GOOD OMENS Recap: (S02E05) Chapter 5: The Ball

Melody McCune

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Nina stands in front of the counter in her coffee shop with her arms folded in front of her in Good Omens Season 2 Episode 5, "Chapter 5: The Ball."

DISCLAIMER: This recap of Good Omens Season 2 Episode 5, “Chapter 5: The Ball,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril. 

Welcome back, angels and demons! It’s penultimate episode time, and Aziraphale has planned a delightful ball to bring Nina and Maggie together to throw Heaven off their miracle-casting scent. Well, that and he loves a good ball. “Chapter 5: The Ball” also sees Shax hilariously assembling her legion of demons, while another objective third party remarks on how close Aziraphale and Crowley are. Just get together already! 

It’s a cheeky outing brimming with the show’s signature whimsy and stellar performances across the board. Everyone fires on all cylinders, especially comedically. Miranda Richardson particularly shines. 

Ready to delve into “Chapter 5: The Ball”? Let’s get to it. 

RELATED: Check out our recap for Good Omens Season 2 Episode 4, “Chapter 4: The Hitchhiker”

We open with Shax (Richardson) barging into Furfur’s (Reece Shearsmith) office to demand a legion of demons to execute her plan. She wants at least 10,000. That might be a problem. Meanwhile, on Earth, Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) persuades the shopkeepers on the block to attend the monthly shopkeepers’ meeting that night. He, too, has a plan. He lures one proprietor with the promise of access to a rare Doctor Who book. Back in Hell, the number of demons Shax can get dwindles to a measly 70. However, she’ll take what she can get. 

Aziraphale continues his bribery tour to get folks to attend his meeting. Crowley (David Tennant) tries on a fez in one shop, and my Whovian heart bursts with joy at the sight. Well, even though the Doctor after David was more of a fan of the fez (you might even say he thought they were cool), but still. As for Shax, she organizes a meeting with her legion of 70 demons. One particular demon gives her a rough time amid her speech, questioning everything she says. 

Crowley stands next to Aziraphale outside a shop in London while Aziraphale looks at a clipboard in Good Omens Season 2 Episode 5, "Chapter 5: The Ball."
GOOD OMENS Season 2 Episode 5, “Chapter 5: The Ball.” Photo courtesy of Prime Video.

Next, Aziraphale crosses shopkeeper names off his list as the number of guests for the meeting increases. Nina (Nina Sosanya) asks Crowley how long he’s been with Aziraphale. Crowley is bewildered by her question. He claims they’re not a couple, but Nina knows chemistry when she sees it. Stop denying it, Crowley. Give in! Aziraphale pops up and encourages Nina to attend, to which she reluctantly says, “Yes.”

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Meanwhile, Shax destroys the annoying demon and soldiers on with her rousing speech. On Earth, Crowley voices his concerns to Aziraphale regarding Gabriel. What if the archangel suddenly remembers who he is? What if he doesn’t? Aziraphale urges Crowley to talk to good ole Gabe. Sighing, Crowley grabs a wine bottle before he goes. Moving onto the coffee shop, we see Nina get a string of texts from her girlfriend, who’s now her ex. Good riddance. She was mean to Nina anyway. 

Then, Crowley pops into Gabriel’s (Jon Hamm) room to ask questions. Crowley reminds Gabriel of how he treated Aziraphale, how he cruelly threatened to kill Crowley’s favorite angel. Of course, Gabriel doesn’t remember, but he apologizes regardless. He asks Crowley how he can redeem himself. Crowley orders Gabe to jump out of the window. As Gabriel swings his legs over the window sill, Crowley notices the throng of people outside. He backtracks, urging Gabe to come back inside. That’s when Crowley realizes Gabriel doesn’t recall a thing. 

Gabriel describes it as being an “empty house.” He knows someone else used to reside there but is gone, leaving only an echo of who they were. Oh, and he left that person, Gabriel, in a matchbook before departing. He thought he had brought it with him. That’s the matchbook Muriel found in Heaven. Side note: Crowley is so damn protective of Aziraphale in this scene. It makes one wonder…

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In Heaven, Muriel (Quelin Sepulveda) reports back to Michael (Doon Mackichan) and Uriel (Gloria Obianyo) regarding her earthly mission. She concludes that Gabriel is not in the bookstore and that Aziraphale and Crowley did indeed perform a love miracle. However, Muriel mentions Aziraphale’s assistant, which confuses the other two archangels. Aziraphale doesn’t have an assistant. Oh, but what about that man they talked to the other day in the shop? Hmm.

Meanwhile, Aziraphale decorates for the meeting that night with the shopkeepers. Crowley’s perplexed. But we know Aziraphale’s preparing for a ball, not an actual meeting. Its sole objective is to unite Maggie and Nina in love. Crowley fetches Maggie (Maggie Service) and Nina while Mr. Brown (Tim Downie), who approached Aziraphale about hosting the meeting, arrives early. The decorations take aback the attendees. When Nina enters the bookstore, she’s surprised that she magically changed clothes. Also, everyone talks like they’re in a Jane Austen novel. I adore Aziraphale’s idea of romance as being Jane Austen-esque. 

Crowley and Aziraphale sit at a small table in a crowded pub in Good Omens Season 2 Episode 5, "Chapter 5: The Ball."
GOOD OMENS Season 2 Episode 5, “Chapter 5: The Ball.” Photo courtesy of Prime Video.

Later, Shax’s demons gather outside the shop. Inside, Mrs. Sandwich (Donna Preston) tries desperately to describe what she does but only gets out “seamstress” instead of “brothel madam.” It’s a fun scene. Nina and Maggie dance together. They remark on the strangeness of this particular shopkeepers’ monthly meeting and that they never knew this antiquated dance until they, well, danced. Gabriel serves hors d’oeuvres while looking handsome. Mrs. Sandwich looks particularly taken by him and his Dumb and Dumber-like powder blue suit. 

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Next, Aziraphale asks Crowley to dance. Yay! However, Crowley bursts his bubble by revealing demons outside the store. Earlier, he told them to scram, but scram they did not. Suddenly, they throw a brick through the window. Even though they need permission to enter the establishment, they can demand Gabriel steps outside. Shax leads the charge. Shax orders Crowley and Aziraphale to cough up Gabriel. If they don’t, the demons will start killing humans. 

Gabriel realizes she might be referring to him, so he ventures outside to ensure no one gets hurt. He’s like, “I don’t know who I am, but I think you want me?” Shax doesn’t recognize him because Aziraphale and Crowley’s miracle worked a little too well. Shax demands Gabriel pass on a message: if they don’t give her Gabriel, they’re toast. Toast. Listen, I can’t help but think this is a nod to Toast of London. There are three ToL actors in this episode: Doon Mackichan (Jane Plough), Jon Hamm (who plays himself in an episode) and Tim Downie (Danny Bear). Now, all we need is Matt Berry to play an angel. Or maybe a demon. But as Toast, obviously. 

Anyway, when Gabriel heads back inside, Crowley thinks of another plan. He barks out a fake law prohibiting demons from entering an earthly shop. Otherwise, they’ll have to go up the chain of command, and you know how much Hell loves paperwork. While Crowley and Aziraphale devise a plan, Mr. Brown takes matters into his own hands. Unfortunately, the demons kill him after he threatens to call the authorities. 

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Crowley orders a group of people to walk out of the store with him, two by two—safety in numbers. Nina and Maggie volunteer to stay behind with Aziraphale to protect him (and because they’re in love). Once outside, Crowley advises the shopkeepers to return to their respective shops and to stay there until further notice. Nina and Maggie help Aziraphale fortify his store, even though they have no clue what’s going on. Aziraphale insists that Crowley will protect them. He always does. Squee!

Crowley lifts his head and screams as he stands in the middle of the road while steam rises off of him in Good Omens Season 2 Episode 5, "Chapter 5: The Ball."
GOOD OMENS Season 2 Episode 5, “Chapter 5: The Ball.” Photo courtesy of Prime Video.

Meanwhile, Crowley spots Muriel outside. He asks the “inspector constable” for assistance. Well, that assistance is in the form of arresting Crowley. He wants her to take him to Heaven. Then, he can inform the angels of what’s transpiring on Earth. They can send an army to battle the demons. After she picks up on what he’s putting down, Muriel summons an elevator that takes them to the Upstairs. Crowley’s here to save the day (and return to Heaven). 

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Do you think Crowley can rally Heaven to his cause? Will Nina and Maggie kiss in the season finale? Will Aziraphale and Crowley also smooch in the finale? Only time (and one more episode) will tell. 

Good Omens Season 2 is now streaming on Prime Video

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Melody McCune
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