Billy (Angel)

Infobox Television episode
Title = Billy
Series = Angel


Caption = {Caption|}
Season = 3
Episode = 6
Airdate = October 29, 2001
Production = 3ADH06
Writer = Tim Minear
Jeffrey Bell
Director = David Grossman
Guests = Stephanie Romanov
(Lilah)
Daniel Dae Kim
(Gavin)
Justin Shilton
(Billy)
Episode list = List of "Angel" episodes
Prev = Fredless
Next = Offspring

"Billy" is episode 6 of season 3 in the television show "Angel". Written by Tim Minear and Jeffrey Bell and directed by David Grossman, it was originally broadcast on October 29, 2001 on the WB television network. In this episode, Angel investigates a wave of violence against women throughout Los Angeles, caused by Billy's ability to infect men with murderous misogyny. Cordelia seeks the aid of Lilah, who is a victim of Billy’s power, while Fred finds herself in danger from an infected Wesley.

Plot

Angel teaches Cordelia how to sword fight so that she can defend herself if Angel isn't there to protect her. Due to her cheerleading experience, she is a fast study. Lilah finds Billy in her office - the man Angel was forced to rescue from a fiery hell dimension by the lawyers of Wolfram & Hart in "That Vision Thing") - talking with Gavin Park. Congressman Blim, Billy's uncle, arrives to take the young man home. After Billy and the congressman leave, Lilah tells Gavin to stay away from her clients. Gavin isn't interested in her suggestions and suddenly attacks her, smashing her head into a glass case and strangling her.

Cordy and Wesley discuss Cordelia's training with Angel, and Wesley suggests he work with Fred to train her as well, leading Cordelia to notice that he has romantic feelings for Fred. She suggests that he try his luck with her, but their conversation is cut short by a vision. In it, Cordelia sees a woman being beaten by her husband in a convenience store, but strangely, the event occurred a week ago and the woman is now dead. Wesley learns that the husband's explanation for killing his wife was simply that "she wouldn't stop talking" and gets surveillance photos from the crime, in which they spot a familiar face: Billy. After learning that Angel freed Billy to save her, Cordelia feels responsible for the woman's death, but Angel assures her the blame belongs to Lilah. He visits Lilah at her apartment and is shocked to find her badly beaten. She tells him Billy is untouchable due to his political connections. Wesley, Gunn, and Angel visit Congressman Blim to have a chat with Billy. However, the police arrive first to take a willing Billy into custody for phoning in a tip on the location of a murder victim. Before he's taken away, Billy touches one of the officers, Sanchez, on the arm, which leaves a temporary glow on his flesh. Later in the squad car, Sanchez's female partner doesn't take the route he tells her to, causing him to get angry and hit her repeatedly. Fred relays information from a police scanner, saying that Billy got away before arriving at the station. It is later discovered that after being hit by her partner, the female cop shot him and is now resting in the hospital. At the scene of the crime, Angel realizes that some of the blood is Billy's, and Wesley takes a sample from a bloody hand print on a wall to examine at the hotel.

Cordelia goes to demand information from a battered and reluctant Lilah, saying, "No woman strong enough to wear the mantle of 'vicious bitch' would ever put up with it." Lilah relents and explains that Billy's touch turns men into vicious women killers, though the effect varies from male to male. Wesley returns to the hotel and Fred helps him examine Billy's blood cells through the microscope and observes that his power is in his blood, saliva, and sweat. Wesley begins to ask Fred questions about Cordelia, acting ever-so hostile; he begins threatening and scaring her. He lectures her about flaunting her body in front of him, and when she runs from the office, he catches her and tosses her face-first into the stairs. Wesley stalks Fred through the hotel with an ax in his hand. As she runs, she is caught by Gunn and taken into one of the bedrooms.

Following reports of misogynist violence, Angel tracks Billy's last location to a party at his cousin's house, where he discovers that Billy's entire family is aware of his situation and want him gone. Cordelia finds Billy waiting for a private plane at the airport. He's not interested in talking with her, and she isn't either, debilitating him with a stun gun to his groin. Angel arrives to help Cordelia, and Billy touches Angel's face.

In the bedroom, Gunn realizes that he too has been infected after touching the bloody paper down in the lobby. He tries to leave, but Wesley is blocking the door, so Gunn has Fred knock him unconscious. Wesley breaks into the room, insulting Fred as he advances toward her. She pulls a rope which sends a fire extinguisher flying down to hit Wesley in the face and send him falling through a hole in the floor. Meanwhile, at the airport, Angel turns on Billy and hits him, explaining that Billy's power doesn't affect him. As Angel and Billy fight, Lilah shoots Billy dead before Cordelia can get a clear shot with her crossbow.

Days later, Cordelia and Angel continue with their training, as Angel reveals that the reason he wasn't affected by Billy's touch was because he left behind the capacity to hate long ago. Cordelia is confused, but Angel explains that when he was Angelus, he didn't hate his victims, he killed them for pleasure. Meanwhile, Wesley, who has kept to himself since the incident, receives a visit from Fred. She doesn't blame him for what happened, but he blames himself. Concerned that violence is a part of him, he doesn't know who he is or how to return to life as it was before. Fred says he's needed at the office and insists that she knows he had no control over what happened. Fred leaves when Wesley agrees to return to the office. As the door closes, she can hear him crying on the other side.

Acting

Main Cast

*David Boreanaz as Angel
*Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
*Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
*J. August Richards as Charles Gunn
*Amy Acker as Winifred Burkle

Guest stars

*Stephanie Romanov as Lilah Morgan
*Daniel Dae Kim as Gavin Park
*Justin Shilton as Billy Blim

Co-stars

*Richard Livingston as Congressman
*Jennifer Brooke as Clerk
*Cheri Rae Russell as Female Officer
*Gwen McGee as Detective
*Kristoffer Polaha as Dylan
*Rey Gallegos as Sanchez
*Charlie Parker as Guy
*Joy Lang as Amber
*Timothy McNeil as Cab Driver

Production

Music

*Elwood - "Slow".
*Gorillaz - "Clint eastwood".

Translations

* German title: "Billy"
* Italian title: "Billy"
* Spanish title: "Billy"

Reception

Stephanie Romanov says the ending to this episode was one of her "favorite Lilah moments. It was the only time Lilah was a hero."Citation |title=Once Bitten: An Unofficial Guide to the World of "Angel" |first=Nikki |last=Stafford |isbn=1550226541 |publisher=ECW Press |year=2004 |pages=207-210 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=b1QYV6ztm7wC&pg=PA207&lpg=PA207&dq=billy+angel+misogyny&source=web&ots=HQbzgaGfPs&sig=BwkyfmyBJ4AK9SY2q-juLD-q9o8#PPA207,M1 ] However, DVD Verdict called this episode a "The Shining" homage with an "unsubtle metaphor" that "misogyny is BAD". [Citation |url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/angelseason3.php |title=DVD Verdict Review - Angel: The Complete Third Season |last=Cullum |first=Brett |date=October 20th, 2004 |accessdate=2007-12-30 ]

References

External links

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ee also