"Angel"
Quickening (2001)

Director:

Skip Schoolnik

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator) &
David Greenwalt (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Angel" (1999)

Original Air Date:

12 November 2001 (Season 3, Episode 8)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Team Angel continues to try and deal with Darla's pregnancy. When Wolfram and Hart finds out about the baby...

Plot Keywords:

Cult Hero | Redemption | Vampire Detective | Physical Abuse | Neo Noir

Cast

David Boreanaz	...	Angel
Charisma Carpenter	...	Cordelia Chase
Alexis Denisof	...	Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
J. August Richards	...	Charles Gunn
Amy Acker	...	Winifred 'Fred' Burkle
Julie Benz	...	Darla
John Rubinstein	...	Linwood Murrow
Stephanie Romanov	...	Lilah Morgan
Daniel Dae Kim	...	Gavin Park
Jack Conley	...	Sahjhan
Jose Yenque	...	Vampire Leader
Keith Szarabajka	...	Daniel Holtz
Matt Casper	...	Cyril
Bronwen Davies	...	Caroline Holtz (as Bronwen Bonner-Davies)
Michael Robert Brandon	...	Psychic

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Quotes:

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce: Actually...
Cordelia: God! I hate it when you say that word, 'actually.' 'Actually' means that your oversized, gi-normous brain thought of something that the rest of us failed to consider. Right?

Movie Connections:

References C.H.U.D. (1984)

News of Darla's Pregnacy Spreads

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I guess I'm suppose to think that Holtz's rampage is understandable and even a little sympathetic. Angelus and Darla killed his family, he's suffering, he's human, they're demons... Blah, blah, blah. Really, though, I flat out DON'T CARE. Not even a teeny little bit. I hate the guy with a raging passion and I have zero compassion for his troubles. Angel was a soulless vampire when Holtz's family got killed. He had no control over his actions. Holtz, on the other hand, hurts innocent people. He put his family at risk in the first place by targeting Angelus and Darla. Of course they were going to go after Holtz if Holtz went after THEM! Now, Holtz arrives in LA with his single-minded, self-righteous quest for revenge and manages to hurt Angel more than anyone. I love Angel and, knowing how this storyline plays out, I watch this episode and just despise Holtz intently. (On a side-note, "Lies My Parents Told Me" in season seven of BTVS has a similar plot line with someone seeking vengeance against Spike. It's a great episode and I enjoy watching Spike's reaction even more when I daydream about Holtz getting a similar style beat-down. Unfortunately, here on "Angel" things are a bit less straightforward.) Anyway, this is a good episode, where Wolfram and Hart learn about Darla's pregnancy, Angel meets up with Holtz, and Team Angel discovers that the baby is human. All in all, you shouldn't skip it if you're watching the season on DVD.

The episode revolves around Holtz arriving in LA. He's determined to get vengeance against Angel and Darla. Shajahn is eager to guide him towards that goal and even hires some demon minions to help with the slaying. Meanwhile, the bugs that Gavin planted in the Hyperion a while back are finally paying off. Lilah recognizes Darla on one of the surveillance tapes and quickly spreads the word that she's pregnant. Wolfram and Hart tortures its mind-readers for some answers, but comes up with only one clear idea. They decide to steal the baby for themselves.

Back at the Hyperion, Team Angel is still trying to deal with the pregnancy themselves. Gunn suggests a net in case the baby "skitters," then there's a call for the ever popular flame throwers, and finally they settle on an old fashion ultra-sound. At the hospital they determine that the baby is human. However, as news of the pregnancy spreads, more and more people (and demons) want to get their hands on it. After a vampire fight, Team Angel decides to head out of town. First, though, they have to swing by the Hyperion and pick up that mystical scroll.

Little do they know that Wolfram and Hart's goons and Holtz are already at the hotel. Holtz kills the other Black Hats and then prepares to capture Angel. Team Angel parks in an alley way (I think it's the same alley way from season five's "Not Fade Away," which is sort of prophetic.) As Angel heads for the hotel, he finally comes face to face with Holtz. In the alley, Darla's water breaks and she goes into labor.

There are some really great parts to this episode. I love that Cyril kid calling his "master" with news of Darla's pregnancy. He gets an answering machine that goes something like: "You've reached the Tribbles. If you're calling for Trisha, press one. For Steve, press two. If you want to speak to and/or worship Lord Talfore the Destroyer, press three." It just cracks me up every time. Also, I really like the scene in the hospital, with the ultra-sound. Angel is so amazed and happy when he sees the baby. Then, vampires attack. Then, a ninja guy attacks. Then, the vampires attack the ninja. Then, the vampires attack Team Angel. Angel kills a bunch of them, but not before taking a moment to gloat that someone called his son "special." And the paranormal OB-GYN is hilarious. He and the other Wolfram and Hart guys arrive at the hotel, only to be confronted by Holtz. "Who's the pirate guy with the sword?" Lindwood demands and Lilah and Gavin just shrug. It all works really well.

On the downside, I think its sort of sad to see Wes and Angel in this episode. In order to protect the baby, Angel wants Wes to leave the alley if he's not back from the Hyperion in five minutes. And Wes agrees to do it because he knows that Angel loves his son. Wes is always loyal to Angel. So loyal that he'll do unthinkable things to try and protect him and what Angel loves most... Conner. Knowing how this will play out, this episode is like foreshadowing. Here, Angel tells Wes to take the baby and go to keep Conner safe. Next time, Wes will do it on his own, from that same sense of loyalty and with very different, tragic results. It just breaks my heart.

My favorite part of the episode: Lilah vowing to peel off that Cyril kid's skin inch by inch, then staple it back on inside out. Possibly my favorite threat ever.