Angel 4x15 Orpheus

This episode made me wish that Willow and Fred weren't on different shows because they are so adorable together.

Orbs of Thesulah were actually established as fairly common back in season 2 of Buffy. Jenny was able to just buy one at a magic shop and the shopkeeper said that most people use them as paperweights (which is what Giles was using his for). It does make you wonder though about why Willow didn't curse more vampires. It was the first spell she learned after all and I would think she would be using it a lot to practice when she was first starting out as a witch, not to mention the good it would do to have more ensouled vampires out there. My theory is that the restoration spell that Jenny rediscovered was only powerful enough to ensoul a vampire who had already been ensouled before. I didn't get the impression that Willow bringing up Fred to Wesley was a nod to Alyson's and Alexis' relationship in real life, but rather an implication that Willow had caught some feelings for Fred. Based on the shock on her face when Willow turned her down though, I think Fred was oblivious and just thought they were nerd bonding.

Excellent DVD commentary track for this episode with the director, Terence O'Hara, and Co-Exec Producer, Jeffery Bell. Trivia Tidbit 1 - The armed robber in the coffee shop was Nate Dushku, Eliza's brother who went on to a career in directing. Trivia Tidbit 2 - Alysson and Alexis were engaged at this time, not yet married. The director commented that he was surprised that the network 'censors' let them show so much blood in this episode. In previous episodes, they would complain if things got too gory. Angel met Whistler while rat hunting in a New York alley in the late 1990's in Season 2 Episode 21 of Buffy, which was a flashback itself. The set was reminiscent of where the Angel/Angelus fight scene takes place. In 'Angel' Season 1 Episode 7 of Buffy, Angel tells Buffy that since he was cursed he never fed off of a 'living person'. At the time it was mentioned to excuse the medical packets of human blood Darla found in his refrigerator. It works here too since the counterman was dead when Angel fed from him. However, in 'Darla' Season 2 Episode 7 of Angel during the flashback in China, when Darla confronts Angel and tries to get him to feed on the missionary's baby, she says that she noticed that he has only fed from murderers and thieves. Oops, continuity is calling.

Such a great episode! Wonderful that Willow came in and fixed stuff. Her scenes with Fred was just so cute. Love the Angel/Faith flashbacks....and I loved that Faith kicked some Connor butt at the end. Poor kid though, he's been manipulated his whole life, and now Cordy is wrapping him up with her little finger. Yeah, Fake Cordelia is a bit annoying. We just want it to be over, right?

I didn't get the vibe that Fred was interested in Willow romantically. Maybe I missed the signals but it seemed to me Fred was just excited to have someone on the same level/wavelength as herself to talk to. Saying that though if Fred was gay then yes, they would have made a great couple, and I would have liked that pairing far more than Willow & Kennedy (I never really liked Kennedy for whatever reason).

Willow is such a breath of fresh air. Just last season she went at least as dark as anyone in Angel Investigations, and yet she's like a ray of sunshine in a gloomy LA.