Angel Investigated - 2.19 Belonging

Posted by Jason Chamberlain on 03.09.2010

Los Angeles gets some visitors from Lorne's home dimension, and Cordy is dragged the other way!

2.19 Belonging
Writer: Shawn Ryan
Director: Turi Meyer

Whedon Speak

Landok: Your mother's burden is terrible.
Lorne: Misses her little green boo does she?
Landok: She rips your images into tiny pieces. Feeds them to the swine. Butcher's the pigs and has their remains scattered for the dogs.
Lorne: Sounds like ma.

Case Files

Lorne's full name is Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan... This is Fred's first appearance on the series.

Jeremy Thomas has the full review!

By and large, the storyline arc for the second season of Angel ended with "Dead End." On many shows, this would seem like an odd choice when you consider there were four episodes left in the season. But one of the things that's always been great about Angel and Buffy is that Joss Whedon and his story runners don't feel compelled to draw out the storyline just to fit it fully within a twenty-two episode season. They take the time they need, and if any episodes are left over they use it to set up future storylines and characters. Look at "Restless" from Buffy Season Four as an example. In the case of the final four episodes of this season of Angel, the show runners had time to create an entire mini-arc that served multiple purposes, including the introduction of a new character who will become an integral part of the show.

Before we get to that though, we have "Belonging" which sets the whole thing up. Following the events of "Dead End," the Angel Investigations crew has settled into a comfortable groove. Things are looking up—Cordelia even has an acting job in a national commercial. But underneath the surface, things aren't so rosy. Wesley still lacks confidence as a leader; this is shown both when he's vainly seeking validation from his father over the phone and when he lets himself be superseded by Angel in terms of tracking a demon down. That same scene is another example of how Angel is having difficulty transitioning to the role of a subordinate. Cordelia is still looking for a life outside of her supernatural hunting squad, but is finding that ever more unlikely. And Gunn is, once again, caught between his duties to Angel Investigations and his connections on the street. Luckily, they have something to unite them together…all thanks to the Host.

The monster of the week here is a Drokken, a creature from the Host's home dimension of Pylea. On investigating it, the crew ends up following a lead that takes them to a library where a girl named Winifred once worked before vanishing. Remember that name; you might be hearing it again in the future. Once there Cordelia reads something from a book that is rather lacking in vowels, and out pops Landok. The green-skinned, horned guy is the Host's cousin, and this is where we first get a name for him—Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan. We'll call him Lorne as he prefers from now on. This was a nice way to explore the back story of a supporting character who had been integral to the show, but would become even more so from this point forward. Lorne is clearly happy being here in our world and not in Pylea; his interactions with Landok and explanation of his home to Angel give hints as to why that we'll learn more about soon enough.

The episode title is "Belonging," and like many of the episodes of this show it has a deeper meaning that just being a snappy name. Outside of the importance this episode has to the overall metaplot of future seasons, this episode is about everyone finding their places. Cordelia doesn't belong in the world of acting—not because she doesn't have talent necessarily, but because she has a higher calling. Gunn needs to make his decision about where his loyalties truly lie, and Angel and Wesley simply aren't in their right roles at Angel Investigations. Lorne left his homeworld because he didn't feel he belonged there. And even Fred, who we've only seen in flashes, is somewhere she obviously doesn't belong. While on the surface things look happy, none of them will truly be content until they figure out where they are supposed to be and acknowledge that fact.

The theme is far from pushed down our throat though, and at its core this is more of a straight-forward adventure-type episode in order to set up the Pylea arc. As a monster, the Drokken may be somewhat generic, but it serves its purpose well enough. The dialogue between Landok and Lorne is quite good, and the side story involving Gunn and his crew is simple and strong without having to get too involved. The fight scene with the Drokken in the warehouse has a few problems due to poor lighting, but otherwise this succeeds just fine as the prologue to the final few episodes of the season.

Ronny Sarnecky	Finally, one of my favorite characters is about to make her debut in the series. I always liked the character of “Freddie.” This episode is more of a set-up episode for the rest of the season. We learned the “Host’s” real name of “Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan.” After seeing Lorne as a bit character, the show is finally starting to delve into his backstory. Besides learning Lorne’s name, and meeting his cousin Landok, there really wasn’t much to this episode. The fun will pick up shortly with Cordelia’s adventure in a new dimension.	7
Mike Gorman	I completely agree with Jeremy's review about the arc shift that happens this week on Angel. "Belonging" begins a completely new story that will have a lasting impact on the show and its mythology. If I could sum up the episode with a cartoon tag line it would be "And now for something completely different..." This week the crew is getting itself back together and we get a nice spotlight on Lorne, including learning his full name. While important as a transition this episode is not exactly a thrill ride in and of itself but I will say it is a pretty nice distraction to keep you occupied while you wait for the roller coaster to begin.	8
Jason Chamberlain	Yes, Lorne has a name! He was always one of my favorite characters, and it's great to get some more background on him and his home dimension here (and just wait for the next three episodes!) Gunn's conflict in losing one of his 'family' is also handled well, and the first glimpses of Fred (be still my heart!) is awesome. Now the series is really getting started!	8

GRR!!! ARGH!!!

The 411: While it certainly isn't the strongest episode of the season, "Belonging" serves its purpose well enough to set up the final three episodes of Season Two. The glimpse into Lorne's background is nice to see as Andy Hallett's singing demon deserved a bit more attention, and the side plot involving Gunn worked just fine. A few slight problems drag this one down a bit but it's still good, and must-see if only so you know what's going on from here on out.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]