Angel

Hercules Has Seen ANGEL 5.10!! I am - Hercules!!

Angel 5.10 FAQ What’s it called? “Soul Purpose.”

Who’s responsible? Teleplay is credited to series newcomer and veteran stuntman (!) Brent Fletcher. Thie episode appears to be his first professional sale.

What did Coax say about this one back on Oct. 28? * Spike will seem to be following in Angel’s footsteps somehow, re-enacting Angel-ic rescues, including one involving evil vampires we might remember from 1.1.

* With minimal effort, Spike will rescue a cute twentysomething named Lana from another vampire, then mock her stupidity.

* The Blue Fairy from Pinnocchio will somehow appear to Spike and the rest of Team Angel (sans Angel himself), and offer to reward Spike’s good deeds by transforming the gleeful blonde vampire “into a real boy.”

Huh. What does TV Guide say? “As Spike accepts a mysterious stranger’s offer to help him become a hero worthy of fulfilling the Shanshu prophecy, an ailing Angel is plagued by increasingly gruesome hallucinations featuring his friends. David Boreanaz directed the episode. Sean: Christian Kane. Harmony: Mercedes McNab. Eve: Sarah Thompson.”

Sean: Christian Kane? I swear, if somebody called him Sean in this episode, I didn’t notice it. Christian Kane introduces himself as “Doyle” this episode. And he claims to be getting psychic visions of people in dire need of rescue.

The big news? They hired someone to play Buffy Summers for this installment.

Great Horny Toads! What else is TV Guide not telling us? “Doyle” is the mysterious stranger who offers to help Spike fulfill the Shanshu. And the episode seems to be an homage of sorts to perhaps the greatest Superman story ever told, a 1985 Alan Moore epic titled “For The Man Who Has Everything.” Angel plays Superman. Spike plays Batman. Figuratively, of course.

Okay, let’s assume I understand why Spike isn’t in Italy sniffing out slayer. Why is he hanging around with Angel, Wesley and Gunn in Los Angeles? He’s not. He’s still in Los Angeles for the moment, but he’s no longer hanging with Team Angel.

The blue fairy business is part of Angel’s fever dreams? Yep.

What’s doing with Eve? Still conspiring with the Lindsay-lookin’ guy (or LLG).

What’s good? Tons. (Many may declare this the best stuntman-penned teleplay ever produced!) The homages to 1.1. Spike mocking his rescuees. Harmony’s continued struggles. A perfect Miami Vice reference. The laugh-out-loud hilarious way Angel exits the blue fairy scene. The mystery behind is all is compelling, and we do get a clearer picture of what Eve and the LLG are up to. (As often happens, I suspect many a talkbacker will rate this a four- or five-star episode.)

What’s not so good? It’s not all gravy. Some of the dream sequences get kind of draggy (I’m thinking particularly of Fred’s fun with scalples).

How does it end, spoiler-boy? “Here’s a thought,” smirks Eve. “Maybe you should try looking inward... unless you don’t like what you see.”

Herc’s rating for “Angel” 5.10? ***1/2 The Hercules T. Strong Rating System: ***** better than we deserve

**** better than most motion pictures

*** actually worth your valuable time

** as horrible as most stuff on TV

* makes you quietly pray for bulletins

9 p.m. Wednesday. The WB. Swing the crebbil! I am - Hercules!!