Episode Reviews   

"Fredless," Monday, October 22, 2001

by Anne

Episode Summary

Wesley, Gunn, and Cordelia are organizing the weapons as Fred wonders again what time it is; she clearly wants Angel to return. Fred wonders if Angel and “that girl with the goofy name” will get back together. Wes says no; he and Cordy proceed to do their own interpretation of the star-crossed relationship between Buffy and Angel. Angel returns, and he doesn’t want to talk about the visit. He and Fred go to get ice cream, where they wind up chasing a demon into the sewers. The others are still working on the weapons inventory when a couple, Roger and Trish, walks in. They are looking for their daughter; the detective they hired says she is at that hotel. Fred is their daughter. (Surprise!) Returning to the hotel, Fred sees her parents in the office and runs upstairs unnoticed. She is gone by the time the others show Fred’s parents to her room. After searching a bit the others realize that Fred would go to the Host for help. He reluctantly tells Angel where to find Fred. At the bus station, Fred is forced to confront her parents; she didn’t want to see them because somehow seeing them meant that what she went through in Pylea was real and not a dream. Her parents comfort her as she, sobbing, apologizes for getting “so lost.” Suddenly a giant bug-like demon drops from the ceiling. Everyone tries to fight it, but it is too strong even for Angel. It is finally squashed when Fred’s mom drives a bus into it. At the hotel, Fred announces that she wants to go home. After she leaves with her parents, the others are attacked by more of the bug demons. In the cab, looking at her old shirt that had some of the squashed bug on it (from when it was hit by the bus) Fred has a revelation and tells the driver to turn around. She arrives at the hotel in time to reveal that the bug demons wanted the head of the other demon. As things calm down again, Fred tells her parents that she belongs there; they insist on staying a few weeks. As the episode ends, everyone is upstairs painting the walls of Fred’s room.

Episode Review

I did *not* appreciate Cordy and Wes mocking Angel’s relationship with Buffy. What in the world could be worse than not being able to be with the one you love? I thought it was very callous of them to show so little regard for Angel‘s situation. (Fred told her parents that Cordy is “the heart” of the gang: okay, whatever.)

While I’m on the subject, I also do not appreciate the no-crossover policy between the two shows. I think it’s unkind of the writers to tease us with only brief mentions of the other characters. Since the new season began, I have been waiting for “the biggest non-crossover event ever” that Joss said would happen. Was that scene with Wes and Cordy supposed to be it? I’m still waiting.

On to more pleasant thoughts. I thought the details of the bug-demon mystery were very consistent and well-woven into the story. Even the mystery of why the first demon appeared at the ice cream parlor was solved and explained by Fred. Everything was almost too coordinated, but that’s fine with me. It reminded me of the mysteries I used to read, and I liked it.

The episode showed us again the A-team’s detective skills need sharpening. Gunn seemed amazed that the detective hired by Fred’s parents could find Fred from the letter she sent that had no return address. Both Angel and Trish mentioned that the gang aren’t very good detectives.

Fred mentioned that she was waiting for the “handsome man” to save her again like he did in Pylea, but she realized that he couldn’t. As Gunn pointed out, she was strong enough to survive for five years in that hostile world. In this episode, Fred did the actual detective work by putting the pieces together. By doing so she saved the others. Hopefully this will help give her some self-confidence because she doesn’t need someone to save her anymore. She’s learned that she does belong with the others and that she too can fight the good fight.

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