Angel: Not Fade Away

May 26, 2004

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The WB is stupid network. The WB is the network equivalent of a guy who divorces his attractive wife for a younger, stupider, model when this "trophy wife" isn't nearly as good, or will ever be as good, as his original. Anyways, It's the first couple lines and I'm already digressing. This is not about how much the WB sucks, it's about why the Angel series finale was the best series finale ever.

If you watch Angel and haven't seen the last episode you probably shouldn't read this.

	Not Fade Away...

1. The finale was true to itself and its characters
This finale really kept to the characters and the show itself. There were no big identity changes; no major bad-guy had a sudden "wait, I like being a good guy" redemption. With any type of fantasy show there is always the danger of some character just completely doing a 180. That didn't happen in this episode. The way each of the main characters spends his/her last day stays completely true to the character; Gunn trying to see old street buddies, Spike reciting poetry, Wesley with Illyria, Lorne singing really feel like that's the way they would spend their last night. Any other show would have had them sitting around a dinner table bonding over old times. Spike and Angel continued to hate each other yet have a mutual respect for one another in this episode. Gunn and Wesley never made up in the end. All crap that could have happened, but thankfully didn't. This brings me to my next point...

2. No stunts
The Angel series finale did not have any stupid stunts or guest appearances. I LOVE Seinfeld, but that last episode was not good. There was no need to have all of the past characters back on the show, regardless if people liked them or not. There were tons of characters in Angel and the finale could have brought any of them back, but they didn't. Ok, so sure there was one or two characters brought back for the finale but it was done way under the radar and with such class. It would have been very easy to bring Buffy back for the finale, but I'm glad they didn't. Bringing her back would have only taken away from the finale which then would have focused on Buffy and Angel instead of the core characters. Bringing Buffy back would have been very predicatable, but most of this series finale had no...

	"I thought the fight would be going little better."

3. Predictability (er, lack of)
In addition to not using any stupid cliche stunts, the ending wasn't predictable. I don't think I've ever seen a more jaw-dropping ending on any other show, season finale or series finale. The last 5 minutes were completely unexpected. And here's the thing, the previous episode and this episode, Angel kept saying that everyone was going to die. The ending pretty much makes you think that everyone was going to die, yet it was still jaw dropping. There were twists in the episode that even seasoned Whedon fans would have been shocked by (Angel spiking a demon's drink source, Angel biting Hamilton, Lindsay joining Angel, then Lorne killing Lindsay). But...

4. Even the stuff you may have guessed was still shocking
So this brings up another point. Although the last episode wasn't predictable, the stuff you thought you knew were going to happen was still shocking. I thought Lorne would kill Lindsay. I didn't know for sure, but when Angel teamed 'em up, and the Lorne said he wasn't coming back, I had this feeling. That didn't change the fact that I was surprised and kind of sad (for Lorne) when it happened. You also knew that someone was going to die and I kind of thought that it may be Wesley, but man, it still was sad when he died. And the whole Fred-Illyria dealy when he was dying, fucking awesome! His death was very ...

5. Sincere & not sappy
And that's another great thing about the finale (as well as the entire Whedon-verse), the ending was very sincere and not sappy. I'm sorry but that Friends ending, aside from being utterly predicatable, was WAY too sappy. It's like they tried to make every good-bye a "the world is ending" good-bye. In Angel, the world was ending and there were no drawn out good-byes yet it was still more emotional than anything in Friends. The Illyria-Wesley scene, again, great. But despite all the drama it was...

	"As long as you're okay, they can't."

6. Just as funny as it was serious
As emotional and sincere as the final episode was, it was just as funny. There were tons of one-liners and jokes through the entire episode that would break up the serious scenes. It was so well done. Sometimes I found myself laughing during some of the serious scenes. What other show could effectively mix comedy and drama this week? It's funny, for being fantasy shows, all three of Whedon's shows were more realistic than anything else on TV and just like real life not everything has...

7. Tied up storylines
The Angel finale tied up a lot of storylines but didn't make any lame attempt to answer every question just because the series was going to end. Most shows, when cancelled, try to quickly (and ineffectively) tie up every loose end when they don't have to. It cheapens the show and I'm glad this wasn't the case with Angel. There may be an Angel TV movie/special or there may not but there are still unaswered questions. Everything wasn't tied up in a nice neat little bow and that is more fulfilling than the alternative, especially when most series end on a "Happily Ever After" note. Even with the closed and open storylines, there were lots of...

8. Subtle historical references
In any great show it's always great to have a few nods to some things that happened in the past, inside jokes to loyal viewers. This was no different. There were a lot of jokes that I missed that I didn't even pick up until the 2nd viewing. Spike reciting his poetry for his last day was completely fitting. Hamilton bringing up how Angel couldn't save Cordelia or Doyle or Fred, awesome. Spike refusing to wear amulets. I am sure there were more things that I missed.

	"Could this be the big moment when one of us becomes a real boy?"

Anyways, bottom line, the episode was great, probably one of the best, if not, THE best series finale ever. It didn't have the gayness x 10 of Friends, the drawn out emotional drama of Winnie and Kevin, the lack of viewers like Frasier or Drew Carey (did anyone watch this show seriously?), the ridiculousness of a wedding (Saved by the Bell, although I still love the show) and all of the rest of trademark blunders that series finales typically make.

I'll end this with some pretty funny quotes from the episode. Enjoy.

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Angel: So we're agreed?
Spike: Yeah, we're one big happy Manson family.

Angel (to Lindsay): You haven’t heard a word I’ve said. From like, years back.

Angel: I want you, Lindsay...I’m thinking about rephrasing that.
Lindsay: I’d be more comfortable if you did.

Bartendar: Your funeral
Spike: Well, I never did have a proper one

	"Let's go to work."

Gunn: What if I told you that none of it mattered, that everything was controlled by forces more powerful and uncaring than human beings can conceive, and it will never, ever, ever get any better.
Anne: I’d get this truck packed before the new stuff gets here. You wanna give me a hand?
Gunn: Yeah

Illyria: I do not understand.
Wesley: Well, this will help you heal faster if you really do intend to help us in this fight.
Illyria: I will fight. I have been broken and humiliated and I will return in kind every blow, every sting. I will shred my adversaries. Pull their eyes out just enough to turn them towards their mewing, mutilated faces.
Wesley: You’re a very inspirational person, have I mentioned that?

[Spike reads poetry at a bar.]
Spike: "My soul is wrapped in harsh repose,
Midnight descends in raven-colored clothes,
But soft...Behold!
A sunlight beam,
Cutting a swath of glimmering gleam.
My heart expands,
'Tis grown a bulge in it,
Inspired by your beauty...effulgent."
Man: Yeah! (applause) That was great, man.
Spike: Thank You. That was for Cecily. This next one's called The Wanton Folly of me Mum.

	"I wish to do more violence."

Connor: It’s the wolf thing, there’s some full moon love, am I right? Fur flying...Vampires really don’t understand the concept of ’jokes.’
Angel: I understand jokes. I was at the first taping of The Carol Burnett Show. It was special.

Angel: You got your memories back?
Connor: They're mixed in there with new ones. It's more like a ...bad dream I had, I guess. A really strange, violent... at times, inappropriately erotic dream."

Connor: I'm putting together a resume so I can apply for internships over the summer.
Angel: Can I help?
Connor: Have you even written a resume? Ever?
Angel: No, but I have very nice handwriting.
Connor: You girl.

Lindsay: What's on your mind?
Eve: Angel
Lindsay: There simply could not be a worse answer than that.

	"YOU killed me? You don’t kill me! Angel kills me! A flunky!"

Angel: This may come out a little pretentious, but one of you will betray me.
[Spike’s hand shoots up.]
Spike: Ohh..can I at least deny you three times?

Illyria: I'll make trophies of their spines.
Angel: Good to have you on the team.

Spike: First off, I’m not wearing any amulets. No bracelets, broaches, beads, pendants, pins, or rings.

Illyria (to Gunn): Try not to die. You are not unpleasant to my eyes.

	"Would you like me to lie to you now?"

Spike: Could this be the big moment when one of us becomes a real boy?
Angel: Who are you kidding? We’re not gonna make it through.
Spike: Well...long as it’s not you.

Angel: The people who don’t care about anything will never understand the people who do
Hamilton: Yeah, but we won’t care!

Connor: You drop by for a cup of coffee and the world’s NOT ending? Please.

Angel: Looks like we're getting kicked out of the garden, Eve.

	"Let's make 'em memorable."

Illyria: Wesley is dead. I am feeling grief for him. I don’t seem to be able to control it. I wish to do more violence.

Gunn: Okay, you take the 30,000 on the left.
Illyria: You are fading. You’ll last ten minutes.
Gunn: Let’s make ’em memorable.

Spike: In terms of a plan?
Angel: We fight.
Spike: Bit more specific?
Angel: Well, personally...I kinda wanna slay the dragon.

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