Angel/Recap/S03 E03 That Old Gang of Mine

Gunn has divided loyalties when he discovers his old gang are killing demons at random.

• Attack Hello: On arriving at his old hideout Gunn is attacked by a couple of new members who don't recognise him, including a crossbow-wielding Gio.
• Bait and Switch Comment: The "Previously On..." features Angel sleeping with Darla and then throwing her out. The teaser then opens on Angel apparently apologising to Darla for his actions, when actually he's apologising to Merle for Perp Sweating him in Season 2.
• Big "Shut Up!"
• Beware the Quiet Ones: Cordelia lampshades this.
• Click Hello / Noisy Guns
• Catapult Nightmare: Gunn dreams of staking his sister.
• Chekhov's Gag: Fred laughing at something a shrub said. Later in Season Five when she becomes Illyria, one of her powers is Talking to Plants.
• Conflicting Loyalty: Gunn is torn between his old street gang and his new friends in Angel Investigations.
• Covered in Gunge: Gio's people leave some icky messes.
• Description Cut: Subverted; Wesley speculates at to what kind of demon might have done the terrible murders he's investigating. Cut to a hideous demon slouching through the sewers, who then turns to reveal it's harmlessly sipping soft drink. The demon nervously enquires who's there, and is promptly rushed and murdered by Gio's gang.
• Eats Babies: Gio points out that one of the demons drinking at Caritas does this, so why isn't Gunn killing it? When the demon starts threatening to eat the children of the man holding him at gunpoint, at the same time as Gio is Hannibal Lecturing Gunn over his sister's death, Gunn screams, "I told you to shut (turns his shotgun from Gio and blasts demon) up!"
• Evil Counterpart: Gio is a fanatical demon hunter who corrupted Gunn's old crew while he was gone.
• Failed Attempt At Drama: Merle storming off, then realising he needs a lift.
• Fantastic Aesop
• Fantastic Racism: Angel apologises to Merle for beating and torturing him in Season 2, but clearly doesn't put the same effort he did into making up with his human friends (as Merle points out, a genuine apology doesn't require cue cards). Gunn asks Wesley why they're investigating the murder of demons at all, but is forced to confront the issue when his gang is threatening Angel and Lorne.
• Finishing Each Other's Sentences: The Transuding Furies. Except when Angel's name is mentioned.
• From Nobody to Nightmare: One of the demons slapped around by Gio turns out to be a huge bug creature that bites his head off.
• Gesundheit

Angel: "Here. I want you to go this address." Cordy: "What is it?" Angel: "Transuding furies." Cordy: "Gesundheit."

• Getting Crap Past the Radar / Boldly Coming

Furies: "Only Angel is equipped to make good on this debt." Cordy: "Angel. (Rude noise) I don't know. For a guy, who's a couple of centuries old — not very big with the wise investing. (Looks at the smiles on the Furies' faces) And when you say 'equipped' that isn't what you mean, is it?" Furies: "Mmmmm, Angel." Cordy: "Got it. And 'eww!'"

• Gunge Splattered Innocents: Fred gets splattered with the green blood of a demon when Gio's gang burst in firing.
• Hell-Bent for Leather: Angel is wearing his Black Leather Pants of Evil! No wonder Cordy listed him as their chief suspect in Merle's death.
• Hit Me Dammit: Subverted; Angel encourages Merle to take a swing at him. Merle swings a bottle at his head, giving Angel something to smirk over when Merle is zapped by Caritas' protection spell.
• I Have Your Friends: Cordelia is released so as to fetch Angel. Gunn already knows he'll be expected to kill him.
• It's What I Do

Gio: I kill monsters. That's what I do.

• Jaws First Person Perspective: Merle's death.
• Killed Off for Real: Merle
• Killed Mid-Sentence / Off with His Head: Gio is shouting at his gang because Team Wesley is kicking their asses, and doesn't notice the big-ass demon rising up behind him until it bites Gio's head off.
• Kill Me Now or Forever Stay Your Hand: Gunn is given a stake and told to kill Angel.

Angel: "Here, Charles — let me make it simple for you. (morphs into Game Face) Take a look. This is what I am. Deal with it or don't. But make a damn choice."

• Mexican Standoff
• More Dakka: Uzi does it...
• Multiple Head Case: The strange way the three women keep floating up and down and completing each others' sentences implies the Furies are joined together below camera level. Hence Cordelia's downward eye-flick and "Eeew!" reaction.
• Noodle Incident: Whatever caused Gio to flee Miami.
• Oh, Wait!
• "Previously On...": Features Darla even though she doesn't appear in the episode, purely for a Bait and Switch Comment gag.
• Rogue Agent: What Gunn thinks Gio is, only to discover Rondell and the others are in it too.
• Shadow Discretion Shot / Gory Discretion Shot: Merle's death.
• Shoot Your Mate: Gunn and then Fred is offered the opportunity to walk out alive if they kill Angel.
• Slasher Smile: Lorne after getting punched in the face; the effect is enhanced by his bloody teeth.
• Staking the Loved One: Angel makes it clear that he can only trust Gunn if he's ready to stake him.
• Stock Sound Effects: Gio has the usual feedback squeal when he sings karaoke.
• Suspiciously Apropos Music: Fred singing "Crazy" by Patsy Cline.

Cordy: "I swear to God she picked out the song herself."

• Talking to Plants: Fred laughs over something funny the plants in the Hyperion's garden have told her.
• Talk to the Fist
• Tempting Fate: Merle shouts that he never wants to see any member of the Fang Gang ever again. He's subsequently murdered.
• To the Pain: Fred holding a crossbow to Gio's neck.

"Now, if I pierce one of your carotid arteries, considering the temperature in here, 'cause I think somebody shot the thermostat, the blood loss is gonna be heavy. And there's a chance I'll puncture a vocal cord and you won't even be able to scream. But you'll want to when the blood loss to your brain results in a cerebral vascular event. That's a stroke. I wasn't trying to sound snooty."

• Truce Zone: Caritas is protected by a spell that prevents any demon from doing harm; unfortunately it doesn't work on humans.
• Ultimate Job Security: Averted; Wesley understands Gunn's dilemma, but states that if he withholds information again he'll be fired.
• Vampires Are Sex Gods: "Mmmmmm. Angel!"
• Van Helsing Hate Crimes