Steven S. DeKnight Movies
- 2007
Heaviliy promoted by CBS before its "preview" unveiling on October 18, 2007--and its subsequent "official" debut on October 21--Viva Laughlin was based on the British series Viva Blackpool. The nominal hero was Ripley Holden (Lloyd Owen), a minor-league casino owner who hoped to hit it big with a lavish new gambling emporium in Laughlin, Nevada, the celebrated "mini-Las Vegas" located some 20 miles south of Sin City along the Colorado river. Alas, no sooner had Ripley arrived at his still-under-construction hotel-casino than he learned that his biggest investor had pulled out all his money. Shortly afterward, the investor turned up dead, placing Ripley under the close scrutiny of two somewhat shady characters: casino mogul Nick Fontana (Hugh Jackman, also one of the series' executive producers), who dearly coveted our hero's property; and detective Peter Carlyle (Eric Winter), who suspected Ripley of murder. Peter in fact was so determined to get the goods on Mr. Holden that he pretended to fall in love with Ripley's vacillating wife Natalie (Madchen Amick). Ever lurking in the background was Bunny (Melanie Griffith), the sexy widow of the dead investor, who dropped subtle hints that she knew more than anyone else of what was really going on. Perhaps because the CBS ad campaign misleadingly suggested that Hugh Jackman and Melanie Griffith were the stars of the show instead of secondary characters, or perhaps because viewers were confused by the series' heady blend of mystery, comedy, sexual intrigue, fantasy and out-of-left-field musical numbers, Viva Laughlin failed to win its timeslot. Truth to tell, it didn't even place or show, and was the first big casualty of the 2007-2008 season, cancelled after a scant three episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lloyd Owen, Mädchen Amick, (more)
- 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
- 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
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
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
- 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
- 2002
Three months after Angel (David Boreanaz) and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) vanished (see "Tomorrow"), Fred (Amy Acker) and Gunn (J. August Richards) try to hold down the fort. None of their research into the twin disappearances yields any results -- not even a phone call to old ally Lorne (Andy Hallett), who seems preoccupied with his new gig as a Vegas lounge singer (see "The House Always Wins"). Unaware that Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) banished Angel to the bottom of the sea, Gunn and Fred care for the troubled teen as if he were their own. But Wesley (Alexis Denisof), despite his perverse sexual relationship with evil lawyer Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov), continues to research Angel's disappearance -- with a little help from Justine (Laurel Holloman), Connor's accomplice, who is now Wesley's prisoner. Wes rescues Angel from his watery tomb and even proffers some of his own blood to help rouse his starving, hallucinating former boss. Then it's truth time for Connor, who faces Fred and Gunn's wrath and gets booted out of the nest by his loving but betrayed father. Meanwhile, Lilah stays ahead of the competition at Wolfram & Hart, and Cordelia, having ascended to a higher plane of being, is bored out of her skull. Originally broadcast Oct. 6, 2002, on the WB network, "Deep Down" marked the fourth season premiere of the supernatural comedy drama. Starting with this episode, previous guest star Vincent Kartheiser joins the regular cast as Angel's troubled teen son, Connor. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) turns to Tara (Amber Benson) for information about why Spike's anti-violence chip no longer registers her as human. Meanwhile, her sexual relationship with Spike (James Marsters) grows deeper and more twisted as the ardent vampire tries to show Buffy her dark side. Elsewhere, Warren (Adam Busch) seeks perverse sexual thrills of his own. The villainous nerd plans to use his latest invention, a cerebral dampener, to turn some lucky lady into his bedroom slave. The first candidate is Warren's ex-girlfriend, Katrina (Amelinda Embry), who's still angry about his dalliance with a sex-bot (see "I Was Made to Love You"). Eliminating any such grudges with the flick of a switch, Warren prepares to sleep with Katrina and then give Andrew (Tom Lenk) and Jonathan (Danny Strong) a turn. The dampener wears off, however, and Katrina accuses Warren of attempted rape. He hits her with a beer bottle, accidentally killing her. Andrew and Jonathan want to go to the police, but Warren insists on framing Buffy for his crime. With the help of a time-shifting demon, the villains stage a hallucinatory battle in which Buffy becomes convinced that she accidentally killed an innocent girl. Distraught, she prepares to turn herself in -- much to the dismay of Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg), who becomes hysterical, and Spike, who gets the tar beat out of him trying to convince the Slayer not to throw her life away. At the last moment, though, Buffy learns the name of her supposed victim and realizes that Warren must be behind the entire episode. Nevertheless, she later breaks down in tears upon learning from Tara that she's still human after all; if she's still human, Buffy asks her astonished friend, then why is she allowing herself to do such perverted things with Spike? Originally broadcast February 5, 2002, on UPN, "Dead Things" marked episode 113 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) follows in the footsteps of undead-lovin' big sister Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) when she ends up in the arms of a cute teen vamp. Her adventures take place on Halloween -- the same day Xander (Nicholas Brendon) finally announces his engagement to Anya (Emma Caulfield). During the festivities, Tara (Amber Benson) confronts Willow (Alyson Hannigan) about her over-reliance on magic to solve life's problems. Meanwhile, Dawn deals with her own teen angst by shoplifting from the magic shop and sneaking out with a friend for a midnight rendezvous with some handsome young lads. When her date sprouts fangs, however, Dawn is forced to dust him -- shades of Buffy and Angel (see "Becoming, Part 2"). Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), Spike (James Marsters), and Buffy eventually rescue Dawn and her friend from the mess they're in. But the Slayer leaves it up to her Watcher to mete out punishment. Elsewhere, Willow seeks to escape further scoldings by casting a spell to make Tara forget their fight. Originally broadcast October 30, 2001, on UPN, "All the Way" marked episode 106 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Evil goddess Glory (Clare Kramer) finally knows that The Key she needs to unleash hell on earth has been incarnated as the Slayer's very own sister. Thus, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her gang are forced to flee Sunnydale in a desperate attempt to save Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) -- and the world -- from the apocalypse. Unfortunately, their unlikely escape vehicle -- a Winnebago -- proves vulnerable to attack by the Knights of Byzantium, ancient warriors who have sworn to destroy The Key before Glory can use it. Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) suffers grievous wounds, forcing the gang to take refuge in an abandoned gas station. Resident Wiccan Willow (Alyson Hannigan) erects a mystical barrier, but, thanks to the relentless knights, a stalemate ensues. The misguided but honorable Byzantine leader allows Buffy to send for medical assistance. She calls Ben (Charlie Weber), the handsome young doctor she's been flirting with for several episodes. Unbeknownst to the Scoobies, Ben is the unwilling human host for Glory's earthly manifestation. Once inside the barrier, Ben patches Giles up but then loses his constant battle with Glory for control of their shared body. The triumphant hell-goddess makes off with Dawn and slaughters the Knights of Byzantium, leaving Buffy a catatonic shell of her normal self. Originally broadcast May 8, 2001, on the WB network, "Spiral" marked episode 98 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2001
As the gang digest the implications of Glory (Clare Kramer) being a hell-god rather than a garden-variety demon, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) lays another whopper on them. She reveals that Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) is "The Key" that Glory so desperately seeks. Although Dawn herself caught snippets of that knowledge two episodes earlier (see "Triangle"), she doesn't grasp its implications until Spike (James Marsters) helps her sneak into the magic shop and read up on her origins. Horrified to learn that she is not truly human but rather an ancient mystical force given mortal form and memories mere months ago, the distraught teen experiences a meltdown in the midst of Buffy's 20th birthday party. The Scoobies are unsure how to comfort her, so the Slayer goes into research mode while Willow (Alyson Hannigan) works on a sort of supernatural burglar alarm to protect Dawn. As Glory is off decimating the ranks of the Knights of Byzantium, Dawn continues to act out her feelings of alienation. She sneaks out to the hospital to commune with the unfortunates who have been driven mad by Glory's soul-draining touch and are therefore capable of seeing what Dawn truly is. Dawn soon runs into Ben (Charlie Weber), the handsome doctor who recently treated her mother and who unwillingly shares his body with Glory. Ben intuits that Dawn is The Key, but then Glory takes over his body and, failing to make the same realization, tries to pump Dawn for information. Buffy shows up and brawls with Glory, who is vanquished only when Willow and Tara (Amber Benson) slap her with a teleportation spell. Unfortunately, though, Dawn's memory of Ben transforming into Glory seems to have been erased, opening a vulnerability the hell-god will exploit in the subsequent episode "Spiral." Originally broadcast February 6, 2001, on the WB network, "Blood Ties" marked episode 91 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
