"Angel" Sense and Sensitivity (TV Episode 1999) Poster

(TV Series)

(1999)

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7/10
You could be a 'rainbow' and not a 'painbow'
SleepTight66618 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
You could be a 'rainbow' and not a 'painbow' - The show's first comedy episode, despite it being very silly I highly enjoyed it. Wolfram & Heart makes it's first appearance after the pilot introducing the second lawyer 'Lee Mercer' who gets hired by a criminal that wants to get rid of 'Kate'. Wolfram & Heart hire a sensitivity trainer with a talking stick that turns everyone into sensitive morons. In this episode we also meet 'Kate's dad, one emotionless jackass that didn't know how to raise a child. I really loved 'Kate's breakdown, Elisabeth Rohm did a fine job. My favorite scenes this episode have to be after 'Angel' got sensitive and hugged his crew. Also loved the teaser where 'Cordelia' complains about 'Angel' being insensitive and clueless while 'Doyle' is getting strangled by a huge snake demon. A quite funny episode, but it also went deeper into the relationship of 'Angel' and 'Kate'. It was great to see a completely different 'Angel'. . TONY: If I'd known how bad you wanted me, I mighta let you catch me sooner. KATE: If I'd known how much you needed the exercise, I might've let you run a little longer. (8.5 out of 10)
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7/10
Fun and funsitivity
ossie8516 April 2023
This is definitely a cute episode of Angel, but it's not without its flaws. While the concept is unique, the execution feels a bit contrived and overly exaggerated.

However, the episode does have its moments of levity, particularly in the scenes involving Kate. As she succumbs to the effects of the spell, she becomes a bit more carefree and goofy, delivering some of the funniest lines of the episode. It's a nice change of pace for the character, who tends to be quite serious and brooding most of the time.

Soft and cuddly Angel (Pain bear lol) is also worth the price of admission. And we also get Wolfram & Hart developed a bit more.
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6/10
I completely forgot about that episode.
m-478267 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
But I enjoyed rewatching it. It's a shame the Kate Lockley character was spoiled in later episodes. Her character was interesting and she had a great chemistry with Angel. Her open heart moment was both moving and embarrassing, and the way the actress nailed that part, made me love it even more. The craziness led by the charm, was both hysterical and scary to me, because that's exactly how most people are these days... Cordelia and Doyle teaming up, was a nice addition to the episode. Its conclusion, was when the script got deep and meaningful. I really don't get the bad ratings ils getting. It was a good episode.
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6/10
Cordelia: Mr. and Mrs. Spock need to mind-meld now.
bombersflyup19 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Sense and Sensitivity is about a crime boss implementing mystical sensitivity training on the police force, targeting one Kate Lockley.

A bit of a mix here, funny and somewhat amateurish at times, but also character developing. Little Tony's weak and the Wolfram and Hart lawyer pompous. I don't see a cop allowing a lawyer to talk to them like that, he has no power in that setting. Kate's more than invested in this friendship and working relationship, but there's a good reason Angel shouldn't make a connection with people as well.
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9/10
A spell has everyone expressing their more sensitive sides
katierose29515 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is only funny if you know Angel. He's usual so stiff and introverted, that when he suddenly starts urging people to express their feeling and conscientiously considering the bad guy's point of view, it's pretty hilarious. Most of the time, Angel is the straight man. Not that he can't be super funny, but he usually sort of builds on someone else's joke. "Sense and Sensitivity" has Angel supplying the comedy and Cordy and Doyle reacting to him. It works really well. This episode also introduces Kate's father and Lee, a lawyer at Wolfram and Hart, both whom will play a larger role later in the season. If you're watching the show on DVD, you shouldn't skip this episode.

"Sense and Sensitivity" revolves around a magic spell infecting the LAPD. Kate's after a gangster named Little Tony. She asks Angel for help and he tracks Little Tony down. Unfortunately, Little Tony's represented by Wolfram and Hart. Pretty soon, his lawyer is accusing Kate of unnecessarily harsh treatment, so the entire department has to go sensitivity training. However, being Wolfram and Hart, they have a supernatural trick up their sleeve. The course is conducted by a warlock, who is enchanting everyone with his "talking stick." Soon the entire police department is weeping, and sharing their feelings, and generally incapacitated. Which means that Little Tony can escape.

Meanwhile, Angel goes looking for the warlock and is accidentally infected himself. Cordy has been trying to get Angel to show more appreciation and some deeper feelings. But she certainly, never wanted him to be this sensitive. He's refusing to fight and keeps stopping to express himself, "I'm feeling unheard." Little Tony is staging an escape from jail. Doyle and Cordelia insist that they have to stop him and Angel reluctantly agrees. He and Kate finally fight Little Tony and his goons, saving the day. Wolfram and Hart cut ties with Little Tony. And everyone goes back to normal... well, normal-ish.

There are some really good parts to this episode. I like Angel trying to win Cordelia over by striving to be more sensitive. He stumbles over his words as he thanks her for looking through morgue files, until she finally announces, "Lame." Angel looks so dejected that I always smile. And I really like Kate's father's party. She breaks down crying in the middle of her speech. The cops are all infected, so they start arguing over her "break through." "She's abusing the process!" The police spend the rest of the episode dealing with their new feelings. Suddenly, they're advising the victim to listen to her mugger's point of view and composing poems for the prisoners. It's pretty funny. And Kate and Angel defeating Little Tony is also a riot. From Angel saying that Tony needs to be a rainbow, not a "painbow," to Kate sadly lamenting that some people really need to "live in the problem," it's just such a bizarre "fight scene" that I really enjoy it. Finally, the episode gets extra points for putting Angel in a Hawwian shirt and stupid hat. Not only does he look adorable, but it fits in really well with the BTVS season four episode "Doomed." Which is situated a just a few episodes from "Sense and Sensivtity." In "Doomed," Spike unsuccessfully tries to use a washing machine and ruins all his clothes. He's stuck wearing one of Xander's Hawwian shirts, which is hilarious. In "Sense and Sensitvity" Angel uses a very similar looking shirt as his "Herb Saunders from Baltimore" disguise. Spike and Angel are my favorite characters, so any time I can connect them, I'm pretty happy.

On the down side, I don't like Kate and I REALLY don't like her father. She's a shallow, annoying waste of time. And he's such a jerk, I'm already voting for vampires to eat him. Maybe, I'm biased because I know how the storyline turns out, but I wish they would just go away and not come back.

My favorite part of the episode: Angel infected by the "talking stick." Cordy and Doyle try and convince him to vamp out and fight, but he refuses. "You both withdrawal when I go vampire. I feel that you judge me and closeness is just too important to me right now." Then he hugs them. I laugh every time I watch their horrified reactions.
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10/10
Great potential couple
limetalhead15 October 2008
Warning: Spoilers
By far one of my top 5 favorite episodes of the entire series. I love how it was the first funny episode in the series. Kate arrests a fat Italian crime boss with some assistance from Angel. He claims she is too rough and the city forces her whole department to have a sensitivity training class. What we don't know is that the trainer is on Wolfram & Hart's payroll and his 'talking stick' is possessed.

What I liked best about this episode is the major development in Angel & Kate's relationship. Since we first saw her in 'Lonely Hearts', I thought the chemistry between the two of them was beyond amazing. This 'emotional connection' was taken to a new level here. Kate asking Angel to be her date to her Dad's retirement party showed that she trusted Angel in more than just a business way. Even though she was pretty 'high' from the talking stick while in Angel's office, her comments led me to believe that she wanted to be more than friends. Also, the comment of "Someone's got a crush" she made to Doyle & Cordy when she realized Doyle liked Cordy was pretty funny.

Angel & Kate would've made a great pair had the writers allowed their connection to grow stronger. The comments and actions they made near the end when both possessed by the stick were proof of that. Angel: "You know Anthony, you could be a rainbow, and not a painbow. I mean it really is all up to you." Kate points at Angel. Kate: "You." Angel: "No, you." Kate: "Come here." And then they hug. Cordy: "Anyone for vomit?" Angel: " It's so sad isn't it?" Kate: "Some people just really need to live in the problem." In my mind, Angel had better chemistry with Kate than most people gave them credit for. It just sucked that she was only on the show for a handful of episodes during the first two seasons. I would've liked to have seen her be more involved that she was.

P.S. Kate also looked wicked hot in this episode. I mean, that blue dress, c'mon. That combined with her blond hair and baby blue eyes. What a beautiful sight to behold.
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4/10
Sense and Sensitivity
Joxerlives2 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Sense and sensitivity

The Good; Very funny to watch the cops acting supersensitive but also affecting to see Kate's father and all his little putdowns of her and her emotive speech is a heartbreaker if there ever was one

The Bad; Hard to put your finger on it but sometimes this ep feels almost too clever for it's own good

Best line: Angel "My parents were great, tasted a lot like chicken" (and as we later learn he's not joking)

Jeez, how did they get away with that? Nasty the way little Tony keeps calling Kate a bitch

Apocalypses: 4

Angel Clichés Damsel in distress; yep 3.

Inverting the Hollywood cliché; supersensitive cops rather than the macho LAPD we're used to seeing

In disguise; 2. yep, Herb Saunders from Baltimore again

DB get's his shirt off; 2

Cordy's tatto;2 We see it when she's breaking into the police station.

Fang Gang in bondage: Cordy: 5 Angel: 4 Wes: 1

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy: 8 Angel: 7 Wes: 1 Doyle; 1

Kills: Cordy: none this ep. 3 vamps, ½ a demon from her time in Sunnydale Angel: 1 demon for Angel. So that gives Angel 8 vamps, 4 demons, 2 humans. It looks like the thing that attacks Fred in Supersymmetry

Fang Gang go evil: Cordy: 1 Angel: 1

Alternate Fang Gang: supersensitive Angel Cordy: 2 Angel: 4

Characters killed: one cop shot although we don't know if he dies? 14

Total number of Angel Investigations: 3, Angel, Doyle and Cordy

Angel Investigations shot: Angel: 5,

Packing heat; unlike the Sunnydale Scoobies Angel Investigations periodically resort to firearms, here Doyle with a shotgun Doyle; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Cordy: 1? Angel: 1;Buffy

Kinky dinky: Kate wants to picture Angel in his underwear. Kate observes the crush of Doyle on Cordy. One of the cops states that the stress of his job makes it impossible for him to make love to his wife. AI group hug.

Captain Subtext; Kate's dad comments that its been so long since he's seen her with a guy he suspected she might be gay. Angel is once more referred to as a 'Nancy boy'. Angel calls CC 'precious'.

Know the face, different character; 1

Parking garages; 2

Guantanamo Bay; Kate's interrogation technique leaves a little something to be desired. Angel beats up another of WR&H's lackey. Trevor comments that in his day they didn't need sensitivity as anyone who read Elmore Leonard knows. Cordy's mum calls for her, one of the few references to her family in the series. Angel uses a mobile phone and night vision. Our first sight of WR&H's HQ and Lee. You've got to hand it to the sensitivity coach, he has a point about Kate and co. How lovely does Kate look in her dress? Rather similar to Dawn's in season 5?

Questions and observations; Could have been great but just lacks that certain something? Nice to have Kate ask Angel for help and be the focus of the ep. First appearance of Lee. We're later told that WR&H 'own' the police but obviously not yet.

Marks out of 10; 4/10
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2/10
Far too much Det. Kate Lockley
professoritterrohl25 October 2020
Angel has been a tough watch so far lacking the story lines humour and cast of Buffy. This episode almost made me give up on the series. For most of the show you would never know it was a fantasy supernatural show. This episode focuses largely on detective Kate Lockley and her relationship with her father. That story line has been done to death in many a tv show and this episode brings nothing new to the table. The main problem is that Kate is a dull character and I would happily see her be eaten alive by a demon. The episode kicks off with Kate pursuing a criminal and despite running at a much slower pace manages to apprehend him. She then proceeds to man-handle him even though he could blow her over. Worse is to come when she roughs him up in a cell and not even the best attempts at ending can make it look realistic. You can accept Buffy beating up people because of her super powers and it is usually well shot. But this was awful and makes the show look tacky. I don't know how they got Angel so wrong when they had the successful Buffy blueprint to work from.
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