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https://www.dropbox.com/s/qd6alxkia5l4af1/Angel%202X4.m4v?dl=0

https://vimeo.com/427238082

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jd3Y0OVB5Ta0uOIHyCT7NsTQCxunKZaV/view?usp=sharing

 

PASSWORD: Geekedoutnation

IM TESTING  GOOGLE DRIVE  SO PLEASE CLICK THE LINK TO SEE HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU. I WOULD LIKE A THIRD OPTION FOR YOU GUYS AND GALS.

Comments

SweetSummit

Your mind always goes to Lesley. :P

Calvin Allen

Lesley Lindham Price

Amanda S

Tried to test the Google Drive, but it's still processing. It did give the option to download it while it's processing, so that's something for those that prefer to download the videos. I'll just watch it on Vimeo though since I don't usually download them. :)

Andrea

Man, you really wanna make this Leslie thing happen, lol. I've never particularly cared for this episode tbh, and usually skip it on re-watches. Looking forward to the next one, though.

Bixgirl1

No judgment about your interpretation of the episode, but I disagree, both about Bethany's characterization in That Scene, and about how unnecessary her backstory was. Personally, I feel like the ep was one of the most subtextual in the show's history because I don't see it being *really* about Bethany's telekinetic powers so much as a way to approach the topic of childhood sexual abuse. And I think they played really true to it, *especially* in the scene where she tries to "seduce" Angel. There are a lot of commonly-held beliefs over the behavior to expect from sexual abuse survivors, but honestly there's no one right way for them to cope - sometimes they avoid sex, sometimes they truly enjoy it, sometimes they use it as a way to pay back kindnesses, as you felt she was doing there, and sometimes they use it as a way to control the situation when they feel powerless, or test how much they can trust someone, both of which I felt were the motives behind her actions. I feel like that in particular paired really well with the overall themes of her gaining control of her powers, as did Cordy's blunt compassion; she saw that there were more layers to Bethany's coping mechanisms than Angel could glean, confronted that disparity, and got through to her. Again, no judgment about how you saw things. Just introducing a different perspective. :) Liked your reaction, though, looking forward to the next!

Ceara Abrahamsz

Bethany’s behavior is not uncommon among sexual abuse victims. I think it’s called Hypersexuality, There is a whole psychology behind it that I won’t get into. This episode’s one of my favorites because of the way this episode was written. I feel like the sexual abuse storyline was what made the episode so powerful and unique. If they replaced that storyline with her parents dying or something equally common in movie and television nowadays, then truthfully this episode would be like a 5 or 6 for me. Her analogy of being a “Chamber Maid” is one of my favorite scenes of all of Angel, I feel like it was not only written well but acted just as powerfully. Great episode, so powerful, ❤️

SpikesEcho

Bethany is written very very well, especially the scene where she goes into Angel's bedroom...it's not out of nowhere. Her use of sex, her almost aggressive approach, and her view of it is very in line with sexual abuse survivors I know. It's probably less touched-on than the traditional characterization of an abuse survivor avoiding sex/sexuality, and it makes the writing/storytelling very brave. Cordelia wasn't picking up on Bethany having been sexually abused....woman to woman, she was just getting some complex sexual vibes from her in general.

o

This is another one of those episodes of Angel which may come across as strange in todays viewing. At the time, this was not discussed, the abuse that caused this power to manifest in Bethany was a deep dark secret (in comic books it is always the death of a parent). This got the conversation going on a National scale and got people to rethink "blaming the victim" strategies that existed up to that point. After this we turned slightly to helping the actual victim work through their trauma and not blame them for it having happened. I give this episode a 10 for the conversation it created at the time and the strength it gave some to speak up. I am biased, so I go in and await a clinical eye to tell me how it honestly comes across.

4Tom4lepus4

I agree 100%. The episode wouldn't have worked without the sexual abuse background and that's what made it so impactful. I also really appreciate the complexity of Bethany's character, especially for this "case of the week" situation.

o

A little context the time of this episode is the time of Harvey Weinstein, in Hollywood, there may have been a reason why the Bethany character has that hair color, Hyper-Sexuality (which led to slut shaming) was not discussed there is a reason that Joss Whedon directed this. Your score is probably closer to the truth excellent reaction, once again, loved the incite and can't argue the points.

Rachael

Bless you, Steven, for stating upfront that you are not a fan of using rape in stories. I see that from many women plenty but not enough from men (I’m mainly referring to viewers and reactors, not tv critics and writers). I think they were trying to draw a parallel between Bethany and Angel being sexually abused by her father and Darla, respectively, and also being victimized by W&H. At least the show used Gunn and Cordy to vocalize that those guys deserved to be squashed, but Bethany’s real power comes from her learning how to control it and not allowing her father or W&H to have power over her. I shared most of your issues with the writing (and that abrupt transition), but I’ve noticed that Cordelia is like that around any woman with Angel. Cordelia has grown a lot, but she is very much an alpha character like Angel, and she’s very territorial around him (Buffy, Jhiera, Rebecca, Faith). And perhaps part of that is due to Cordelia’s worry about Angel losing his soul, but I dunno, I also thought Cordelia was aggressive and rude to a very traumatized person. Then again, Wesley’s own father issues led him to deliberately trigger Bethany, so maybe those folk just don’t know how to handle this delicately, but at least they mean well.

Anonymous

It's weird how some view Cordelia interaction with Bethany as to harsh. I myself find it just the right amount of harshness. Sometimes when dealing with a person who has been traumatized, being to gentle can be just as damaging. I have found that it is better to speak as plainly and direct as possible least you send the wrong signals. I think both Angel and Cordelia went about it brilliantly in a good cop, bad cop way while both were empathic and compassionate towards Bethany. Bethany has a lot of power. Due to her former abuse, Bethany’s powers are highly unstable and she has no control over them. This episode is one of the most realistic portrayals of the victims of sexual abuse and what they can end up going though. At the time this episode was made a lot tv and movies did stories on sexual abuse, but it was often exaggerated or forced to create drama. In a lot of ways they unintentionally romanticized it, not the act that was romantized but the drama the charater goes through came off like that a lot. What makes it even more astonishing in this episode is that it is in the world of the supernatural with supernatural elements but yet the writers, directors and actors and actresses were able to never lose sight of what this was about. Bethanys soul and the violence that she had gone through. Cordelia reminds Bethany that she does have control and that that it’s time she started taking responsibility for her life and her actions. No matter how bad your life has been, no matter how much abuse you’ve suffered, you’re still in control of your own actions. While Angel works to help gives her back her self-esteem and sense of self-worth. Both reinforcing that Bethany is in control and she doesn't have to continue being a victim to her past or to others wanting to control her. Something that was tragically taking from her by her own father. In the end Bethany would of been justified in killing her father. At the end of the episode for the first time in her live she was the one in charge, not her father. But because of what Angel and Cordelia had taught her she chose to not to become what Wolfram and Hart wanted her to be. She can now move on in her life without her father's shadow plaguing her. Bethany didn't become a villain with a tragic backstory. This is a very raw episode to watch with a lot of uncomfortable moments. But in the end instead of being a tragedy it was a message of hope.