Angel/Parting Gifts

Parting Gifts
Season 1, Episode 10
Airdate	December 14, 1999
Production Number	1ADH10
Written by	David Fury & Jeannine Renshaw
Directed by	James A. Contner
← 1x09 Hero	1x11 → Somnambulist
Angel — Season One

Parting Gifts is the tenth episode of the first season of Angel.

David Boreanaz (Angel), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Glenn Quinn (Allen Francis Doyle) (credit only)

Guest Starring: Maury Sterling (Barney), Carey Cannon (Oracle), Randall Slavin (Male Oracle)

and Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce)

Co-Starring: Jayson Creek (Producer #1), Sean Smith (Producer #2), Sara Devlin (Producer #3), Jason Kim (Soon), Brett Gilbert (Reptilian Demon), Henry Kingi (Kungai Demon), Lawrence Turner (Hank), Cheyenne Wilber (Concierge), Dominique Jennings (Mac), Kotoko Kawamura (Ancient Korean Woman)

Plot Overview

With she and Angel still in mourning over the loss of Doyle, Cordelia discovers that he passed on his visions to her. Meanwhile, an empath demon comes to Angel Investigations for help, as he’s being hunted down. The hunter turns out to be none other than Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, a former Watcher who’s actually been trying to track down a different demon.

Notes

Monster of the Week

• Kungai: The Kungai is a demon originating in Asia who, using a Tak horn, punctures his foe and absorbs its life-force. When it does this to a demon, it also absorbs the demon's special abilities, which it can reuse.

Body Count

#	Whom	By Whom	How	Where
1	Kungai	Barney	Horn Removed	Bathhouse
2	Blonde Demon	Demon	Snapped Neck	Hotel
3	Barney	Cordelia	Stabbed with Tak Horn	Hotel

Music

There is no licensed music in this episode.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Vampire Mythos: Another long-time stereotype of vampires is cast aside in this episode; vampires don't sleep in coffins and often move around during the day.

• Wolfram & Hart: Another Wolfram & Hart lawyer makes an appearance in this episode. This time, a lawyer named Mac buys Cordelia's eyes in the auction. She escapes when the brawl breaks out. Unlike other Wolfram & Hart lawyers, Mac does not appear again for a later episode.

Characters

• Cordelia: Cordelia has become Angel's new link to the Powers That Be. Doyle's kiss from the previous episode gave her his power.

• Wesley: Wesley is no longer employed by the Watcher's Council. Although he initially insists that he wasn't fired, he later admits that he only became a "rogue demon hunter" after being sacked because Faith turned out evil and Buffy went renegade against the Watchers. He drops his rogue demon hunter persona by the end of the episode and joins up with Angel.

Referbacks

• 1x09 - Hero: Doyle died in the previous episode when he sacrificed himself to stop the Scourge. Just before his death, he kissed Cordelia and passed on his precognitive skills.

• BtVS - 3x22 - Graduation Day (2): Cordelia and Wesley were pining for each other in the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer — until they actually kissed and it just didn't work.

Wesley: I rather thought it went considerably better than last time.

Trivia

The Show

• First Appearance: Although Wesley has previously appeared in the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this is his first appearance on Angel. He last appeared in "Graduation Day" (Part 2), being carted away on a stretcher.

• Credits: Although he is still in the opening credits, Glenn Quinn only appears in the teaser for this episode. He is replaced with Alexis Denisof as of the next episode.

Behind the Scenes

• Ratings: On its first airing, this episode scored a 5.9/9 in the overnight Nielsen ratings. It was ranked 2nd out of the 15 WB shows which aired that week.

Allusions and References

• Publisher's Clearing House: The Publisher's Clearing House is a discount magazine sales company which offers subscriptions to popular magazines. If someone buys from their service, they are entered into a multi-million dollar sweepstakes that culminates in Ed McMahon bringing the winner a very large check with the "Prize Patrol."

Barney: I don't think he's tracking me down to tell me that I've won the Publishers' Clearing House.

Quotes

• Barney: Little trick - picture everybody...

Cordelia: In their underwear.

Barney: I was going to say dead. But hey, if that underwear thing works for ya...

• Barney: I just realised it's 3:45 in the afternoon. Middle of the day. If you're a vampire, why aren't you in your coffin?

Angel: Coffin. I hate that stereotype. You're a demon and you don't know anything about vampires?

Barney: Only what I learned from TV.

Angel: (rather irritably) Vampires don't sleep in coffins. It's a misconception made popular by hack writers and ignorant media. In fact, you know, we can and do move around during the day. As long as we avoid direct sunlight. Got it?

Barney: Gotten. Sorry didn't want to push any sore spots.

• Cordelia: Damn! I can't believe he did this to me.

Angel: Who did what?

Cordelia: Doyle! I thought our kiss meant something, and instead he used that moment to pass it on to me. Why couldn't it have been mono or herpes?

• Cordelia: If they know what's good for them, the PTB better just stay out of my head.

Angel: The Powers That Be. You had a vision.

Cordelia: Boy! Howdy. And guess what, you know how they look painful? Well, they feel a whole lot worse!

• Angel: Another door opens. You're my link to the Powers now.

Cordelia: I am nobody's link to anybody. I lost control of my entire central nervous system getting that stupid vision. And I'm not certain, but I think I may have drooled a little at the first audition I've had in weeks.

Angel: What was it?

Cordelia: Um. Uh, Stain-Be-Gone. It was a national, no less. They'll probably never call me again.

Angel: The vision! What was the vision?

Cordelia: Oh. Pfft! Who knows. It was a thing!

• Angel: Wesley.

Wesley: I’ll wager you never thought you’d see me again.

Angel: To tell you the truth, I hadn’t given it much thought one way or the other. What are you...?

Wesley: Hup-up-up! I’m the one asking questions here. And I think it only fair to warn you, any sudden movement and I’ll be forced to--

(Angel knocks away Wesley’s crossbow)

Wesley: Right. You had a question?

• Cordelia: Wesley? What are you doing here? Are you working with Angel?

Wesley: A lone wolf, such as myself, never works with anyone. I'm merely allowing Angel to assist me.

Cordelia: Oh. Wow.

Wesley: I'm a Rogue Demon Hunter now.

Cordelia: Wow. What's a rogue demon?

• Cordelia: Are you all right, Wesley?

Wesley: No. It's these pants. They tend to chafe one's... legs.

• Wesley: You! Butcher an innocent girl, will you? I'm going to thrash you within an inch of your life. And then I'm going to take that inch!

• Cordelia: Not that he didn't have it coming. He was a horrible, evil monster.

Angel: He did kill a lot of people.

Wesley: Viciously mutilated their corpses.

Cordelia: Plus, he started the bidding on me at a paltry $2,000.