FIVE BY FIVE: Crossed Wires

[Just Willow]

Open for discussion

[S'ewing S'cubie]

Beautifully written and full of insight. Bravo!

[Queen E]

Diane--S'cubie said:

Beautifully written and full of insight. Bravo!

Now I'm blushing (but smiling!). Thanks, Diane!

[Patti - S'cubie Cutie]

Diane--S'cubie said:

Beautifully written and full of insight. Bravo!

I really agree. I think this is one of your best yet, Erin.

[Lola m]

Yay, Erin! I’m so happy to see another analysis!

I’m glad you specifically talked about the connections to BtVS and especially “This Years’ Girl”. I think it’s just as important to remember that “Five by Five” is a crossover episode as it is for, say “I Will Remember You”. The events in one Jossverse are continued in the next.

But even more important is the comparison between Angel and Faith. This episode gives us many opportunities to see how Angel himself is making this comparison – and I think this a crucial point for us to notice. Because understanding how Angel sees himself is so important to understanding all the episodes in AtS. The addition of Marquez as the ostensible “case of the week” just hammers home the comparison. (And, oddly enough, I had never really totally made the comparison of Angelus torturing Giles and Faith torturing Wes in exactly this way before. Duh!)

Clever of you to have spotted all the instances of the physical in the episode. This is just sooooo appropriate to a Faith-centric episode, but also in a Faith-centric episode in which we see her once again working with, and compared to, Buffy. If this story were about Buffy, we would see references to physicality, yes, because they are both slayers and strength and action is their birthright. But Buffy would also show the struggle and cooperation between the mind, the body, the heart and the soul. Faith, of course, is always trying to avoid and hide the mind and heart and soul and so she always makes sure the world only sees the body. In particular, I loved:

We have references to being “cold” as she first steps off the bus, which works on 2 levels: she has no jacket, no money, and no place to stay in Los Angeles. On a deeper level, it underscores her sense of exile after the warmth of being Buffy.

and

Much as Angel is “undead,” Faith, cold, outcast, and lonely, is indeed in a “lively coma,” (a phrase also used on Buffy). She is a living dead girl.

Thank you for pointing out the editing of scenes to juxtapose matching or complimentary moments in Faith’s and Angel’s journeys. This is the kind of thing that I tend to not be able to really “see” until someone points it out, as Sara was able to do a few times for me in Firefly episodes.

I’ll save my thoughts about Wes ‘til I read your next analysis.

Again, excellent insights Erin! Brava!

Lola

[Queen E]

Patti said:

I really agree. I think this is one of your best yet, Erin.

Ah ha! Wait a month to submit another analysis, and I get mad kudos! Woo hoo!

In all seriousness...thank you so much!

[Karen]

eg~T'wirl said:

Ah ha! Wait a month to submit another analysis, and I get mad kudos! Woo hoo!

In all seriousness...thank you so much!

Awesome review, Erin! I love how you paralleled Angel and Faith and pointed out how Joss liked to use rain in his scenes to signify a major change.

I know some don't like flashback episodes, but I love them because we get to see so many layers.

Faith was a catalyst for change in many of Buffy/Angel episodes. Even when she was in Buffy's body, her sexy exchange with Spike was a catalyst for him to look at her differently. She was Xander's *first*. She shook Wesley up - as you pointed out. I always thought it was interesting how the other characters actually needed her to grow as humans themselves.

Thanks for an insightful and thought-provoking review.

[Queen E]

Lola said:

Yay, Erin! I’m so happy to see another analysis!

I’m glad you specifically talked about the connections to BtVS and especially “This Years’ Girl”. I think it’s just as important to remember that “Five by Five” is a crossover episode as it is for, say “I Will Remember You”. The events in one Jossverse are continued in the next.

One of the many things I love about the Whedonverse; the seemless crossover. What's also nice is the differences in perception and treatment as related to character; of course no one would really "get" Faith on Buffy, whereas Angel treads murkier waters.

But even more important is the comparison between Angel and Faith. This episode gives us many opportunities to see how Angel himself is making this comparison – and I think this a crucial point for us to notice. Because understanding how Angel sees himself is so important to understanding all the episodes in AtS. The addition of Marquez as the ostensible “case of the week” just hammers home the comparison. (And, oddly enough, I had never really totally made the comparison of Angelus torturing Giles and Faith torturing Wes in exactly this way before. Duh!)

Yes; I'm starting to understand that about both shows, and what really differentiates them from Firefly...even the moments that aren't from the title characters perspective are still colored by them; they are the most influential characters on their respective shows. And the Becoming/Five by Five comparison just occured to me as I was watching it for the last time...I hadn't associated that either!

Clever of you to have spotted all the instances of the physical in the episode. This is just sooooo appropriate to a Faith-centric episode, but also in a Faith-centric episode in which we see her once again working with, and compared to, Buffy. If this story were about Buffy, we would see references to physicality, yes, because they are both slayers and strength and action is their birthright. But Buffy would also show the struggle and cooperation between the mind, the body, the heart and the soul. Faith, of course, is always trying to avoid and hide the mind and heart and soul and so she always makes sure the world only sees the body. In particular, I loved:

and

Yes; I was blown away by how much physical need was emphasized. Not just with Wolfram and Hart, but nearly everything Faith does and says at this point is from a sexual perspective, as if that's all that's left to her. What I would add now (and I wished I'd thought of it for the analysis), especially with the Faith/Angel comparisons is that she is trying to be "soulless;" hence on the focus on sex...she is a shell; or, at least, trying to be one.

Thank you for pointing out the editing of scenes to juxtapose matching or complimentary moments in Faith’s and Angel’s journeys. This is the kind of thing that I tend to not be able to really “see” until someone points it out, as Sara was able to do a few times for me in Firefly episodes.

I’ll save my thoughts about Wes ‘til I read your next analysis.

Again, excellent insights Erin! Brava!

Lola

One of the many Emmy categories that spurned Joss and Co; I've always been a big fan of how nicely edited these shows are; how they very subtly build on one another. *sigh*

Thank you so much, my dear minion! Most excellent insights!

[Queen E]

Karen said:

Awesome review, Erin! I love how you paralleled Angel and Faith and pointed out how Joss liked to use rain in his scenes to signify a major change.

I know some don't like flashback episodes, but I love them because we get to see so many layers.

Faith was a catalyst for change in many of Buffy/Angel episodes. Even when she was in Buffy's body, her sexy exchange with Spike was a catalyst for him to look at her differently. She was Xander's *first*. She shook Wesley up - as you pointed out. I always thought it was interesting how the other characters actually needed her to grow as humans themselves.

Thanks for an insightful and thought-provoking review.

Thank you so much!

And you are absolutely right; and she continues to be throughout the run of Buffy and Angel. I think she has a huge effect on Buffy, too, in terms of the body switch...not just with Spike, but the way Buffy views being the Slayer. In "Selfless" Buffy words to Xander are almost exactly what Faith's words were to her in "Bad Girls": "I am the law." Not to mention getting her naughty on in season 6.

Thank you again for your insights...I love these discussions!

[Karen]

eg~D'ancin' said:

One of the many things I love about the Whedonverse; the seemless crossover. What's also nice is the differences in perception and treatment as related to character; of course no one would really "get" Faith on Buffy, whereas Angel treads murkier waters.



Yes; I'm starting to understand that about both shows, and what really differentiates them from Firefly...even the moments that aren't from the title characters perspective are still colored by them; they are the most influential characters on their respective shows. And the Becoming/Five by Five comparison just occured to me as I was watching it for the last time...I hadn't associated that either!



Yes; I was blown away by how much physical need was emphasized. Not just with Wolfram and Hart, but nearly everything Faith does and says at this point is from a sexual perspective, as if that's all that's left to her. What I would add now (and I wished I'd thought of it for the analysis), especially with the Faith/Angel comparisons is that she is trying to be "soulless;" hence on the focus on sex...she is a shell; or, at least, trying to be one.

One of the many Emmy categories that spurned Joss and Co; I've always been a big fan of how nicely edited these shows are; how they very subtly build on one another. *sigh*

Thank you so much, my dear minion! Most excellent insights!

Oh, yes. Interesting how Joss uses the sex without love analogy to represent "soulessness" - or losing oneself. He carried that over to Angel wanting to lose himself in Darla, and also Buffy in Spike. Neat.

[Spaced Out Looney]

Great review. Really looking forward to Sanctuary.

To go with the cliché, the rain at the end of the episode symbolizes that she has made the latter choice; rain frequently symbolizes a baptism, a new beginning. We see the same thing in “Surprise” in Season 2 Buffy, as Angel stumbles out into the rain and becomes Angelus. Later, Connor will be born in an alley in the pouring rain as well.

This got me to thinking, and I was watching The Replacement today and I noticed that it's raining in that episode, symbolizing a turning point for Xander. Now I'll have to start looking for where else rain is used as well.

[Queen E]

Spaced said:

Great review. Really looking forward to Sanctuary.



This got me to thinking, and I was watching The Replacement today and I noticed that it's raining in that episode, symbolizing a turning point for Xander. Now I'll have to start looking for where else rain is used as well.

Oh, thank you so much...would like to have it done before Christmas (fingers crossed and a little freaked out now that I realize it's exactly one week from now).

The rain as baptism is all over Buffy and Angel, completely missing from Firefly (which might have some interesting implications). Also several films in (my) recent memory...the one that's coming to mind now is "The Shawshank Redemption" (I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but there is definitely a very precise "rain" moment where that's exactly what it represents.

There could be an essay for our site in this, for an interested party, methinks.

Thanks for both reading and posting, SOL. I think this is my favorite part of writing these...I always learn more about the episodes hearing other posters excellent insights!

[Karen]

I watched "Five by Five" with fresh eyes this morning after reading your analysis a couple of days ago.

I think my favorite line was one of Cordy's - talking about Angel. "You can tell when he's happy, his scowl is less scowley." Hee!

Keeping in mind your review, I saw an interesting parallel. The episode began with Wesley getting covered with demon guts after Angel slayed the demons to save Marquez.

At the end of the episode, when Angel refuses to give up on Faith, Wesley is again covered in guts - from Faith's inner demons' torture.

Wes failed Faith once before, but this time he drops the knife when he realizes that Angel has saved Faith.

I also watched with interest the exchange between Lindsey and Angel in Lindsey's office. Angel in a suit - behind a desk at W&H - admiring the view. Was Joss leading Angel to W&H back in Season 1?

Also, I cried at the end when Faith was fighting Angel and ended up sobbing in Angel's arms.

I can't wait until your next analysis.

[Queen E]

Karen said:

I watched "Five by Five" with fresh eyes this morning after reading your analysis a couple of days ago.

I think my favorite line was one of Cordy's - talking about Angel. "You can tell when he's happy, his scowl is less scowley." Hee!

Keeping in mind your review, I saw an interesting parallel. The episode began with Wesley getting covered with demon guts after Angel slayed the demons to save Marquez.

At the end of the episode, when Angel refuses to give up on Faith, Wesley is again covered in guts - from Faith's inner demons' torture.

Wes failed Faith once before, but this time he drops the knife when he realizes that Angel has saved Faith.

I also watched with interest the exchange between Lindsey and Angel in Lindsey's office. Angel in a suit - behind a desk at W&H - admiring the view. Was Joss leading Angel to W&H back in Season 1?

Also, I cried at the end when Faith was fighting Angel and ended up sobbing in Angel's arms.

I can't wait until your next analysis.

Hee! That's what I do with Spikecentricity!

Nice thoughts on the "guts" parallel; I hadn't noticed that. It fits in really well with Faith telling Wesley it's good they can now "unload on each other," except it's Faith doing all the unloading. I guess it's a rare moment in Faith's life where she holds all the cards and has all the power...I'd love to have more of her backstory; the tidbits she shares leave me hungry for more.

And I so wouldn't be surprised if Joss wasn't leading up to Angel at Wolfram and Hart from episode 1; he might not have known how he'd get him there, but there was so much build-up in Seasons 1 through 4 it now seems inevitable. The only difference being that they expected him to be noncorporeal and therefore easier to control.

[Karen]

eg~D'ancin' said:

Hee! That's what I do with Spikecentricity!

Nice thoughts on the "guts" parallel; I hadn't noticed that. It fits in really well with Faith telling Wesley it's good they can now "unload on each other," except it's Faith doing all the unloading. I guess it's a rare moment in Faith's life where she holds all the cards and has all the power...I'd love to have more of her backstory; the tidbits she shares leave me hungry for more.

And I so wouldn't be surprised if Joss wasn't leading up to Angel at Wolfram and Hart from episode 1; he might not have known how he'd get him there, but there was so much build-up in Seasons 1 through 4 it now seems inevitable. The only difference being that they expected him to be noncorporeal and therefore easier to control.

Thanks. Good comment about Faith feeling she had all the power and control. Lilah wasn't as good as a mentor like the Mayor, tho. Plus, Faith had a taste of what it felt like to *be* Buffy - and really have power.

When you say W&H expected Angel to be non-corporeal, I assume that means they thought he would've been the one to wear the amulet, not Spike.