This is a series classic. It takes a potentially disastrous concept and bleeds it for all its worth, creating an episode that explores some of the ugliest years of recent US history while simultaneously putting a vampire at the heart of it, contrasting the denial and fear and persecution of the time with Angel's own personal guilt, accepting of his soul but still unsure of how that'll impact him as a person. There are a dozen varying themes that the hour covers, and it's done so skillfully that it quickly becomes the finest episode the show has done so far, and speaks volumes on the uptick in quality this year and where this season is headed.The Thesulac demon is a literal translation of the time in which the episode is set. Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? takes place at the height of the McCarthy era, where distrust and paranoia were insisted upon, and speculation ran riot over anybody with leanings toward a certain political ideology, certain 'lifestyles', somebody who happened to be a different race or sexuality. All of those are reflected here. Judy Kovacs is persecuted because of her race. Angel is persecuted because he's a loner. There's the closeted gay man hiding his partner away from the world. The black family dismissed by the hotel concierge. The huge ensemble of guest actors help reflect this little universe which looks and sounds so familiar, yet at its heart is so disturbing and alien. But then you realize that you see similar actions everyday, even now, and that only raises the level of discomfort that the powerful themes on display here inspire.
It's important to add, on a purely superficial level, that this episode is visually gorgeous. The Hyperion is a stunning set, all lengthy hallways, vintage wallpaper and a vast lobby area. David Boreanaz blends into the '50s world perfectly, looking like a James Dean take-off to a tee. David Semel directs with a beautiful visual flourish and captures some stunning Los Angeles landmarks, notably the Griffith Park Observatory.
Tim Minear's script is brilliantly observed, balancing the remarkable flashback sequences with the fun mystery element of Wesley and Cordelia putting together the clues in the present day. At the same time, I loved the blurring between then and now, with Angel re-visiting the locations of certain events in the past. It all worked so well.
Are You Now... is both a standalone story and a character piece. It tells an important part of Angel's history and elaborates on a time when he could have just given up, a time in which he had no ties to anybody and had yet to learn the importance of heroism or of his own conscience. It's the greatest Angel episode so far and arguably one of the greatest in the entire Whedonverse. A+
Credits
Guest stars Melissa Marsala (Judy Kovacs); John Kapelos (Ronald Meeks); Tommy Hinkley (Mulvihill); Brett Rickaby (Denver); Scott Thompson Baker (Actor); J.P. Manoux (Frank Gillnitz)
Writer Tim Minear Director David Semel
Really touching, it was so vastly put together.
ReplyDeleteThat's really insightful of you to mention that Angel had yet to learn the importance of being a hero, I was trying to think of what he possible could've done in that horrible moment where they hanged him, he had every right to walk away but of course it then led everyone for dead again, the Angel now would definitely have found a way to sneak in there disguised and kill that Thesulac (had to scroll up there!) demon- for the good of it, sacrificing his own pain and putting himself at risk.
I love that Wesley and Cordelia were so willing to painstakingly research everything without knowing what the hell they were doing.
The whole premise of Angel redeeming himself feels so rewarding! whoop whoop :-)
Great comment! That's what I think is so special about the episode (and a lot of this season), the varying levels of Angel's conscience, and the blurring between right and wrong. It's a major theme for season two, as well.
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