Angel/Recap/S01 E04 I Fall to Pieces

Angel tries to protect a woman from her stalker, an eye surgeon who can detach parts of his body and control them at a distance.

"Cordelia: You're a lot smarter than you look. 'Course you look like a retard."
 * Backhanded Compliment

"Doyle: Yeah, well, what say we leave it crooked until this thing is resolved?!"
 * Detachment Combat
 * Don't Sneak Up On Me Like That: Doyle is busy duct-taping Angel's basement to protect against Dr. Meltzer's disassembling body parts. A pair of hands skitter up Doyle's neck — whoops, it's just Cordelia, who picked a fine time to fix Doyle's collar. This makes so little sense that it must be a wink on Joss's part.

"Doyle: “He likes playing the hero; walking off into the dark with his long coat flowing behind him in a mysterious and attractive way.”
 * Even the Guys Want Him / Badass Longcoat

Cordy: “Is this a private moment? Because I can leave you alone.”

Doyle: “No, no, I’m not saying I’m attracted.”

A few minutes later we get a hero shot of Angel striding out the door, his coat billowing behind.

Doyle: “Maybe I’m a little attracted.”"

"Angel: “I scared her.”
 * Evil Hand / Eye Spy
 * Friendly Neighborhood Vampire

Doyle: “Sounds to me like she was scared to begin with.”

Angel (pacing): “Am I intimidating? I mean –- do I put people off?”

Cordy: “Well, as vampires go, you’re pretty cuddly. Maybe you might want to think about mixing up the black on black look.”"

"Doyle: “...protecting young women such as yourself? Yeah, there’ve been – ah – 4. And 3 of them are very much alive. (Melissa gives him a shocked look and he quickly points at a picture on her desk) Is that you?”
 * Hermit Guru: Vinpur became a recluse when he saw what Meltzer could do with his teachings.
 * I Need a Freaking Drink: Doyle has a vision and immediately asks for pen, paper and a single malt scotch.
 * Mad Doctor: Dr Meltzer
 * My Card
 * 90% of Your Brain: Vinpur helped Meltzer increase his potential in psychic surgery.
 * Not Helping Your Case / Broken Bird

Melissa: “Ah, yeah. Bungee jumping.”

Doyle: “I’ve always meant to do that, but I intensely don’t want to, so I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

Melissa: “It’s fun. Scary.”

Doyle: “You don’t seem like the thrill seeker type.”

Melissa: “Well, I used to... You know, I used to do a lot of things...before.”

Doyle: “Don’t you worry. When Angel is finished with this case I can guarantee you’ll be wanting to jump off a bridge again.”"

"Angel: “It’s not about Melissa, it’s about rage. This guy is too messed up to deal with a real woman and he can’t stand that. So he creates a fantasy about a girl he barely knows. But eventually even she fails him. So he has to hurt her, because when he looks at her all he sees is how useless he is, how damaged..”
 * Not So Different: Angel appears to have quite an insight into Dr. Meltzer's stalking obsession. Drusilla and Buffy, anyone?

Cordy: “Uh, what a fun date you must have been in back in your bad vamp days. On the other hand, it should give you some insight into the jerks of the world.”"

"Melissa: “You turned yourself into a freak, Ronald, a vile, repulsive freak. And I’m done being afraid of you. You can cut me and you can kill me, but it still won’t change what you are. Angel was right. You’re weak!”
 * Off with His Head: Even Meltzer can't survive that, but a Genre Savvy Angel makes sure by burying him in separate metal boxes in a freeway construction site.
 * Pulling Themselves Together
 * Shut UP, Hannibal / Walk in Chime In

Ronald: “I’m weak? Then how was it I killed him?”

The door slides open behind him and he looks around at:

Angel: “Inefficiently.”"

"Ronald: “I developed this injector while working with animals. (Angel pulls out the dart and looks at it. It drops from his fingers) They don’t like their limbs cut off any more than we do and they can hurt you if you get to close. (Angel is gasping, his eyes wide) You’ll feel a slight sinking sensation – that’s your heart slowing down as the paralytic takes effect. Eventually it’ll stop all together."
 * Stalking Is Love
 * Stun Gun / To the Pain


 * That Came Out Wrong: Several of these from Doyle and Cordelia.
 * Weirdness Magnet: Doyle's visions are a way of getting around this; at first the stalking appears to be an ordinary police matter, but Cordelia points out that the Powers That Be wouldn't have sent Doyle a vision unless the supernatural was involved.
 * What Are You