Vincent Kartheiser Movies
A native of Minneapolis, MN, Vincent Kartheiser made a name for himself in the late '90s by choosing unlikely fare for an actor who, at the time, had just earned the right to drink legally. Making his screen debut in a bit role in the 1993 tearjerker Untamed Heart, opposite Marisa Tomei and Christian Slater, the blue-eyed, brown-haired Kartheiser subsequently found himself being cast in family fare, most memorably the action-adventure drama Alaska, in which he starred opposite Thora Birch and Charlton Heston (whose son directed the film). The film led to the leading role in the kiddie tech thriller Masterminds, which featured the young actor as a whiz kid who takes on an evil private-school headmaster, played by Patrick Stewart. Kartheiser's next role, however, would be his most defining in terms of establishing his range and presence. Tapped to play Bobby, a drug-addled, homeless street urchin in Larry Clark's Another Day in Paradise, a gritty look at the lives of a pseudo-family immersed in crime, Kartheiser rose to the challenge with a fearless, powerful performance, acting with such established pros as James Woods and Melanie Griffith. The film earned many accolades for the young actor, who then appeared in Strike! (later retitled All I Wanna Do), a barely released comedy set in a 1960s female boarding school. The film featured contemporaries Kirsten Dunst, Gaby Hoffmann, and Monica Keena, the last of whom was co-star of Kartheiser's next project, Crime & Punishment in Suburbia.Screened at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, Crime & Punishment in Suburbia was a moody, updated take on Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, set in a modern high school. Kartheiser played Vincent, a reticent teenager obsessed with a girl (Keena) who is slowly going over the edge. The film furthered his reputation as a daring performer uninterested in taking the safe route, a path many actors of Kartheiser's generation followed for higher visibility. After a few little-seen films, Kartheiser next turned up on the supernatural comedy drama series Angel in 2002. In a truly original role, he played Connor, the miraculous human son of vampires Darla (Julie Benz) and the titular Angel (David Boreanaz). Thanks to being reared in an alternate hell dimention, Connor had more than a few chips on his shoulder upon his return to L.A.; his adolescent angst and rebellion was one of the main focuses of the series' fourth season. Returning to film work, Kartheiser went on to star in the well-received coming-of-age drama Dandelion, which was shown at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- 2002
The Destroyer (Vincent Kartheiser), who appears to be a grown-up version of Connor, battles Angel (David Boreanaz) and the gang, but Angel orders the others not to kill him. The feral teen flees to the chaotic streets of Los Angeles, where he becomes involved with a pretty young junkie (Erika Thormahlen) and ticks off a predatory drug dealer named Tyke (Anthony Starke). Angel tracks Connor down and tries to talk with him, but Connor insists that his name is Steven, that Holtz is the only father who matters to him, and that he will make Angel pay for the centuries of bloodshed Holtz told him about. It turns out the vampire hunter raised Connor as his foster son in a hostile demon dimension where time runs faster, training him to be a warrior and to loathe his vampire parents. This conversation gets cut short when Tyke and his gang show up to exact revenge on Connor. Angel and his son battle side by side and escape to safety, but the confused Connor/Steven refuses to accompany Angel home. Angel acquiesces, telling his son to come back to him when he is ready. Meanwhile, back at the hotel, the rest of the gang enlist the help of a sorceress to heal the dimensional rift through which Connor came. And Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov) pays a nasty visit to the estranged Wesley (Alexis Denisof). Originally broadcast May 6, 2002, on the WB network, "A New World" marked season three, episode 20 of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Now that Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) has regained her memory and admitted her love for Angel (David Boreanaz -- see "Spin the Bottle"), our vampire hero is unwilling to let her just walk away. Confronting her, Angel learns that Cordy's memories of her time as a higher being are less than perfect. In one respect, though, they're all too clear: While she was bouncing around the ether, Cordy was able to see back through time and witness the carnage Angel wrought before the restoration of his soul. Even worse, she was able to experience every kill, every twisted emotion, as if it were her own. These horrific memories are the reason she can't be with Angel now -- and what's more, her recent glimpse of the coming apocalypse has her more than a little terrified. Soon enough, her vision comes to pass when a hulking, horned demon arises on the very spot where Darla died and Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) was born. The Beast (Vladimir Kulich) goes on a rampage, leaving piles of bodies around L.A. while scourge after scourge descends on the city. Angel and the gang engage in face-to-face combat with the creature, who proves more than capable of decimating them. Meanwhile, Cordy and Connor bunker down in their warehouse hideaway and watch the fire raining from the sky. Cordy, convinced that the end of the world is nigh, decides to fulfill Connor's unvoiced yearning for her. She makes love with him, unaware that the battered Angel is watching from a nearby rooftop. Originally broadcast November 17, 2002, on the WB network, "Apocalypse, Nowish" marked season four, episode seven of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Thanks to her stint as a higher being, during which she relived every atrocity Angelus (David Boreanaz) ever committed, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) now knows that Angel and The Beast (Vladimir Kulich) were once in league with one another. With perpetual night engulfing L.A. in a vampire and demon free-for-all, Wesley (Alexis Denisof) convinces Angel and the others that the only way to defeat The Beast is to consult the evil vampire buried underneath Angel's soul. But as Wes seeks the help of Wo-Pang (Roger Yuan), a sorcerer with the power to remove and store souls, Angel manages the seemingly impossible task of destroying The Beast. He makes amends with estranged son Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) and finally makes love with Cordelia. Then he awakens, mutters the name of a certain vampire slayer, and cackles with the maniacal glee of Angelus. The previous series of unlikely events was nothing but an illusion implanted by Wo-Pang in Angel's mind to give him a moment of true happiness -- the trigger that allows his evil alter ego to emerge. Originally broadcast January 29, 2003, on the WB network, "Awakening" marked season four, episode ten of the supernatural soap opera. The sequence in which Angel and Cordy make love deliberately resembles the night Angel took Buffy's virginity and accidentally unleashed the monster inside himself (see Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Surprise"). In another strong echo of Angel's parent series, the mystic Wo-Pang appears to be of the same order as the sorcerer who pretended to remove Angel's soul in the Buffy episode "Enemies." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) learns that his foster father, Holtz (Keith Szarabajka), too, has returned to this dimension. Holtz advises the lad to spend some time with Angel (David Boreanaz), which enrages the boy, who's been raised to hate his true father. Nonetheless, the lad shows up at the hotel and spends time warily with Angel. Meanwhile, the Groosalugg (Mark Lutz) grows weary of the devotion his girlfriend, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), heaps upon Angel. Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov) continues her attempts to win Wesley (Alexis Denisof) over to the dark side. She engineers an attempted slaughter of Justine (Laurel Holloman) at a vampire club and invites Wes to watch so she can gauge his reaction. Cordy's visions alert her to Justine's predicament, and she dispatches Angel and Connor to save the woman. Fighting side by side, the similarity between father and son is remarkable. Ultimately, Angel learns that Holtz is back and visits him; Holtz says he's leaving for good and urges Angel to take care of Connor. Angel takes off, then Holtz reveals his true plan. He has Justine kill him and make it look like a vampire attack. Connor finds the body and is convinced that his blood father has killed his dad -- just as Holtz planned it. Originally broadcast May 13, 2002, on the WB network, "Benediction" marked season three, episode 21 of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Seeking to locate Angel's soul, Wesley (Alexis Denisof) barges into the lair of Wo-Pang (Roger Yuan), who doesn't have it. The mystic informs Wes that unless the soul remains in its sacred vessel, it will eventually make its way to the afterlife, leaving Angelus (David Boreanaz) permanently in control of Angel's body. Back at the hotel, Lilah (Stephanie Romanov) sneaks in through the sewers and attempts to enlist Angelus' help in crushing The Beast (Vladimir Kulich), whom she loathes. The Angel Investigations team interrupts, but Lilah remains at the hotel, somewhere between a prisoner and a reluctant ally. She tells them that the reason information on The Beast is so scarce is that an enchantment removed all references to him from this dimension. She also reveals the crucial piece of information Wolfram & Hart extracted from the Host (Andy Hallett) -- that The Beast is only the henchman of a far more powerful foe. As the gang digests this disconcerting news, Angelus takes the opportunity to reveal the details of Wes and Lilah's little dalliance. In the midst of all this drama, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) experiences a vision of how to restore Angel's soul. Once again a champion of good, Angel vows to remain locked up until the gang can be sure the spell is permanent. Cordelia, however, convinces him to come out of his cage. He complies, then clocks her and flees, revealing that he's actually still Angelus. As the team heads out into the demon-infested permanent midnight of Los Angeles to find him, he doubles back to the hotel to stalk Cordelia and Lilah. The women find themselves face to face in the same hiding place, at which point Cordy stabs Lilah, calls her a "stupid bitch" and reveals that she herself deliberately let Angelus loose. Originally broadcast February 12, 2003, on the WB network, "Calvary" marked season four, episode 12 of the supernatural soap opera. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
From his rooftop perch, a devastated Angel (David Boreanaz) tears himself away from the sight of Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) making love with Connor (Vincent Kartheiser). The next morning, Cordelia has a "what have I done?" moment when she wakes up and realizes she just slept with the son of the man she loves. Unfortunately, the troubled and now love-struck teen isn't ready to be let down gently. Confused as ever, he goes straight to Wolfram & Hart looking for answers about his mysterious connection to The Beast (Vladimir Kulich). But the terrifying demon itself soon shows up to unleash utter carnage on the evil law firm's employees. Lilah (Stephanie Romanov) is the only person to make it out -- and then only after suffering grievous wounds at the hands of The Beast and being rescued by Wesley (Alexis Denisof). As Lilah heads off into the sewers for cover, she tells Wes that Connor is still trapped inside the building, whose mystical defenses have rendered it virtually impregnable. Wes assembles Angel, Fred (Amy Acker), Gunn (J. August Richards), and Lorne (Andy Hallett) for a rescue mission that pits them against not only The Beast, but also an army of Wolfram & Hart lawyers who have been reanimated as zombies. They escape only with help from The Girl in the White Room, the mysterious entity who dwells in the top floor of the Wolfram & Hart building. The girl tells them that the answer to The Beast's origins lies among them, then teleports the gang to safety just as The Beast finishes draining her life force. Back at the hotel, a bitter Angel tells Cordelia to leave -- and to bring her new boyfriend with her. Originally broadcast Jan. 15, 2003, on the WB network, "Habeas Corpses" marked season four, episode eight of the supernatural soap opera. Beginning with this episode, the network moved the program to a new time slot at 9:00 p.m. on Wednesdays -- its second new night in under a year. With a plot revolving around zombies, a dystopian office complex, a malfunctioning elevator, and an inscrutable urchin, "Habeas Corpses" struck many fans as an homage to the video game and film Resident Evil. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Following her dramatic arrival after Jasmine's defeat (see "Peace Out"), Lilah (Stephanie Romanov) explains her presence at Angel Investigations. Despite having become one of Jasmine's first victims when she died at the hands of the possessed Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), the late lady lawyer's contract with Wolfram & Hart extends into the afterlife. Now she's been dispatched to make the fang gang an offer: The evil law firm wants Angel (David Boreanaz) and friends to take over its newly restored Los Angeles office. After mocking her longtime foes for having ended world peace -- or at least Jasmine's sinister version thereof -- Lilah taunts them with a glimpse of all the good they might accomplish if given the awesome financial and mystical assets of an interdimensional law firm. Reactions vary, but by the time a limo arrives the next morning, Angel, Wesley (Alexis Denisof), Fred (Amy Acker), Gunn (J. August Richards), and Lorne (Andy Hallett) are all willing to at least hear the pitch. Each team member gets a personalized tour of the newly rebuilt Wolfram & Hart facility -- and a tantalizing glimpse of what his or her role might be in such an organization. Angel's ready to turn the deal down -- despite the offer of key information about recent events in Sunnydale -- when Lilah reveals the whereabouts of his missing son: Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) is getting ready to blow up the unconscious Cordelia and a slew of hostages in a bid to end his own pain and alienation. Angel conducts some stern negotiations and saves the day, but in doing so he loses the only son he'll ever have. Originally broadcast May 7, 2003, on the WB network, "Home" marked season four, episode 22 of the supernatural soap opera. At the time of broadcast, the WB still hadn't announced whether the program would be renewed, so the producers fashioned this episode as either a coda or a cliffhanger for the following season. David Boreanaz would next appear in the final two episodes of Angel's parent series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Another crossover of sorts occurs in the casting of Jonathan M. Woodward as one of Wolfram & Hart's lackeys; the same actor previously played Buffy's vampire sparring partner in "Conversations With Dead People." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Following their discovery of her recent betrayal (see "Players"), the pregnant Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) escapes from the fang gang with help from Connor (Vincent Kartheiser). The mommy-to-be and her unwitting love slave end up in a warehouse, where Cordy warns Connor that if they don't mystically speed up her delivery date, Angel (David Boreanaz) will surely kill their unborn child. Connor reluctantly agrees to kidnap a virgin to sacrifice for Cordelia, but the specter of his dead mother, Darla (Julie Benz), appears and begs him not to commit such an atrocity. Meanwhile, Angel whomps on Skip (David Denman), Cordy's fearsome former demon guide, and forces him to reveal what's really going on. According to Skip, Cordy's entire progression from human to part-demon (see "That Vision Thing") to higher being (see "Tomorrow") was part of a grand, centuries-spanning manipulation that also included Fred's kidnapping (see "Belonging"), Darla's resurrection (see "To Shanshu in L.A."), Angel's vain attempt to keep Darla human (see "The Trial"), and Connor's very birth (see "Lullaby"). It seems that a truly higher being wants to be incarnated on earth; this creature -- the master of the Beast who recently ravaged L.A. -- entered this plane inside Cordy's head and has been controlling her ever since. Now it's ready to give birth -- to itself. After killing Skip, Angel rushes off to stop the big event, vowing to kill the woman he loves if that's what it takes. But it's too late. Connor and the possessed Cordelia have completed their blood ritual and their child arrives in a flash of light. Far from a monster, however, it appears in the guise of a beautiful woman (Gina Torres). Angel drops to his knees to worship his otherworldly grandchild. Originally broadcast April 2, 2003, on the WB network, "Inside Out" marked season four, episode 17 of the supernatural soap opera. Just days before this episode presented her character giving birth, actress Charisma Carpenter and her husband welcomed their real-life firstborn: Donavan Charles Hardy, who arrived March 24, 2003. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Angel (David Boreanaz) searches for information about The Beast (Vladimir Kulich) while dealing with the emotional fallout of Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) sleeping together. Meanwhile, Cordy continues to spurn Connor's affections even as she hides out from The Beast with him. Meanwhile, electrified cat burglar Gwen Raiden (Alexa Davalos) witnesses The Beast murdering one of her clients. She shares her information with Angel's crew, who soon realize that somebody is systematically destroying the five members of the Ra-tet, an ancient mystical order to which The Girl in the White Room also belonged. By the time this pattern becomes clear, only one member remains alive: Manny (Jack Kehler), a rather ordinary-looking guy who is actually the mystical entity Manjet. Cordy and Angel bunker down to protect Manny at Gwen's high-tech apartment, but he's nonetheless murdered when both of them fall hopelessly asleep; it appears that Cordy and Angel have been drugged -- an inside job that furthers suspicions about Connor being in league with The Beast. Eventually, the gang square off against their colossal foe, who uses the combined power of the Ra-tet to complete a mystical ritual that blots out the sun. Perpetual night descends on Los Angeles just as Cordelia finally gets a complete read on the vision that's been skirting the edges of her consciousness: She suddenly knows that The Beast shares a connection not with Connor, but with Angelus, Angel's evil alter ego. Originally broadcast Jan. 22, 2003, on the WB network, "Long Day's Journey" marked season four, episode nine of the supernatural soap opera. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Angelus (David Boreanaz) drinks deep from Faith (Eliza Dushku), then keels over. It seems the slayer and ally Wesley (Alexis Denisof) spiked her blood with a mystical drug called Orpheus, then deliberately allowed Angelus to drink it. The vampire ends up unconscious and hallucinating, while Faith falls into a coma. Soon, though, their fever dreams intermingle as Faith and Angelus watch the past century unfold through the eyes of the tortured Angel. The vampire with a soul wanders, a vagabond do-gooder, trying desperately to make up for the evil he committed as Angelus. But when his thirst for blood overpowers his nascent conscience, he takes to feeding off rats and shunning humanity. Meanwhile, in the real world, Fred (Amy Acker) enlists the help of powerful witch Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan), the only person who has ever successfully re-ensouled Angel (see Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Becoming, Part 2"). In between witty repartee with Wes and a reunion with the secretly evil Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), Willow soon figures out how to restore Angel's soul despite the fact that it's in Cordy's clutches. Cordy tries in secret -- and in vain -- to keep the soul encased in its sacred vessel. But she fails thanks to the timely interruption of Connor (Vincent Kartheiser), who's still blissfully unaware that Cordelia is playing him for a chump. As Angel's soul rushes through the ether, Cordy goads her lackey into killing his father. Only Faith -- suddenly awakened from her near-death slumber -- prevents Connor from dusting Angel before he can emerge from Angelus. Still ignorant that it was Cordelia whose magicks she was battling, Willow heads back to Sunnydale with Faith in tow. Just then, Cordy interrupts the gang's joyful reunion with Angel by announcing the impending birth of her and Connor's child. Originally broadcast March 19, 2003, on the WB network, "Orpheus" marked season four, episode 15 of the supernatural soap opera. It marked the first crossover between Angel and parent series Buffy the Vampire Slayer in almost two years. Although not integral to this episode's plot, the scenes between Willow and Wesley did allow Alexis Denisof to act alongside his real-life fiancée, guest star Alyson Hannigan. Faith's story line would continue on Buffy in "Dirty Girls." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
As Jasmine (Gina Torres) prepares to secure her dominion over the entire planet via a worldwide satellite broadcast, Angel (David Boreanaz) makes his way through the last dimension to enjoy her oppressive love. There, amidst a desolate, otherworldly landscape, he encounters Jasmine's High Priest (Robert Towers), who taunts the vampire champion about all that Jasmine has taken from him. Back on earth, Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) captures Wesley (Alexis Denisof), Fred (Amy Acker), Gunn (J. August Richards), and Lorne (Andy Hallett), but Jasmine keeps them as bargaining chips rather than killing them. As the interloping higher power devours another flock of her followers, Connor stuns his prisoners by revealing that he's been able to see her pestilent true face all along. Upset that Jasmine still won't divulge what happened to Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), Connor beats the information out of some acolytes. Rather than being eaten by her demon love-child, it seems that Cordy has been squirreled away for safekeeping. Connor finds his paramour and confesses to her still-unconscious form that despite his desperate need for belonging, he recognizes the danger of Jasmine's coercive agenda for peace. Back at the hotel, as the bug-faced one begins her global address, Angel arrives to reveal her true name to the assembled throng. All across the planet, people are suddenly able to see the higher being for what she truly is. Rioting breaks out, and in the climactic battle that follows, Jasmine is felled once and for all by an unlikely opponent. A battered Angel returns to the hotel, sick with worry about Connor, only to find a surprise visitor: the late Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov), who was last seen as a headless corpse (see "Salvage"). Originally broadcast April 30, 2003, on the WB network, "Peace Out" marked season four, episode 21 of the supernatural soap opera. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
As the newly re-ensouled Angel (David Boreanaz) come to grips with the impending arrival of his grandchild, the gang tries to research what the little tyke might look like. The secretly evil Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) doesn't bother to share the fact that her offspring is already wriggling, rippling, and morphing inside her belly, nor does she let slip to daddy-to-be Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) that she's been emotionally manipulating him from day one. Meanwhile, super-powered thief Gwen Raiden (Alexa Davalos) reappears seeking help from Gunn (J. August Richards) on a mission to rescue a kidnapped little girl. Once again Gwen's story turns out to be a self-serving fabrication, though Gunn enjoys helping her achieve her actual goal: the theft of a top-secret military prototype she believes will enable her to control the electricity that crackles through her body and kills everyone she touches. Despite his reputation as just a piece of muscle, Gunn uses his smarts as well as his brawn to help Gwen get her wish. He's rewarded when the shy virgin allows him to become the first man ever to get past first base with her without being electrocuted. Meanwhile, back at the hotel, The Host (Andy Hallett) heads into seclusion to complete a ritual that will realign his empathic abilities. Anxious to prevent Lorne from "reading" her perverted aura, Cordy prepares, literally, to stab him in the back. Just then, the lights come up and Angel appears, rueful that his suspicions about Cordelia's treachery have been confirmed. Originally broadcast March 26, 2003, on the WB network, "Players" marked season four, episode 16 of the supernatural soap opera. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Hiding out from the others upstairs in the hotel, evil Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) continues to manipulate Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) into protecting her and their unborn child. When her little plaything isn't around, the duplicitous mom-to-be also plays cat and mouse with Angelus (David Boreanaz). As the vampire hangs out in a demon bar gloating about his victory over The Beast, she speaks directly into his mind in a booming demon voice so he won't realize that The Beast's master is actually none other than the beloved sidekick of his heroic alter ego. Thus disguised, Cordy threatens to re-ensoul Angelus if he doesn't do her bidding. Soon, he's attacking the hotel on command and making off with all of the information his former friends have gathered about The Beast and its master. Meanwhile, hoping to avoid a repeat of the slayer's recent abject defeat at Angelus' hands, Wesley (Alexis Denisof) struggles to reacquaint Faith (Eliza Dushku) with her dark side by revealing some of his own recently unearthed nasty streak. In a loathsome den where jaded humans get their kicks by allowing vampires to feed on their drug-spiked blood, Wes tortures one of humanity's dregs to elicit information about a recent encounter with Angelus. Faith blanches at such repulsive methods, then bristles when Wes reminds her that she once did far worse to him (see "Five by Five"). Eventually, the former Watcher's message sinks in and Faith attacks Angelus with everything she's got. Just when victory seems imminent, though, Angelus taunts her that she'll never really be able to achieve redemption. Falling for her foe's mind games, the slayer gives him an in and Angelus bites into her neck, promising to make Faith just like him. Originally broadcast March 12, 2003, on the WB network, "Release" marked season four, episode 14 of the supernatural soap opera. As of this episode, Andy Hallett finally joins the regular cast after guest-starring 44 times over the previous 57 episodes. This episode's depiction of a drugged-out den of symbiotic humans and vampires echoes that of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's "Into the Woods." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
After failing to inoculate Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) against the profane influence of Jasmine (Gina Torres), Angel (David Boreanaz) beats the boy senseless and stages a daring escape from the hotel. Fred (Amy Acker) feels just sick about leaving Connor and the comatose Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) behind, but Angel advises her and the others to deaden their hearts if they want to survive. Taking to the sewers, the fang gang soon encounter a group of feral teen demon-hunters. Skulking underground ever since The Beast extinguished the sun (see "Long Day's Journey"), the kids have escaped Jasmine's influence, but are being picked off slowly by an unseen creature. Wesley (Alexis Denisof) soon encounters the skittery, spider-like creature (Jeff Ricketts) and learns that it's part of an ancient, otherdimensional demon race who have worshipped Jasmine for millennia. Held prisoner as the demon performs a blood ritual in Jasmine's honor, Wes ferrets out some intriguing information about the sinister higher being. Meanwhile, Jasmine herself continues "eating" her followers, including Cordelia -- or so it seems. Connor isn't too happy about this turn of events, but Jasmine uses it to draw him even closer. She also manages to seize control of one of the sewer-dwelling teens, who leads Connor and an army of followers straight to Angel, who is in the process of rescuing Wes from the spider-demon. Surrounded and outnumbered, the gang steel themselves for one last stand -- until Wes opens a portal to the spider-demon's home dimension. Determined that at least one person survive to fight Jasmine another day, Angel crosses through -- and into a hellish landscape full of countless additional skittering demons. Originally broadcast April 23, 2003, on the WB network, "Sacrifice" marked season four, episode 20 of the supernatural soap opera. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Wesley (Alexis Denisof) and the others return to the hotel to find the gleeful Angelus (David Boreanaz) sucking Lilah (Stephanie Romanov) dry. After Angelus flees, an incensed Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) vows to kill his evil father, unaware that the injured Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) is actually Lilah's murderer. As Wesley prepares to decapitate Lilah's body to prevent any possible vampirification, he is haunted by his ex-lover's memory -- and by his own foolish hope that she would ever forsake her self-serving ways. Such thoughts of redemption remind Wes that Team Angel isn't without allies. He heads to prison to confer with rogue slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku), who has survived not only the last few years behind bars but also a recent attempt on her life. When she learns that Angelus is back, Faith busts out of prison and accompanies Wesley on his search for Angelus. The evil vampire lures Faith to an isolated industrial space where he and The Beast tag-team her. Just as The Beast is about to finish the slayer off, Angelus betrays the molten demon and smites him with his own weapon. The perpetual night that The Beast unleashed on L.A. dies with him, giving Faith the sunlight she needs to hold Angelus at bay. In other developments, Cordelia turns out to be The Beast's mysterious master. She keeps that information under wraps but does tell Connor another secret: She's pregnant with his child. Originally broadcast March 5, 2003, on the WB network, "Salvage" marked season four, episode 13 of the supernatural soap opera. With the announcement of Cordelia's impending motherhood, the producers of Angel were finally able to stop disguising actress Charisma Carpenter's real-life pregnancy with flowing outfits and crafty camera angles. This episode also marked the return of Eliza Dushku's Faith to the Buffyverse after an absence of more than two seasons. The rogue slayer's quest for redemption would continue in the following two installments, after which she would return to Buffy the Vampire Slayer for that show's final five episodes. The use of an ornate Bringer's knife during the attempt on Faith's life serves as a silent tie into the continuity of Buffy season seven. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
As Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) lies unconscious, Angel (David Boreanaz) and Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) pay homage to her otherworldly spawn (Gina Torres), who promptly disappears. The awestruck pair carry Cordy back to the hotel, where she remains in a coma for the rest of the episode. Wesley (Alexis Denisof) and the others express dismay at both father and son's seeming devotion to the being who manipulated Cordelia into giving birth to it. That all changes when the being itself arrives, and again, all present fall to their knees. The being, who appears to be a serene and beautiful woman and eventually takes the name Jasmine, explains that she was one of the original powers who walked the earth before demon or man appeared. She has now arranged to be reborn on this plane so she can end the madness and destruction that reign. Gunn (J. August Richards), Lorne (Andy Hallett), and the rest of the fang gang quickly become her acolytes, ridding the city of vampires and demons even as Jasmine accumulates numerous followers merely by appearing before them. After initially expressing frenzied devotion, however, Fred (Amy Acker) grows disturbed by a momentary vision in which Jasmine's face is replaced by a maggot-infested monstrosity. When Fred connects with another L.A. citizen who appears immune to Jasmine's spell, he begs her to destroy the otherdimensional guru. But Fred's assassination attempt fails and she's forced to flee, her former friends hot on her trail. Originally broadcast April 9, 2003, on the WB network, "Shiny Happy People" marked season four, episode 18 of the supernatural soap opera. Gina Torres, who played Jasmine starting with the previous episode, is a refugee from Angel creator Joss Whedon's canceled space Western, the short-lived FOX series Firefly. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Back in human form but lacking any memory of her past life or her recent stint as a higher being, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) turns up at the hotel, much to the delight of the love-struck Angel (David Boreanaz). Worried that the truth of Cordelia's demon-fighting past will upset her, Angel and the gang try to hide the truth of their situation. But with Angel slurping pig's blood from a jar, Lorne (Andy Hallett) walking around with green skin and horns, and Gunn (J. August Richards) and Fred (Amy Acker) rushing off to fight some particularly messy demons, it isn't long before the terrified Cordy demands the truth. When she does hear it, she can't believe it, but a close encounter with a demon convinces her. Connor (Vincent Kartheiser), who's been lurking outside the hotel, rescues Cordy from the beastie and agrees to give her sanctuary. His typically blunt honesty about the demon world and his abiding sense of melancholy get to Cordy, who decides to ally herself with Connor. Meanwhile, Wesley (Alexis Denisof) continues his sexual alliance with Lilah (Stephanie Romanov) but heads out to save Cordy when he overhears Lilah discussing details of a Wolfram & Hart plot against her. Wes and Angel join Connor and Cordy in battle, but the attack turns out to be a diversion. The real target of Wolfram & Hart's sting is Lorne, whose psychic abilities have allowed him to glimpse intimate knowledge of a coming apocalypse from inside Cordy's addled brain -- a vision involving the phrase "slouching toward Bethlehem." By the time Angel & Co. reach Lorne, a burrowing demon has literally stolen the visions from inside his head. Originally broadcast October 27, 2002, on the WB network, "Slouching Toward Bethlehem" marked season four, episode four of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Now that his soul has been removed, Angel (David Boreanaz) reverts to his demonic self, Angelus, for the first time since season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Locked in a cave in the hotel basement, Angelus taunts Angel's comrades but refuses to offer any information about his connection to The Beast (Vladimir Kulich). Biding his time until he can escape, the fiend amuses himself by revealing everyone's secrets, including the illicit tryst between Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and Connor (Vincent Kartheiser). The resulting tension among the ranks gives Wesley (Alexis Denisof) the opportunity to step up his romantic pursuit of Fred (Amy Acker); Gunn (J. August Richards), of course, is anything but pleased. Angelus finally does cough up the dirt, but only after Cordelia secretly promises to submit to his every desire in exchange for the information he has. It seems that more than 200 years ago, The Beast sought Angelus' assistance in battling the mystics known as the Svea Priestesses. Out only for himself, Angelus refused, allowing the enchantresses to banish The Beast from this dimension. Learning that the current Svea Priestesses live nearby, the Angel Investigations team rushes to consult with them. Instead, they find only the women's corpses. Realizing that Angelus' one bit of wisdom is now useless, the gang prepares to restore Angel's soul -- but find it's gone missing from the hotel safe. Originally broadcast February 5, 2003, on the WB network, "Soulless" marked season four, episode 11 of the supernatural soap opera. This episode was directed by actor Sean Astin of Lord of the Rings fame. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
The Host (Andy Hallett) narrates this episode of Angel, which was written and directed by series co-creator Joss Whedon and is structured as one long flashback recounted by the green-skinned demon to an unseen audience. Lorne's tale involves a memory spell he obtained in order to restore the amnesiac Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) to her rightful self. Performing the ritual with her friends, Cordy does indeed remember who she is -- or at least who she was. Reverting to her snotty, teenaged Sunnydale High self, Cordy finds herself in the company of strangers: Angel (David Boreanaz), who thinks he's an 18th century Irish human; Wesley (Alexis Denisof), who has reverted to his Watcher's Academy schoolboy self; Fred (Amy Acker), who has become a pot-smoking Texas teen; and Gunn (J. August Richards), who is once again a surly young warrior of the L.A. streets. Eventually, after being appraised of the existence of demons by Gunn and Wesley, these inner children incorrectly surmise that they've been locked up together with a vampire in their midst as part of a test by the Watcher's Council (see Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Helpless"). A comic murder-mystery ensues, but the danger turns real when Angel realizes that he really is a vampire and goes after Cordy. Connor (Vincent Kartheiser), however, comes to her rescue, and between blows, gets the chance to complain with the like-minded Angel about what a pain in the butt fathers can be. Eventually, everyone's true persona is restored -- including Cordy's. But after a momentary vision of the coming apocalypse, she tells Angel that she can't be with him right now. Reluctantly, though, she reveals that before recent events, she really was in love with him. Originally broadcast November 10, 2002, on the WB network, "Spin the Bottle" marked season four, episode six of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
As Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) continues to care for -- and flirt with -- the amnesiac Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), Fred (Amy Acker) faces her demons, both figurative and literal. After five years as an other-dimensional slave and another two working with Angel Investigations, Fred is delighted to get back into the academic realm with the publication of a paper she's written about quantum physics. But at the symposium where she's been invited to deliver her findings, an enormous demon foe crashes the party through a mystic portal. Angel (David Boreanaz) and friends fight off the beast, then follow its trail to the local comic-book store, where Angel is excited to learn that he's something of an underground sci-fi sensation. Fred, meanwhile, makes a less delightful discovery about Professor Seidel (Randy Oglesby), the scientific mentor who has just stepped back into her life. Fred learns that it was Seidel, threatened by her scholarly abilities, who engineered the original portal that sucked her into the demon realm of Pylea years ago. The normally pert and unassuming Fred resolves to kill the man who ruined her life, and she turns to tortured former teammate Wesley (Alexis Denisof) for assistance. Just as Fred is about to execute Wesley's plan to kill Seidel, her boyfriend, Gunn (J. August Richards), shows up to beg her not to take a human life. Certain that Fred would never be able to live with herself, Gunn himself snaps Seidel's neck just as the doctor is being sucked through yet another demonic portal. Fred and Gunn's budding romance is clearly past the carefree phase. Originally broadcast November 3, 2002, on the WB network, "Supersymmetry" marked season four, episode five of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Still unable to contact the missing and now apparently godlike Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), Angel (David Boreanaz) and the crew head to Vegas to enjoy a little R & R and take in pal Lorne's new musical revue. But at the show, their green-skinned, horned friend (Andy Hallett) refuses to acknowledge them -- even as he parlays his psychic power to read the future of anyone who sings for him into a parlor trick for the delighted audience. As it turns out, Lorne is the victim of Lee DeMarco (Clayton Rohner), a casino-owning crook who is forcing Lorne to help him literally steal the futures of any audience members who are set to enjoy fame or fortune. Fred (Amy Acker) disguises herself as one of Lorne's green-skinned backup dancers in an effort to rescue him, but the plan backfires and Angel himself gets his future stolen, reducing the vampire hero to a slot machine-addicted drone. It's only through the power of divine intervention (in the form a little mystical nudge from the far-off Cordy) that reunites Angel with his apocalyptic destiny -- and his fighting prowess. He and the crew head back to Los Angeles, where they find an apparently amnesiac Cordelia waiting for them. Originally broadcast October 20, 2002, on the WB network, "The House Always Wins" marked season four, episode three of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
As a new age of fellowship and love dawns on Los Angeles, Fred (Amy Acker) flees from her pursuers, Gunn (J. August Richards) and Wesley (Alexis Denisof). Hunted by her former suitors, who are now devoted acolytes of sinister guru Jasmine (Gina Torres), she finds safety in a fleabag motel -- until Jasmine joins her mind with those of her followers and is suddenly able to see through their eyes. Now visible to Jasmine every time she crosses the path of one of the superbeing's growing legion of worshipers, Fred is reduced to hiding out in a cave with a cranky, carnivorous creature (Danny Woodburn) who's been driven underground by what he calls Jasmine's "demon jihad." Meanwhile, the hotel fills up with Jasmine's worshipers, a handful of whom mysteriously disappear each night for an audience with their goddess -- and are never heard from again. Angel (David Boreanaz) and company take care of the assembled throngs even as Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) lies in a coma, seemingly brain-dead after the ordeal of birthing Jasmine. Ultimately, Fred decides to expose herself to danger in a desperate gambit to open Angel's eyes to Jasmine's true nature. Her second assassination attempt fails as miserably as the first (see "Shiny Happy People"), but in the aftermath, Angel is finally able to see Jasmine for what she is. As it turns out, her true nature is evident only to those whose blood becomes mingled with Jasmine's. Now both fugitives, Angel and Fred sneak into the hotel hoping to save their addled friends with this newfound knowledge. Despite promising signs of life from the still-unconscious Cordelia, their rescue mission is only partially successful; one member of the fang gang refuses to stop seeing Jasmine's light. Originally broadcast April 16, 2003, on the WB network, "The Magic Bullet" marked season four, episode 19 of the supernatural soap opera. The title of this episode refers not only to Fred's assassination attempt, but also to the conspiracy-theory bookstore where she stages the big event. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
The dark spell Angel (David Boreanaz) cast to force Sahjhan to materialize (see "Forgiving") has unexpected repercussions at the Hotel Hyperion. A client who visits the premises soon perishes after becoming grotesquely dehydrated and downing inhuman amounts of liquid. It turns out he's been infected by slug-like interdimensional parasites who impel their hosts to drink, drink, drink. When the incandescent little slitherers blanket the hotel, it's up to the gang to contain the contagion before all of Los Angeles becomes infected. As usual, it's Fred (Amy Acker) who falls prey to the monsters, leading boyfriend Gunn (J. August Richards) to make a difficult decision to save her. He enlists the help of the alienated Wesley (Alexis Denisof), who advises Gunn to cure Fred by simply feeding her a good, stiff, dehydrating drink of alcohol. Continuing to manifest new powers as a result of her half-demon transformation, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) helps vanquish the slugs for good. Just then, another threat arrives through the vestigial interdimensional portal -- a teenaged warrior known as The Destroyer (Vincent Kartheiser) who calls Angel by an unexpected name: "Dad." Originally broadcast April 29, 2002, on the WB network, "The Price" marked season three, episode 19 of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) and Justine (Laurel Holloman) solemnly decapitate and burn Holtz's body. But the boy returns to the Hyperion Hotel and agrees to live there with his father. He urges Angel (David Boreanaz) to train him, secretly noting all of his dad's fighting tactics. They get the chance to battle side by side for real again when Wolfram & Hart's Linwood (John Rubinstein) launches an attack on the gang while they're at a drive-in, introducing Connor to the wonders of the cinema. Meanwhile, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) experiences a vision that helps her realize that her feelings for Angel are stronger than she has yet realized. Her boyfriend, Groo (Mark Lutz), comes to the same realization and bids his princess farewell. The Host (Andy Hallett), too, decides to find his fortune elsewhere -- in his case, Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Wesley (Alexis Denisof) engages in a tart, emotionless tryst with evil lawyer Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov). A less cynical romance seems ready to blossom between Cordy and Angel when she arranges to meet him by the ocean to discuss her feelings with him. But on her way there, spirit guide Skip (David Denman -- see "Birthday") shows up and informs her that The Powers That Be have a new task for her on a higher plane. Cursing the Powers' timing, Cordelia accepts her responsibilities and ascends, glowing, into the sky. Meanwhile, Angel descends to the murky depths as crafty Connor shows up at the rendezvous spot and bests his dad in hand-to-hand combat, then welds him into a metal box and drops him into the ocean with a little help from the duplicitous Justine. Back at the hotel, Gunn (J. August Richards) and Fred (Amy Acker) can't help but wonder where everyone's gone. Originally broadcast May 20, 2002, on the WB network, "Tomorrow" marked season three, episode 22 -- the season finale -- of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Teenage patients pour into the ER after a suspicious explosion in a high school science class. Lawrence (Alan Alda) becomes erratic and violently angry, leading the staff to wonder if the veteran doctor is functioning at full capacity. Elaine (Rebecca De Mornay) hopes to "connect" with her former brother-in-law, Carter (Noah Wyle), before heading to Europe. Dr. Dave (Erik Palladino) gets another much-needed lesson in humanity and humility. Carol (Julianna Margulies) is outraged to discover that pregnant waitress Meg (Martha Plimpton) is shooting heroin. And Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) is finding it increasingly difficult to juggle her workload with her domestic duties. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
