Billy (Angel episode)
Encyclopedia
"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
.
in "That Vision Thing
") in her office talking with Gavin Park. The influential 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 train Fred, leading Cordelia to his romantic feelings for Fred. She suggests that he ask her out, but their conversation is cut short by a vision of a woman being beaten by her husband in a convenience store. 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 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 says Billy is untouchable due to his political connections. Wesley, Gunn, and Angel track down Billy; however, the police arrive first to take 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 on the arm. 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 of his blood to examine at the hotel.
Cordelia goes to Lilah's to demand information, and Lilah explains that Billy's touch turns men into vicious misogynists, 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 acting hostile towards Fred, and when she runs from the office, he catches her and tosses her face-first into the stairs. He stalks her 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 misogynistic 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 that he left behind the capacity to hate long ago. 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.
homage with an "unsubtle metaphor" that "misogyny is BAD."
The Futon Critic named it the 36th best episode of 2001, saying "No show pushes as many buttons at the same time as this one."
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
. Written by Tim Minear
Tim Minear
Tim Minear is an American screenwriter and director. He was born in New York, grew up in Whittier, California, and studied film at California State University, Long Beach....
and Jeffrey Bell and directed by David Grossman
David Grossman (director)
David Grossman is an American film and television director known most notably for his work on the ABC series, Desperate Housewives which he also serves as co-executive producer, his first series as a producer....
, it was originally broadcast on October 29, 2001 on the WB television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
. In this episode, Angel investigates a wave of violence against women throughout Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, caused by Billy's ability to infect men with murderous misogyny
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
. Cordelia
Cordelia Chase
Cordelia Chase is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she also appeared on Buffy's spin-off series Angel...
seeks the aid of Lilah
Lilah Morgan
Lilah Morgan is a fictional character from the television series Angel, played by Stephanie Romanov. She is first introduced in the episode "The Ring," and appears in the show's first and second seasons. After Lindsey McDonald leaves Los Angeles, Lilah becomes the primary face of Wolfram & Hart,...
, who is a victim of Billy’s power, while Fred
Winifred Burkle
Winifred "Fred" Burkle is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and introduced by Shawn Ryan and Mere Smith on the television series Angel. The character is portrayed by Amy Acker.-Character history:...
finds herself in danger from an infected Wesley
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel...
.
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 (the man Angel was forced to rescue from a fiery hell dimension by the lawyers of Wolfram & HartWolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...
in "That Vision Thing
That Vision Thing (Angel episode)
"That Vision Thing" is the second episode of season 3 in the television show Angel. Written by Jeffrey Bell and directed by Bill L Norton, it was originally broadcast on October 1, 2001 on the WB network. In "That Vision Thing", Cordelia's vision gift grows dangerous when it begins physically...
") in her office talking with Gavin Park. The influential 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 train Fred, leading Cordelia to his romantic feelings for Fred. She suggests that he ask her out, but their conversation is cut short by a vision of a woman being beaten by her husband in a convenience store. 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 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 says Billy is untouchable due to his political connections. Wesley, Gunn, and Angel track down Billy; however, the police arrive first to take 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 on the arm. 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 of his blood to examine at the hotel.
Cordelia goes to Lilah's to demand information, and Lilah explains that Billy's touch turns men into vicious misogynists, 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 acting hostile towards Fred, and when she runs from the office, he catches her and tosses her face-first into the stairs. He stalks her 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 misogynistic 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 that he left behind the capacity to hate long ago. 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.
Continuity
- This episode is the aftermath of the earlier episode, "That Vision Thing." Billy is the man that Angel freed from Skip's cell.
- The remarks that Wesley makes to Fred closely mimic that of the cop talking to Kate under the influence of the talking stick in the Season 1 episode "Sense & Sensitivity."
Arc significance
- This episode is the first in which it is brought to viewers' attention that Wesley has feelings for Fred.
- Angel claims he no longer has the capacity to hate. Events later in the season, specifically his violent reactions to the abduction of his soon-to-be born Connor, arguably prove him wrong.
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." However, DVD Verdict called this episode a The ShiningThe Shining (novel)
The Shining is a 1977 horror novel by American author Stephen King. The title was inspired by the John Lennon song "Instant Karma!", which contained the line "We all shine on…". It was King's third published novel, and first hardback bestseller, and the success of the book firmly established King...
homage with an "unsubtle metaphor" that "misogyny is BAD."
The Futon Critic named it the 36th best episode of 2001, saying "No show pushes as many buttons at the same time as this one."