Episode Reviews   

"The Price," Monday, April 29, 2002

by Anne

Episode Summary

A potential client for Angel Investigations - the first one in over a week - enters the hotel and is possessed by a big demon bug-thing before making contact with Angel. The man acts weird then leaves, only to be found later at the juice bar across the street. The A-team takes him to the hotel, where he announces that it's all Angel's fault before falling to the floor and crumbling upon impact. The demon bug crawls out of him and flees into another part of the hotel, and the gang begins to search for it. They soon discover that there's more than one of the bugs in the hotel. Using the fact that the things glow in the dark, Angel decides to shut the power off to look for them. Fred is left alone in the office looking through books and becomes infected. Gunn wants to take her to the hospital, but Angel doesn't want the thing inside of her to escape from the hotel. He wants answers, and Fred, speaking for the thing, reveals that the Destroyer is coming for Angel. Gunn sneaks out and goes to Wesley for help; although angry, Wes tells him how to save Fred and then orders them all to stay away from him. Meanwhile at Wolfram & Hart, Lilah finds herself in hot water because of Angel's current mess. Back at the hotel, as Cordy and Angel try to fend off the demon bugs, Cordy suddenly catches one. As she holds it, she begins to glow. The light fills the hotel and wipes out the infestation in the process. Wesley's solution - alcohol - works to drive the thing out of Fred. As the gang regroups, Lorne reminds them that it isn't over: the Destroyer is coming. Fred sits up and announces that it's coming now. A portal opens and a fierce-looking monster drops into the room. It only has time to snarl a bit before a human drops out of the portal as well. He takes care of the monster problem and turns his attention to Angel. He says, "Hi, Dad," and aims his weapon at Angel.

Episode Review

From the opening shot of the cracked wall, we were reminded that irreversible changes had occurred. Angel said it best: "I just want everything to be like it was before." However, like the damage that was done to the hotel, the repercussions of recent events cannot be ignored.

At the heart of many of the current problems is a lack of communication, which this episode repeats in no small way. Communication and/or the lack thereof were mentioned in just about every dialogue. Much of the discussion revolved around what should have been done or what should be done. But you can't talk forever and solve the problem. At some point a decision must be made and action must be taken.

Angel certainly isn't the only one to ever make a wrong decision, but in this episode many of the troubles caused are directly due to his involvement. Lilah's predicament at the office stems directly from her involvement with the spell he cast and from his torture of Linwood. Before the man came to Angel Investigations looking for help, his biggest problem was that his dog was missing. Fred tried to explain that she's bad at that kind of research, but Angel wouldn't listen and she almost died. Not to mention the fact that if the demon bugs had escaped from the hotel, the tragedy would have become much greater. In a broader sense, if Angel hadn't slept with Darla to gratify himself, there would have been no Connor in the first place.

Another person who is paying The Price as a result of his actions is Wesley. I didn't even recognize him at first when Gunn went to him for help. His appearance is the outward manifestation of the mess that has become his life. It was so true when he told Gunn, "You don't know anything." But how could the others know what he had been going through, since he didn't tell them what his research said from the start?

While we're on the subject of Wesley, one very consistent point in this story arc has been that Wes was a major asset to the others. This was emphasized by the fact that it took Wesley's knowledge to save Fred. It was notable that he didn't even have to look it up; he knew precisely what to do. Since we had seen evidence that Wes still pined for Fred, it was believable that he would help her, although I don't think he would have let any of them die. (Except maybe Angel.)

A third example of paying The Price is Cordelia. Granted, her mysterious new demon side effect is what solved the bug problem, but it signifies another part of their lives - that is, Cordelia - that isn't like it was before. The power's inexplicable appearance and her inability to fully control it suggest that her transition to being a demon is far from complete.

This episode could have been more accurately titled "The Price Begins." Similar to the cracked wall, the problems were clearly visible but they were left unresolved at this time. Connor's sudden return and the fact that he's grown considerably mark another instance which promises yet again things won't be like they were before.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

* With Angel's super-sensitive hearing he should have heard both the man in the lobby and Fred and Cordy's discussion about Wesley.

* I hope that the scenes at Wolfram & Hart indicate that the writers are going somewhere with the Gavin character. Surely they wouldn't annoy us that much for nothing.

* The shrewd observer would have taken note of the emphasis on water in this episode about consequences and wondered if it would resurface (pun intended) at a later point in time.

* I kept waiting for Angel to be thrown across the floor, as in Cordelia's vision, but it didn't happen. I predict that it will happen early in the next episode.

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