Creating a successful TV series is not an easy task. While there are sometimes cool spinoffs like Too bad continuation, Better Call SaulHowever, focusing on just one character or topic operating within a broader context can be disastrous. like friends spin off aerial or The Mandalorian spin off Boba Fett book Some characters are proven to work better in supporting roles, and just can’t lead a series of their own. but, Buffy the Vampire Slayer managed to achieve excellent results, angel. It just wasn’t angel A totally unique show that took a darker approach, but quickly equaled (and often improved) the quality of its predecessor.
Buffy the Vampire SlayerIt tells the story of Buffy Summers (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar), a teenage girl who is the latest in a long line of female warriors who protect the world from demons and other supernatural threats. Buffy strikes up a relationship with the mysterious stranger Angel (played by David Boreanaz), who to her shock ends up being a vampire. At the end of Buffy the Vampire SlayerBuffy’s third season leaves Buffy’s hometown of Sunnydale to start a detective agency in Los Angeles, setting up the first season of angel. He is eventually joined by Buffy’s friend Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), and later fellow vampire Spike (James Marsters). angel It ran for five seasons before it was unfortunately cancelled. Here every season angelranked from worst to best.
5 Season 4
unlike Buffy the Vampire SlayerAnd angel He delivered serialized stories that tied the entire season together into one seamless arc. While this was an interesting decision that yielded some excellent results, season 4 delivered such a disastrous storyline that it nearly destroyed the series before its conclusion. The end of the third season formed a premise in which Cordelia enters a mysterious world and obtains strange new powers that she cannot control. While Carpenter tries her best to deliver a solid performance, her romance with the angel’s son Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) feels scripted at best, and creepy at its worst.
while angel It’s a much darker series Buffy the Vampire SlayerSeason 4 constantly punishes its characters and shows them all at their worst. Angel’s feud with Wesley Windham-Pryce (Alexis Denisof) is simply uncomfortable to watch, and later Angel’s friends Fred (Amy Acker) and Jean (J. August Richards) decide to unleash Angelus’ dark shapeshifter. The entire season is a mess, except for the delightfully comical episode “Spin The Bottle.”
4 Season 3
Similar to Season 4, angel Season 3 tells a season-long story that gradually evolves towards a tragic conclusion. The first half of the season really stands out; Angel’s lover and accidental lover Darla (Julie Benz) are pursued by enemies and give birth to their son. It’s unbelievable how much Darla has evolved since her initial introduction Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Somehow, the evil vampire who was killed became one of the most tragic and complex characters in mythology.
However, the introduction of Kartheiser as a teenage iteration of Connor did not fit the group’s pre-existing dynamic. Connor often comes across as an obnoxious, loving burden to bear on the landlord, as Connor has sworn to stay loyal to the evil Holtz (Keith Szarabajka). The lack of “monster of the week” episodes results in several interludes in which nothing compelling happens. Still, Denisov deserves credit for handling Wesley’s tragic arc with grace.
3 Season 1
unlike Buffy the Vampire Slayerwhich initially had to create a whole world and set of characters, angel It benefited from having a series premise already established. Angel seeks redemption throughout his life of killing and harvesting like Angelus, and he agonizes with the knowledge that he will never be able to have a romance with his true love Buffy. His decision to start a detective agency makes sense, and angel I quickly found a way to bring back some of the characters from its predecessor. Both Cordelia and Wesley are noticeably more mature angel; Cordelia has learned responsibility, and Wesley knows he has failed in his duties as Warden.
Prior to Wesley’s mid-season debut, Angel and Cordelia work alongside the mutant Doyle (Glenn Quinn). Unfortunately, Doyle was killed off early on, leading to the emotional episode “Hero”. Quinn had addiction problems and passed away in 2002. He was fondly remembered by his colleagues, and Boreanaz said that “working with my dear friend who passed away, Glenn Quinn, remains a huge memory in my heart” (via TV Guide).
2 Season 2
The second season was a journey full of emotions that delved into deeper philosophical topics than Buffy the Vampire Slayer since when. while Buffy the Vampire Slayer It was always a coming-of-age story, angel It examined whether the battle of good against evil could really be one. angel He learns this lesson in “Reprise” when he realizes that their attempts at the tournament are always doomed to failure. This brilliantly leads to his romance with Darla in “Epiphany,” as they conceive the child Connor will eventually become.
The second season told a mostly serialized story, but the individual episodes stood out by showing the different investigations the protagonists deal with. “Are You Now or Have You Ever” was a standout episode that added flashbacks to the 1950s as Angel explores the history of death, prejudice, and tragedy that haunts the hotel where he works.
1 Season 5
when angel Season 5 started airing, and that was after that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is already over. This gave the writers room to explore a completely different direction as Angel, Fred, Gunn and Wesley all work for their former enemy Wolfram & Hart. Introducing Spike as a new member of the team added humor, but also allowed Spike and Angel to reflect on their shared history together.
The season had some ambitious twists, including the amazingly beautiful Muppet episode “Smile Time.” However, the series finale “Not Fade Away” found a great way to end the series on a cliffhanger. It wasn’t clear if the heroes would make it out of the final battle alive, but it turns out that they will never give up in their fight against evil.
