The Ball is the fifth episode of Season 2 of the Prime Video original series Good Omens series, and eleventh overall. It premiered on July 28, 2023, and it is the penultimate episode of the season.
Synopsis[]
Aziraphale tries to bring Maggie and Nina together by organizing a meeting of the Whickber Street Shopkeepers and Street Traders Association. In Hell, Shax is determined to launch a full scale attack on the bookshop, with a legion of demons at her command. Nina's heart is broken, as is a bookshop window. Gabriel has a close encounter with Mrs Sandwich and a small plate of cakes.
Plot[]
Aziraphale tries to recruit all the shopkeepers and traders on Whickber Street for the monthly meeting now turned ball while Crowley tags along to watch his antics.
No one is interested but Aziraphale bribes them all with rare books such as a Doctor Who original annual for Mr Arnold the music shop owner who is a Doctor Who fan. While in Mutt's magic shop, Crowley just plays around with a red fez cap, and is amused with Aziraphale trying to speak French with Justine the French cafe owner who speaks English fluently.
Meanwhile, Shax is trying to get Furfur to give her 10,000 demons to launch her attack on the bookshop. He just laughs and offers her 100. He then explains that the number will keep going down if she insists for more. She agrees and hosts a meeting with a bunch of stragglers she calls her legion.
The Demon Eric keeps interrupting her as he points out that they are just 1/75th of a legion, there is no huge lift to take them up to Earth and that fighting angels can be dangerous. Frustrated, she just burns him.
While Crowley and Aziraphale bicker about how well the angel does or does not know French, Nina enjoys the show. Aziraphale takes the opportunity to invite her to the meeting and she agrees only because she has some strong words to say about the Christmas lights being used on the street. Delighted, Aziraphale leaves. Nina and Crowley share a conspiratorial glance as they joke about Aziraphale never hosting a meeting ever.
With Crowley looking at him, Nina asks how long they have been together or if the angel is his sidepiece. Crowley is suddenly adamant that nothing is going on between them and that Aziraphale is an angel. Nina seems to relate as she asks why their love life is not as straightforward as other people and Crowley is left thinking about it.
Aziraphale spots him drinking at the French cafe and asks why he doesn’t wait at the bookshop. Crowley says he doesn’t like it but Aziraphale believes otherwise. Crowley then brings up the amnesiac archangel who tried to kill him and wonders if Gabriel is just pretending to have lost his memories. Aziraphale says maybe they should talk it out. Meanwhile, Lindsay dumps Nina over a text message for being too self-centred.
Crowley approaches Gabriel and starts taking out his anger on him. He is furious that Gabriel tried to kill Aziraphale, his only friend. The archangel is sad and offers to do anything Crowley wants. The demon tells him to jump off the window and Gabriel heads to the window.
Stunned, Crowley tells him to stop just before he can jump. He is frustrated and tries to get answers out of Gabriel who says he feels like an empty house that cannot remember where the furniture is but has an inkling. He tries to remember and recalls taking his memories and putting them in a matchbox. Said matchbox is in Heaven with Muriel reporting to Michael and Uriel. They are frustrated that she couldn’t learn of the duo’s plan because she had given them privacy. As for news on Gabriel, they almost catch on that Aziraphale does not have a book-seller assistant and wonder who Jim is.
Gabriel and Crowley end up bonding with the demon bringing him a hot chocolate. Gabriel compliments him that he is nice and Crowley warns him not to tell anyone as no one would believe him anyway.
Downstairs, Aziraphale is busy turning the bookshop into a ballroom. He sends Crowley out to make sure Maggie and Nina are attending and the demon can’t help but look at Aziraphale in a new light. Mrs. Sandwich arrives and her casual outfit has turned into a gown the moment she enters. Everyone is dressed for a ball and is talking as if they are in a Jane Austen novel.
However, Operation Lovebirds almost fails as a brokenhearted Nina just wants to go home. Crowley suddenly notices something is off and orders her to go to the bookshop as it is the only safe place. Inside, Nina finds something is off and while she is supposed to be angry and sad she cannot feel it. It seems that everyone is in a trance but no one cares.
One of the discussions is between Ms. Cheng and Mrs. Sandwich about the latter’s profession. She cannot stop saying that she is a seamstress and after she describes her job, it turns out that she is a sex worker.
While Maggie heads to the bookshop, Crowley suddenly notices dozens of strange masked people following her. He stops them and takes off their masks to see that they are all demons after Gabriel. Confused, he scolds them for breaking the rules and rushes in. He is as surprised as Maggie and Nina as everyone is dancing and socializing.
Maggie asks Nina for a dance and while they enjoy it, they also seem to be aware of the trance that everyone is in including them. They are confused about the ballroom dancing and everyone’s Pride And Prejudice-type speech. Frustrated, Nina lets it slip that Lindsay has broken up with her probably cause she is to focused on work. Maggie says she doesn’t mind it and the two lock eyes.
Gabriel is having the time of his life being a waiter dressed in a bedazzled blue suit while Mrs. Sandwich and the rest fawn over him. Crowley tries to tell Aziraphale about the danger outside but the angel pulls him in for a dance. As they dance, Crowley tries to get Aziraphale to take the danger outside seriously. Suddenly, Shax throws a rock through the window with the etching ‘Surrender the Angle’.
Aziraphale tries to threaten the demons but Shax points out that he is an outcast and she can just keep killing humans till they give Gabriel. Crowley makes up a fake rule that they need to give time to evacuate humans as per the laws of battle. Gabriel sees that the fuss is being made over him and offers to go outside much to Aziraphale’s chagrin.
But when Gabriel steps outside, no one recognizes him and Shax keeps berating him to tell the duo to send out Gabriel. Confused, he heads in and Crowley realises that their miracle has ruined Gabriel’s surrender.
They quickly line up the guests in a row with Crowley leading them away from the demons. Maggie and Nina decide to stay back to help Aziraphale who doesn’t look too worried as he tells them Crowley likes rescuing him. Nina just cocks an eyebrow and wonders why he doesn’t make his own rescue plans for once.
Outside, once the humans are away from the horde, Crowley spots Muriel and tells them to arrest him and take him to Heaven. They are dumbfounded that he saw through their human disguise and wonder if he is tricking them. He points out that they have arrested him and they nod and take him to heaven.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Michael Sheen as Aziraphale
- David Tennant as Crowley
- Jon Hamm as Archangel Gabriel
- Miranda Richardson as Shax
- Nina Sosanya as Nina
- Maggie Service as Maggie
Guest Starring[]
- Quelin Sepulveda as Muriel
- Doon Mackichan as Archangel Michael
- Gloria Obianyo as Uriel
- Reece Shearsmith as Furfur
- Tim Downie as Mr. Brown
- Donna Preston as Mrs. Sandwich
Co-Starring[]
- Rich Keeble as Mr. Arnold
- Jeff Alexander as Mutt
- Crystal Yu as Ms. Cheng
- Paul Adeyefa as Eric
- Anna Maryan as Justine
- Andrew O'Neill as Mutt's Spouse
- Florence Nzenwefi as Demon Morax
- Ann Louise Ross as Demon Skittles
- Tracy Wiles voices Elevator Voice
- Chris Chan as Mr. Cheng
Gallery[]
Promotional stills[]
Trivia[]
- In the 19th century, seamstress was code for prostitutes.
- The Doctor Who references in this episode include, when Aziraphale straight-up bribes a shopkeeper with a Doctor Who manual, as well as Crowley playing around with the 11th Doctor’s fez.