Dark Angel

When you access the audio commentary for this episode on the 6-disc set the writer and director admit that this episode came about by the pressure from FOX due to "sweeps week." Apparently, there was some chatter that the series needed to be funnier, less serious and this episode was their answer to that criticism for sweeps week. It's not a bad episode, but not one of my favorites from season 1, though I did like the angle about the security drones that had been programmed to kill undesirables. The CGI version of the drone was awesome, the model that they used in the final scene when Max destroys it, a little less awesome!



But back to the audio commentary on the DVD. If you listen you get a real clue and insight as to why Season 2 became so different from Season 1. Remember that Season 1 aired fall 2000 - spring 2001. The start of Season 2 (fall 2001) was around the time of the 911 terrorist attacks. If you recall, Season 1 episodes were all centered around anti-Government, anti-police, anti-establishment. However, after the 911 attacks, Americans weren't feeling much like watching this kind of series (at least in FOX's mind) and thus the dim bulbs at FOX decided that the show must change to something less anti-Government and anti-establishment which is why in Season 2 you see more of a diversion to the mutants that Manticore produced and the show takes on more of a emphasis on the misuse of science. I think this is really key as to why Season 2 evolved into something distinctly quite different than Season 1 and a reason why FOX lost so many viewers from Season 1 to Season 2, which along with the show's huge budget led to its cancellation.

Apparently, this episode came to fruition due to FOX's insistence that the show needed more bouts of humour. Yes, this episode was funny, but I'm glad that the writers kept some semblance of bleak, as I find it's when the series works best.



Phil is certainly a different kind of guest-star. Able to mount 10-foot fences, he makes for an interesting side-kick. Alec proved what Max would be like if she turned to the dark side of the force, but Phil stands to show what Max would be like if she had no social skills whatsoever…and was also a psycho.



Some of the comedy felt forced, especially that bit where they bust into an S&M scene, but Max's reactions to Phil were priceless. Things take a u-turn when Logan's uncle turns out to be connected to the string of murders, and the show continues to rattlle things up. Not only does Logan lose his fortune, but he may have found a plot-device that'll allow him to be mobile again.



Not quite filler, but it definitely could have been meatier. Max and Logan have a serious talk near the end of the hour and it looks as though Logan's beginning to move passed his fears of Max. Their relationship has become quite complicated. I don't want them to necessarily get together, but I do enjoy their scenes with each other…weird…I know.

this was a good episode. i like the guy that max meets. he was really funny and cool and so were his legs. they were trying to find out who was killing people and they found out that logans uncle was in on it. so the other guy that made them sends one to kill logan he gets saved, in the end he tells about it on eyes only and so now his money is cut off. he was still scared of max in this one but i think he has now goten over it. and at the very end that superhero guy sent logan his legs so hopefully logan will beable to walk agian.