Angel's Secrets

Episode Reviews   

"Disharmony," Tuesday, April 17, 2001

by Anne

Finally – a new episode! It’s great to see the gang again – I’ve missed them!

I felt Angel’s pain as he awkwardly tried to make small talk with his former employees. Taking orders is a new (and difficult) experience for Angel. The other three clearly enjoy him in his new, subservient position. Although I said in a previous review that I’m sure the Angel/A-team relationship wasn’t completely repaired, I was shocked when Cordy told Angel, "We’re not friends." OUCH!

Watching Harmony and the self-proclaimed "friendless" Cordelia sitting and laughing about their glory days, one might have forgotten that things are definitely not like they were before! I thought it was great that Cordelia spoke so happily about the present and how she loves what she’s doing now. Harmony is obviously lying when she says that she feels good about herself also. I thought it was very true to life for Harmony to deduce that since Cordelia was so happy the logical step for her to be happy is to do what Cordelia does. When Angel told Cordelia that Harmony would turn on her, I was hoping, like Cordelia was, that he was wrong.

The Cordy/Harmony relationship parallels the Cordy/Angel relationship. Even though Harmony admits that she’s evil, she claims to want to change. In the end, Harmony betrays Cordelia, but that wasn’t really a surprise. Angel claims to not be evil. This is probably what hurts Cordelia the most: there was no apparent reason for him to abandon her, but he did. Cordelia helps people, and she certainly wants to help her friends. Perhaps she fears that ultimately Angel, like Harmony, can’t be saved.

When Angel bought those clothes for Cordelia, given that he lied to her about what happened with Darla, I was reminded of how a cheating husband buys guilt gifts for his wife. I thought that accepting his gifts diminished Cordelia’s claim that Angel caused her hurt. (I guess the gifts appealed to the self-proclaimed "needy" Cordelia!) Apparently her affection can be purchased – or at least rented!

Overall, again nothing was resolved between Angel and the A-team, but that is consistent with the "having to earn their trust back" theme. Sure, Cordy accepted the gifts, but does anyone believe that she and Angel are now okay? I can see why Angel, stung by the "we’re not friends" declaration, would want some way to show he’s sorry and attempt to speed up the forgiveness process. Unfortunately, Wesley’s right: time is the only thing that will repair the damage. And as Tom Petty says, "the waiting is the hardest part..."


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