"Angel" Sleep Tight (2002)

Director:

Terrence O'Hara

Writers:

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

TV Series:

"Angel" (1999)

Original Air Date:

4 March 2002 (Season 3, Episode 16)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

Plot:

As Wesley struggles to come to terms with the prophecy, Angel's behavior grows more and more erratic...

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Vampire Slayer | Redemption | Actress | Supernatural

Cast

David Boreanaz	...	Angel
Charisma Carpenter	...	Cordelia Chase (credit only)
Alexis Denisof	...	Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
J. August Richards	...	Charles Gunn
Amy Acker	...	Winifred 'Fred' Burkle
Andy Hallett	...	Lorne
Stephanie Romanov	...	Lilah Morgan
Laurel Holloman	...	Justine Cooper
Jack Conley	...	Sahjhan
Marina Benedict	...	Kim
Keith Szarabajka	...	Daniel Holtz
Jeff Denton	...	Lead Guitar
Jhaemi Willens	...	Drummer
J. Scott Shonka	...	Commando #1
Robert Forrest	...	Warrior #2

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Trivia:

Producer and Co-Creator David Greenwalt wrote the song that Kim sings.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Angel, Gunn and Fred bust into the wraither's lair you can see in the close up of Angel, after he "morphs" into his vampire face, he's not wearing his yellow vampire eyes.

Quotes:

Angel: How did the Flying Nun fly? I mean, was it God or magic?

Poor Wes

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This really is this the story line that changes Wesley forever. The crew at Angel Inc. is his family and he loves Angel so much, but after this things will never be the same. Wes acts out of loyalty and his own sense of right, but it all goes wrong. I feel so bad for the guy. Anyway, if you're planning to watch the rest of the series than you really can't miss "Sleep Tight."

This episode revolves around Wes and the prophesy. Wes is growing more convinced that the only way to protect Conner and Angel is to take the baby out of LA. If Conner is away from Angel, than the "Father will kill the son" thing can't come true. Angel's behavior is getting more and more erratic and everyone's noticing. When he rips apart two demons on a case, then comes home and yells at Conner, Fred, Gunn & Lorne are all worried. Angel is getting concerned himself. He realizes that someone has spiked his blood supply with human blood... And it's Conner's. The baby smells like food to him now and he goes looking for the source of his troubles... Lilah. While he's arguing with her, Shajahn shows up and inadvertently lets Angel know that he's the one who brought Holtz back. Angel has no idea who he is or why he's vowing vengeance. After threatening Lilah, Angel goes back to the hotel.

In the meantime, Wes goes to see Holtz again. He tries to buy some time, but Holtz has a plan of his own. He and Justine are planning to steal Conner and raise him as their own. At the Hyperion, Wes prepares to take Conner. As he humms to the baby, Lorne reads him, though. Wesley has to knock Lorne out and hide him. Angel comes back and says that Wes should take the baby to his apartment for the night. Wes agrees, but Justine attacks him on his front lawn. She slits his throat, leaves him for dead and steals the baby. Holtz and his men attack the hotel, ensuring that the baby really is gone, then he slips away.

It doesn't take long for Lorne to wake up and tell Angel that Wes is up to something. Angel goes looking for Conner, while Fred and Gunn search for Wes. Angel catches up to Holtz and Justine. Unfortunately, so do Lilah and some Wolfram and Hart goons. They all want the baby. Then, Shajahn appears and rips a tear in the fabric of reality. He says that if they don't kill Conner, he'll suck them in to a hell dimension. Holtz, holding Conner, jumps through the portal. Angel can't follow him and falls to the ground in horror as his son disappears.

There are some great parts to this episode. It's incredibly dramatic, as everyone tries to find out what happening around them. The end stand-off scene has four separate sides: Holtz, Angel, Shajahn and Wolfram & Hart. Fred and Gunn are trying to track down Wes, unable to believe that he would turn on him. Wes is bleeding to death. This episode really packs a lot in. And the look on Angel's face when Conner disappears into that portal thing, my heart just breaks. I also like how awkward Wes is with Conner. Of everyone, he's the least comfortable with the baby, but he's prepared to walk away from his whole life to keep the kid safe. Wes is a complicated guy. Sometimes I wonder where Wesley was planning to take Conner. If I'd have to guess, I'd say Sunnydale. It's the only other American town he seems to be familiar with and it's got people he knows. More importantly, the Scoobies might help him protect Conner, for Angel's sake. Just a thought. Also, Angel having no idea who Shajahn, his "sworn enemy" is, just makes me laugh every time.

On the down side, I love Angel. But, I can't believe how ineffectual he is in this episode. He should have just killed Holtz and Lilah. Period. And why would he want Holtz to take the baby instead of Wolfram & Hart? Angel usually holds his own against Wolfram & Hart, but he's about 0-4 against Holtz lately. Also, I always get the feeling that Wes is getting blamed for what he PLANNED to do rather than what he actually DID. Angel gave Wesley permission to take Conner to his apartment. Sure, Wes was going to take Conner out of town, but Justine slit his throat on his front lawn. He hadn't left, yet. Wes just as easily could've been attacked as he innocently walked up his steps. He never planned to hand Conner over to Holtz. He never planned to do anything but protect Angel and Conner. He takes a lot of flak for this, but the only things Wes is actually guilty of is hitting Lorne. And Lorne forgives him pretty quickly, so even that's not that big a deal. I think Wes is a handy scape goat for Team Angel's anger, but it's not really fair to blame everything on him.

My favorite part of the episode: Angel "high" on human blood. From reminiscing about how much he liked nuns, to ripping the arm off that demon... He's just really cute. In an evil sort of way.