review: Like that wrestling episode of Voyager, only with demons.

March 2, 2000

Series Angel

Episode The Ring

Airing Date 2000-02-29

Sci-fi Bits Demons fight it out in the ring.

Juicy Bits Cordy and Wesley act chummy.

Featuring David Boreanaz as Angel Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce

Hey, where was The Rock in this episode? Because, if I'm not mistaken, it was pretty much that recent Voyager, only without professional wrestlers. That's OK, though, because it was also pretty entertaining.

So Seven of Nine, I mean Angel, gets a visit from this guy who claims that his brother is involved in some supernatural-type no good business. Turns out, the brothers are in league together running a sort of Ultimate Fighting for Demons competition, and they've been plotting to lure Angel into the ring. The brothers are also holding all of the demon fighters captive, with the promise that a demon get set free once he's won 21 fights -- and all fights, mind you, are to the death. Gulp.

Angel, of course, knows that this is Just Wrong. He tries to get the demon folk to bond together and refuse to fight each other, thereby bringing the whole operation down. Unfortunately, they're not too cooperative. Meanwhile, Cordy and Wesley prove their worth by tracking Angel down and bluffing their way into one of the fights. They're also busily dancing the Sexual Tension Two-Step, which could either be lots of fun or frightfully boring, depending on how it plays out. Oh, one more thing: Cordy and Wesley keep referring to dates and activities and such that they take part in, but when exactly does that happen? Because as far as I can tell, neither of them has a booming social life. Whatever.

We look good in black.

Anyway, this episode does deal with some Angel guilt issues (will he succumb and actually kill someone? Will he thirst for the taste of blood once again?), but overall I think it's just supposed to be sort of cheesy and fun, which is fine by me. I just wish there had actually been some doubt in my mind about those previous two questions: it would have made for more conflict and character insight and such.

As it is, we mostly just have a bunch of guys in crazy make-up and some pretty cool fighting scenes. It's not terribly deep, but I guess you can't have flashback-laden angst every week. At least Angel seems to be making some friends, even if they are a bunch of demons who could very well be totally evil. Hey, not every genre character can pal around with The Rock...

--Sarah Kuhn usually knows Just Wrong when she sees it.

Past Angel Reviews

The Prodigal
I Got You Under My Skin
She
Expecting
Somnabulist
Parting Gifts
Hero
I Will Remember You
The Bachelor Party
Sense and Sensitivity
Rm W/A VU
I Fall to Pieces
In the Dark
Lonely Hearts
City of...

IGN Sci-Fi's Comic Index - comics - (3.1.00)

Futurama, Raging Bender - tv - (3.1.00)

Bodyslams and Bandages! - movies - (3.1.00)

Avengers, Earth and Fire Part 2 - tv - (3.1.00)

Riding Hood Gets Medieval - movies - (3.1.00)

Beastmaster, Devil's Deal - tv - (3.1.00)

Up, Up, and to the Left! - movies - (3.1.00)

Relic Hunter, Nine Lives - tv - (3.1.00)