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History Recap / AngelS03E05Fredless

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crosswicking

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* ProdigalFamily: When Fred's parents show up, she runs and hides, and everyone assumes she has some reason to be afraid of them. Turns out Fred isn't running from them, but from having to face that if she hasn't seen them in five years, then she really did spend five years in hell. Her parents are, in fact, probably the kindest, most supportive parents in the entire Buffyverse.
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* SheepInSheepsClothing: Fred is trying to escape her parents, who are presumed by the Fang Gang to be demons or AbusiveParents. It turns out her parents are completely normal which is why Fred doesn't want to face them, as it would mean acknowledging that the horrors she lived through were real. It's actually kind of amusing that Whedon had racked up so many abusive father characters that this is genuinely shocking.

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* SheepInSheepsClothing: Fred is trying to escape her parents, who are presumed by the Fang Gang to be demons or AbusiveParents. It turns out her parents are completely normal which is why Fred doesn't want to face them, as it would mean acknowledging that the horrors she lived through were real. It's actually kind of amusing that Whedon had racked up so many abusive father problematic parent characters (especially fathers) that this is can be genuinely shocking.
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* GadgeteerGenius: Fred builds a weird machine that no one can figure out what it does. Turns out, it makes toast.

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* GadgeteerGenius: Fred builds a weird machine that no one can figure out what it does. Turns out, it makes toast.it's a spring-loaded decapitation device.
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* ShipSinking: Even though Buffy got resurrected, Cordelia and Wesley confirm that Angel is not getting back together with Buffy. They explain it to Fred via roleplay. Angel arrives and confirms that his meeting with Buffy didn't do well.

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* ShipSinking: Even though Buffy got resurrected, Cordelia and Wesley confirm that Angel is not getting back together with Buffy. They explain it to Fred via roleplay. Angel arrives and confirms that his meeting with Buffy didn't do go well.

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* BattleCouple: Fred's parents immediately pitch in to defend their daughter.
-->'''Roger:''' "That's my ''daughter'', you damn cockroach!"



* GadgeteerGenius: Fred
* GagEcho / StrangeMindsThinkAlike: Roger Burkle also suspects Fred's gadget makes toast.

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* GadgeteerGenius: Fred
Fred builds a weird machine that no one can figure out what it does. Turns out, it makes toast.
* GagEcho / StrangeMindsThinkAlike: GagEcho: Roger Burkle also suspects Fred's gadget makes toast.



* HalfTruth / ImplausibleDeniability: The Fang Gang trying to explain away demons and Fred's absence. The Burkles are unimpressed.

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* HalfTruth / ImplausibleDeniability: HalfTruth: The Fang Gang trying to explain away demons and Fred's absence. The Burkles are unimpressed.



* MamaBear / PapaBear: Fred's parents immediately pitch in to defend their daughter.
-->'''Roger:''' "That's my ''daughter'', you damn cockroach!"
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* BigCreepyCrawlies: The she-mantis and the giant bugs

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* BigCreepyCrawlies: The she-mantis and the giant bugsbugs.
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dewicked Talking To Herself as it doesn't involve split personalities


* CrazyHomelessPerson: Spoofed when Fred TalkingToHerself at the bus station scares off the hobo sitting next to her.

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* CrazyHomelessPerson: Spoofed when Fred TalkingToHerself talking to herself at the bus station scares off the hobo sitting next to her.

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* AdultFear: Fred's parents found out that she comes back after disappearing for five years. Then she runs away and doesn't want to see them. She breaks down when they catch up to her because she has to admit she's lost her mind and she ''was'' tortured for five years. Her mother, while crying, reassures her that they still love her and want to help.


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* TheRunaway: Fred's parents found out that she comes back after disappearing for five years. Then she runs away and doesn't want to see them. She breaks down when they catch up to her because she has to admit she's lost her mind and she ''was'' tortured for five years. Her mother, while crying, reassures her that they still love her and want to help.
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* RiddleForTheAges: What happened at Buffy and Angel's offscreen reunion. Angel isn't talking, and neither is Buffy in the ''Buffy'' episode [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E5LifeSerial "Life Serial"]].
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* HypocriticalHumor: Fred asking if Angel and "that girl with the goofy name" will get back together. {{Lampshaded}} by Wesley.
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* GutPunch: The scene where the Burkles reunite. Fred breaks down and admits she didn't want to see them because it would mean admitting that she disappeared for five years and that her mind broke. Cue EverybodyCries as her parents hug her and reassure her that they still love her and are there for her. Even in-universe, the Fang Gang is relieved that Fred's parents aren't abusive, stunned by the display of emotion, and as saddened as they are.

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* LookBothWays: Justified as [[MamaBear Fred's mum is driving]] the bus she uses to run over the big bug.

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* LargeHam: Cordy and Wesley acting out the saga of [[StarCrossedLovers Buffy and Angel]]:
--->'''Wesley''': "Oh, ''Buffy''..."
--->'''Cordy''': "Yes, Angel?"
--->'''Wesley''': "I love you so much I almost forgot to brood!"
* LookBothWays: Justified as [[MamaBear Fred's mum is driving]] driving the bus she uses to run over the big bug.
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Wesley, Cordelia Chase, Fred, and Gunn joke around in the lobby, while Fred works on some kind of strange contraption that nobody can figure out. Wesley and Cordelia mockingly act out a summary of Buffy and Angel's relationship while Angel is somewhere between Sunnydale and LA visiting his resurrected ex-lover. However it is quickly broken up when Angel walks in on this, much to his annoyance and their embarassment. Cordelia attempts to get him to talk about what went on with him and Buffy, but Angel refuses. He decides to take Fred out for some ice cream (since she's the only member of the gang who doesn't care about the meet-up with Buffy) as Cordelia laments that no-one will ever find out what happened. Angel and Fred are then seen scouring the sewers for a Durslar beast that attacked them while in Häagen-Dazs, despite them not being known for roaming above ground. Although Angel is certain he can kill the Durslar himself, he decides to send Fred back to the hotel.

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Wesley, Cordelia Chase, Fred, and Gunn joke around in the lobby, while Fred works on some kind of strange contraption that nobody can figure out. Wesley and Cordelia mockingly act out a summary of Buffy and Angel's relationship while Angel is somewhere between Sunnydale and LA visiting his resurrected ex-lover. However it is quickly broken up when Angel walks in on this, much to his annoyance and their embarassment. Cordelia attempts to get him to talk about what went on with him and Buffy, but Angel refuses. He decides to take Fred out for some ice cream (since she's the only member of the gang who doesn't care about the meet-up with Buffy) as Cordelia laments that no-one will ever find out what happened. Angel and Fred are then seen scouring the sewers for a Durslar beast that attacked them while in Häagen-Dazs, despite them not being known for roaming above ground. Although Angel is certain he can kill the Durslar himself, he decides to send Fred back to the hotel.

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Fred's parents turn up at Angel Investigations looking for their daughter. A giant bug demon is hunting Angel.

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Wesley, Cordelia Chase, Fred, and Gunn joke around in the lobby, while Fred works on some kind of strange contraption that nobody can figure out. Wesley and Cordelia mockingly act out a summary of Buffy and Angel's relationship while Angel is somewhere between Sunnydale and LA visiting his resurrected ex-lover. However it is quickly broken up when Angel walks in on this, much to his annoyance and their embarassment. Cordelia attempts to get him to talk about what went on with him and Buffy, but Angel refuses. He decides to take Fred out for some ice cream (since she's the only member of the gang who doesn't care about the meet-up with Buffy) as Cordelia laments that no-one will ever find out what happened. Angel and Fred are then seen scouring the sewers for a Durslar beast that attacked them while in Häagen-Dazs, despite them not being known for roaming above ground. Although Angel is certain he can kill the Durslar himself, he decides to send Fred back to the hotel.

Back at the hotel, a middle-aged couple named Roger and Trish show up looking for their daughter; the gang assume the couple want to hire them, and ask her questions about what supernatural force they think took their daughter. Roger and Trish explain they already hired a private detective who traced her to the hotel; their missing daughter is Fred. As the gang quickly try to cover their discussion of demonic activity as slang Fred enters the hotel and, unnoticed, spots her parent and rushes up to her room.

Fred's parents turn explain that they recently got a letter from their daughter telling them she was ok, since she'd been missing for five years, but not to look for her (Gunn can't help but be impressed that the private detective traced them despite there being no return address on the envelope). The gang pretend that Fred was depressed, as Angel suddenly walks in the Durslar beast's head waxing lyrical about the great fight he had until the gang shut him up and pretend Angel works in monster movies and the head is a prop.

The gang head to Fred's room to find she is gone, but the ice cream wrapper on the floor shows she's just been there and fled. The gang don't trust her parents, since Fred seems to be scared of them and she did send a letter asking them not to look for her (and even discuss the possibility the letter may just be a ruse to get close to Fred). Worried about Fred, especially since she's never left the hotel alone since her return from Pylea, the gang decide to split up and search for her deciding to start with the sewers and the library where she used to work.

Fred heads to Caritas, which is still wrecked from the massacre of a few weeks earlier, to see Lorne. Unfortunately for her, Lorne is still depressed over what happened and in no mood to entertain, lounging around in pyjamas and a robe. Fred (after briefly singing 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat') asks Lorne for money so she can leave LA, and he tells her that he understands she's running from her own demons warning her she may not have run far enough.

Angel searches for Fred in the sewers, and, unbeknownst to him, is being followed by a creature that looks like a giant fly with glowing blue eyes. The others search the public library, as Trish tells them how she would pick Fred up from their community library back home after her rounds as a school bus driver. Roger demands to know what Fred is doing with the gang, since it seems strange a physicist would work for a detective agency. As Cordy, Wes and Gunn confer over where else Fred could have gone to it finally hits them she may have headed for Caritas. They call Angel, who is still being stalked, and tell him to meet them there.

At the bar, Lorne makes it clear to Gunn that he's not welcome
at the moment (since it was partially his fault that his gang attacked). Cordy tries to claim Lorne works with Angel in monster movies, to explain the 'make-up', but Lorne is in no mood to humor anyone. Lorne tries claiming he doesn't know where Fred is, but Angel convinces him to help, and he tells her where she is but warns him that it's not going to be easy for her...

Meanwhile, an agitated Fred is at the bus station, talking to herself and trying to decide where to flee to (her ramblings manage to scare off a homeless man), when her parents find her. They greet her with love and tenderness, and it becomes clear that she didn't want to see her parents because she didn't want them to know where she had spent the past five years and didn't want to relive those horrible experiences when telling them about her ordeal. They hadn't been menacing at all, and there had been nothing "off" about them. They were exactly what they seemed: loving parents distressed about the well-being of their daughter and confused by the many odd things they kept encountering. With her friends watching in silent support, Fred breaks down in tears and is comforted by her parents as she is forced to come to terms with the fact that the terrible things she went through in Pylea actually happened. They all embrace with love, and just then, a bug-like demon descends upon them in the bus station and starts attacking. All attempts to continue fooling the Burkles are abandoned, and everyone fights the creature, but it is a losing battle with Fred being injured until Trish commandeers a bus and drives over the demon killing it.

Back at the hotel, everyone patches up their wounds and talk over what happened, with Roger and Trish taking the knowledge of supernatural beasts and monsters in stride, just happy to see their daughter. Fred however is now beginning to doubt her place in the group and where she fits in and this, combined with her recent injury, decides to go home with her parents. Roger and Trish are obviously happy to have their daughter return home with them, while the rest of the gang are saddened but respect her decision. Angel later talks with Fred in her room, as she admits that she just built herself another cave here after he left upon learning of Buffy's death.

Fred says her farewells to the gang and leaves with her parents. As they head to the airport discussing what the Burkles are going to do about the lodger in Fred's old room, Fred suddenly sees the bug demon's blood she got on her shirt is now crystals and, working out what's going on, asks to head back. Meanwhile Angel and the others talk about how much they'll miss having Fred and her parents around, only to be interrupted when a bug demon smashes through the hotel's doors, followed by a huge mass of them. As they begin to attack, Fred walks in and sets off her strange contraption which turns out to be a hands-free device that flings an axe across the room. The axe bisects the severed Durslar head, releasing hoards of bugs. Seeing this, the fly creature leaves. Fred now understands what happened; the bug-demon laid its eggs in the Durslar's head which is why it ventured above ground and attacked. When Angel brought the head back to the hotel, the mother or father (Fred believing it could be either or both) attacked them at the bus station and when the parent was killed the rest of the hive arrived to claim the offspring. Fred is commended on her excellent deductive reasoning, and this makes Fred realize she does have a place with
Angel Investigations looking for their daughter. A giant bug after all and decides to stay. Her parents respectfully accept her decision.

Later, the gang and Fred's parents paint over Fred's wall scribblings to signify her fresh start. While Angel and Fred's dad bond over the knowledge that Spiro Agnew was a
demon is hunting Angel.
and Wes and Gunn argue over the correct way to paint, Fred comes across a drawing of her and Angel on a horse. Ready to start moving on from her ordeal in Pylea, Fred paints over it.


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!!Tropes
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* BaitAndSwitch: The episode opens with someone pointing a sword at Wesley, with him saying "You're not serious". Turns out they team are re-arranging the order of the weapons cabinet.

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* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: Lampshaded by Fred. "I could build a condo in these sewers."



* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: Lampshaded by Fred. "I could build a condo in these sewers."



* BadBadActing / TakeThat: Cordelia and Wesley drilling the shit out of the Bangel romance.

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* BadBadActing / TakeThat: BadBadActing: Cordelia and Wesley drilling the shit out of the Bangel romance.



* BigCreepyCrawlies
* BriefAccentImitation
-->'''Gunn:''' Yes, give us that (mimics Wes English accent) "purpose of an inventory" speech, again.

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* BigCreepyCrawlies
BigCreepyCrawlies: The she-mantis and the giant bugs
* BriefAccentImitation
BriefAccentImitation:
-->'''Gunn:''' Yes, give us that (mimics Wes Wes' English accent) "purpose of an inventory" speech, again.



* FiveManBand: Lampshaded by Fred right down to naming Wesley as "the brain", Gunn as "the muscle", and Cordy as "the heart".

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* FiveManBand: Lampshaded by Fred right down to naming Wesley as "the brain", Gunn as "the muscle", and Cordy as "the heart"."TheHeart".



* [[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong Head Full of Demon Wing Wong]]



* PapaWolf: Fred's dad attacks the mantis with a golf club when to save Fred.



* {{Tearjerker}}: Fred's "I was so lost" monologue to her parents when she finally meets them.
* TakeThat: The [[SarcasmMode lighthearted jab]] at Buffy's romance with Angel.

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* {{Tearjerker}}: TakeThat:
** Lorne believes that massacres are like sitting through ''Film/TheGodfatherPartIII'' - once is enough.
** When
Fred's "I mother is talking to Cordelia about her husband's love of Alien movies, she says he loves them all "except that last one they made. I think he dozed off." The movie she is referring to is ''Film/AlienResurrection'', the screenplay of which was so lost" monologue to her parents when she finally meets them.
* TakeThat: The [[SarcasmMode lighthearted jab]] at Buffy's romance with Angel.
written by Creator/JossWhedon.


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* ThinkNothingOfIt:
-->'''Angel''': Nice going, Fred.
-->'''Fred''': Aw, it was nothing. Just a stunning revelation of my true path in life, that's all.
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* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Gunn is cracking up as Cordelia and Wesley do accurate impressions of Buffy and Angel respectively. Even Angel admits that it's amusing.


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* ShipSinking: Even though Buffy got resurrected, Cordelia and Wesley confirm that Angel is not getting back together with Buffy. They explain it to Fred via roleplay. Angel arrives and confirms that his meeting with Buffy didn't do well.
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* AdultFear: Fred's parents found out that she comes back after disappearing for five years. Then she runs away and doesn't want to see them. She breaks down when they catch up to her because she has to admit she's lost her mind and she ''was'' tortured for five years. Her mother, while crying, reassures her that they still love her and want to help.



* EverybodyCries: Fred and her parents cry together when they catch up with her; Fred is sobbing because she has to admit that the last five years really did happen, trauma and all. Her parents are tearing up because Fred is back, she's safe now, but she's been through hell.



* GoodParents: The Burkles end up being this. While the Fang Gang is worried they may have abused Fred, it turns out their fear and concern for her were genuine and they comfort her as she breaks down and admits she was trying to deny that she had disappeared for five years and suffered in a demon dimension. They offer to take her home to help her recover. When she decides to stay, they accept her decision but promise to be in contact.



* JustTheWayYouAre: Mr. and Mrs. Burkle say they don't care if Fred is different or has lost her mind. She's back and safe; that's all that matters to them. Whether she wants to go home or stay in Los Angeles, they'll support her.



* OffWithHisHead: Angel proudly struts in with the head of the Durslar beast he killed, declaring that [[DeadGuyOnDisplay he wants it mounted]], only to realise Fred's parents are there, so Angel claims it's a prop head from a movie.

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* OffWithHisHead: Angel proudly struts in with the head of the Durslar beast he killed, declaring that [[DeadGuyOnDisplay he wants it mounted]], only to realise realize Fred's parents are there, so Angel claims it's a prop head from a movie.



* RoomFullOfCrazy: Fred realises her room was just another cave she built [[RescueRomance in the hope that Angel could save her]]. The episode ends on the gang and her parents helping Fred whitewash the walls, with Fred painting over a picture she drew of [[TheChampion Angel saving her on his horse]].

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* RoomFullOfCrazy: Fred realises realizes her room was just another cave she built [[RescueRomance in the hope that Angel could save her]]. The episode ends on the gang and her parents helping Fred whitewash the walls, with Fred painting over a picture she drew of [[TheChampion Angel saving her on his horse]].



-->'''Wesley''': They loved her. Supported her. Didn't grind her down into a... tiny self-conscious nub with their constant berating. Their never ending tirade of debasement, and scorn and...

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-->'''Wesley''': They loved her. Supported her. Didn't grind her down into a... tiny self-conscious nub with their constant berating. Their never ending never-ending tirade of debasement, and scorn and...
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-->'''Cordelia:''' Let me break it down for you, Fred. "''[ChewingTheScenery]'' Oh, ''Angel!'' I know that I am a Slayer, and you are a vampire, and it would be ''[[StarCrossedLovers impossible]]'' [[StarCrossedLovers for us to]] ''[[StarCrossedLovers be]]'' [[StarCrossedLovers together]], but--"\\

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-->'''Cordelia:''' Let me break it down for you, Fred. "''[ChewingTheScenery]'' ''[ChewingTheScenery]'' Oh, ''Angel!'' I know that I am a Slayer, and you are a vampire, and it would be ''[[StarCrossedLovers impossible]]'' [[StarCrossedLovers for us to]] ''[[StarCrossedLovers be]]'' [[StarCrossedLovers together]], but--"\\

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* TenMinuteRetirement: Fred leaves with her parents, but comes back when she has a EurekaMoment about the bug demon. Fred then realises she can't return to normal life as she's no longer normal herself, and Angel Investigations is where she wants to be.



* TenMinuteRetirement: Fred leaves with her parents, but comes back when she has a EurekaMoment about the bug demon. Fred then realises she can't return to normal life as she's no longer normal herself, and Angel Investigations is where she wants to be.
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* ImprovisedWeapon: The Fang Gang make good use of a bag of golf clubs at the bus station. Roger Burkle clonks the bug with a metal rubbish bin while Trish Burkle makes better use of a bus.

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* ImprovisedWeapon: The Fang Gang make good use of a [[GolfClubbing bag of golf clubs clubs]] at the bus station. Roger Burkle clonks the bug with a metal rubbish bin while Trish Burkle makes [[CarFu better use of a bus.bus]].
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* ContinuityNod: Angel is returning from the meeting Buffy was going to at the end of BTVS "Flooded".

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* ContinuityNod: Angel is returning from the meeting Buffy was going to at the end of BTVS "Flooded"."[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E4Flooded Flooded]]".

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** Wesley puts on an American accent during the Bangel re-enactment scene. Note that Alexis Denisof really is American.



* BriefAccentImitation: Wesley puts on an American accent during the Bangel re-enactment scene. Note that Alexis Denisof really is American.

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