"Double or Nothing" is about the future. It mainly centers around Gunn and his sudden lack of a future. It turns out that he sold his soul --and the future that went with it-- for a truck back in his vampire street fighting day. But it also has Wes, who mortgaged his future with team Angel in his failed attempt to save Conner. And it has Angel who now thinks that he has no future without his son. Honestly, this isn't the best episode the show ever produces. It kind of interrupts the main Conner/Holtz story arc. And, even as a monster-of the-week, it doesn't have a lot to say. If you're watching on DVD and in a hurry to finish up the season, you could probably skip it and not miss much. Still, "Double or Nothing" has some nice scenes of Wes and Angel looking sad, it brings Cordy back to town, and it gives us a little more insight into Gunn and Fred's relationship. You might want to give it a shot.
"Double or Nothing" revolves around Gunn's past. He's falling in love with Fred. But, it turns out that his heart & soul isn't something that he can just hand over to his girlfriend... Well, not the soul part anyway. He sold his soul for a truck when he was 17 and now the demon gangster who took it wants to collect. Gunn decides to have one last perfect day with Fred and then hand himself over to be soul-sucked. (Which is an interesting plan if you consider everyone's actions in season five's "Not Fade Away.") Anyway, Fred begins to suspect that something is wrong and Gunn breaks up with her so she won't get hurt.
Meanwhile, Cordy comes back to town and finds Angel a broken shell of a vampire. He's just sitting up in his room mourning Conner. Cordy tries to comfort him. In the hospital, Wes is dealing with the fact that all his friends have abandoned him. When Fred delivers Wes's stuff to his hospital room and tells him that he's not welcomed back at the Hyperion, Wesley begins to feel a little bitter. He heads back to his apartment alone. Angel comes out of his room long enough to listen to Fred explain that Gunn's in trouble. Team Angel sets out to save him from the demon casino and Gunn & Fred end up closer than ever.
There are some good parts to this episode. I like Cordy sitting by Angel as he silently grieves his son. They have a really sweet relationship and I missed her being on the show these last few episodes. And I like Wes being all sad and bitter. When everyone turned on him, I expected him to try and explain himself or at least contact them. But he just quietly goes back to his life, getting by on his own. Still, the show makes it pretty clear that he belongs back at Angel Inc. When Angel, worried about Gunn, says, "We're not going to loose another member of this family," the scene switches to Wes bruised and alone. It just really works. Also, I think Fred and Gunn are kinna cute in this episode. I like that silly crown hat Fred is wearing as they eat and she sees right through his attempt to dump her. Cordy, Gru and Angel are confused by her reasoning, but Fred knows that Gunn would never speak to her that way. She's trying to convince them that Gunn could be in real danger. And Angel's first response is, "Wait, you and Gunn are dating?" It just cracks me up. Finally, I like Gru in this episode. I think he's a nice addition to the cast and adds some much needed comedy. His excitement over working at Angel Inc. and handing out "small rectangles" is really funny.
On the down side, I don't get everyone's reactions to Wes in this episode. Angel's obviously still angry and I understand that. But, just last episode Fred and Gunn were saying that Wes did the right thing. Now, Gunn is bad-mouthing Wes and Fred is telling him never to come back to the Hyperion. It's flat out hypocritical. They were willing to see Wesley's side when it looked like that "Father will kill the son" deal was an grade-A, un-tampered with prophesy. When they were working with the same information that Wes had, they were all "He did the only thing he could do." Now that they think the prophesy was wrong, though, they quickly jump to the other side of the fence and have this holier-than-thou attitude that just REALLY bugs me. I feel so, SO bad for poor Wes as he silently goes back to his lonely apartment. He didn't even have anyone to pick him up at the hospital. It's not fair. And why didn't Cordy visit him? I know how much she loves Angel, but she's know Wes since Sunnydale. They're both family and I don't see why she has to take such a hard line. Or maybe I just feel so heartbroken for Wes that I can't be objective...
My favorite part of the episode: Angel cutting the deck for Gunn's soul. "A three?!?"
"Double or Nothing" revolves around Gunn's past. He's falling in love with Fred. But, it turns out that his heart & soul isn't something that he can just hand over to his girlfriend... Well, not the soul part anyway. He sold his soul for a truck when he was 17 and now the demon gangster who took it wants to collect. Gunn decides to have one last perfect day with Fred and then hand himself over to be soul-sucked. (Which is an interesting plan if you consider everyone's actions in season five's "Not Fade Away.") Anyway, Fred begins to suspect that something is wrong and Gunn breaks up with her so she won't get hurt.
Meanwhile, Cordy comes back to town and finds Angel a broken shell of a vampire. He's just sitting up in his room mourning Conner. Cordy tries to comfort him. In the hospital, Wes is dealing with the fact that all his friends have abandoned him. When Fred delivers Wes's stuff to his hospital room and tells him that he's not welcomed back at the Hyperion, Wesley begins to feel a little bitter. He heads back to his apartment alone. Angel comes out of his room long enough to listen to Fred explain that Gunn's in trouble. Team Angel sets out to save him from the demon casino and Gunn & Fred end up closer than ever.
There are some good parts to this episode. I like Cordy sitting by Angel as he silently grieves his son. They have a really sweet relationship and I missed her being on the show these last few episodes. And I like Wes being all sad and bitter. When everyone turned on him, I expected him to try and explain himself or at least contact them. But he just quietly goes back to his life, getting by on his own. Still, the show makes it pretty clear that he belongs back at Angel Inc. When Angel, worried about Gunn, says, "We're not going to loose another member of this family," the scene switches to Wes bruised and alone. It just really works. Also, I think Fred and Gunn are kinna cute in this episode. I like that silly crown hat Fred is wearing as they eat and she sees right through his attempt to dump her. Cordy, Gru and Angel are confused by her reasoning, but Fred knows that Gunn would never speak to her that way. She's trying to convince them that Gunn could be in real danger. And Angel's first response is, "Wait, you and Gunn are dating?" It just cracks me up. Finally, I like Gru in this episode. I think he's a nice addition to the cast and adds some much needed comedy. His excitement over working at Angel Inc. and handing out "small rectangles" is really funny.
On the down side, I don't get everyone's reactions to Wes in this episode. Angel's obviously still angry and I understand that. But, just last episode Fred and Gunn were saying that Wes did the right thing. Now, Gunn is bad-mouthing Wes and Fred is telling him never to come back to the Hyperion. It's flat out hypocritical. They were willing to see Wesley's side when it looked like that "Father will kill the son" deal was an grade-A, un-tampered with prophesy. When they were working with the same information that Wes had, they were all "He did the only thing he could do." Now that they think the prophesy was wrong, though, they quickly jump to the other side of the fence and have this holier-than-thou attitude that just REALLY bugs me. I feel so, SO bad for poor Wes as he silently goes back to his lonely apartment. He didn't even have anyone to pick him up at the hospital. It's not fair. And why didn't Cordy visit him? I know how much she loves Angel, but she's know Wes since Sunnydale. They're both family and I don't see why she has to take such a hard line. Or maybe I just feel so heartbroken for Wes that I can't be objective...
My favorite part of the episode: Angel cutting the deck for Gunn's soul. "A three?!?"
