Ghostly Roommates

Cordelia changes apartments in an entertaining episode of Angel written by Jane Espenson, "Rm w/a Vu". The episode ends with the introduction of her phantom roommate, Dennis, whose presence is sadly lacking after season one.

One of the best things about this episode is that Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) is fully Buffy era, spoiled brat Cordelia in it. After being chased out of her apartment by cockroaches and brown water, she beats on Angel's (David Boreanaz) door until he comes out of the shower to let her in.

You wait for Cordelia to acknowledge dragging Angel out of the shower as she piles her belongings in his arms, spewing complaints, and presuming her right to stay with him. You wait, but it never comes, she even ends the scene by demanding use of the shower. That's the Cordy I know and love.

Meanwhile, Doyle (Glenn Quinn) is dodging demonic loan sharks, a subplot that merges with the ghost plot in an amusing way in the climax. He also finds the haunted apartment for Cordelia after she tries apartment hunting herself.

There is one throwaway line where Angel asks how she can afford this place but everyone hustles past it. Just like how Buffy can afford a sprawling two storey house working in fast food, the economic logistics never add up on Angel. Which is partly why I can enjoy the fantasy of Angel having a hotel entirely to himself later on--I love that damned hotel. If the show had aired to-day, when L.A.'s homeless crisis is even more pronounced, it would have seemed too crass for a "Helper of the Helpless" to hoard a bunch of perfectly good living spaces. So it's best not to think too deeply about money in the Buffyverse.

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

Twitter Sonnet #1448

Aggressive humans shoot banana guns.
The arching brow betrays the skinny dream.
A burger waits between concealing buns.
The waiter fled and lost a burning team.
The error waits with flowers wreathed around.
A team of four defines a stack of pies.
A shelf of books could not describe a sound.
The tracks would curl in heat for lousy ties.
The hollow wall contains a bullet shell.
Tomatoes grew despite the rain of leaves.
In green and red we paint the rusted bell.
The haunter's sword is dull yet swiftly cleaves.
The meals arrived in flats exceeding small.
A deal contrived decides a building's tall.