Angel (TV Series) Provider (2002) User Reviews

Robot Chipmunks on Ice

[katierose295 · 7/10 · 24 February 2007]

After Darla gives birth in "Lullaby" it seems like there are several episodes that don't contribute a lot to the larger plot this season. Really, they're just setting up the next half of the story arc, which will kick in when Wes starts investigating a certain prophesy and making some tragic choices. Until then, we're basically waiting around, establishing how much Angel loves Conner, how much Angel loves Cordy, how much Holtz hates Angel, and how Gunn & Wes are both starting to love Fred. This isn't a bad episode, but if you're watching on DVD you could probably skip it and not miss much plot-wise.

"Provider" revolves around Angel's new not-so-heroic mission to make money. With Conner depending on him now, Angel is worried about paying bills and starting a college fund. In an effort to attract a more solvent group of "helpless" to help, Angel Inc. starts a mini media blitz. Fliers and websites bring in a bunch of new customers, but Cordy is concerned. She's afraid that Angel is losing site of what's important, namely fighting for good, and that the team is getting spread to thin. Meanwhile, Gunn and Wes are both attracted to Fred and getting annoyed at each other.

While Angel is off battling vamps, Gunn & Wes help a lady with her zombie stalker, and Lorne and Fred try to solve a magical glowy puzzle for a bunch of armored guys. Angel tells Cordy that everything is under control, but soon enough things start going wrong. It seems that the armored guys want to take Fred's head and sew it onto their prince. After Cordy has a vision about Fred being decapitated, she rushes to help. Gunn, Wes and Angel barely make it in time to save Lorne, Cordy and Fred. Afterwards, Angel tells the others that he knows that money isn't everything... Then Team Angel collects $50,000 of the armored guys' money and goes home.

There are some great parts to this episode. I love Angel's continued cell phone ignorance. His inability to use his voice mail is one of those running jokes that makes me smile every time Cordy complains about it. Gunn and Wes are pretty funny battling that lady's dead boyfriend. I especially enjoy Wes speculating on what sort of reanimated creature he might be. Then the guy tries to yank him right through the door and Gunn has to beat him off with a bat. "Right," Wesley says, "Zombie it is." Also, the final scene with Cordy and Angel laying on the bed next to each other with the baby between them is really sweet. I love them together. And her sleepy comment about robot chipmunks on ice makes me laugh. Finally, I actually enjoy greedy Angel. He's really cute running credit checks and hugging that briefcase full of money to his chest. Okay, granted, he's always pretty cute, but still...

On the down side, Cordy and Angel's points of view seem reversed in this episode. Usually, she's the one complaining about paying bills and Angel is all about doing good works. (See season one's "I Fall to Pieces") I know their characters are evolving as they experience new things and grow, but the drastic differences in their opinions of money seem a little sudden. Also, the scenes with Justine and Holtz seem really tacked on. And did Cordy really have to bring an infant into the middle of the negotiations/fight with the armored guys?

My favorite part of the episode: The opening of "Provider" is one of the best scenes of the entire series. Angel Inc. has new fliers printed up and it leads to some down right hilarious results as people desperately try to call them for help. "Is this the right number?"

Pretty cool

[fuad_tarin_58 · 8/10 · 13 July 2020]

This is actually a pretty cool and funn episode. And suprizing for me seaing a young chubby negan here, didnt recognize him at all.

8/10 for me

Heroes for hire

[Joxerlives · 7/10 · 29 February 2012]

PROVIDER

The Good; Some great comedy and some excellent action, great payoff in the end (literally)

The Bad; Not bad, just lightweight. Don't like the way they can't just come out and say 'gay lover' for Sam Ryan's friend. Wes and Gunn seem to take an awful lot of trouble defeating Brian.

Best line: Justine (about the ice-pick through her hand) "Feeling something is better than feeling nothing" That girl has some SERIOUS damage deep inside and I'm not talking tissue.

Jeez, how did they get away with that? See above

Apocalypses: 5

Angel Clichés Inverting the Hollywood cliché; the hero who is out for money

In disguise; 8

DB get's his shirt off; 12

Cordy's tatt; 10

Cheap Angel; the whole thing 8. Ironically CC who'd always been so mercenary now doesn't care about the money. Although she thinks that $50,000 is way up there on the list of cool things in the world.

Fang Gang in bondage: Lorne and Fred tied up Cordy: 5 Angel: 11 Wes: 6 Gunn; 3 Lorne; 3 Fred; 1

Fang gang knocked out: Lorne Cordy: 11 Angel: 14 Wes: 5 Doyle; 1 Gunn; 1 Lorne; 3

Kills: Angel kills 7 vamps whilst Gunn and Wes take a demon each Cordy: 5 vamps, 3 demons Angel; 39 vamps, 52 and 1/2 demons, 7 humans Doyle; 1 vamp Wes; 11 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans Kate; 3 vamps Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans. Gunn; 8 vamps+ 8 demons.

Fang Gang go evil: Cordy: 2 Angel: 2 Gunn; 1 Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang: Cordy: 2 Angel: 8

Characters killed: 45

Recurring characters killed; 8;

Total number of Angel Investigations: 5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot: Angel: 11 Wes; 1

Packing heat; Wes; 5 Doyle; 1 Angel; 1 Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky: Allie misses the sex from her dead boyfriend and seems to be open to necrophilia. In a dark scene in an otherwise lightweight ep Justine and Holtz play some serious S&M games. Tying your hair in pigtails and having your boyfriend play the stern headmaster is one thing, sticking icepicks through the hand and consenting not to take it out as a trust exercise quite another! Brian seems to think that Allie is dating both Gunn and Wes at the same time. Fred thinks they want her to marry the Prince

Captain Subtext; The Wes/Gunn/Fred love triangle becomes apparent. Obvious gay subtext between Sam Ryan and his 'friend'. He also notices that Angel is quaffed. Lorne says he never knew the demons intimately. CC and Angel lying on the bed with Connor together at the end, a perfect little family.

Know the face, different character; 3

Parking garages; 5,

Buffy characters on Angel; 16 Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony

Questions and observations; Obvious Monty Python gag. Angel comments that 'We may have to incorporate' which is what they do in season 5. Eric Bruskotter who plays Brian was in one of my favourite shows Tour of Duty, you can also see him in Starship Troopers, Hamburger Hill and Crimson Tide. Jeffery Dean Morgan as well as appearing in Supernatural and Watchmen was in my favourite erotic thriller ever, Undercover Heat (which I'm sure he's taken off his CV). He's also another Buffy/Angel alumni who turns up in Eliza Dushku's series Tru Calling in the gambling ep.

Angel's arrival is very Batman.

Marks out of 10; 7/10, fun comedy ep

Angel Investigations Goes Public

[Samuel-Shovel · 6/10 · 30 June 2018]

In "Provider", inspired by the birth of his son, Angel looks to expand Angel Investigations and make more money to provide for him. This leads to the gang being overextended as they all split up to take separate cases. Gunn & Wesley help a young lady being stalked by her undead ex-boyfriend. Fred & Lorne help a group of Nahdrah demons with a puzzle they intend to give to their prince as a present. For this, they pay Angel $50,000. Angel clears out a vampire nest for a local business man. Cordy stays home to watch the kid.

But being so scattered comes at a cost. The Nahdrah demons plan to remove Fred's head and transplant it onto their prince once she completes the puzzle. Cordy has a vision and comes to the rescue. Eventually the rest of the gang finishes up their projects and show up in the nick of time to save Fred. Angel apologizes for being overly ambitious and putting everyone at risk. Meanwhile, Holtz tests his new recruit and tells her to find more of her kind as he builds an army to take down Angel.

Papa Angel is in full dad-mode in this one as he plans for Connor's future. This leads the rest of the gang into a bit of danger (although you never really worry about Gunn & Wesley). As far as plot development goes, this episode's a bit of filler. Nothing progresses except Holtz's relationship with his new underling. Angel realizes that he can't abandon his overall mission so I guess that's important as well. But I have to say, not a spectacular episode but not terrible either.

Fred's Brain

[tammysmart · 10/10 · 27 October 2019]

Fred works on the Angel Investigations website, while Cordelia talks to Angel about not losing sight of the mission - it is about helping the helpless, not making money. Gunn and Wesley return to report that they've distributed fliers all over town...with the wrong phone number. They correct and redistribute the fliers. Fred rocks Connor while Wesley and Gunn admire the adorable scenery. Angel comes in and starts issuing instructions, but can't figure out what comes first - making money, finding Holtz, or helping the helpless (in fact, his confusion is more than vaguely reminiscent of Monty Python's Flying Circus' The Spanish Inquisition sketch). Almost immediately the phones start ringing.

Holtz and Justine lurk underground, discussing Justine's failure to follow orders - she had dusted two vampires that Holtz had told her to stay away from. He questions her commitment, and the camera shifts to show her hand impaled on a spike. He tells her to take it out if she chooses - but that if she lasts until the morning they'll continue as partners.

Angel Investigations is flooded with customers. Everyone is busy, and Cordelia says they're being stretched a little thin, but Angel claims they can handle it. When Cordy tells him to answer the phones he seems more interested in the pocketbooks of the people on the other end than their problems. Gunn talks to a woman whose dead ex is stalking her, while Wesley and Lorne talk to three demons in chrome face masks who, Lorne says (translating), having read some of Wesley's work, want to buy his head. When he clarifies he tells Wes that they want him to solve a traditional puzzle for them. While they're talking Fred notices the complicated geometric pattern on the demons' tunics, and they leave suddenly to either consult their prince or eat a cheesemonkey.

Angel meets with a wealthy business owner, Harlan Elster, who is concerned about a nest of vampires. He asks if Angel has any experience with vampires - to which Angel replies "some". Elster says that these ones are different - they want money, not blood. Elster says they've been putting the squeaze on local businessmen, threatening their employees for money. They've demanded $5000.00, so he offers Angel $10,000.00 to get rid of them, with 50% up front. As Angel leaves, the real Mr. Elster walks in, and the man Angel has been speaking to punches him out.

Holtz returns to find Justine where he left her. He tells her to go out and find people who have the same rage they do. He pulls the spike out of her hand, and she punches him and leaves.

Angel returns to find the hotel nearly empty. Cordelia expresses concern that they might miss someone who really needs help in all their cases. Lorne and Fred return - Lorne quite drunk. Lorne says that Holtz has poisoned his previous minions, and is looking to replace them with humans. Before Lorne can leave, the chrome-faced demons return asking for Fred this time - they were impressed with her before, and they've brought $50,000.00. Lorne and Fred leave for the job - it should be a couple of days.

Gunn and Wesley help out the woman with the stalker ex-boyfriend. Their conversation indicates that both Wes and Gunn are interested in Fred. The boyfriend attacks, and they fight it off, confirming he's become a zombie. Fred and Lorne arrive at the boat where the demons are staying, and Fred immediately sets to work on their puzzle. Lorne is not feeling so well, and leaves to go throw up. On his way to the facilities he overhears a conversation which indicates that his original translation to Wesley was accurate - they really do want a head, to replace that of their prince, who appears unwell. They've decided on Fred's.

Angel cleans out the vampire nest, but when he returns to Elster he learns that the man who gave him the - forged - check for the first $5000.00 is an ex-employee of Elster's who lost a friend and developed a "crazy" belief that this building was full of vampires.

Angel surprises the fake Elster in the vampire's lair. He grabs the watch the guy is holding, which the guy says was worth more than the ten grand he had been planning to pay Angel - because it was the first thing he ever bought his friend. When Angel says he didn't kill the three vamps for nothing, the man corrects him on the number - there were seven vamps.

Cordelia, watching the baby, tries to float as she did in the last episode, while explaining to him how she became part demon to cope with the visions. While putting the money away she gets a vision of what the demons are planning to do to Fred. She whispers for Fred not to solve the puzzle, just as Fred says with satisfaction that it shouldn't be long. Wes and Gunn are in full swing fighting the zombie boyfriend, and Cordy knows Angel won't answer his phone, so she heads to the marina herself to return the money and save Fred. The girl and the Zombie boyfriend squabble about their relationship - and it comes out that she killed him. He says he'd forgive her if she took him back, and after some pleading she agrees to give it another shot.

The rest of the vamps attack Angel and the man, while Angel refuses to help because he hasn't been paid. The guy apologizes for lying to him, and Angel agrees to help him barricade the doors while they discuss payment options. Fred solves the puzzle, and they take her away while she asks nervously after Lorne. They take her to the room with the prince, where Lorne is tied up. He explains the plan, while the demons get ready to cut off Fred's head. Cordy shows up just in time to stop them, still holding baby Connor, and tries to give back the money in exchange for Fred, but Lorne, assuming the whole team is there, accidentally aggravates the situation in his translation.

Angel smashes a window to get the guy out before the vamps can break in, but the guy refuses to leave, saying if he runs now, after what happened to his friend, he'll be running the rest of his life. Angel reluctantly slays the vamps, grousing about the lack of payment, and walks off as the guy tries to thank him, stopping to answer his beeper, but unable to work it.

Cordelia tries to kick one of the demons in the groin, but a metallic clang indicates it is useless. Wesley and Gunn arrive, and take on the demons, saving Fred, temporarily, but also knocking off the prince's head. Angel arrives somewhat late and takes on the remaining demons before anyone is seriously hurt. Angel apologises to Cordelia for leaving her and Connor alone. Fred, released, quotes the first line of Kipling's "if": "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs" and tells Gunn and Wes she could kiss them both, but when they step forward Lorne draws their attention to the fact that he's still tied up on the floor. Angel tells the gang he got carried away with the money thing because he's never had anyone dependent on him the way Connor is now and not wanting to let him down. Distracted by the pile of returned cash scattered over the floor, he continues that family, and the mission, come first. Cordelia, also looking at the money, declares that after what they tried to do to Fred the Angel team has earned it.

Angel and Cordelia are lying in bed feeding the baby while talking about what to spend their money on. Angel insists they use it for Connor's college fund and Cordelia half-jokingly tries to tell him to use it for a boat or a ski home

Helping the helpless, finding Holtz, and making money are out three number one priorities

[SleepTight666 · 5/10 · 3 April 2007]

Helping the helpless, finding Holtz, and making money are out three number one priorities - Although this episode has a lot of fun dialog, entertaining scenes and some humorous acting, I still think it's one of the most skipable episodes of the show. It's a little dire here and there even if it also has some funny stuff. Let me start with the good, I love how the relationship of 'Holtz' and 'Justine' keeps progressing, they are so hardcore and strangely grow together by hurting each other. I'm also a huge fan of the Cangel scene at the end of the episode, it's very adorable with 'Connor' lying on the bed in the middle, they look like a happy family. But the whole 'making money' storyline was a bit messy and didn't work so well, most of the characters got their own case like 'Angel' helping a guy whose friend was killed and 'Gunn' and 'Wes' protecting a girl from her dead stalking boyfriend, but both story lines didn't work for me. Meanwhile 'Fred' has to solve a puzzle but turns out, the demons want to replace their masters head with 'Fred's. I think the comedy was a bit mixed, a little forced but funny in some places and too silly in others. I did however love the teaser in which the gang made flyers with the wrong phone number and a helpless man tries to call them but calls Fabrizio's pizza instead. A fun filled episode that is sadly, very skipable. LORNE: They apologize for their paltry offering and hope you'll accept... Fifty thousand dollars!?! ANGEL: Fifty... CORDELIA: ...thousand... FRED: ...Dollars? ANGEL: We accept. (5.5 out of 10)