Angel and Cordy's romance really comes to the forefront next season, but I think you could make a strong argument that "Disharmony" is the first step in their relationship. Angel's just so determined to make Cordy forgive him, that it's pretty clear he's already falling for her. Personally, I love Cordy and Angel together, so I think that this is a great episode for the two of them alone. It also has Harmony coming to town, though, which makes it all the better. I'm a big Harmony fan and I'm always happy to see her on "Angel" or BTVS. She's such a cute, aggravating little thing and she adds a lot to the show. Harm will join the cast full time in season five, so it's important to see her introduction to LA here in "Disharmony" if you plan on watching that season. All in all, this is a great episode and I highly recommend it.
"Disharmony" revolves around Cordy's high school friend, Harmony, coming to LA. If you don't know the back story, Harm was turned into a vampire over on BTVS season three's "Graduation Day Part Two." Since then, she's been wondering around Sunnydale, dating Spike and trying to be evil. After learning that she was Spike's THIRD choice of girlfriend, (after Dru and Buffy) Harmony wounded him with a cross bow and left Sunnydale for good. (For more on that story line, see BTVS season five's "Crush.") Now she's in LA, looking for Cordy. Cordelia is thrilled to see her old friend. She and Harmony are getting along great. When she learns that Harm is a vampire now, Cordy still can't turn Harmony away and agrees to let her friend hang out with her.
Meanwhile, Angel is still trying to adjust to be back in the fold at Angel Inc. Wes and Gunn are making him get them coffee and basically bossing him around for fun, but they're slowly starting to forgive and trust him again. Cordelia is still holding a grudge, though. She tells Angel that they're not friends anymore, which just breaks his heart. He can't stand Cordy being angry at him and he tries to win her over. When Cordy says she wants Harm to help them at work, Angel actually tries to go along with it, much to Wes and Gunn's dismay. Wes argues that Cordy will listen to Angel and that he has to say something about Harmony. Angel finally tells Cordy that Harmony is evil and she'll turn on them. Cordy doesn't believe that.
At the same time, Team Angel is investigating a vampire cult. It's run by a motivational speaker with a pyramid scheme that appeals to all the self-help loving vampires in LA. Cordy talks the gang into sending Harm in to the cult as a undercover vampire. Unfortunately, Angel's right. Harmony's still evil and she turns Team Angel over to the vampires. The gang has to kill the vamps and rescue the cults human prisoners. Cordy can't bring herself to kill her friend and Harmony runs away. Angel finally gets Cordy to forgive him by bribing her with new clothes.
There are some really great parts to this episode. Harmony adds a lot of comedy to the show. Her scene with Cordelia in the bedroom, where Cordy mistakenly thinks that Harmony is gay and hitting on her, is just great. Cordy calls Willow, demanding to know why nobody "told me about Harmony." Willow assumes that Cordy's talking about Harmony being a vampire. So when Cordelia says that she shot Harmony down, Willow is impressed, "You wounded her?" "Oh, she'll get over it." Cordy mutters. And I just love watching Harmony interacting with the rest of the Angel Inc. gang. She's flirting with Gunn, until her realizes that she's a vampire. ("Don't we kill them anymore?") She's driving Wes crazy with her gum chewing. She's adding sugar to the blood Angel gives her. She's singing "Memories" for Lorne. It's really funny. And Angel's attempts to win back Cordy's affection are so cute. He's so desperate to have her forgive him so he's just agreeing with everything she says. Finally, Cordy starts shouting at him about how much he's hurt her over the past few months. "I was so worried that you'd sleep with Darla and lose your soul." She cries. Angel sort of squints guiltily and mutters, "You know I'd never do something like that." I really think that this is the episode where Angel starts realizing that he loves Cordy. He just can't stand her being mad at him. Unfortunately, Cordelia knows how to put people in their place. It comes from being the meanest girl in the history of Sunnydale High. Angel's crushed when she tells him that they're not friends anymore. Even Wes feels sorry for Angel as Cordy snubs him. Angel's willing to lie and bribe his way into Cordy's good graces if that's what it takes to get her back. And by the end of the episode, I'm just so happy that she likes him again.
On the down side, how can Harmony and Angel NOT have a conversation about Spike? It just kills me that Harm doesn't tell Angel that she was dating Spike, or that Spike is now in love with Buffy, or that Dru went to Sunnydale. What a missed opportunity.
My favorite part of the episode: Angel, desperate to make Cordy like him again, buying her bags full of clothes. She was angry that he donated her stuff to the needy, so he gets her a ton of new outfits as a peace offering/bribe. Cordy's bouncing up and down, thanking him and laughing. Wes, after just lecturing Angel on Cordy's need for time and space, is frustrated that such an obvious manipulation worked to win her over. And Angel just looks so darn happy and relieved and pleased with himself that I just have to grin. It's such a cute scene.
"Disharmony" revolves around Cordy's high school friend, Harmony, coming to LA. If you don't know the back story, Harm was turned into a vampire over on BTVS season three's "Graduation Day Part Two." Since then, she's been wondering around Sunnydale, dating Spike and trying to be evil. After learning that she was Spike's THIRD choice of girlfriend, (after Dru and Buffy) Harmony wounded him with a cross bow and left Sunnydale for good. (For more on that story line, see BTVS season five's "Crush.") Now she's in LA, looking for Cordy. Cordelia is thrilled to see her old friend. She and Harmony are getting along great. When she learns that Harm is a vampire now, Cordy still can't turn Harmony away and agrees to let her friend hang out with her.
Meanwhile, Angel is still trying to adjust to be back in the fold at Angel Inc. Wes and Gunn are making him get them coffee and basically bossing him around for fun, but they're slowly starting to forgive and trust him again. Cordelia is still holding a grudge, though. She tells Angel that they're not friends anymore, which just breaks his heart. He can't stand Cordy being angry at him and he tries to win her over. When Cordy says she wants Harm to help them at work, Angel actually tries to go along with it, much to Wes and Gunn's dismay. Wes argues that Cordy will listen to Angel and that he has to say something about Harmony. Angel finally tells Cordy that Harmony is evil and she'll turn on them. Cordy doesn't believe that.
At the same time, Team Angel is investigating a vampire cult. It's run by a motivational speaker with a pyramid scheme that appeals to all the self-help loving vampires in LA. Cordy talks the gang into sending Harm in to the cult as a undercover vampire. Unfortunately, Angel's right. Harmony's still evil and she turns Team Angel over to the vampires. The gang has to kill the vamps and rescue the cults human prisoners. Cordy can't bring herself to kill her friend and Harmony runs away. Angel finally gets Cordy to forgive him by bribing her with new clothes.
There are some really great parts to this episode. Harmony adds a lot of comedy to the show. Her scene with Cordelia in the bedroom, where Cordy mistakenly thinks that Harmony is gay and hitting on her, is just great. Cordy calls Willow, demanding to know why nobody "told me about Harmony." Willow assumes that Cordy's talking about Harmony being a vampire. So when Cordelia says that she shot Harmony down, Willow is impressed, "You wounded her?" "Oh, she'll get over it." Cordy mutters. And I just love watching Harmony interacting with the rest of the Angel Inc. gang. She's flirting with Gunn, until her realizes that she's a vampire. ("Don't we kill them anymore?") She's driving Wes crazy with her gum chewing. She's adding sugar to the blood Angel gives her. She's singing "Memories" for Lorne. It's really funny. And Angel's attempts to win back Cordy's affection are so cute. He's so desperate to have her forgive him so he's just agreeing with everything she says. Finally, Cordy starts shouting at him about how much he's hurt her over the past few months. "I was so worried that you'd sleep with Darla and lose your soul." She cries. Angel sort of squints guiltily and mutters, "You know I'd never do something like that." I really think that this is the episode where Angel starts realizing that he loves Cordy. He just can't stand her being mad at him. Unfortunately, Cordelia knows how to put people in their place. It comes from being the meanest girl in the history of Sunnydale High. Angel's crushed when she tells him that they're not friends anymore. Even Wes feels sorry for Angel as Cordy snubs him. Angel's willing to lie and bribe his way into Cordy's good graces if that's what it takes to get her back. And by the end of the episode, I'm just so happy that she likes him again.
On the down side, how can Harmony and Angel NOT have a conversation about Spike? It just kills me that Harm doesn't tell Angel that she was dating Spike, or that Spike is now in love with Buffy, or that Dru went to Sunnydale. What a missed opportunity.
My favorite part of the episode: Angel, desperate to make Cordy like him again, buying her bags full of clothes. She was angry that he donated her stuff to the needy, so he gets her a ton of new outfits as a peace offering/bribe. Cordy's bouncing up and down, thanking him and laughing. Wes, after just lecturing Angel on Cordy's need for time and space, is frustrated that such an obvious manipulation worked to win her over. And Angel just looks so darn happy and relieved and pleased with himself that I just have to grin. It's such a cute scene.