Supersymmetry

Season 4, Episode 5, Aired

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After Fred's physics article is published; she's invited to speak at a symposium where a portal opens, bringing her face to face with a demon and a dark secret about her old professor. Meanwhile Angel visits a comic book store seeking to solve the mystery and find out why someone would want Fred out of the way.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (11)

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  • Fred's revenge

    6.0
    "Fair"
    By joxerlives, Jan 21, 2012
    SUPERSYMMETRY

    The Good;
    Angel versus the demon and all the Wes and Lilah stuff

    The Bad;
    Surely the Prof can think of a less public way to get rid of Fred? All told this is a pretty damn stupid ep

    Best line:
    Angel (to demon who keep's fighting despite having been decapitated) "Come on, I'm holding your head"

    Jeez, how did they get away with that?
    Apocalypses: 5

    Angel Cliches
    In disguise; 8

    DB get's his shirt off; 12

    Cheap Angel; 5

    Fang Gang in bondage:
    Cordy: 5
    Angel: 12
    Wes: 6
    Gunn; 4
    Lorne; 4
    Fred; 2

    Fang gang knocked out:
    Cordy: 12
    Angel: 15
    Wes: 5
    Doyle; 1
    Gunn; 1
    Lorne; 4
    Groo; 1

    Kills: 1 vamp for CC, 1 demon for Angel and one human for Gunn
    Cordy: 6 vamps, 3 demons
    Angel; 41 vamps, 58 and 1/2 demons, 8 humans
    Doyle; 1 vamp
    Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 2 humans
    Kate; 3 vamps
    Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
    Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons+ one human.
    Groo; 1 demon
    Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon
    Connor; 8 vamps and 2 demon

    Fang Gang go evil:
    Cordy: 2
    Angel: 2
    Gunn; 1
    Wes; 1

    Alternate Fang Gang:
    Cordy: 3
    Angel: 9
    Fred; 1

    Characters killed:
    46

    Recurring characters killed;
    8;

    Total number of Angel Investigations:
    Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne

    Angel Investigations shot:
    Angel: 11
    Wes; 1

    Packing heat;
    Wes; 6
    Doyle; 1
    Angel; 3
    Gunn; 1

    Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
    Cordy: 4 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo
    Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
    Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
    Gunn; 1 Fred
    Fred; 1 Gunn
    Groo; 1Cordy

    Kinky dinky:
    Connor remarks that CC steals the bedcovers much to Angel's distress. Gunn mentions that Fred kept him up all night and was unstoppable.

    Captain Subtext;
    Lorne calls Angel 'sweetie' when he brings him breakfast in bed. Whilst Connor refuses to bring Cordy any pics of Angel he's fine with everyone else, even Lorne.

    Know the face, different character; 4

    Parking garages; yep, if I were Lilah I'd just take a taxi every night
    6,

    Buffy characters on Angel; 16
    Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony

    Questions and observations;
    Really not good, silly plot and although there's some powerful emotional stuff really far below par. First time we ever see CC's parents. Now when we see Angel recreate the conference room scene at the Hyperion is that just a photographic memory or a spell he casts? Love the satire on the Angel fans, Angel referring to the 'chatty rooms'. Love Fred's Ripley moment, "I'm the bitch!".
    Marks out of 10; 6/10 and maybe that's generous

    moreless

  • Supersymmetry

    8.5
    "Great"
    By TrueTvWatcher, Dec 17, 2010
    Supersymmetry was a great episode of Angel and I really enjoyed watching it because there was a lot of character development. Lorne is still recovering, Cordelia is starting to feel something is missing at Conners as they share an awkward kiss, Fred is giving a lecture on physics at her old college with Gunn and Angel watching her and helping her out of trouble as Lilah was stalking Wesley who was watching Fred speak. I thought all the intertwining of the characters was brilliant. I thought the story was good, but I didn't like what Gunn did, there was no reason really, and it will have dire consequences. I was surprised and glad to see the ending of this episode and I look forward to the next one!!!!moreless

  • You know what they say about payback? Well Fred's the b*tch.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By TwistedConverse, Aug 04, 2008
    I really enjoyed Supersymmetry and found it to be an excellent character driven episode and loved that we got to explore new depths of Fred and see different sides to her.

    I really liked the fact that Fred was sent to Pylea through a deliberate attack. It's bad enough that it happened by accident but when you learn someone you looked up to and trusted sent you to a hell dimension, you're going to be pretty upset. Or in Fred's case turn into a homicidal maniac bent on killing the man who ruined your life. Excellent.

    Amy Acker was truly superb here and was genuinely frightening in some of her scenes where she's bent on killing Professor Seidel and the line "No. He's gonna die" creeps me out to this day. This episode is also the beginning of the end for Fred and Gunn's relationship as one of the things Fred loves about Gunn is destroyed; he has it in him to kill a person. The final scene where they're completely uncommunicative shows the direction their relationship is taking and that it's not a good one. Wesley and Lilah's relationship also takes a downward turn here. He's obviously still smitten with Fred and despite her later insistence she isn't jealous, the scene that she follows him to Fred's lecture and looks at him angrily proves otherwise. He also turns her offer down to see Fred's lecture. Wesley is still in love with Fred and his part in helping her kill Seidel proves this. He also keeps throwing out hints that Gunn isn't here for her in hopes that she'll get rid of Gunn.

    The Cordelia and Connor scenes were.. yuck. Seeing Cordelia, the closest thing to a mother Connor has ever had, kiss him is all kinds of wrong. Thankfully she has amnesia or I'd be put right off her. I liked that she eventually went back to Angel though. The fact that even though she can't remember him but is still very drawn to him is proof that they were more than just friends. Cordelia herself asks if they were in love at the end here and we finally get the answer next episode!

    Supersymmetry is an excellent episode that focuses on all the couples of the show and shows that basically all of them are taking downward turns. It provides us with more insight into Fred and shouldn't be missed.moreless

  • Superinconsistency!

    6.9
    "Fair"
    By lenzinoH20, Aug 16, 2007
    Supersymmetry-After Fred's physics article is published; she's invited to speak at a symposium where a portal opens, bringing her face to face with a demon and a dark secret about her old professor. Meanwhile Angel visits a comic book store seeking to solve the mystery and find out why someone would want Fred out of the way.

    An episode with plot that just feels forced, but has a shocking ending. First, the revelation that Fred's old professor sent her to Pylea brings a continuity error, since we know Fred was alone in the library when she read the book. It just doesn't make sense. Second, am I the only one who felt Fred's sudden blood lust a little forced. I mean Any Acker gives a great performance, but whole wanting to kill someone feels to extreme for even the character. I mean I know Fred can't be sweet and innocent forever, but that was just over-kill with the revenge. Also, why would she go to Wesley is pretty vague. I did like that Gunn was so protective and reasonable throughout this hour. It shows juist how much the character has grown and cares for Fred. But even I couldn't have forseen him actually killing the professor for Fred. It's a shocking yet unneeded development and it's just as hard to believe Gunn would kill someone, but hey rather him then Fred though. It's a very dark moment for Gunn which ultimately begins the downfall of their relationship. The best parts of the episode are Lilah who is jealous of Wesley's affections for Lilah, also Angel fighting with the demon that won't die, even after his head has been removed. This episode also provided some nice portal opening special effects. The episode ends with Cordelia asking Angel if they were in love, what will be his answer? All and All, even with unneeded and forced developments, there are still good scenes and other interestiong developments.moreless

  • The truth about what happened to Fred.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By SMGslayer97, May 10, 2007
    I had wondered since the end of season two, when we were first shown that Fred was in Lorne's home dimension of Pylea, is they were every going to do anything more with it. For awhile it seemed like it just wasn't going to be touched and then this episode. I wasn't expecting what happened though. Fred was sent to Pylea by a trusted professor who was what? Intimidated by her brilliance? And then he lures her back to her old school by publishing one of her articles to try and do it again. That was, is I mean I'd have a stroke if I were Fred which she very nearly does. After seeking out Wesley to help her kill this proffessor, revealing a darkness in Fred that has really never been seen before. Fred gets pretty close to killing, too. Opening a portal to a hell dimension, Gunn interrupts her plans and pleas for her not to do this claiming he would lose her if she kills him. Fortunately for Fred Gunn steps up and kills the profesror himself, throwing him into the portal thus revealing a darkness in a real darkness in Gunn that proves leathal to his relationship with Fred. Honestly, I've never been a big Gunn fan and I've always thought Wes and Fred made such a better couple and way more sense but I didn't like Charles had that kind of darkness in him. Not till this episode. It's interesting how season four focuses on the darkness in Wesley and this episode focuses on the darkness in Fred but the one we really needed to worry about was Gunn, and just what he is capable of.moreless
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  • TRIVIA (4)

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    • The photo of Fred and Gunn appears to be a studio still of the night Angel took everyone to the ballet in Season 3 since no one had a camera in the balcony where the scene takes place.

    • When Angel catches Connor sifting through Cordy's things in the beginning... shouldn't he have known it was him by smelling his scent? He seemed to only know when he saw his face.

    • Watch the floor after Fred opens the dimensional portal and you'll notice that every so often the cgi team forgot to insert it in a couple of spots.

    • The vortex Fred creates is sucking in furniture and eventually sucks in Seidel's corpse...but Fred and Gunn just stand there without any indication it's pulling on them.

  • QUOTES (14)

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    • Fred: How about a flail whipping? Would that take a nice long time? Angel: Hours, if you do it right. Not that you should do it at all. Ever. Fred: He's a killer. And he's just sitting there smiling, telling me I'm so gifted and how he wants to teach me. Oh, there's gonna be a lesson all right.

    • (about Cordelia) Angel: Wait... you should take her fuzzy slippers... her feet get cold. Connor: I know, she's always stealing the covers.

    • Fred: You know what they say about payback? Well, I'm the bitch.

    • Gunn: All these people here to see you? Fred: I'm just a minor speaker. (sees the agenda posted outside the auditorium) Oh, God! I'm between Ed Witten and Brian Greene? (Angel and Gunn don't react) Think Nomar Garciaparra and Sammy Sosa.

    • Gunn: (Fred is writing a problem on the wall) Never liked the paint in here. Yeah, let's... let's redo the place, really make it ours.

    • Gunn: (about Fred's speech) Listen man, I'm gonna need simultaneous translating on this thing. You know, like the president with the Russians but just give me the highlights. Angel: No problem. Of course, I have no idea what she's talking about.

    • Fred: It's kind of funny, thinking how threatened you were by me back when I was a grad student. That's why you sent me and the others away, isn't it? You couldn't handle the competition. Professor Seidel: Fred... Fred: That's why Laurie's still around. She's not smart enough to overshadow you, is she? Not like me. I'm special! Special on a Pylean platter with a side of you-make-me-sick.

    • Wesley: Oh look, a bribe. How thoughtful.

    • Lorne: Hey, death just doesn't look good on me.

    • Angel: Run-in with a Voynok demon. Turns out they have nine lives. Cordy: Like a cat? Angel: Only less standoffish.

    • Angel: Come on! I'm holding your head!

    • Lilah: You know, Angel, coming from you, idle threats are so...well, idle. Angel: Do you remember when I ripped your car in half? Lilah: Yeah, yeah. Hulk smash.

    • Angel: They talk about me in the chatty rooms?

    • Cordelia: ...so no more lies. Angel: No more lies. Cordelia: Good... because there's something I need to know... Were we in love?

  • NOTES (7)

    ADD NOTES

    • This episode received a 3.2/4 in the overnight ratings.

    • Andy Hallett (Lorne) is credited as "Special Guest Star Andy Hallett."

    • This marks the first and only time we see Cordelia's parents. They don't appear in person though only in one of the pictures that Cordelia hangs up to help her remember who is who.

    • Amy Acker does the "Previously on Angel" voiceover.

    • Elizabeth and Sarah wrote "Supersymmetry" with the intention of having Fred kill Professor Seidel. Tim Minear rewrote the script to have Gunn killing him instead.

    • This episode marks the second time Fred has gotten in trouble because of her intelligence. The first time was the episode "Provider" (Season 3) where demons wanted to buy her brains after solving a complex puzzle. Now her smart article about supersymmetry gets her into dimensional trouble. It's tough being smart.

    • Again we see Angel making rather idle threats against Lilah/Wolfram & Hart. This time, Lilah tells him that she's not really intimidated by his threats since she knows he's not going to hurt her.

  • ALLUSIONS (6)

    ADD ALLUSIONS

    • Comic Rack Gunn slams the comic shop clerk into a rack holding Dark Horse comics. Dark Horse has published "Buffy" and "Angel." comics.

    • Lilah: If this is about the Jolly Green Demon... Lilah in discussing her past actions regarding Lorne she compares him to the mascot for Green Giant vegetables. 'Ho Ho Ho Green Giant.'

    • Gunn: Think Daredevil. One-eighty-one. I'm Bullseye. You're Elektra. One wins. One dies. Gunn uses terminology that Jared will understand by referencing a set of Marvel Comics characters from the Daredevil series. The #181 edition can be seen in the film Daredevil, which starred Ben Affleck. In this issue Elektra is being killed by Bullseye, using her own sai. Bullseye was later paralyzed in a battle with the mourning Daredevil.

    • Episode Title:
      The episode's title, "Supersymmetry," is a reference to a mathematical system in physics by the same name. Supersymmetry is one of the foundations of string theory, which Fred refers to in her research. The term takes on several other meanings throughout the episode, most notably the symmetry of guilt between Fred and Gunn after his decision to kill Professor Seidel for her.

    • Lilah: Yeah, yeah. Hulk smash.
      'Hulk Smash' comes from the Marvel Comics series 'The Incredible Hulk,' as well as the movie, Hulk.

    • Gunn: Like the story about the girl, the cat, and the peanut butter.
      Yes, there's an actual urban legend about this story. For more details, of a rather risque nature, check out snopes.com

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