My review for the episode:
After several great episodes it's disappointing to see a boring episode like this one. I like Gina Torres, but the only reason she was cast into the role of Jasmine was because of Joss Whedon's obsession with Firefly, she is a good actress, but she can't hold the episode together simply because Jasmine is a brand new and simply boring character (and like Caleb probably just made to give a Firefly actor a job). The whole episode is very dialog centered and again the problem surfaces with the fact that the dialog isn't very gripping, it's just constant talking. And after watching everyone bow down to Cordelia I'm really not interested at seeing everyone, especially Angel kneeling and worshiping Jasmine (or any other character for that matter).
Fred questions why the evil thing didn't pick a horrible evil person to born in, I know I'm terrible and bitter, but who says that Jasmine didn't choose a evil person. And Fred has strange priorities, according to her, Angel killing Crappy (sorry, can't use the real name of this incarnation) to save the world is worse than setting the beast master free. Ugh!  But while Fred was jumping from Crappy worship to Jasmine worship and into crazy cave girl and back again, Charisma did one of her best performances of the season in a coma (that was evil of me, but she was bad as a saint, but really terrible as the big bad). And after Fred has scrubbed her fingers raw and sees Jasmine's real, gross maggoty face, she runs straight to the subject of her worship, Crappy, I'm starting to suspect that she's the one with the moira and yak dung. Even though she's still hung up on the coma-girl, without Crappy taking all the screen time, Fred is starting to be developed as more than just Gunn's girlfriend and Crappy's cheerleader as is seen when she goes to the hospital to find out if the “crazy guy” saw the same thing as she did. Also the guys face brings to mind Glory's scabby hobbits and his talk about being called the crusaders after the Key.
Angel being all serene and a little giddy is not something I care to see, just when he was getting his smarts back after Angelus' visit then comes Jasmine and he's taken a step back from the two steps forward. And totally off topic, but the yellow stripe shirt looked terrible on him, really not his color. But it's good to see him and Connor finally getting along. And I love the fact that once Gunn got out of his relationship with Fred and his annoying jealousy, he started to get good lines and better personality, like his line “That's definitely gonna help” to Connor's “You'll go nuts”. Interesting that Wesley is the last one to kneel in front of Jasmine, but too bad that it isn't explained why. But I found it very annoying that all Fred's friends were so ready to go and kill her after she saw the truth, I know they were all under Jasmine's spell, but I would have liked to see some love shine through like with Buffy's to Dawn in 'Him'. But even though I liked the ending scene at the café and Fred realizing that she's alone in the world, I'm annoyed with the fact that just like the rain of fire and black out, Jasmine is only affecting LA  .
While I found this episode extremely boring, I found it interesting that Jasmine is a former higher power. Who says that the Powers that be are good? And really, despite making everyone worship her and all that does not mean that she is good especially considering how she came to the world.
6
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