Charlie's Angels was at its best when it knew how to have fun. Angel's Child tried to tackle the serious subject matter of child abuse. It was neither a home run nor a big swing and miss. What it was for sure was an Edward J Lasko script; full of dumb criminal behavior, occasionally bad detective work, and ridiculous melodrama. At least he didn't try to slip one of his dopey songs in.
Jaclyn Smith as Kelly Garrett does pretty well here from an acting standpoint. Most episodes she's not challenged all that much, but here she goes toe to toe with Simon Oakland's Sergeant Cates.
Kelly discovers that Cates' has been beating his son and she refuses to stay quiet about it. In a incredulous development, she's given temporary custody of the boy named Greg, played by Michael Herschewe.
The subplot revolves around a trio of criminals who have it in for Sgt. Cates because he arrested an accomplice of theirs. Naturally they decide the best course of action is to kidnap Kelly and the boy in order to force Cates to release their accomplice from prison. It's a stupid plan. After they accost Kelly and the boy at her home, they decide to stay there instead of taking their hostages to a safehouse. It's another CA example of criminals compounding their own criminal behavior and drawing more intention to themselves than they would have otherwise, and it always seems to happen in an Edward J Lasko script.
A few notes; for at least the third time they reuse the same location for Kelly Garrett's house, which was great continuity.
As for the guest cast, Michael Whitney returns for a second go-round, this time playing Stone, one of the criminals. He had previously played a menacing psycho who was stalking Kris when she had lost her memory in season 3. Rick Casorla makes his third appearance playing a criminal named Burke. He previously appeared in Antique Angels in season 2, and in Pom Pom Angels playing the repressed son of an L. A. football team's female owner.
Overall this is an episode that wanted to be great, that certainly sent a strong message about child abuse, and despite Smith's strong performance, the writing and directing didn't quite measure up.
Jaclyn Smith as Kelly Garrett does pretty well here from an acting standpoint. Most episodes she's not challenged all that much, but here she goes toe to toe with Simon Oakland's Sergeant Cates.
Kelly discovers that Cates' has been beating his son and she refuses to stay quiet about it. In a incredulous development, she's given temporary custody of the boy named Greg, played by Michael Herschewe.
The subplot revolves around a trio of criminals who have it in for Sgt. Cates because he arrested an accomplice of theirs. Naturally they decide the best course of action is to kidnap Kelly and the boy in order to force Cates to release their accomplice from prison. It's a stupid plan. After they accost Kelly and the boy at her home, they decide to stay there instead of taking their hostages to a safehouse. It's another CA example of criminals compounding their own criminal behavior and drawing more intention to themselves than they would have otherwise, and it always seems to happen in an Edward J Lasko script.
A few notes; for at least the third time they reuse the same location for Kelly Garrett's house, which was great continuity.
As for the guest cast, Michael Whitney returns for a second go-round, this time playing Stone, one of the criminals. He had previously played a menacing psycho who was stalking Kris when she had lost her memory in season 3. Rick Casorla makes his third appearance playing a criminal named Burke. He previously appeared in Antique Angels in season 2, and in Pom Pom Angels playing the repressed son of an L. A. football team's female owner.
Overall this is an episode that wanted to be great, that certainly sent a strong message about child abuse, and despite Smith's strong performance, the writing and directing didn't quite measure up.
