Mmh, I do enjoy the contrast of my favorite ensouled vampire provided by my other favorite ensouled vampire. Not the least of which lies in the comedy it brings forth.
But the interest of the Angel - Spike relationship is multi-layered and goes beyond mere humor.
By the way, how do you read the ruse within ruse storyline. Spike did play Hainsley and Angel at the same time but planned to go against Hainsley all the time, didn't he?

beans | October 11, 07:27 CET

Yeah I think he planned to go against Hainsley all the time. He did say he didn't trust him anymore than Angel trusted him, doubt he ever would have gone along with the guy.

forcorreo | October 11, 08:20 CET

At the end of the show, it's stated (forget by whom - Wes maybe?) that Spike told Angel what he wanted to do when he showed up in Angel's room that night. So Spike didn't play Angel (except for the using Hainsley's body to punch him a couple times). Spike and Angel played Hainsley together.

(sidenote: Man. Take this statement out of context...)

Joss' bitch | October 11, 09:44 CET

That's what I think. But did he tell Angel that Hainsley whould show up or was that a surprise for "big brother" at the cemetery?
When Angel told Wesley what happened it sounded as if he knew all along what was going on but from the bedroom scene it looked as if Spike was playing Angel as well, even if he didn't intend to go through with Hainsley's plan.

Ok, just read Tamara's comment. Still I am not convinced this proves Angel really knew what was going on. Telling Wes what happened that way could have been just face saving on Angel's part. Especially since Spike saying "I want it to end" in the bedroom doesn't really wash otherwise, does it?

[ edited by beans on 2003-10-11 07:52 ]

beans | October 11, 09:47 CET

I agree that Spike's comment doesn't 'really wash,' as you say, but I took that as sloppy writing more than anything else. That they were trying to make us think one thing when the reality was something else, but didn't bother to make the mislead make sense in light of what was actually going on. Did that make sense?

Well ok, the comment makes some sense, just not a whole lot of it. I believe that what we're supposed to think is that Spike meant he wanted his uselessness 'to end.'

forcorreo | October 11, 13:05 CET