Life of the Party
Episode 5.05
Reviewed by Nimue


This was a bloody brilliant episode! I know that some people will say it was too light and didn't advance the plot and the like, but you know what? I'm sick of thinking too much (at least this week ;)) and I was really happy with how it all came together.

So, what was the story, morning glory? It's all sort of jumbled in my head as I was sort of in a haze, but here's what I remember.

There was Spike and then some more Spike, but not enough, and then there was nekky Angel and eww and getting it and eww and Spike, thank the stars, and pee pee and poor Wes and Spike again. YAY.

Nah, I got a little more than that.

So, it started out with Lorne trying to charm all these guests to come to the W&H Halloween party, which is a big shin dig for obvious reasons (what with the creepy crawlies traditionally linked to Halloween). Of course Spike protests on the same basis he has always protested the day - only amateurs and wanna-bees trying to be scary would indulge in All Hallow's Eve celebrations. Hmm, never heard that one before, Spikey. Hey, has the Great Pumpkin been on yet this year???

Anyway, Lorne can't get enough people there and he's going nuts and his mirror starts talking to him. Very sort of Evil Snow White-ish vibe, although I'm not really sure what the mirror stood for. Oh, right. I'm not thinking too much:)

So, Lorne gets the Fang Gang (inc Spike and Eve) into Angel's office to convince him that it's important that Angel attend this party. None of the gang were going to the party so Lorne had to convince them first, then convince them to convince him and ... aw, hell, there was a lot of convincing.

So, with a rousing speech from Legal!Genius!Gunn and some prodding from the others (but not Spike because ewww on the Spike prodding Angel) Angel agrees. Lorne advises Angel that most of the big guests won't come, mostly because they're evil and, well, he tends to kill evil folks. Eve agrees and talks Angel into going to see the big wig of the evil guests, count Sebasis (isn't that a skin condition?) and talk him into coming to bring along the other guests.

Angel and Lorne go to the Count's place. Angel is his normal exciting self (not) and they hold court with the Count. (Oh, on the way there, Captain Perceptive - Angel - realizes that the party might just be personally important to Lorne, being the Julie on this Love Boat, and that he would try to be more involved.

They get to the Count's place and have a chat. The Count is one creepy bugger, who has a servant chained to him. And a wacked one at that. This scrawny dude is all corked and bleeds into a wine glass (think Master and the blood machine) for the Count. Ewww! Sort of an Igor figure, IMO. But there I go with the thinking...

Eventually, no thanks to Broody McBroodyPants, the Count agrees to come, despite thinking it could be a trap. Satisfied, Lorne and Angel go back to W&H.

Cut to the party. It's like an 8th grade dance. Everyone standing along the edges of the room, doing not a lot of anything, except Harmony who is shaking her groove thing much like I was after a gin and tonic at the Cleveland Con. All by her lonesome :(

Lorne is trying to rustle up some fun so he goes to find each of the gang. He tells Gunn that he's an up and comer and that he should be staking out his (Gunn's) W&H territory. He tells Spike to be positive. He finds Fred and Wesley holding up a wall and tells them they should be drunk and having fun. He sees Angel and Eve bickering and comments on the sexual tension and tells them to get a room.

So, what do you know? Angel and Eve get a room and he tosses her against a wall and starts to ravage her, although he needs to take some ravaging lessons from his grandson. Then we see Wesley and Fred all giggling and stumbly and doing pretty darned good drunk impressions (although from what I hear about that set, it may not be an impression:)). Meanwhile, Gunn is wandering around the room peeing on the floor. Although we don't know it's him until drunken Wesley goes to ask him if it's normal to be drunk after a third of a half of his beer and Gunn pees on his shoes:). I have to say, like a child, I was enormously amused by pee pee.

Just when things are at their weirdest, the gang realizes that something really *is* wrong when Spike comes in doing this really odd head thing (dunno how I felt about that face!) saying that this stupid disco song was the best song EVA! and that the party rocks and everything is comin' up roses.

Did someone say *coming*?

They all file into Angel's office, figuring out that Lorne is causing this and what's Angel doing? He's getting his dog on with Eve behind the leather couch. Moaning and grinding and wham, bam, thank you ma'am and their heads pop over the back of the couch, to the great amusement of Spike who says "Angel's getting some! Good on ya, Mate!"

Okay, here's something you would never expect me to say. Angel's looking not entirely bad. I mean, almost sort of good. But he's still vastly inferior to Spike (don't worry, honey, I got you covered:) :::winks at Bot!:::) Anyway, Angel stands and thank *goodness* for the the leather pillow in front of him because I got to see Spike's sock last week. I didn't need to see Angel's anklet.

Back to the story. Gunn remembers that Lorne told him he had his sleep removed. The gang surmises in a giant plot leap (:::Nim smacks self in head for thinking under influence of narcotics::::) that Lorne's lack of sleep is causing this. Angel, still undressed, orders Fred and Wes (still drunk) to go find Lorne's sleep and sends Lorne out to control the party. Angel decides the drinks and fun need to keep coming while they figure this out and says someone needs to keep ice in the drinks. Spike jumps up and down like a kid in the front row of the class room with his hand raised and Angel tells Gunn to take care of it. So, Spike ends up sitting there on the table while Angel orders himself to keep making with the sex.

Oh, meanwhile, one of the Count's flunkies gets all blown up in the bathroom and the Count finds the oh so gooey remains of his body. The Count, who already thought the party was a trap, goes to Angel's office and interrupts his sex-having :::shudders::: (BTW - Spike is still in the room) and points a wee cross bow at Angel (which, I suppose is appropriate because of Angel's wee weapon - ok, lame joke).

The Count tells Angel to dress himself (THANK GOD) and takes them all back into the party where this guy in the flesh mask lies dead on the food table. Oops, me thinks that's a party foul. The Count goes on about ritual sacrifice while his little chained up servant dude tastes the foliage and says "Ummm, pee pee". (Kindergarten Nim laughs again).

Meanwhile, Fred and Wes discover Lorne's sleep and each other. Well, not really. They vow to become better friends (remember the Bud Light "I love you, Man" commercials?) and Fred means friends and Wesley means more and as Fred gets closer all flirty and what not, she asks Wes what he thinks of Knox (Fred, he's a cutie:)).

Wes is devastated but covers it with reading mystical texts. Hey, that's what I always do:)

Finally, they figure out what's happening. By not sleeping, Lorne, as an empath (a receiver) becomes a transmitter. If left long enough, his subconscious will manifest itself.

Dunh, dunh, DUNH!

They head down the elevator (sort of) and come downstairs just as this big green burly creature in a Lorne suit gets all Incredible Hulk on the party. (Uh, the movie stunk, why use the CGI from it?). The Hulk!Lorne begins to beat people up and Angel tries to fight it but Evil!Lorne!SC kicks his ass. Wham! Pow! Bam! Big fight scene.

Just as the thing really starts to open the can of whoop ass, Fred shoots Lorne in the head with a canister containing his sleep and the Hulk!o!Lorne disappears.

All is well again.

The story ends with Lorne sleeping on Angel's couch. Knox comes down and has a drink with Fred. Wes (who I felt so bad for - come on now with me - "Poor Wes") sees them and walks forlornly off alone. Angel thinks he needs to have a "talk" with Eve, but Eve interrupts him and says it wasn't the first time she'd had sex under magical influence! But if you ask me, she looked ... sad... when she left.

Finally, Gunn walks in and tells Angel that the Count and his people like blood sport at parties so all was well. He also tells Angel not to sit in his chair. Why, you ask?

Pee pee!

YAY for pee pee.

Spike thinks that's brilliant and Angel tells Spike to quit with the happy already. Spike says that he's cured of that, but he still thinks Gunn pissing in Angel's chair is brilliant.

So.Do.I. Spike.

Angel tells Spike to get out and Spike replies "Just this once." and leaves.

Story ends with Lorne sacked on the couch murmuring in his sleep about how hard it is always being the host (Lorne, please don't say hard around that couch and Angel again!) and Angel pats him on the shoulder and covers him like a wee bairn and tells him he doesn't have to be. Aw, thanks for the motivational speech, Peaches!

End of tale.

Nimmy
 

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