Angel: Disharmony

"Man... atonement`s a bitch!"

Things have been a little heavy lately, so it`s time for a light-hearted episode before the run-up to the season finale. Enter Harmony who, in a little foretaste of Season 5, has a go at pretending not to be evil.

 Of course, the episode also has a function in the ongoing season arc, namely in establishing that Angel may have rejoined Angel Investigations, but not as its leader; he is now Wesley`s underling and at the bottom of the pecking order, making the coffee. Things are more than a little awkward; Cordelia, direct as ever, tells him that "You and I- we`re not friends."

Into this awkward situation comes a delightfully self-obsessed Harmony who, this being a crossover episode, describes her experience in the last episode of Buffy as "Just got out of a really smothering relationship." Bless. She`s so delightfuly self-centred and, well, Californian. She omits, of course, to actually tell anybody that she is now of the undead persuasion, but she and Cordelia are soon enjoying their little school reunion.

 Cordy, being Cordy, knows that something is up but simply assumes that Harmony has a bit of a lesbian thing for her going on. Hilariously, Cordy hears the vampiric truth via a phone call from Willow, also (of course) managing to put her foot in it regarding Willow`s own Sapphic orientation. How can anyone not love Cordelia, the Lucille Ball of the Buffyverse?

There is, of course, also a fairly generic bunch of vampire baddies who exist, plot-wise, only so that we, the audience, can try and guess which side Harmony will take. They too, in a rather witty twist, are very contemporary and Californian; I love the concept of a vampire pyramid scheme.

Which side does Harmony take? Well, er, she`s evil. Of course she betrays her friends who, rather decently (unless you`re one of her near-future victims), do no more than kick her out of LA. Still, at least Angel and Cordy are beginning to bond again...