Angel (TV Series) The Ring (2000) User Reviews

Lila's first episode

[katierose295 · 9/10 · 20 September 2006]

I actually really like this episode. It's fun and it once again establishes the recurring "Angel" theme that humans can be as bad a demons. The fight club owners are as evil as any of the demons they've captured. Plus, "The Ring" introduces another Wolfram and Hart lawyer, Lila Morgan. Lila is one of my favorite characters on the show and she'll be around for the next several seasons, so it's cool to see her here. "The Ring" also shows Wes's harder side for the first time. It's kind of shocking to see him shooting some guy with a cross bow and then twisting the arrow to get the information he wanted. Wes rocks. Anyway, "The Ring" is worth a look is you're watching the season on DVD.

"The Ring" revolves around Angel being kidnapped by an underground demon fight club. Thinking that he's looking for a missing man, Angel starts an investigation that quickly goes wrong. Angel has walked into a trap. Tricked by one of the fight club's owners, Angel is soon locked in a cage and forced to battle other demons. Little bracelets keep them from escaping. The bracelets will disintegrate anyone who leaves. Angel is not happy to stuck in the fight club. He begins trying to inspire his fellow fighters to stage an escape. But the other demons are too scared and resigned to listen to him. Angel is approached by Lila Morgan, a lawyer at Wolfram and Hart. She wants Angel to join their side. He refuses.

Meanwhile, Cordy and Wes are looking for Angel. Wes is following Angel's trail. After holding some guys at gun point and doing some light torture, Wes finds the fight club. He and Cordy discover that Angel is trapped there and start planning a way to free him. At the fight club, Angel has killed a demon in one of his matches. He's more determined than ever to shut the fight club down. Wes and Cordy come up with a tool to disarm the bracelets and rescue Angel. The demons finally start listening to Angel and, together, they all escape.

There are some really great parts to this episode. I like that Angel was the one in trouble for once. It's cool that Cordy and Wes were the ones who had to rescue him. The two of them pretend to be police officers to get into the fight club. You just have to laugh when Cordy introduces Wes as "Detective Yelsew." ("Wesley" backwards.) She couldn't just use his last name? Also, the fighting between some of the demons is pretty funny. When the big guy just casually lifts the little demon up and kills him, it's hard not to wince and snicker at the same time. And I just love the end of the episode. Wes, Cordy and Angel are feeling very good about themselves because they rescued all the fighters. Suddenly, Cordy frowns, "Wait, did we just set a bunch of demons free?" Wes and Angel stop smiling and right then you realize, Oops...They did, didn't they? It's really funny.

On the down side, does the IRS really take people's pets for back taxes? Cordy says they took her horse, which seems sort of extreme. It's one thing to repossess a car or freeze a bank account, but taking a teenager's palomino is just going too far.

My favorite part of the episode: Ogling Angel. He never looks better in any episode than he does in "The Ring." The sleeveless t-shirt, the great lighting, the hair... Maybe, I'm just a really shallow person, but --d*nm!-- is he gorgeous.

Lilah: I prefer to think of it as picking the battles you can win. There's not one reason why we can't work together. Angel: You're right... there are about a thousand.

[bombersflyup · 9/10 · 28 January 2020]

The Ring is about Angel being lured to fight in an underground gladiator arena, against other demons.

A solid episode, though an amateurish beginning, with MacNamara, the Howlers and the bookie. Macnamara badly bruised, shirt untucked and stumbling, completely overdone and unbelievable. Not to mention he had been sent the finger that day and this occurred the night before. I like the ring announcer pronunciations and the fight sequences throughout the episode, Trepkos instantly crushing Mellish a highlight. The ending's humorous, as the gang couldn't really stop the underground ring without setting all the demons free. The blurry line of grey, which frequently rears its head throughout the series.

Angel: The Legendary Journeys

[quicke-214 · 8/10 · 16 November 2009]

Is there a reason that this episode closely resembles Hercules' episode 1.10 titled Gladiator?

I looked through the list of people who worked on both episodes and didn't see any overlapping names. I didn't notice it ten years ago, but I recently started watching Herc on netflix and halfway through the episode I began to feel a little deja vu. Which totally makes sense because I saw the episode when I was a teenager, but the longer I watched the more familiar it became.

When the queen requested to see Herc in her bed chamber a light came on in the distance. But, when he asked to go back to his cell A flood of memories came to me. I shouted "Angel", "Lilah", "The Ring!", "Which one's Cordi?" and other unintelligible things. Because, I'm the kind of loser who gets excited over this kinds of things

Loved it! But...

[magoomj · 9 May 2010]

This is probably not where this belongs, but bear with me. This isn't a review so much as a comment on the "goofs" section listed above. One of the "goofs" listed is that when Angel was shocked with the cattle prod,it didn't singe his shirt, but it should have. I disagree. Cattle prods do not necessarily singe fabric. They contain enough voltage to stimulate movement when simply slapping on the rear or tapping with a stick does not suffice, but they do not contain enough amperage to burn clothing. It is possible that these were "souped-up" cattle prods that could've done this type of damage, but cattle prods in general do not have that kind of power. Just wanted to clarify. :)

You'd think people would get enough gratuitous violence watching Jerry Springer

[SleepTight666 · 5/10 · 12 May 2007]

You'd think people would get enough gratuitous violence watching Jerry Springer - Another season 1 episode that starts a little slow but thickens along the way. The main things I think could have been improved were the dialog and the fight fans/crowed, they weren't very convincing. Having said that, I enjoy this episode a bunch, I loved the fight scenes in the ring and the character 'Trepkos', a crowed pleaser that only killed to survive and 'Angel' was going to be his 21st kill, the fight scene between him and 'Angel' was hands-down my favorite of the first season. Another highly positive point is the introduction of the sexy, femme fatal 'Lilah Morgan', I think she had a connection with 'Angel' immediately, i'm glad they brought her back and eventually became a very important villain. The whole bracelet storyline was interesting, I was happy the way they killed that bad, bad man that set 'Angel' up, in a way, 'Trepkos' did kill 21. The end was also fun, thinking they did right while they put a bunch of dangerous demons back on the street. WESLEY: For your information, I lead a rich and varied social life. CORDELIA: Oh, I know. Every night it s Jeopardy, followed by Wheel of Fortune and a cup of hot cocoa. Look out girls, this one can't be tamed! WESLEY: I'll admit it may not be as intoxicating as a life erected on high fashion pumps and a push-up bra. CORDELIA: Hey, if anyone is wearing a push-up bra around here it's... Angel. (9.0 out of 10)

Mainly notable for Lilah

[Joxerlives · 5/10 · 12 January 2012]

THE RING

The Good; Lilah! I know she's an evil bitch but I can't help loving her anyway. Cordy and Wes' police double act is also a highlight

The Bad; Pretty much the rest, Angel as Spartacus, not bad but not very involving. The brother's plan to get Angel into the ring seems unnecessarily complex? Also Angel seems to be very easily overcome by their thugs considering what we know him to be capable off?

Best line: Wes; "Something's going down, something with 'The Man"

Jeez, how did they get away with that? Wes pinning the guys hand to the wall with his crossbow bolt then twisting it. Fingers in a box. One McNamara brother casually killing the other.

Apocalypses: 4

Angel Clichés

Damsel in distress; 15,

Inverting the Hollywood cliché;

In disguise; 3

DB get's his shirt off; no but he wears his vest top most of the time 4

Cordy's tattoo;3

Cheap Angel; 2

Fang Gang in bondage: Angel in the cuffs Cordy: 5 Angel: 6 Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out: Angel, twice Cordy: 8 Angel: 9 Wes: 2 Doyle; 1

Kills: Cordy: 3 vamps, 1½ demons Angel: one demon. 11 vamps, 6 and 1/2 demons, 2 humans. Doyle; 1 vamp Wes; 1/2 a demon Kate; 3 vamps

Fang Gang go evil: Cordy: 2 Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang: Cordy: 2 Angel: 5

Characters killed: 25

Recurring characters killed; 2;

Total number of Angel Investigations: 3, Angel and Cordy and Wes

Angel Investigations shot: yep Angel: 7,

Packing heat; Wes for the second time Wes; 2 Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Cordy: 2 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky: Wes states that Cordy wears high heels and a push up bra.

Captain Subtext; Cordy insinuates that Angel cross dresses.

Know the face, different character; 2

Parking garages; 4,

Guantanamo Bay; Wes tortures the bookie

Buffy characters on Angel; 6; Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes

Questions and observations; Cordy considers calling the police. Even if they believed her is demon fighting illegal? Cordy mentions her pony, Lilah's talk with Angel foreshadows him joining WR&H in season 5

Marks out of 10; 5/10, an ep mainly notable for the introduction of Lilah