The early season 1 episode "Angels In Chains" is often classified as an "iconic" episode of "Charlie's Angels", but while it is fun, it has nothing on "Caged Angel": in "Chains", going undercover in a women's prison looked like a walk in the park - you never got the feeling that the Angels were in any discomfort or had a particularly hard time. But in "Caged Angel", Kris, who also goes undercover to identify a crime ring that seems to be operating from inside the prison, is really affected by the experience; in a rather shocking scene, there is even the strongly implied threat of sexual abuse from a fat blob of a prisoner, played (quite creepily) by Shirley Stoler. Cheryl Ladd, who I continue to insist is the best, as well as the most beautiful, actress on the show, makes Kris touchingly human and vulnerable. This well made episode also includes a strong early role for future Oscar-nominee Sally Kirkland. *** out of 4.
2 Reviews
Angel in Prison
adamcshelby7 September 2021
This is the sixth episode of season 4 and the second one that has followed a B-movie plot. Unlike the first season semi-classic "Angels in Chains", "Caged Angel" takes a slightly more serious approach to the women in prison theme. "Angels in Chains" was deliberately provocative and seem to revel in the sleaze factor. Caged Angel goes out of its way to show a less glamorous view.
The Angels are hired by the father of a deceased young woman who was killed robbing a business. The girl was in prison at the time and it's unclear how she was able to get out to partake in a robbery. Kris Munroe is the Angel chosen to be planted within the same prison. Both Kelly and Tiffany have much smaller parts in this episode. Cheryl Ladd is very much the centerpiece of this one.
The supporting cast is pretty solid, led by Louise Sorel as prison administrator Lily Burton, and Lynn Carlin as Warden Ingram.
Sally Kirkland, a future Oscar nominee, plays Lonnie, a weightlifting inmate who has a run in with Kris but who later befriends her. And Shirley Stoler plays big Aggie Kemp, a menacing leader of a prison gang who's the one behind the robbery ring as well.
One of my big issues with the teleplay is that the character of Kris, the one that had been established in seasons 2 and 3 of Charlie's Angels, was put aside, turning her into a sobbing girl her first night in prison. Granted, big Aggie Kemp was an intimidating character for sure, but Kris Munroe should have known how to handle herself and maintain her cool.
My second issue are the usual plot holes. When Kris gets caught up in the robbery ring, all it would have taken to end her dangerous situation was to lock the prison gang robbers in a safe room. Then call the cops, interrogate the prisoners as to who in the prison is giving them access to the outside world, case over. Naturally that doesn't happen, because you need a big finale in the prison itself. It is what it is, which is Charlie's Angels after all.
Final note; both prison themed episodes of Charlie's Angels featured actresses that would go on to be Oscar-nominated. The aforementioned Sally Kirkland would be nominated for best actress in Anna in 1988, and in 'Angels in Chains' a young Kim Basinger would go on to win an Oscar 20 years later in LA Confidential.
The Angels are hired by the father of a deceased young woman who was killed robbing a business. The girl was in prison at the time and it's unclear how she was able to get out to partake in a robbery. Kris Munroe is the Angel chosen to be planted within the same prison. Both Kelly and Tiffany have much smaller parts in this episode. Cheryl Ladd is very much the centerpiece of this one.
The supporting cast is pretty solid, led by Louise Sorel as prison administrator Lily Burton, and Lynn Carlin as Warden Ingram.
Sally Kirkland, a future Oscar nominee, plays Lonnie, a weightlifting inmate who has a run in with Kris but who later befriends her. And Shirley Stoler plays big Aggie Kemp, a menacing leader of a prison gang who's the one behind the robbery ring as well.
One of my big issues with the teleplay is that the character of Kris, the one that had been established in seasons 2 and 3 of Charlie's Angels, was put aside, turning her into a sobbing girl her first night in prison. Granted, big Aggie Kemp was an intimidating character for sure, but Kris Munroe should have known how to handle herself and maintain her cool.
My second issue are the usual plot holes. When Kris gets caught up in the robbery ring, all it would have taken to end her dangerous situation was to lock the prison gang robbers in a safe room. Then call the cops, interrogate the prisoners as to who in the prison is giving them access to the outside world, case over. Naturally that doesn't happen, because you need a big finale in the prison itself. It is what it is, which is Charlie's Angels after all.
Final note; both prison themed episodes of Charlie's Angels featured actresses that would go on to be Oscar-nominated. The aforementioned Sally Kirkland would be nominated for best actress in Anna in 1988, and in 'Angels in Chains' a young Kim Basinger would go on to win an Oscar 20 years later in LA Confidential.
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