"Billy" is episode 6 of season 3 in the television show ''
Angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inclu ...
''. Written by
Tim Minear and
Jeffrey Bell
Jeffrey Jackson Bell is an American writer and producer best known for his work on television. He began his career writing for '' The X-Files'', where he stayed for three seasons, then became a writer/director/producer on '' Angel'', becoming it ...
and directed by
David Grossman
David Grossman ( he, דויד גרוסמן; born January 25, 1954) is an Israeli author. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages.
In 2018, he was awarded the Israel Prize for literature.
Biography
David Grossman was born i ...
, it was originally broadcast on October 29, 2001 on the
WB television network
A television network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay television providers. Until the mid- ...
. In this episode,
Angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inclu ...
investigates a wave of violence against women throughout
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, caused by Billy's ability to infect men with murderous
misogyny
Misogyny () is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women. It is a form of sexism that is used to keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the societal roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practice ...
.
Cordelia
Cordelia is a feminine given name. It was borne by the tragic heroine of Shakespeare's ''King Lear'' (1606), a character based on the List of legendary kings of Britain, legendary queen Cordelia of Britain, Cordelia. The name is of uncertain origi ...
seeks the aid of
Lilah, who is a victim of Billy’s power, while
Fred
Fred may refer to:
People
* Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name
Mononym
* Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French
* Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Frederico Rod ...
finds herself in danger from an infected
Wesley.
Plot
Angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inclu ...
teaches
Cordelia
Cordelia is a feminine given name. It was borne by the tragic heroine of Shakespeare's ''King Lear'' (1606), a character based on the List of legendary kings of Britain, legendary queen Cordelia of Britain, Cordelia. The name is of uncertain origi ...
how to sword fight so that she can defend herself if Angel isn't there to protect her.
Lilah finds Billy, the man Angel was forced to rescue from hell, in her office talking with Gavin Park. Lilah tells Gavin to stay away from her clients. Gavin attacks her, smashing her head into a glass case and strangling her.
Cordelia has a vision of a woman being beaten by her husband in a convenience store. Wesley gets surveillance photos from the crime, in which they spot Billy. Wesley,
Gunn Gunn may refer to:
Places
* Gunn City, Missouri, a village
* Gunn, Northern Territory, outer suburb of Darwin
* Gunn, Alberta, Canada, a hamlet
* Gunn Valley, a mountain valley in British Columbia, Canada
* Gun Lake (British Columbia), a Canad ...
, and Angel track down Billy; however, the police arrive first to take Billy into custody for phoning in a tip on the location of a murder victim. Lilah reveals that Billy's touch turns men into vicious misogynists. Wesley and Fred examine Billy's blood cells through the microscope and observes that his power is in his blood, saliva, and sweat. They are affected by Billy's power and begin fighting.
Angel tracks Billy's last location to a party at his cousin's house, where he discovers that Billy's entire family is aware of his situation and want him gone. Cordelia finds Billy waiting for a private plane at the airport. He's not interested in talking with her, and she debilitates him with a stun gun to his groin. Angel arrives to help Cordelia and Billy touches Angel's face, but is unaffected, having long since lost the capacity to feel hatred. As Angel and Billy fight, Lilah shoots Billy dead before Cordelia can get a clear shot with her crossbow.
Fred forgives Wesley for the fight. Fred remains concerned that violence is a part of him, he doesn't know who he is or how to return to life as it was before.
Production
Dylan Blim invokes John F. Kennedy Jr. who was a member of the family himself—but adamantly disliked the conduct of relatives. Dylan is aware that Angel is a vampire with the potential to kill Billy but still invites him into the family compound. Kennedy had also openly criticized relatives engaging in 'bad behavior'.
Reception
Stephanie Romanov says the ending to this episode was one of her "favorite Lilah moments. It was the only time Lilah was a hero."
DVD Verdict called this episode a ''
The Shining'' homage with an "unsubtle metaphor" that "misogyny is BAD."
The Futon Critic named it the 36th best episode of 2001, saying "No show pushes as many buttons at the same time as this one."
In 2021, ''
Paste'' named the episode the most terrifying episode of the
Buffyverse
The Buffyverse or Slayerverse is a media franchise created by Joss Whedon. The term also refers to the shared fictional universe in which the TV series '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and ''Angel'' are set. This term, originally coined by fans ...
, writing "When it comes to horror, things like jumpscares, bodies falling out of closets, or other similar genre staples are the kind that frighten you for a moment, maybe two, and then they're gone. ''Billy''s horror operates from the opposite direction, capitalizing on quiet moments and the slow burn of it all: the haunted look in Lilah's eyes as she steps out of the shadows to reveal her face mottled with bruises, or the cruelty in Wesley's voice as he taunts and terrorizes Fred. It's a kind of unsettling, skin-crawling horror that will sit with you long after the credits have rolled."
References
External links
*
{{Angel episodes
Angel (season 3) episodes
2001 American television episodes
Television episodes about misogyny
Television episodes written by Tim Minear