Angel/Recap/S01/E01 City Of



"Los Angeles. You see it at night, and it shines. It's a beacon. People are drawn to it. --People, and other things. They come for all sorts of reasons. My reason? No surprise there: it started with a girl..."

- Angel, Opening narration

Having left Sunnydale and his true love behind, we pick up with our hero where we previously left off: a depressed, lonely Angel getting hammered in a bar. After saving some pool-playing women from their dates (who turn out to be vampires, natch), a sullen Angel returns to his underground lair beneath an office complex. A man appears behind him, complimenting the "batcave" decorum. This fellow is Doyle, a magical Irishman sent by the Powers That Be. Doyle's here to enlist Angel in the good fight. Angel retorts that he's got it covered. Doyle warns that Angel is so cut off from humanity that his demon-slaying will only lead to apathy towards people. Furthermore, unless Angel does something to remedy this, he'll start to prey on humans again. Doyle hands Angel a note regarding his latest vision, that of a waitress in imminent peril. Angel agrees to look into it.

Angel follows the address to a coffee shop, where he strikes up an awkward conversation with the lady in question, a struggling actress named Tina. She agrees to meet him after work. Outside the shop, however, Tina waves around a can of mace, accusing Angel of working for a guy named Russell. Angel manages to defuse Tina and kindly offers her a ride. Tina, now embarrassed, is headed to a star-studded party and invites Angel along.

At the party, Angel skulks through the crowd and spots Cordelia Chase as she mingles with some execs. They talk about old times, and Cordelia announces that she moved to L.A. to pursue acting. She tactlessly excuses herself, explaining that she's busy "talking to people that are somebody." A bit deflated, Angel moves on and notices Tina arguing with a man. She and Angel take the elevator down, and are jumped by "Russel's" hired muscle. Angel fights them off and decides it's wise to stash Tina at his place.

Things go awry when Tina sees the slip of paper on which Doyle wrote her name. She flees upstairs, and when Angel tries to intervene, his hand bursts into flame from a ray of sunlight and he vamps out. Tina wails and runs outside, while Angel can only watch. Tina races to her apartment and starts packing, but Russell is lying in wait. He's interested to know who was with her last night. When Tina describes what happened to Angel's face, Russel vamps out (aha.) and drains her. Angel arrives too late and discovers Tina's body.

Cordy's contact from the party calls to reports that Russell Winters is very interested in furthering her career. Cordelia is escorted via limo and seems very happy with herself. Angel packs a bag of weapons and prepares to go medieval on Russell. Cordelia is at Russell's for only a few minutes before she realizes that he is a vampire. Russell feebly denies this, then shrugs and vamps out. Angel arrives just in time, and he and Cordy flee into the night.

At Russell Winters Enterprises™, Angel barges through the doors, only to be intercepted by the lawyer, Lindsey MacDonald. Lindsey is well aware that Angel's a vampire, and warns him not to meddle with his client. Russell offers to make peace with Angel, but Angel kicks his swivel chair out a window. Russell bursts into flame and combusts before he hits the pavement.

Angel returns to the office to find Cordelia setting up shop. Doyle took it upon himself to offer her a secretary position. Doyle tells Angel that there's still a lot of people in the naked city who need help. He intones, "Are you game?" We cut to a view of Angel standing on a skyscraper, watching over the city. In a voice-over, we hear his reply:

"I'm game."

Tropes in this episode:
"Oliver: [to Angel] This isn't a come-on! I'm in a very serious relationship with a landscape architect."
 * Always Camp: Oliver Simon, agent to the stars.

"Angel: Why would a woman I’ve never met even talk to me?
 * Amoral Attorney: Lindsey, of course.
 * Battle Discretion Shot: As Angel and Tina step out of a hotel elevator, two men grab Angel and pull him back into the elevator just as the doors close, while Stacy and his associate drag Tina away. When the elevator doors re-open, Angel is standing over the unconscious bodies of his assailants
 * Beard of Evil / The Dragon: Russell Winters' swarthy-looking henchman, Stacy.
 * Beautiful All Along

Doyle (laughs): Have you looked into a mirror lately? (hesitates) No, I guess you really haven’t, no."

""Guess not.""
 * Big Fancy House: Casa de Vampire.
 * Blood On These Hands: Angel tries to check Tina's pulse at her neck, and his fingers come away wet with blood.
 * Deleted Scene: In the original script, the scene in which Angel finds Tina's dead body ends with him cradling her, then licking her blood from his fingers. Although creator Joss Whedon claims that moment was his favorite moment in the script, it was removed at the risk of Darkness Induced Audience Apathy. You can see Boreanaz about to taste the blood, but it fades out just in time.
 * A similar scene occurs in a flashback in Season Four, when Angel succumbs to temptation and drinks from a murder victim in 1978 ("Orpheus"). The guilt causes Angel to revert to the pathetic state he is in when Whistler encounters him eating rats in 1996 (Buffy, "Becoming Pt. 2").
 * Bond One-Liner: When Doyle asks how that business with Russell turned out, Angel deadpans, "He went into the light."
 * The scene itself after Russell asserts he pays taxes and he can do whatever he likes, Angel ask, "Can you fly?" boots him out of his office window where he burns in the sunlight "Guess not."
 * Broken Bird: Poor Tina.
 * Call Back: Doyle says Angel needs to stop being a recluse. He also says that because Angel drank Buffy's blood back in the Buffy Season Three finale ("Graduation Day, Pt. 2") Angel has a renewed craving for human blood, and eventually he will feed off the people he's trying to rescue.
 * Cordelia greets Angel at Margo's party by asking if he's still "Grrr," then asks to verify that Angel is not there "to bite anybody." Cordelia became aware that Angel is vampire in Buffy S2 ("Halloween"), and has tangled with his alter-ego Angelus (who was very "Grrr", indeed) on more than one occasion.
 * Cordy also provides her backstory for those coming in late. In summary: Her parents were rich, they didn't pay taxes, the IRS got miffed, now she's broke. (Buffy, "The Prom")
 * Car Fu: After (finally) locating his vehicle, Angel races to intercept Tina's kidnapper before he can leave the parking garage. Angel and the henchman play chicken in their car, and the henchman loses, crashing into a parked car.
 * Casting Couch
 * Casual Kink: According to Tina, Russel is a really big fan of-- well, pain. "He talks about it like it's a friend of his."
 * Catapult Nightmare / Talking in Your Sleep: As the sun rises after a long, research-filled night, Angel makes his way home through the tunnels. He pops up from the sewer grate just in time to wake Tina, who is having a nightmare.
 * Cement Shoes: Angel fixes some tea for Tina, and the pair discuss their unseen foe. One of Tina's friends, Denise, disappeared after getting involved with Russell. Angel goes off to research her friend's disappearance; he finds information leading him to believe Denise was killed and her body dumped.
 * Chekhov's Gunman
 * Cheshire Cat Grin
 * Crossover: David Boreanaz and Sarah Michelle Gellar had cameo parts in each others’ season premiere episodes. A despondent Angel calls Buffy, but hangs up as soon as she answers. Buffy's side of the call is shown in "The Freshman".
 * Destination Defenestration: Angel heaves Stacy through the window of his own gym. Later, Russell takes the quick route to the ground floor of his own high-rise.
 * Distressed Damsel: Ho boy. This episode sets the bar high: Those two girls at the beginning, Tina, and (lastly) Cordelia herself.
 * Drowning My Sorrows: The episode with Angel in a bar, pretending to be drunk, and babbling on about Buffy to a bald guy who is not amused.
 * When Marlo rings up Cordy to deliver her 'good news', we see her popping pills and swigging alcohol.
 * Eek! A Mouse!: Doyle wanders in and asks why Angel isn't more pleased that he took care of Russell. Angel says he didn't help anyone, but Doyle points out that there's a girl upstairs who'd disagree. Cue Cordy's scream. The duo run upstairs and find Cordelia pointing her feather duster and pointing at the floor, where she thinks saw a cockroach. "I think it's a bantamweight!"
 * Establishing Character Moment: Word of God states that the Batman Cold Open is structured toward the uninitiated members of the audience, since it shows off every side of Angel's personality.
 * Establishing Series Moment: Jeff Greenwalt was particularly delighted with Angel jumping into the wrong car. Joss, on the other hand, was over the moon with regard to Angel failing to save the girl.
 * Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Russell tries to talk sense to Angel. Russell says he doesn't make waves, and adds, "In return, I can do anything I want." Angel appears to contemplate this, as he puts one leg on the chair Russell is sitting in. "Can you fly?" Angel asks, and with that he kicks the chair so that it rolls back and smashes through the floor-to-ceiling windows, incinerating Russell.

"Cordelia: I finally get invited to a nice place with-- no mirrors and... lots of curtains...Hey -- you're a vampire!
 * Evil Redhead / The Mole: Cordelia's 'friend', Margo, acts as a go-between for Russell and his new playmates.
 * False Reassurance: The scene between Tina and Russell exemplifies his ability to snare and control others. He goes from staring down Tina's revolver (admittedly not a health hazard for vampires, but still) to consoling her, claiming that he bought Denise a ticket home and that he will do the same for her. As Russell works his magic, Tina breaks down and cries.
 * Foreshadowing: When Angel complains, "Why me?", Doyle's reply - that the "balance sheet" isn't exactly in Angel's favor - outlines the theme for Angel. When Angel next asks, "Why you?", Doyle uncomfortably replies, "We've all got somethin' to atone for." We follow up on this peek into Doyle's history in the episode "Hero".
 * Tina tells Angel that he's "just like" Russell. This foreshadows the revelation that Russell, like Angel, is a vampire.
 * Lindsey sweats over the "Senior Partners" learning of this incident over his phone.
 * Flash Back: A few flashback scenes from Buffy are seen whilst Doyle is telling Angel the story of his life. These episodes are, in order: Angelus chomping down on Daniel and Margaret in "Amends" and the hooker in the alley in "Innocence"; Angel being cursed ("Innocence"), an opening credits shot of Buffy (originally from "Anne"); Angel and Buffy getting it on ("Revelations"); Angel's nightmare sequence from "Amends"; and lastly, Angel walking away into the fog, and into his own series ("Graduation Day, Pt. 2").
 * Fridge Logic: The incongruity of a vampire surrounding himself with sunny windows was addressed much later in S4 ("Home"), in which Lilah Morgan revealed that Wolfram & Hart encased its building in "necro-tempered glass" that filters out the sun's rays.
 * Genre Savvy: Cordelia notes the heavy curtains and conspicuous absence of mirrors.

Russell: [half-heartedly] What? No I'm not.

Cordelia: Are too!

Russell: I don't know what you're talking about.

Cordelia: I'm from Sunnydale; We had our own Hellmouth! I think I know a vampire when I... am alone with him... in his fortress-like home...and you know, I think I'm just feeling a little light-headed from hunger. I'm just wacky. And kidding! Ha ha!"

"Angel: I wanna find the guy that killed Tina, and I want to look him in the eye.
 * Good Is Not Nice: At the same time as he is swilling alcohol, Angel he is watching a group of men playing pool with some women. They leave with the girls, and Angel silently shadows them. Hey, wait a minute! He's not really drunk at all! Outside the bar, the trio reveal themselves as vampires, but Angel swoops to the rescue. One of the girls tries to thank him, but Angel glimpses the blood on her forehead and snarls at them, "Get away from me."
 * Hard Work Montage: Angel skimming the internet inside the L.A. Public Library.
 * The library was intended to be a frequent location on Angel (a possible nod at Buffy, in which the Scoobies convene regularly in the school's library). Tons of stock footage of Angel accessing computers and books was shot, but they were only ever used for this episode.
 * Hawaiian Shirted Tourist: Angel and Doyle drive up to Russell's mansion, with Angel wearing a tacky luau shit. He approaches the security booth while performing the old "we're lost and need directions" bit for the guard. Angel inquires about the football game the guard is watching. Then he punches the guard and yanks the wire out of the security camera.
 * Hope Spot: When Russell bites Tina, the camera immediately switches to Angel in hot pursuit. Given the unspecified time between then and now, the narrative tricks the viewer into expecting Angel to rescue Tina just in time. As it so happens, he barges into her apartment long after Tina is dead, and Russell flown the coop.
 * Hypocritical Humor: As Angel and Doyle leave a liquor store, Doyle continues his Jiminy Cricket act. He tells Angel, "It's about reaching out to people, showing them that there's love and hope still left in this world." In the midst of this, a homeless lady asks Doyle for spare change and without missing a beat he responds, "Get a job, you lazy sow!"
 * Cordelia pretends to be too busy schmoozing to pay much attention to Angel. When we cut to her at home, Cordelia is dirt-poor and living off appetizers she swiped from the buffet table.
 * I Let Gwen Stacy Die: This is effectively Angel's first case, but he fails to prevent Winters from killing Tina -- though he does managed to rescue Cordelia from a similar fate.
 * Improvised Weapon / Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: Stacy runs his own gym as a side-gig. Angel tracks him down and 'interrogates' him via a handy barbell.
 * Ironic Echo
 * It's Personal: Doyle tries to delve into Angel's guilt complex regarding Tina's death, but Angel says he doesn't want to share his feelings:.

Doyle: Then what?

Angel: Then I'm gonna share my feelings."

"Tina: You’ve been watching me?"
 * Last Second Word Swap: Angel remarks on passing through Tina's hometown, Missoula, during "the Depression", then stammers, "--''My depression. ..I was depressed there."
 * Meet Cute: Angel's initial attempts to strike up conversation with Tina are less than successful. He only gets her attention by using his Super Reflexes to catch a falling cup.

Angel: No! I was looking towards there-– and you kind of walked through... there.

Tina: You don't hit on girls very often, do you?""

""Good gate.""
 * My Card: At the cocktail party, a talent agent offers his card to a befuddled Angel. Later, Lindsey introduces us to our series-wide Big Bad, Wolfram & Hart, by shoving his business card at Angel. Immediately after he kills Russell, Angel politely sticks it back in Lindsey's lapel pocket.
 * Names to Run Away From Really Fast: Russell Winters.
 * Negated Moment of Awesome: Angel, in a race to catch Tina's kidnappers, is a bit over-enthusiastic in leaping into his convertible. Turns out, it's the wrong convertible.
 * At the sound of gunfire, Doyle drives away, but his Jiminy Cricket-ness gets the better of him and he turns the car around and tries to ram through the gates. The gates hold, and steam erupts from the car's hood.

"Cordelia: You're not exactly rolling in it Mr. I-was-alive-for-200-years-and-never-developed-an-investment-portfolio."
 * Nothing Up My Sleeve: Angel has a pair of retractable stakes up his sleeves.
 * Not What It Looks Like
 * Once Upon a Time: Doyle bringing the non-Buffy-watching audience up to speed.
 * Offscreen Teleportation: Russell strolls casually after Cordelia as she runs from him and sprints up the foyer stairs. No great hurry, because he teleports up the stairs and grabs Cordy at the platform just as the lights go out.
 * Then again, Russell is a really old vampire - as his vamp face indicates - which means he may be superhumanly fast. The Master was also supernaturally fast.
 * Playing Drunk: Outside, the men reveal their true nature as vampires. They are about to attack the girls when Angel stumbles over 'drunkenly', looking for his car. He offers one of the vampires a breath mint and fighting ensues.
 * Politically-Incorrect Villain: Having apparently grown accustomed to Russell's habits, his lawyer's already on top of Tina's conspicuous death: Lindsey has paid witnesses ready to report that they saw a "dark-complected man" fleeing the scene. No shortage of those!
 * Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner: Angel strolling out of the shadows and declaring (in a voice of Tranquil Fury): "I have a message... from Tina."
 * Seconded by Cordelia, who turns to Russell and asks, "You don't know who he is, do you? Oh boy! You're about to get your ass kicked!"
 * Previously On: For the uninitiated viewers out there, Doyle offers to tell Angel a "bedtime story" and recaps Angel's entire past. We see a montage of short clips of Angel's life from Europe to Sunnydale.
 * To Make a Long Story Short
 * Properly Paranoid: Tina has ample reason to be jittery.
 * Rescue Sex: Back at Angel's place, Tina assumes that This Is the Part Where Angel "comforts" her. Angel, noting that Tina is accustomed to being used, tells her that he has no intention of taking advantage, causing her to break down crying.
 * Retroactive Recognition: Josh Holloway (the vampire who tells Angel to "piss off") and Tracy Middendorf both went on to appear on Lost. Holloway plays series regular Sawyer, while Middendorf played Bonnie in Season Three.
 * Daniel Dae Kim (Gavin Park), Sam Anderson (Holland Manners), and Marc Vann (Dr. Sparrow) all appeared on Angel as employees of Wolfram & Hart later in the series, and also went on to portray characters on Lost -- Kim and Anderson playing regulars, and Vann playing a recurring character (again a Doctor).
 * Speak of the Devil
 * Spider Sense: Tina races home and starts frantically packing her bag. Among her possessions is a revolver. She suddenly grabs it and whirls, aiming at the well-dressed man standing there. It's Russell.
 * Starter Villain: Russell.
 * There Are No Good Executives / Vampires Are Rich: Russell is vaguely referred to as "that investment guy", but he evidentially has fingers in alot of pies. Tina says he's a depraved killer, and that he picks people with no family and no one to care.
 * The latter trope is subverted with Angel, presumably because while Vampires Are Rich, private eyes are expected to be poor.

""I came here to be a famous movie star. But, they weren't hiring.""
 * Vampire Invitation: Russell sets up his victims in apartments that he already owns. As they are his guests, he doesn't need an invitation to walk in on them.
 * Waiting for A Break: Tina.

"Angel: Russell? Let me guess. Not big on the daylight or the mirrors? Drinks a lot of V8?"
 * Also, (Ssh, don't tell anyone) Cordelia.
 * You Are Too Late
 * You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: Stacy, who is apparently unaware of Angel's vampire nature, warns Angel that he's in over his head.

"[slurring] "Because, because-- y'know... the hair.""
 * You Remind Me of X: Angel is sitting at a bar, very drunk, and relating the story of why he came to Los Angeles. This version of the story seems to center mostly on the fact that the large, bald black man sitting nearby "reminds" him of Buffy.

"Russell: [absently] Oh, I own the building. Most of the block."
 * You Would Make a Great Model: At the party, an older bearded gent named Oliver observes that Angel is very attractive, and offers to be his management. Angel repeatedly insists he is not an actor. This might have been a self-referential dig at how David Boreanaz was discovered while walking his dog.
 * Your Door Was Open: Our introduction to Doyle.
 * Takes a darker turn in Russell's first on-screen appearance:

"High school's over, bud. You gotta make with the grown-up talk, now."