Template:Angelepisode
"Life of the Party" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of Angel and the ninety-third episode overall. Written by Ben Edlund and directed by Bill L. Norton, it was originally broadcast on October 29, 2003 on the WB network.
As Halloween approached, Lorne threw a Halloween party for all the firm's clients and employees. During the gathering, Lorne's timely advice to his friends started happening literally, causing mischief. The events led to more trouble when Lorne's empathic subconscious began manifesting itself into a hulking demon.
Synopsis
As Halloween approached, Lorne threw a Halloween party for all the firm's clients and employees and even got a reluctant Angel to invite a powerful demon lord, named Archduke Sebassis, to the party. Other guests included the Fell Brethren, the Britzai Clan, Devlin, and a Thraxis Demon. During the gathering, Lorne's timely advice to his friends started happening literally. Winifred Burkle and Wesley Wyndam-Pryce got drunk after Lorne told them that their problem was that they were sober, and should be "three-sheets to the wind" already. Charles Gunn embarrassingly began relieving himself around the building after Lorne told him to "mark his territory." Angel and Eve had sex after Lorne told them to "get a room" due to the sexual tension he could sense. Finally, Spike began enjoying himself dancing, listening to the music, and becoming overly happy and agreeable once Lorne told him to "be a little more positive."
There was more trouble when Lorne's sleep deprivation caused his empathic subconscious to manifest itself as a hulking demon. The deprivation itself was the result of Lorne having Wolfram & Hart remove his ability to sleep entirely, just like Madeline Chu in accounting. Lorne's subconscious caused much violence before the gang restored Lorne's sleep, which neutralized the manifestation.
The chaos and destruction had a positive side, since most of Wolfram & Hart's employees felt that it made the party much better.
Continuity
- The changes caused by Lorne's increased empath abilities have a similar effect to the spell cast by Willow in Season Four's Something Blue.
- During the party montage following Artode's untimely demise in the bathroom stall, a green demon can be seen on the dance floor wearing the same tunic worn by El Eliminati in Bad Girls.
Body Count
- unidentified human, killed by Devlin for his skin mask (only mentioned)
- Artode, killed by Lorne's subconcious
- Devlin, killed by Lorne's subconcious
Behind the Scenes
Life of the Party - TV Promo
Goofs, Bloopers & Continuity Errors
- Several employees make comments about the previous year's party even though Lilah stated in Calvary that The Beast killed everyone who worked at Wolfram & Hart: lawyers, janitors, secretaries, people out sick that day, etc. Were that the case, then no one would know anything about the previous party because all of the people who attended the previous party are dead. However it's possible the employees were brought in from other branches.
- Despite being a ghost, Spike is swatted by Lorne's alter-ego. The swat should have gone through Spike instead of sending him tumbling. However this could be construed as just a side effect of the spell.
Music
- Thelma Houston- "Don't leave me this way" sung by Lorne and his alter-ego in the cold opening
- Robert J. Kral- original score
Trivia
- In the beginning, Lorne is pitching a "Grapes of Wrath" in space, and the struggle of intergalactic poverty. On the surface, this recalls the setting for Firefly.
- While searching for Lorne's sleep, Fred comes across Madeline from accounting's "ennui" which basically means her boredom or listlessness.
- Lorne finds Angel hiding from the party in his office, watching a hockey game. Actor David Boreanaz is a real-life Philadelphia Flyers fan.
- Eve says she went to UC Santa Cruz, the alma mater of Buffy writer/producer Marti Noxon.
International titles
- German: Der Lorne-Effekt (The Lorne-Effect)
- French: Une fête à tout casser (A smashing party)
Other
- This episode is Lorne-centric
Quotes
| Lorne: "Stop it! Stop killing! Listen to me, Me!" [his hulking alter ego knocks him down] "Wow, I must really hate myself." |
| Wesley: "Lorne's sleep should be in here ... somewhere." |
| Fred: "Lorne's sleep. Looking for Lorne's sleep. You know, I think we have pretty interesting lives." |
| Wesley: "I'd say that's true, given the average ..." |
| Fred: "And I'm having such a good time right now. We should do stuff like this more often. You know, just hang out like we used to. Friend stuff." |
| Wesley: "Absolutely. Frankly, I always ... I always thought we'd be better friends than we are." |
| Fred: "Oh, we should be. Let's be better friends than we are right now." [hugs Wes with enthusiasm, smiling and giggling] |
| Wesley: "Great." |
| Fred: "You know, share stuff, talk to each other, tell each other what we're thinking." |
| Wesley: "Yes, that would be ... I would ..." |
| Fred: "It would be nice. We could be confidantes. Confiding confidentially." |