DVD review - Angel season 4 episodes 12, 13, 14 and 15

Continuing my viewing/reviewing of Angel season 4...

SPOILERS

A4-12: Cavalry (written by Bell, DeKnight and Smith, airdate 2/12/03)

The opening with Wo-Pang mirrors when Wes first visited him. Having Lilah show up and work, sort of, with the crew made for some interesting tension. It also allowed for Angelus to spill her secrets with Wes. We learn that the Beast is only a lackey to a bigger boss - but, whoa, the boss is Cordy?!? Wild. Loved Loren's calling Lilah "succubitch". So fitting. Black magic goes awry - or did it? After all if Cordy was behind it and she wanted Angelus free...? Hmmmm.

A4-13: Salvage (written by David Fury, airdate 3/5/03)

Wes has to take care of Lilah's body which Angelus conveniently finishes off after Cordy stabbed her. Nice closure of sorts with him talking "with" the corpse. Nice to see Connor sick of magic and wanting to just off his father. Wes knows they need help, and who better than the available Slayer Faith. Nice. Is she still fit for the job? "Like riding a biker." Nice. But she clearly isn't ready to handle the Beast, who pummels her extremely. Luckily Angelus plays by his own rules, offs the big stony demon and, unexpectedly, restores the blotted out Sun. Ooops. Oh yeah, and Cordy is now pregnant with Connor's kid. Can you say magical forces at work? Yup.

A4-14: Release (written by DeKnight, Craft and Fain, airdate 3/12/03)

Cordy gets inside Angelus' head with an ominous voice. Wes shows Faith that sometimes you have to push yourself to do what must be done in order to defeat the evil. She seems reluctant to learn. They finally track Angelus down for round 2, which is a pretty knock down, drag out fight. Angelus gets the upper hand and plans to turn her. Uh oh...

A4-15: Orpheus (written by Mere Smith, airdate 3/19/03)

The joke is on Angelus. Faith tainted her blood with a drug, enough to slow him down and for the gang to recapture him. While she and he are stuck in some weird flashbacks, Fred calls for some help to restore the soul - the one person who did it the first time - Willow. Nice scenes with her and Wes discussing the dark, and her and Cordy - more a battle of the magiks of sorts. In the end, though, it is Connor that messes up Cordy's concentration - getting the soul out of the jar and into the ether. Then, before Connor can stake Angelus - Willow gets the soul back in the body while Faith kicks his butt to keep him from doing the deed. All in all, a solid episode and arc. Willow takes Faith back to Sunnydale.

(Yeah, now I can go and finish off Buffy season 7!!!!)