Angel Rewatch – Podcast for 3.12 “Provider”
Here is the podcast covering episode twelve of season three “Provider”.
You can download it here.
Please leave feedback by commenting on the post here, emailing the angelrewatch@gmail.com or sending a voicemail to 206-203-3276. And please leave a review on iTunes.
Next week, we will be covering episode thirteen of season three, “Waiting in the Wings”, where Angel Investigations attend a ballet that Angel first saw performed more than a hundred years ago.
The Angel Rewatch 
Hi guys,
Waiting In The Wings – Angel loves the ballet, who’d have thought? I enjoyed this episode. The opening scene proves once more that Wes is in love with the idea of Fred rather than in love with her. He hasn’t taken anytime to get to know her whereas Gunn is so the ‘twist’ at the end that Fred was talking about Gunn to Cordy was no surprise to anyone except Wesley. Gunn’s reaction to Angel getting the ballet tickets is adorable and so too is his unexpected enjoyment of the ballet. Cordy falling asleep and snoring and drooling on Angel not so cute. I thought it was nice Angel starting to open up to Lorne about his feelings for Cordy. The Angel & Cordy scenes backstage been possessed by the spirits was great. Another way for the show to see them together without the characters actually getting together. The Whedon shows are good at that. Again it would be nice to address the curse and what ‘perfect happiness’ means. Wes finding Gunn & Fred kissing was a bit overdramatic for my liking but only slightly works as he was possessed too. Nice surprise ending with Groo reappearing. Have you guys seen the deleted scenes with Wes dancing ballet horribly with Fred?
Looking forward to the podcast.
Cathleen
I thought this was a better than average episode of the week. It had some creepy parts, a lot of jokes, and some character development. Well done, Angel writers.
Funny parts: I loved “I cried like a baby – and I was evil!”, “Stop calling me pastries!”, Angel’s monologue about getting a box by eating the occupants, and Lorne’s lullaby.
Thematically, I guess it worked – Wes and Angel were both too repressed to let Fred and Cordy know how they felt, and now they’ve missed any chance they might have had. The ending surprised me, even on rewatch, but I was glad to see it reflect Wes’s story.
The metaphor is a little weird though – is Wes and Angel’s situation reflected by the creepy stalker who doesn’t understand that “she’s not that into you, dude,” or by the ballerina who hesitated too long and was lost? Maybe we’re not supposed to know which is the metaphor?
I think there’s been some discussion of whether Wes appreciates Fred as a person, and I’d like to speak up in Wes’s defense. Of course Wes appreciates who Fred is! She’s quirky! Quirky and adorable and quirky and oh so adorable! That’s who Fred is – and we know because they’ve told us a number of times. Gunn appreciates that she’s quirky and adorable and likes tacos, and Wes appreciates that she’s quirky and adorable and likes science. And seriously, I think they both appreciate that Fred gets them and treats them like people, but also – so, so quirky! Frankly, it’s a little implausible that Lorne, Cordy, Lilah and Gavin aren’t all courting Fred too, because she’s just! that! adorable! (And also quirky!)
Thoughts on Waiting in the Wings
It was wonderful to have Joss Whedon’s dialogue back but two issues….he can’t write “naughty” very well and it felt tonally very unlike every other episode of Angel which is jarring.
And isn’t Joss recycling his ideas? Angel even mentions it!
Yeah you guys are right. The chemistry is much better between Charles and Fred than with Wesley and Fred. Wesley is delusional which actually fits. He’s scary. He could snap at any minute. That could be interesting.
Is Cordelia in denial of her feelings, hiding from them or playing with Angel?
Love the theater mask laughers. I’ll have nightmares tonight.
This episode is full of style and grace. It’s a fairy tale nightmare with a poignant ending. And a message.
There’s an expression I learned from classic Doctor Who fandom. “The memory cheats”. Basically things are never as good as we remember. Waiting in the Wings for all its flaws is.
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