Angel directs Cordelia and Wesley to investigate a mysteriously abandoned hotel in Hollywood and as they piece together the building's dark history, they discover that his interest is that of a personal nature. In a flashback to 1952, Angel is not the atoning vampire of present day, but a recluse who is detached from the tortured humans around him, until one fateful day.

angel flashback ... always a good thing but this one is fantastic ... mixing "present" time and 1952 flashback.

an interesting story (completly confused the thought that angel was homeless until he met whistler but it's kinda explained after he left the hotel to the demon)

Thesulac: There's an entire hotel here just full of tortured souls who could really use your help. Whaddya say?
Angel: Take 'em all.


:lmao: @

the similarity about judy and angel: a story about blood

the shock of angel being hang and the close shot when he open his eyes :fear:

and then wesley insecurity :lmao:

angel and denver: love when he throw a book at angel and it's a bible (ouch!)

and then the gang moving in (finally leaving cordie flat)

That's because it was a history rewrite. :)

What kind of idiot would think he lived a la Becoming for 80 or 90 years :ph43r:

I knew when I saw your name against this thread the word "rewrite" wouldn't be far away :)

Me. :)

well i doubt joss knew the past of angel before starting buffy season three ... but then if he knew in 1952 how to get human blood why did he end up eating rats 40 years later even if leaving in the street ... i mean he knew the blood delivery in sunnydale and he was still feeling guilty (the dark age)

Ahhhh, we're already on S2?! I'm still only as far as She! I've got some serious catching up to do once the exams are over :lol:

Margot

you can do it :thumbsup:

This is really clever but the set in the past aspect still bugs me a bit as I feel it robs the episode of dramatic tension. I have always wondered what somebody who has studied history would make of its comments on 50s paranoia. I am vaguely aware of Mccarthyism but I am not totally clued in about it. Angel episodes seem to be, on the whole, not that demanding so maybe it does not matter.

Angel presumably underwent many ups and downs so there does not seem to be any narrative problems to me. If AS5 totally goes against the grain of the series that may be a problem though.

Though not quite as stunning as the blood squirting scene in Eternity the hanging remains a remarkable moment. I am slightly surprised it did not warrant an 18 certificate. In terms of intent it is as bad as Five by Five. 6/10 sk

Loved this episode. One thing I didn't understand because I'm so dense......How did the girl (can't think of her name) survuve all that time no going out without food?

One of my favourite episodes. Yet again LA is portrayed as a lonely place with lonely people, who lie to others and themselves just to get along. Angel is no exception. It's interesting to see how different he is fifty years after. Maybe he ended up on the streets because of this event? He certainly seems to lose his trust in people. I found the lynch scene disturbing though, This is certainly not a fluffy flashback episode.

However, the ending was a little unrealistic. That woman would not still be there after all that time <_<

But hooray for the introduction of the Hyperion!

9/10

Wesley: I've been accused of a great many things in my time. But paranoid has never been one of them. Unless people have been saying it behind my back.




xsarahx

Strong episode although let down a little by the ending, killed the demon a little too quickly.

Liked the 50's feel and the visit to the Observatory, very James Dean Rebel without a cause. 50's Angel was very much like that too, surly, lacking faith in anything and solitary.

I love this episode, i love the way the flashbacks are shown. Interesting storyline and with good sense of humour in bits.

9/10.