Not Batman

Angel's first episode was about what the show intended to be, the second, "Lonely Heart", was a bit about what the show intended not to be--a series about Angel rescuing pretty blondes or a series about how Angel is Batman.

David Fury wrote this episode that begins with Angel (David Boreanaz) following the latest vision from Doyle (Glenn Quinn) to a local nightclub. The two guys and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) vainly try to find a needle in a haystack.

Two pretty blondes are introduced--one of whom, Kate (Elisabeth Röhm), is set up as a love interest and damsel in distress for Angel as she and he try some intensely awkward flirting. The other (Lilli Birdsell) is being hit on by an aggressive young man.

Kate ends up being an undercover cop who later stands by and plays Vicki Vale while Angel's grappling hook fails.

Nope, no Batman here. The other blonde does turn out to be a victim but then she's the killer as she becomes the latest host for some kind of demon parasite that leaps from body to body via violent sexual acts. The concept is kind of an interesting manifestation of selfish, ruthless loneliness. The beast has to move change hosts because every host rapidly deteriorates. Its last host is literally falling apart as it tries increasingly awkward pickup lines.

It's true, desperation can be repulsive.

The cute flirtation between Doyle and Cordelia starts in this episode. One of my favourite lines in the series happens when a couple guys try to get rough with Cordelia and Doyle intervenes, saying, "Fighting won't solve anything," before punching the guy and saying, "On the other hand, it's kind of festive."

Angel is available on Amazon Prime and, in many countries, Disney+.

Twitter Sonnet #1444

The awkward code was "sandwich half" and "boat".
The seconds marked the spacious sheets of ink.
A growing spill creates a hat and coat.
You'll find a pipe beneath the golden sink.
The symbol fruit was used to cook a meal.
The bigger pizza shaped a shadow disk.
We reached the bay before we reached a deal.
We weighed the car and chose a donkey risk.
A giddy dancer pushed the books aside.
A curry sea devours rice and beef.
The ghosts of clocks will rapid games decide.
The careless boat was wrecked upon the reef.
The hook was useless, failing yellow strands.
But signal paper flashed in pallid hands.