Guess who's coming to dinner? *potential Spoilers!* (covered)

[Highlander II]

Errr - filming? um - not until probably - August or September-ish, I'd wager -- I know James is in Europe until the end of July - but I'm not sure how much they'll need him for the first few eps - but, also, Joss has to write the opener - so, again, I'm thinking, not until about late August? (wild guess) --



And yeah - I want Spike to have a raison d'etre - b/c him wandering aimlessly is kinda what they did in S4 after he was chipped (this is b/c they didn't really know what to do w/ him until they thought up the 'Spike can hit demons' bit) -- even after that he was still pretty 'aimless' - b/c he was initially supposed to fill the 'Cordelia' role -- standing on the side saying "Buffy, you're stupid and we're all gonna die" (nearly direct quote from JM from the S4 DVD extras) --- but Emma was there so, Anya got a lot of the 'Cordelia' lines, so they needed something else for Spike to do - so, he can beat up demons, which leads to some amusing moments -- "A New Man" - he helps Giles, and other things - anyway -- he really needs a reason for being there, like you said, and if he doesn't have one - it's kinda pointless for him to be there --

Hmmm -

Spike the baker?
Spike the firefighter?
Spike the race car driver?
Spike the doctor?
Spike the underwear model? :naughty:
Spike the rock musician?
Spike the one who annoys the snot out of Angel? -- wait, he already knows how to do that...
Spike the vampire slayer - nah, that's just a stupid name for a show

 

[obcooke]

How about straight from the horse's mouth? (edited from a TVGuide interview with Joss):

BUFFY 7.22 SPOILERS!!!

TV Guide: I have a bone to pick with you: When last we spoke, you claimed that "no decision" had been made about bringing Spike over to Angel... Why did you lie to me, man?

Joss Whedon: It wasn't until the last minute that it was actually decided that he was going to be a regular on the show. When I spoke to you, a) it was true that we didn't know his status, and b) he was about to die on Buffy, so the less about him being on Angel in the press beforehand, the better.

TV Guide: Fair enough. But couldn't the WB hold off on announcing it?

Whedon: There was no f---ing way. They were very excited about James. They have a shiny blond thing to show people, and they're gonna do it.

TV Guide: So, how do you plan to resurrect Spike?

Whedon: That's a conversation I'm going to be having with the Angel writers very soon.

TV Guide: There's always Shanshu (the ancient prophecy introduced during Angel's first season that says once a soulful vampire fulfills his destiny, he becomes human).

Spoiler

Whedon: It's not quite that simple, although a lot of people have been making reference to that. But that's an interpretation, and ultimately could become the interpretation if we decide to go that way. I have some other ideas. The trick is how to bring him back without losing the integrity of what he did... the sacrifice. If it's just, "Hey, I'm back!" then that whole moment at the end of Buffy is kind of lame now. Like Buffy returning from the dead, it's going to be something that we're going to have to earn and play the ramifications of, possibly without making it so depressing.

TV Guide: Will you pair him with a new special someone?

Spoiler

Whedon: I'm still trying to figure out how to bring him back to life. I don't think he's the kind of guy that would be like, "Well, that was a fun time with Buffy... " I don't think he feels a sense of resolve or resolution about the relationship. I think he feels that he was ready to sacrifice himself for her, and it was a beautiful thing, but... it wasn't like he's cured of loving Buffy any more than Angel is.

TV Guide: Now that Buffy is free to do whatever she likes, how will you explain why she doesn't make a beeline for Angel?

Spoiler

Whedon: Well, I think I did in the episode. She said very specifically she doesn't want to go and find a boyfriend. She wants to go and find herself — spend some time becoming a grown-up and finding out who she is, and then she can stop to find out who fits with that. That was the point of the whole cookie dough speech...(edited)...It would be the last thing she would do. Well, not the last thing. She wouldn't do it until sweeps.

...(edited)...

...she has stated time and again that she's perfectly willing to come on and make an appearance, assuming schedules work out. Nothing's definite, but it's as sure a shot as one could hope for.

 

[Highlander II]

Yeah - I read that --

And I'm pretty sure Joss will give Spike purpose and a reason for being and that he'll have something to do - mostly, I'm hoping he gets a good solid character arc - which he's kinda been lacking in the past --- sure, he changed, but it was way too sublte or way too abrupt, depending on where they needed him to be at the time --- ie: He has a dream one night and wakes up in love with Buffy? huh?? I still don't get that -- just b/c you dream that you're in love w/ someone doesn't necessarily mean that you are - what was that about? (it is the one thing about Spike's 'arc' that annoys me more than anything) ---

 

[VAMPette]

I don't think he woke up and was in love with Buffy overnight - I think that was a slow process from the beginning of S4 - I actually think that Joss was setting them up together from the beginning of S4 - took him 3 seasons to get Buffy to

Spoiler

say she loved him!!

but that obviously was the first time he realised that something wasn't quite right about the way he felt about Buffy.

Anyway, really looking forward to the Spike/Angel dynamic - that's going to be my favourite thing about next season I think. I mean they seriously can't just kiss and make up and work along side each other can they? I've been watching reruns of Buffy S2 on Sky at the minute and it's just fascinating to see Spike so jealous of Angel and his influence over Drusilla, thinking about Spike and Buffy and how Spike knows that Angel's always going to be there in the background and hates it. To me, it's Angel's the big brother and he's always been there and done that before Spike - Dru, Buffy, the soul. I do hope there's going to be a bit of animosity there. Plus love to see Drusilla come back and battle Spike - they haven't really done closure there have they? Also hope they don't do Spike moping round after Buffy - can't cope with that. And Buffy -

Spoiler

do you really think she'll do guest appearances? I kind of got the impression that she fell out with everyone towards the end of BTVS

 

[Highlander II]

*tries to remember all those articles she's read*

Nah - I don't think Joss planned it way back in S4 -- James has said that he played Spike a little more 'human' from the beginning, but nothing about really being in love with the Slayer -

I do know that a lot of S/B shippers go back and 'read' / 'view' it that way, but it's not necessarily the case.

And the chip was put in Spike's head so that he could be around the Scoobies, b/c he was supposed to take over Cordy's role of standing on the sidelines and telling Buffy that her plan was stupid and they were all gonna die -- James says this in the Spike feature on the S4 DVD set -- He also says that Emma's character of Anya was actually much better suited for that, so they had to find something else to do with Spike - b/c they wanted him on the show ---

I still hold to my statement that it was out of the blue, smack at the end of "Out of My Mind" - they just tacked it on - or they planned it for season 5 but gave no build up for it - kinda like Dawn's crush on Spike that we NEVER hear about until "Crush" and it disappears completely immediately afterward.

I'm also not a fan of the Spike / Buffy ship - I've never thought it was a good idea - then again, I prefer evil-Spike. And I would have preferred to have Spike show up in fewer episodes w/ real storylines attached to his appearance than JM in every ep just b/c he HAD to be there. Using him b/c they HAD to meant that he didn't really get full storylines and kinda just got shoehorned into everything. I'm hoping they don't do it that way on Angel -

And as far as SMG making guest appearances - I've heard / read that she really didn't have all that much of a falling out with the cast - and that she has agreed to do guest spots if she's available. All that stuff from FP,Jr - don't believe more than about .5% of it - b/c most of it is probably bunk - he doesn't know what went on on-set or on-site or anything - and it would be REALLY stupid of SMG to 'fall out' with anyone on the show - she may make some really bad movies, but I don't think she's stupid as far as working relationships go ---

oh - and on the bit from "Chosen" -

Spoiler

Buffy doesn't really love Spike - she never will - so what that she said it? Spike knows she really doesn't and he's okay with that - said as much in "Touched" -- she won't love him - she can't - she's still tied up on Angel --

-- that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

 

[Highlander II]

Originally posted by Tabitha
I had also read Joss namechecking the Shanshu prophecy. As much as that would TOTALLY be able to explain Spike's re-emergence, I hope they don't use it. I feel like that should be the biggie at the end. Joss is always going on about how he plans seasons ahead, I sure hope he has an idea of how the big finale of Angel will work, and that unlike Buffy's finale, which was about the foursome and Spike imo, I really hope Angel's it is actually all about Angel.

Uh - BtVS *is* the 4 core Scoobies -- that whole basis of the show was the Slayer and her friends - and by the close of S7 - Spike *was* one of Buffy's friends - or that's how I saw it - she wanted him around, kept him around b/c she thought of him as a friend - which she could see then b/c he had a soul - so, the Slayer and her friends saved the world - again. That was the point. BtVS was never supposed to be about Buffy - from my understanding - so the ending, IMO, was just right. Leaving Spike out of saving the world would have negated eveything he'd done to 'redeem' himself of what he'd tried to do to Buffy, and that just wouldn't have been fair to the character. Leaving out the other Scoobs - Willow, Xander and Giles - wouldn't have been fair to them either - they've been through all these years with Buffy - fighting by her side (for the most part) and to leave them out would have been wrong and negated everything they'd put into the gang. A final episode of BtVS solely focusing on Buffy would have 'undone' everything Joss had done with the show - again, IMO.

 

[Highlander II]

Originally posted by VAMPette
Oh also, he's got to have no memory or have a mission or something, to explain why he doesn't go looking for Buffy straight away.

Why? Why would he immediately go looking for Buffy? He knows she doesn't love him - and if he drops into LA - he knows Angel's around - and if Buffy's in town, Spike'll know she's gone to see Angel - make sure he survived the end of the world - all of that.

I know Spike's still in love with Buffy, but I don't think his first thing to do after coming back would be to seek her out - he knows she just wants to be a normal girl (if he doesn't he *is* really thick) -- and having a relationship with a vampire won't let her be a normal girl ---

 

[Tabitha]

I feel that you took my thoughts there the wrong way - I didn't mean to sound bitter that Buffy's finale was about the foursome - it always should have been about that foursome. I just think that, no matter how many co-stars you crowd into Angel, that the show has to be about him alone.
The writers have tried time and again to show us Angel's 'family' and how much he needs them to keep him human, but I genuinely believe that ATS has almost always been more about the central character than BTVS. WHile the other characters have had long and interesting arcs, when it comes down to it they are not necessarily core to the show. In Buffy's case I have always thought that what was going on with the Scoob's always tied in perfectly with what was going on with Buffy, whether as a reflection of her personal life and relationships, or as a contribution to the latest apocalypse (or trying to stop it).


I don't feel I am making a very good job of gettting my point across so let's try it as succinctly as I can manage.

BTVS is about that foursome. ATS is about Angel.

I like it that way, and I just worry that the inclusion of Spike will tilt the balance away from our central character.
I want the big finish to be about Angel, not about how Spike saves the day, or whatever.

 

[Highlander II]

Lemme just say, in comment to your last comment - 'oh there's not a chance in hell' --

No way will the writers EVER come up with a storyline for AtS that makes Spike the king of the world -- cynical me here - but it will just never happen ---- mostly b/c they haven't been able to give Spike a decent storyline since S2, why the heck would they manage to do it on AtS? They miss every single time! Even in S7 of BtVS they didn't quite work it out - the season started out pretty good and he had a story arc, but then someone shifted the tracks on 'em and it was all about this big battle at the end and all the story arcs just stopped...

And, I agree, AtS *is* about Angel, get that and yeah -the end should be about him - whatever the big reward is at the end of the show - it should go to Angel ---

What I'm kinda hoping they do w/ Spike is add him to the list of ppl that Angel has to 'save' - you know that whole, helping the helpless thing he does -- Angel's about 'saving souls' - and no matter how Spike shows up on the show, he'll have one (or, I'm guessing that's the route they'll take, otherwise his whole trip to get the thing would have been utterly worthless) -- so, Angel will be morally obligated (by his own definition of his job) to help Spike. Not to mention the 'family' connection ---


I also think it'd be hard to focus on Spike, as the show's titled "Angel" - and yeah that sounds kinda corny, but it's really hard to shift the focus away from the character whose name is the title --- (yeah, it even happened on Buffy - the show about the 'ensemble' -- all the eps are about what Buffy wants and how Buffy's gonna do something {No, really, I'm not bitter } )

anyway -- nah - they're too damned good at shoving Spike into a corner - he'll just stay there like a ficus plant and we'll hardly learn anything about him --- I know that's how it's gonna go down - I just *know* it .... *mumblegrumblestupidwriterswiththeir ficusplantobsessionsgrumblemumble*

 

[obcooke]

Just a quick note on what I've read above.

You all are discounting the effect of the other "cast member" being added next season - the New Wolfram & Hart LA office.

I heard in advance that Angel & Co. were going to be working from a position of strength next season from Joss. So I assumed from the start that they were going to take over the W&H office.

But I also figure that they are going to be in a "Monkey's Paw" position, where they use the resources of W&H to stop evil, but each time it has unintended consequences that actually makes things worse. That should build to a pretty dramatic conclusion at the end of the season.

Now, if you add Spike to that equation, it seems to me that Spike will be the outside wild card.

Soulful Spike may well play the role that Angel played in the early seasons - the brooding underdog hero. Only this time he's trying to counteract the actions of Angel's W&H.

That's assuming that they decide to return Spike's soul along with him. Mmmmm? Didn't consider that did you? I admit Evil-again-Spike isn't likely, but it's possible and it would increase the dramatic possibilities.

 

[Highlander II]

Actually - had considered 'soulless Spike' - just figured it would be highly unlikely - even given Joss' notion for turning the audience on its collective ear ---

Not actually 'discounting' the role of Angel Inc being house in W&H - the thread was about Spike moving to Angel --- but I'm just pickin' on you, man! --

the W&H angle is definitely worth exploring - what effect it will have will be an important part of the story --

BUT!! If Spike broods - even ONCE! I'm done - they take ANY steps to make him anything like Angel and I'll scream! Not kidding. I mean - wasn't that the big issue when Spike went and got his soul to begin with? everyone was screaming 'Oh, no! He's gonna be just like Angel!' - and Joss and Co managed to not have Angel Jr. show up -- which was VERY nice - now, if they send Spike on this weird brooding, help-the-helpless mission of redemption - I'm just gonna quit --- Why? b/c there is so much more that can be done with Spike. Mostly b/c he has a different attitude than Angel. Spike's not above kicking someone's ass and potentially killing them if he gets pushed the right way --- see "Lies My Parents Told Me" --- All the Spike fans spent 1/2 of S7 trying to explain how Spike was different from Angel - and to go back now, and w/ the beginning of S5 of AtS have Spike be anything like Angel was in S1 of AtS? That would just undo everything from BtVS S7 -- I know you didn't say make him just like Angel, but too many similarities and we'll just be starting the show over and a lot of ppl might feel that Angel, himself, is being undermined - which isn't fair to Angel ----

This is just one of those things - and again, some of the stuff above is why I'm still a little worried about Spike being on AtS - that's gonna take some time - and we'll probably be a bit apprehensive until the first ep airs --

I just want Spike to be involved in the stories - have a purpose - a reason to be there - and not just a sidekick - b/c that's boring.

 

[Arc_Angel]

I so agree with everything you say H2 luv

If I see him all broody and Angel-like on the show when it starts, I'm gonna scream.
I like Angel as much as the next person, but Spike is sooo much different and should be kept that way (we should some a sarcy spike) cause I mean, who don't love sarcy spike
I loved spike when he was evil (more when he was evil and chipped cause he just made me laugh a tonne) but souful spike was good too.........cause he wasn't like Angel! (Angel in buffy just p*****d me off cause he was all broody and mopey, boring! I like Angel in his series though, especially when he smiled <swoon>)
I hope Spike will get a chance to really be part of this series when it gets going, he didn't fit in as a scooby as they wouldn't let him, hope he sorta fits in here (actually I want Angel and spike to go at it, oh yeah, maybe with a bit of oil Spike'd win of course! )

 

[VAMPette]

I hope that Spike isn't part of Angel's gang at all - i just can't see him playing second fiddle to Angel - far better that he's anti Angel. i'd like to see him doing his own thing, maybe sometimes working reluctantly with Angel, maybe sometimes working against him. Apart from anything else, we definitely do not need another Angel follower. I like characters who go their own way like Lilah, Wes, Lyndsay. Soulless Spike - would be excellent but it would undermine the filling out and developing of Spike's character since Buffy S5 so can't see it. One thing that I think could be worrying is that IMO the Angel writers don't seem to be great at capturing Buffy characters when they cross over - Willow for example - so I hope that they write Spike well and don't lose the essence of the character.

 

[VAMPette]

Originally posted by Highlander II



Why? Why would he immediately go looking for Buffy? He knows she doesn't love him - and if he drops into LA - he knows Angel's around - and if Buffy's in town, Spike'll know she's gone to see Angel - make sure he survived the end of the world - all of that.

I know Spike's still in love with Buffy, but I don't think his first thing to do after coming back would be to seek her out - he knows she just wants to be a normal girl (if he doesn't he *is* really thick) -- and having a relationship with a vampire won't let her be a normal girl ---

Sorry, so don't agree. I think the most natural thing in the world would be for Spike to seek out Buffy. She's the only person in the world he cares about and even if he realises that she doesn't love him and they'll never have a future, it would still make sense that he's want to see her, check she's alive and okay, and that she's living the life that she wants now. If he doesn't, there should be a reason for it, like he's been brought back for a purpose - and can't abandon it to run half way round the world looking for Buffy. Or that Angel convinces him to leave her alone to make up her own mind (the whole cookie dough bit). Honestly it's not over romanticising the situation, but I do think it would be his natural instinct. course he could be totally different from the spike we know and that would explain it too.

 

[Highlander II]

Ok - here's another reason why I don't want Spike's initial reason for being, when he moves to Angel to be 'seeking out Buffy' - is b/c it sounds a WHOLE lot like Daniel Jackson's reason for sticking around on Stargate SG-1 --- recycled storylines - even from other shows - just get really old.


I'm kind of hoping some of the BtVS writers - Doug Petrie, David Fury - move to Angel - b/c those two are GREAT with Spike - b/c, yeah - Willow was off when she was on Angel - she was too 'nerdy' - too S1 - S2 Willow - not much w/ the S7 Will there --

and I think JM is vocal enough - if he thinks something's not right, he'll say so ----

 

[Arc_Angel]

SPOILERS
.
.
.
From The Spoiler Slayer

Spoiler

Need A Little Harmony?

Kristin's chat transcript is out, and she does have a few 'Angel' tidbits. Nothing that hasn't come out before, but it's more confirmation of some of the rumors going around. She talked to Joss at the WB Press Party. Joss confirmed that he is trying to get Sarah Michelle Gellar to appear in at least one episode, probably around Sweeps. In addition, he confirmed that Mercedes McNab will reprise her role as 'Harmony' as a recurring, not regular, character.

Also, more confirmation that Stephanie Romanov will not be back, and she speculates that Eve might have a role in Spike's return.

She promises to have more Scoop on Friday

And from Scifiwire

Spoiler

Joss Whedon, co-creator of The WB's Angel, told SCI FI Wire that former Buffy the Vampire Slayer supporting player Mercedes McNab (Harmony) will join the cast as a recurring player in the upcoming fifth season, one of many changes coming up. McNab's Harmony and a second as-yet-uncast new recurring female character will join James Marsters' Spike on the show, Whedon added in an interview at The WB's fall press preview.

"Well, Spike and Harmony do have a history," Whedon said, referring to the vampire duo's steamy affair on Buffy. "But that doesn't mean they'll necessarily hook up. It just means we love Mercedes, and we want to see more of her."

As for how Marsters' character—who met a fiery end in the Buffy series finale last May—comes back, Whedon remained silent. "I can't really give you much of a hint [as to how Spike will be integrated into the show], except that badly would be the word," Whedon said. "Because he sticks out like a sore thumb, which is exactly what we always hire him to do. I see him not fitting in. And that's exactly what they need right now. Because, although they all have their separate agendas, to an extent, they're a team. And when you're a team, you need somebody to come in and f--k up the team."

In the coming fifth season, Angel will move out of its hotel set into a swanky, new set representing the Wolfram & Hart law firm, where Whedon said to look for West-Wing style camera movements. Whedon added that big changes are in store for the character of Charles Gunn, played by J. August Richards—a transformation that was foreshadowed in last season's finale. "Yeah, he's going to go through some interesting changes," Whedon said. "And again, we'll find out early on what it is, but not exactly what it means. But, yeah, you know, Gunn is somebody that we felt was a little underutilized. J.'s an amazing actor. And we thought Wolfram & Hart would be the perfect venue to find a new side of him. So we're shaking it up." Angel will return to its regular timeslot, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, in the fall

Thanx to The Spoiler Slayer and Scifiwire for the info
For more info look to www.spoilerslayer.com and http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-main.html?2003-07/15/12.30.tv

 

[Highlander II]

lalalalala --

not even tempted to hi-lite the little gray boxes and read -

lalalalala --

*covers eyes, puts fingers in ears*

not tempted - not gonna read --

I only know about Spike -- -lalalalalala

 

[Arc_Angel]

Oh you know you want to H2 luv, give into temptation....... :evil:

ha ha lol

 

[Annette]

Oooh good spoilers. *slaps oneself for reading* but couldn't help herself LOL

annette

 

[Arc_Angel]

Spoiler

James Marsters, who played the vampire Spike on "Buffy," will join "Angel" in the first episode, but Whedon wouldn't explain how the character, killed in the "Buffy" finale, will be resurrected, except to say the amulet he held during his demise will play a role in Spike's revival.

"The second episode deals with what the hell he's doing there," Whedon said. "In the old version of the show, we might have stretched that out for a lot of episodes. In the new version of the show, by the end of that [episode] you'll know why he's there and, more importantly, what part he plays in the ensemble."

Now that Team Angel will be working for its former nemesis, the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart, it will vacate its hotel base and move into "swank new apartments."

"The [hotel] lobby was beautiful, but eventually it was a giant room with all of our people standing around talking, and our writers would just want to kill themselves trying to find a new way to do that," Whedon said of the pending set changes.

A new character, who "might just be a little bit sexy," will join the show as a go-between at Wolfram & Hart. Characters from "Buffy" and "Angel" episodes past, including conniving Lilah, may return, but the only one confirmed so far is the ditzy vampire Harmony.

Spoiler

Angel: In the second episode of the new season, which will be written by David Fury and directed by James A. Contner, we are introduced to four characters: Hainsley, a big, gregarious and amiable sort who can be really scary and is listed as a guest star; Novac, a late-20s associate at the law firm, who is described as “slick and a smartassâ€; a manserveant, a dapper gentleman who is described as “bald, thin, tall and lankyâ€; and a funny demon, with the casting notes saying that the actor will be fitted with light prosthetics on his hand and face. The latter three are listed as co-stars. The episode is untitled as of this writing and begins shooting on August 5.

THIS ONE WILL REAAAALLLY SPOIL THE FIRST EP SO DON'T LOOK IF YOU DON'T WANNA SPOIL IT!!!!!!

Spoiler

The casting sides for Episode 1 (written by Joss Whedon) have been released. Here's a summary:
-In the teaser, Angel saves a woman who's being attacked by a vamp in an alley. He dusts the vamp.

- Angel is confronted by a group of paramilitary type guys with machine guns. Then several lawyers arrive on the scene. The leader of the paramilitary guys is Hauser. He tells Angel that they're his operations' team and they were sent by W&H to back him up.

- Then one of the lawyers comes up to Angel, telling him not to leave until they control the scene. W&H has been tracking Angel with a tracking monitor on his shirt.

- The woman who Angel just saved is giving a liability release form to fill out then asked by the lawyer to pose for pictures with Angel. The woman and Angel are both rather dumbfounded.

-Act 1 begins with two kindergartners going to class, talking about comic books. They walk into their classroom. As one of the boys sits down, something happens...

- A few scenes later, Angel goes to work the following day and complains to Gunn and Wes about W&H tracking him.

- Angel goes into his office, and Eve is there. She's the W&H liaison between Angel and the Senior Partners. She starts to explain what Angel is supposed to be doing, which is keeping his mostly demon and evil clients happy.

- A few scenes later, Wes is briefing Angel on a legal case W&H has. Lowlife criminal Corbin Fries and his thug lawyer, Desmond Keel, come in. Harmony is there as a secretary or assistant, offering everyone coffee.

- Fries goes on trial tomorrow. He's guilty and he gave W&H a lot of money before Angel started running the place to keep himself out of jail. But they're his law firm and they have to get him off, or he will drop a bomb and destroy all of California.

- Act 2 begins with Lorne reading W&H employs in a conference room. He has a list of names and is marking off whether they are evil or not. He listens to a W&H employee singing.

- In the next scene, Fred explains to Knox about Lorne's abilities to read people while decorating her office.

- A few scenes later, Fred is trying to page Gunn, but he's not answering. Lorne is questioning why Harmony is there.

- Angel is going out to meet with a sorcerer named Spanky who's connected to Fries. He's not going via the sewers, instead W&H has a fleet of sports cars in the garage for Angel. Hauser comes up to Angel, wanting to know if his unit is going on the mission.

- Angel goes to Spanky's ratty apartment and tells him he's there on W&H business and is let in. Angel wants to know what Spanky did for Fries. Angel threatens Spanky with a paddle. Spanky reveals he gave Fries a mystical container - one that a bomb could be placed in.

- Spanky tries to strangle Angel, but that's rather useless. Angel whacks Spanky across the room with the paddle.

- Gunn is at an incredibly creepy doctor's office. The doctor knows about him being in the white room. The doctor does some very painful procedure on Gunn.

- Fred & Knox are researching what work the W&H lab did for Fries.

- Fred reports to Wes the information that she and Knox have found about a virus that Fries had a W&H lab tech make. It looks like Fries doesn't have a bomb but instead a chemical warfare type virus.

- Lorne is monitoring the courtroom where Fries is on trial, reporting back to Angel. Keel is trying to drag things out. They've found out that Fries has a kid, and he's dangerous. Angel heads to the boy's school. Hauser is monitoring Lorne and Angel's conversation from a van. He's out to prove how things are done, so his team heads out to terminate the boy.

- Wes and Gunn arrive at the courtroom, right as the defense can't stall anymore and it's time for final arguments.

- Gunn moves for a mistrial on the grounds that the judge has a conflict of interest. Gunn has tax records that show business dealings between the judge and Fries. Gunn totally has the judge and is being a big shot lawyer.

- The Ops team busts into a school, looking for a boy. But Angel had gotten there first to prevent them from finding the kid. There's a fight between Hauser and Angel. Hauser first pulls a gun on Angel, but his team has stakes and holy water too.