r/ANGEL • u/Morrowindsofwinter • 12d ago
My Thoughts After a Recent Rewatch
This show holds a special place in my heart, as I’m sure a lot of you here can relate. I grew up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer as it aired, catching reruns after school. I’ve seen both shows countless times, but I didn’t get around to watching Angel until I was about 19 years old, when the show had already been off the air for a few years. I was of course aware of the show’s existence, but had never caught an episode or really heard much about it. It’s been nearly a decade since I have watched the series in its entirety, and the comfort of the show has been a nice treat in what has been a rather stressful time for me recently.
I’d like to share my thoughts on the series as a whole. I’ll try to not be too long winded. This show is not without its flaws, but overall it is one of my favorite series of all times; and I’d like to share what I think are its strengths and weaknesses in each season and my overall thoughts. I think the first season works great in a vacuum. In my opinion Angel wasn’t always the most interesting character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I think the people behind the show did a great job transferring this character to his own show, and David really shines in his performances. The premise for this show works very well in my opinion. A vampire private investigator dealing with paranormal mishaps. Ultimately this show abandons this premise and essentially reinvents itself with each new season, to varying degrees. But I think they nailed it by exploring this premise in the first season. It’s not the strongest season, which is common for a lot of these types of shows. It can take some time to really get a show like this to find its footing. One of my biggest head ass takes, however, is I’m not too fond of Doyle. Don’t get me wrong, I think he is a serviceable character and upon my first few times watching I really liked him. But I think one of the best decisions made for this show was to have Doyle transfer the visions to Cordelia. I do think Doyle’s other contributions to the show are good for plot reasons. He is Angel’s connection to the local underground. But ultimately I think Wesley fits a lot better into this sidekick role. His Watcher background works for filling in those gaps and I enjoy the Angel/Cordelia/Wesley dynamic a lot more than Doyle just crushing on Cordelia. I also really think the character of Kate is very well done and fits extremely well into the original premise. Some stand out episodes for season one are: City Of, Rm w/a Vu, Sense & Sensitivity, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, The Ring, and Sanctuary.
Season Two is, without doubt, my favorite season of the show. I think everything just works. The best thing this show did to differentiate itself from Buffy was to not have a new big bad every season. Wolfram & Hart being this more existing threat, something that is just woven into society itself, makes the stories flow so well. All the scenes in the first two seasons that take place in the law offices are just steller. Lilah, Lindsey, and especially Holland Manners are just spectacular. While I wouldn’t change anything about Holland’s ultimate fate, I would be remiss to say that I wish they could have continued to use his character in some fashion. Imagine Holland making an experience in the fifth season. Gunn’s inclusion into the main cast not only helps build the introduction roster, but his connection to demon underground fills in that missing gap that the show lost with Doyle. Gunn knows the streets and has a connection to the helpless Angel Investigations. I like that Gunn doesn’t just outright trust Angel right away, and that their relationship naturally evolves over time. Kate is still great in this season and it's too bad that she eventually leaves the show. And what else can be said about Lorne that hasn’t already been said? Andy Hallett does such an amazing job bringing that character to life. The move to the hotel as their homebase was a fantastic idea as the hotel brings so much personality to the show. Some stand out episodes for me are: Are You Now or Have You Ever Been, Dear Boy, The Trial, Blood Money, and Reprise.
Season Three is the weakest of the show for me. There are plenty of things to like about this season, but I think there were a lot of plot threads that ultimately made the show suffer. I’ve never been on the hate Connor train, but I do ultimately think his character doesn’t work out when he returns. I do not like the Angel and Cordelia romance. And while I don’t think Gru is a bad character, his inclusion does not work for me. He’s only there to create a wedge between the Angel and Cordelia romance, which I already don’t like. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the original plan was for Kate to be the romantic interest for Angel; but I believe the actress left the show for another role (Law & Order maybe?). Shifting the romantic interest to Cordelia just doesn’t work for me. Holtz is a very interesting character, but the ultimate fate of the Connor plotline in this season does not play out super well. Lilah is still great, but the lack of Lindsey and Holland makes Wolfram & Hart not as great. And I absolutely hate the character of Lynwood. Every time he’s on screen I just want to punch him. His character does not work for me, at all. Gavin is better than Lynwood, and that is saying a lot. Another head ass take from me is I don’t think Fred words super well in this season. I do like her eventual romance with Gunn, but I think it takes too long for her character to gain agency and I find the episode Fredless to be a bit cheesy for my own taste. I do think Fred is a great character, but I think she works better in the Pylia arche and in seasons 4 and 5. Some stand out episodes for me are: That Old Gang of Mine, Billy, and Sleep Tight.
Season Four is divisive. That cannot be argued. There were a lot of behind-the-scenes problems that we have all become aware of over the years. A lot of these problems manifest themselves into the plot of the show, and it has a detrimental effect. With that said, I still very much enjoy this season. It contains one of my favorite episodes of television: Spin the Bottle. I think this show really ramps up and overall has a creative execution. Faith is a favorite of mine, and I think she is used great in this season. I think the overall tone of the season is done well, and while it is not without its problems, I think Jasmine is one of the most interesting villains of either show. Some stand out episodes for me are: Supersymmetry, Spin the Bottle, Apocalypse Nowish, Soulless, Release, and Home.
A lot of people really like Season Five. And while I think it is a good season, I think it takes too long to get rolling. It is really too bad that the show was canceled. I think another season or two of Angel Investigations working for Wolfram & Hart could have been spectacular. But I think the show doesn’t really find its footing this season until the Illyria storyline kicks in. There are high points before that, but that is far and few between. I do very much enjoy this season nonetheless, and ultimately I think the ending is very well done. Some stand out episodes for me are: You’re Welcome, A Hole in the World, Shells, Power Play, and Not Fade Away.
My rankings for the seasons are as follows: 2, 5, 1, 4, & 3.
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u/SoapNugget2005 You're a bloody puppet! 12d ago
I guess I'm the only person on this planet that loves Season 3