Episode Reviews   

"Couplet," Monday, February 18, 2002

by Anne

Episode Summary

Angel deals with his feelings of jealousy toward Groo. Wesley finds a book that contains information about the prophecy like the scroll that they lost to Wolfram & Hart. Cordelia remembers that she could lose her visions if she "comshuks" with Groo, but she finds a source for a potion that would prevent that from happening. She sends Angel to go with Groo to a demon brothel to pick it up, so Angel can guard Groo from temptation. While there, Angel receives a call from Gunn who is trapped with Fred in the roots of a demon tree after searching for the suspect they lost while making out. Angel and Groo go to help, but Groo charges in recklessly and is attacked by the tree who begins to suck the life out of him. Angel paces around him, taunting Groo’s extreme perfect-ness until the tree releases him and attaches itself to Angel. Feeding from Angel weakens the tree and Gunn is able to stab it with a sword. Back at the hotel, Angel gives Cordelia money, telling her to take a few weeks off and take Groo somewhere nice, and Wesley has translated the text from the prophecy: "The father will kill the son."

Episode Review

One definition for the word couplet is "two similar things." In this episode we saw that term applies to Wesley and Angel who both secretly liked a woman who chose someone else. It also applies to Angel and Groo who are both superhero types; they are even similar in appearance after Groo's makeover. (After reading a description of the season finale, this reminds me of a sit-com plot where one character dates a person who resembles another character who has romantic feelings for the first character.)

When Wesley admits that he is apparently the equivalent of Fred's brother, he conveys with that one word a glimpse of his feelings of rejection. Gunn noticed too and started to say something, but Wes dismisses it with a firm "she chose." However, by trying to send Gunn out on a stakeout and by looking at Fred from an angle where Gunn is hidden, I wonder if Wesley hasn't completely accepted Fred's decision yet.

Cordelia's attitude toward Angel is consistent with what we've seen all season. She still sees Angel as someone who is totally not interested in sex. Did she forget about Buffy? I guess so, and she must have chalked up the action in the dressing room from the previous episode to magic.

I don't remember Cordy saying at any point in this episode that she loved Groo. When she was talking to Groo about their relationship - right before his haircut - she said, "There is a definite thing here." When she spoke of being with him, she said, with great conviction, "I am tired of being lonely."

It's ironic that the coldness inside Angel is what killed the tree. His feelings and actions toward Cordy are anything but cold. I'm a little puzzled by why he gave her money to go away with Groo. I take it that it was supposed to be another sacrifice he was making for her, besides the one of wanting her to be with Groo if it made her happy.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

* I liked Fred's view of attraction: "Maybe it's not so much magical as chemical when two people are attracted. Maybe it's like the DNA knows what it needs, and when it finds it, nothing can get in its way. It just takes it."

* I didn't like how goofy Cordy was around Groo, especially in the last scene where she makes a big deal over him giving away the credit.

* How convenient that the demon tree could only feed from one person at a time. Also, if feeding from Angel was weakening the tree, why didn't it just let go?

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