me up every time I see it.
