Season 5, Episode 12: You're Welcome

Aired: Wednesday, February 4, 2004

Rating: 2.8/4

Quotes

Picture Gallery

Credits

Written and Directed by David Fury

Special guest stars

Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
and Christian Kane as Lindsey McDonald

Guest starring

Sarah Thompson as Eve
Mercedes McNab as Harmony Kendall

Co-starring

Ryan Alvarez as demon slave
T.J. Thyne as lawyer
Mark Colson as Izzy

Zap2It.com: 'Angel' Seeks Redemption with Episode 100 - This past November, in the vast, echoing expanse of the Wolfram & Hart lobby, The WB Network's "Angel" proved that any death knells sounded for it were entirely premature. The Wednesday-night drama with the undead title character is very much alive, and executives from both The WB and studio 20th Century Fox showed up to cut a big cake (dripping with blood-red icing, of course) and sing its praises on the occasion of its 100th episode, airing Feb. 4....

Matt Roush's Dispatch from TV Guide Online

Leave it to Angel's longtime missing-in-action heroine Cordelia Chase to, well, cut to the chase with her old vampire boss. "Spike's a hero, and you're CEO of Hell, Inc. What frickin' bizarro world did I wake up in?"

As Angel fans know, and have been anticipating for months, Cordelia emerges from her mystical coma just in time to rejoin her hero buddies for the WB series' landmark 100th episode (Feb. 4, 9 pm/ET). This episode, written and directed by David Fury, is titled "You're Welcome" — the meaning of which becomes unforgettably clear in the show's final moments. It's an homage to Cordelia, a tribute to the wonderfully witty performance by the much-missed Charisma Carpenter, and a reminder of the show's overriding themes of redemption, sacrifice and teamwork. (There's even a poignant nod to Doyle, Angel's ill-fated first sidekick, played by the late Glenn Quinn.)

Carpenter is a joy, and her blithe comic delivery brings a renewed vigor to the show and to her co-stars: not just David Boreanaz, either. Watch Wesley (Alexis Denisof) beam — a rare trait for the guy these days — as he watches his snarky associate back in her groove.

Cordy's purpose in returning has everything to do with Angel's disillusionment in his new corporate role. It's not a secret that nearly everyone (including the show's viewers) has had a difficult period of adjustment with Angel & Co. operating from the plush halls of evil law firm Wolfram & Hart. Cordy's startled reaction — "You've made a deal with the devil" — reminds us what a risky gambit this was.

And Cordy is so not impressed with Eve (join the club). Confronted with this devious liaison to the Senior Partners, Cordy snipes, "And I thought Darla was rock bottom," in one of several peerless disses.

I loved last week's episode, which involved a visit by Buffy's fey villain-turned-hero Andrew (Tom Lenk), who brought news of old friends along with a mandate to retrieve a renegade psycho-slayer. But this episode is better, richer, packing an emotional wallop as it honors Cordelia, a female hero who evolved from spoiled brat to one of the best, most loyal and brave friends a vampire champion could ever hope to know.