User Reviews

Angel's the champion and Wesley's the brains of the operation, Gunn's the muscle and Cordy's the heart - A very cute, character-driven episode. It's all about 'Fred' and her parents who are looking for her, the only thing about this episode that I don't get is why 'Lorne' told her to run away from her parents and called them monsters? maybe he sensed the giant bugs instead? so that doesn't really make sense, also the way they tried to make the parents seem evil while they weren't was a bit silly. Even so, Amy Acker was able to show her great acting skills, both in a comedy and dramatic way. I also loved those damned cockroaches, they looked pretty neat and added some morbid kind of humor to the episode, especially when 'Fred's mom squashed one with a bus -Did I get it? Did I get it ya'll?. 'Fred' eventually saves the day with her 'bread toasting/killer machine' thing and decides to stay where she belongs, with the fang gang. The episode is very light and plot less, but it's good to watch an episode like that now and then. I loved the end with 'Fred' painting her room including everything she had written on the walls and of course the unforgettable teaser with 'Cordy' and 'Wes' impersonating 'Angel' and 'Buffy'. ANGEL: Are you gonna remember everything that's up there?" FRED: Well, sure. It's a story. Once upon a time there was a girl who lived all alone in a horrible cave, so far from home it made her chest hurt. And every day in that horrible cave, the girl tried to figure out a way to escape. None of her plans ever succeeded, of course, and she'd almost given up hopin' when one day, just like in a fairy tale a handsome man rode up on a horse and saved her, and took her back to his castle. Now you'd think that was the end, wouldn'tcha? Dumb old fairy tales and their happily ever afters. But see, the minute they got back to the castle, the handsome man went away again. And even though she didn't mean to, didn't want to, high up in that castle the girl just built herself another cave. Hoping he would save her again. But you can't save me this time. Can you? (9.0 out of 10)

I enjoyed this episode quite a lot. It had a good story to it.

In this episode, we see Fred still adjusting to life back in our reality. But when her parents come to town, bad things happen. Fred's parents seem nice, and concerned and that they did really miss their daughter. They just seem a bit too normal. Yes, there is such a thing. So, Fred, once she finds out that her parents are at the hotel, she runs off. She eventually goes to meet Lorne, and sings for him. And he reads that she is genuinely scared. So he offers to help her. The gang, along with Fred's parents find her, and we discover that she's not afraid of her parents, she's afraid that by seeing them, she's really back in our world, which means all the stuff that happened in Pilea (don't know how to spell), actually happened.

Overall, I give this episode a 7 out of 10.

This isn't my favorite episode. In fact, when it's on I usually find myself wandering into the kitchen in search of a snack or something. Stiil, it does give Fred more of a background and solidifies her place with Team Angel. It also introduces her parents, who'll pop up again in season five. If you're watching the season on DVD, you really should see "Fredless."

"Fredless" revolves around Fred's parents coming to town. They've gotten a letter from Fred and they're justifiably worried about their little girl. Fred's been missing for five years and they've finally tracked her down to the Hyperion. When Fred sees her parents she runs off. Team Angel is concerned that Fred is avoiding the Burkels because they're somehow evil. The Burkels are worried that Team Angel has done something to Fred. And Fred is headed for Lorne. Once she gets to Karitos, Lorne tells her to get out of LA for awhile. Fred is really upset and agrees to go to the bus station. Team Angel and the Burkels arrive at Karitos and Lorne tells them where Fred is. Once Fred sees her parents, she begins to cry. She explains that her years in Pylea didn't seem real to her, until she had to explain them to the Burkels. They comfort their daughter. Afterwards, Fred starts to go back to Texas with her parents, but after helping Team Angel fight a giant roach demon, she realizes that her place is in LA now.

There are some great parts to this episode. I love the Burkels being suspicious of Team Angel and Team Angel being suspicious of Team Angel. Gunn can't believe their detective tracked Fred down from an unmarked envelope. ("Yeah, we could do that.") And nobody wants the Brukels to know about the supernatural side of their lives, so they're pretending Angel's in the movie business. He comes in with a severed demon head that Cordy claims in a movie prop. (Gunn believes her and is horrified when he discovers that he's been touching a real head. "Where do we keep that bleach?") Soon, Team Angel thinks the Burkels are up to no good and the Burkels are understandably concerned about the goings on at the Hyperion. They're all watching each other and it's just really fun. I also really like Fred walking with Angel in the sewers, eating an ice cream cone. She's so weird and likable, as she talks about the dank, home-y feel to the sewer system. And I like Lorne in this episode. He's so annoyed with them, especially Gunn. He won't even pretend to be in the movie business to cover with the Burkels. It's cool that Lorne's so friendly and helpful, but he still has a edge to him. Finally, I really Cordy's assertion that Fred would never leave the hotel without Angel her "big, fat savior." Angel sort of frowns and says, "You think I'm fat?" It just cracks me up.

On the down side, I still don't get how Fred knew those bug were gonna come out of the head, because of the crystals and I've seen this episode like four times. Am I just missing something or is her reasoning kind of weak? Also, why did Lorne give Fred such bad advice? Why would he tell her to leave LA and not just stay and reconnect with her parents?

My favorite part of the episode: Wes and Cordy pretending to be Angel and Buffy. Their imitation of Buffy and Angel's reunion is so overdone and dramatic... But I always get the feeling that it's a lot how Buffy and Angel's actual meeting went.

I was so happy to see an episode revolving around Fred. Up till then every character had at least one episode where they were the focus. It was only fair that they do the same for the newest member of Team Angel. I liked her as the new addition because she was so sweet and adorable. That Southern charm combined with the nerdy but cute science girl made for a great role. I'm also a bit of a math nerd from way back and think that's kinda cute. What was great was how the plot developed with Fred's parents and the team. Fred seeing her normal, down home Southern parents in Wesley's office and freaking out. The team trying to hide what they normally do while the Burkles are suspicious of them and vice versa. Fred breaking down in the bus station and saying she didn't want to see her parents because it would confirm that her time in Pylea actually was real. Fred's mom mowing down the Durslar with a bus and the Burkles being so open-minded when they find out what Team Angel actually does.

Two other things. Wes & Cordy doing that little Angel & Buffy spoof was pretty funny. And G-d almighty, did Cordy look hot in that mini-skirt.

Fredless is about Fred running from her parents and finding her place in the world.

While some of the episode's a bit silly, it's the intimate moments that make it good. Fred telling of each member's role at Angel Investigations and then not having a role of her own. Fred telling her story to Angel up in her room. Fred saying goodbye to everyone. David and Amy have great chemistry.

Angel: I'm gonna miss her. She was just this nice, quiet, kind of crazy. I found that soothing.

Cordelia: And what, I'm not soothing? I can be soothing. I could soothe your ass off, pal.

FREDLESS

The Good; Wonderful acting by AA when Fred's finally reunited with her parents. CC and Wes' Buffy/Angel show is FANTASTIC! A good ep all around. The scene where Fred calms herself at the bus station by reciting Pi and the crazy looking homeless guy moves away from HER is the funniest scene in all of Angel and may be my favourite Angel scene ever.

The Bad; Bit of a reach that they just let the bugs go?

Best line: Fred; (when reunited with her parents) "I didn't mean to get so lost, I'm sorry I got so lost" (tears me up every time)

Apocalypses: 5

Angel Clichés Inverting the Hollywood cliché; Bugs ain't evil and neither really is the demon Angel kills, just driven mad by the eggs in it's skull. We think Fred's parents are evil but they're not. They're also able to accept AI's rather odd lifestyle

In disguise; 8

DB get's his shirt off; 9,

Cheap Angel; 7

Fang Gang in bondage: Cordy: 5 Angel: 11 Wes: 6 Gunn; 3 Lorne; 2

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy: 11 Angel: 14 Wes: 5 Doyle; 1 Gunn; 1 Lorne; 2

Kills: chalk up one demon bug for Fred's mum and one demon for Angel Cordy: 5 vamps, 3 demons Angel; 28 vamps, 40 and 1/2 demons, 3 humans Doyle; 1 vamp Wes; 7 demons+1 vamp Kate; 3 vamps Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans. Gunn; 8 vamps+ 6 demons. Fang Gang go evil: Cordy: 2 Angel: 2

Alternate Fang Gang: Cordy: 2 Angel: 7

Characters killed: 43

Recurring characters killed; 7;

Total number of Angel Investigations: 5, Angel, Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Fred

Angel Investigations shot: Angel: 11 Wes; 1

Packing heat; Wes; 3 Doyle; 1 Angel; 1 Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Cordy: 3 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies Wes; 2; Virginia and the bleached blonde

Kinky dinky: Fred's mum asks if Fred is making 'movies', LA's porn industry probably bigger than it's tourism, film and music combined. Check out CCs fishnets. She seems to revel in playing nurse for the gang and later tells Angel she could 'soothe his ass off'.

Captain Subtext; Lorne wears eyeliner which Fred's dad says men from Texas tend not to do (never been to a 'Gay Rodeo'?).

Know the face, different character; 3

Parking garages; 5,

Buffy characters on Angel; 16 Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony

Questions and observations; A nice ep with Fred now part of the gang more than ever. AI are in awe of the PI the Burkle's hire who can find Fred with only a letter to go on. The Alien films are referred to with JW of course writing part 4. Fred's dad refers to Spiro Agnew who was Nixon's vice president (he was caught up in a corruption scandal before Watergate which is why Gerald Ford, the speaker of the house becomes President following Tricky Dickie's resignation). Famously his name is an anagram of 'grow a penis'. Angel likes ice cream, weird I thought he couldn't enjoy normal food. Lorne smokes and is still bitter about what Gunn's friends did to his bar. Fred considers going to Vegas for a new job, well one day she will. Angel likes golf and apparently watched the Bob Hope Desert Classic which was presumably played in Vegas. In the daytime? Wes' talk of his own parents puts Lineage into perspective.

Marks out of 10; 7/10 a funny and touching romp before we get down to the more serious stuff of season 3

In "Fredless", Fred's parents come to town in search of their missing daughter. Upset by their presence, Fred attempts to run away and hide, perhaps start a new life. Fred is still coping with her 5 years in the alternate dimension. A down-in-the-dumps Lorne gives her bad advice. The gang and Fred's mom and dad search L.A. for her. She finally is reunited with her parents and is able to come to terms with her previous existence. After briefly considering going back to Texas with her family, Fred decides to stay and saves the day when a bunch of bug demons attack the hotel.

This episode's a bit of a snorefest. The characters of Fred's parents are nice enough but the story here is pretty barebones and doesn't always make sense. Did Fred really send a letter? Why did it take them 5 years to attempt to track her down? And why does she know about the crystals and the eggs?

Fred's big emotional breakdown at the bus station was extremely melodramatic. No one would overtly explain their internal emotions the way she does right there. This is an example of audience handholding from the writers. I hated it.

I'm glad that Fred is sticking around but this episode felt like a piece of filler.