User reviews

Angel had its links to Buffy, there were crossovers and tie ins, and the similarities at the start of the show were noticeable. But as the seasons progressed and the characters became darker and the plots heavier, it seemed what we were watching was not entirely the same. As times have progressed, it seems audiences desire a darker more gritty version of TV, with shows that don't shy away from the harsher aspects of life, the Wire to name one, are shows favoured for. Angel had its comedic episodes, but the over arching themes were of the dark fight against darkness, being forced into positions where the right path isn't always visible and the seeking of salvation. This show was brilliant, and though it has carried on in comics, it will be sorely missed.

Angel is a show that is going to live forever because it never gave in and changed itself around in order to be more friendly for the masses. I have no intention of giving each season or episode a number evaluation as I feel the entire body of the show is whats important. Well thought out story arcs were the norm in this amazingly diverse world inhabited by the most fleshed out characters on any TV show. A perfect example of this is the character Wesley who started as the comedic sidekick and slowly, over the seasons, transformed into a certifiable bad-ass without ever coming across as forced. Angel never treated the view like an idiot, never wrapped everything up in a nice little package after every show only to forget about the previous events in the next episode. Angel also never got stale, in part because it was cancelled in its prime by the WB for no solid reason as it was one of the highest rated shows on the network. Every season seemed to get a little better with the fifth, and final, season being the best, in my humble opinion. The show has become like an old friend to me which I can visit from time to time to remember what TV should strive to be like and to see an example of great story telling. In a time when TV is turning into a wasteland of trends and shows that do nothing but recycle, Angel was a bright spot which has sadly gone out. Buy the DVDs and let the show live forever as most of what else is on TV is already dead.

If you asked me a year ago what Angel was then i wouldn't of have a clue, now it's 1 of my favorite shows.

I never had much interest in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the story sounded pretty much stupid, i mean a teenage girl with superhuman powers doesn't really sound that great, at least not to me.

I started watching it about a year ago though, the first 4 seasons were being repeated late at night, and since there wasn't much on i started to watch it, all characters were decent, but really nothing special, except for Angel, this guy had a past, a real mission, he was hurt by his past and tried to do good in the world, to redeem himself.

The series Angel is nothing like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it's much more mature and dark, they don't fight because they have to, but they fight because they choose to, every single one of them risk their life to help the helpless.

The action is good, the comedy is great and so is the drama, they did a excellent mix of the 3, the sets and make-up are very professional, and the character development has been done very well, overall i just have nothing bad to say about this show, except it being cancelled after 5 seasons, 1 of the biggest mistakes ever.

Personally i think everyone should see the first few episodes, i'm sure there are people out there that won't like it, but don't let the idea of demons and all keep you away from this show, it's truly 1 of the best shows around and deserves to be checked out by everyone.

Angel is a surprise to watch after getting through the Buffy the Vampire series. They're not really alike, except that both shows have weekly monsters (or sometimes do, other times focusing on mishaps with the central characters) and the 'Big Bad' (in this case, for a while, law-firm Wolfram & Hart). While Buffy chronicles what it's like for a young woman becoming a hero, the saga of being a kind of superhero with super strength but still being a regular human being, Angel is about its own hero of sorts, a vampire who has been "cursed" to help others and has a soul. So, he goes to Los Angeles, teams up with a few people- Cordelia, from Buffy, and Doyle (who didn't last long), Wesley (who did last long), and Gunn, a street hood who is his own kind of slayer- and opens up a kind of detective agency "to help the hopeless".

Usually when I look at Joss Whedon's TV shows, a lot of them rely best on a central arc carrying over the series episode to episode (one saw how this worked so well on Buffy and with a little more trouble on Dollhouse). This isn't to say that episodes don't flow together or have strong story lines (they often do, and the sub-plots with Wesley, Cordy and eventually Gun are always involving). But here though it's episodic first, arc second, and this actually works out really well. While the "Big Bad" of the season isn't always out of reach, what we look forward to on Angel is seeing what case he has to solve next, what monster he'll have to fight or what person/non-person he'll have to save. And meanwhile the constant is him trying to be a little more compassionate and caring while also being a dark brooding vampire who on occasion, if he achieves true happiness, becomes the evil 'Angelus' vampire. This isn't as confusing as it sounds (a vampire who becomes... an evil vampire?)

What also helps is that Whedon and co-creator David Greenwalt always put in a sense of humor about things, be it the nightclub run by green-skinned Fred where the demons sing (and Angel gets to belt out "Mandy"), or in some of the wisecracks from the characters. There's also some fantastic action and fights- or, sometimes not- and there's the usual lot of crappy CGI that one saw on Buffy too. But what makes it constantly enjoyable is the film-noir aesthetic: Angel is a little like a Raymond Chandler leftover doused in a touch of Batman and left out to do his thing in seedy LA. The characters are fun and convincing, and even when they're not (take season four for example, a lot of it), a good juicy villain or memorable moment is around the corner.

Angel was a successful spin off, running for five seasons, and when one gets into just the first two seasons it's easy to see why. It's more Whedon-esquire goodness on display, with an oddly charismatic David Boreanaz in the lead (improving/building much upon his character on Buffy).

Having been and still a big fan of Buffy the Vampire slayer, I was pleased to see that Joss Whedon was making a TV series about Angel.

Unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations. The first few seasons were good but it kind of went down hill from there. I really don't want to be harsh about Angel but it felt like they were running out of ideas towards the end.

Some of the characters were brilliant though especially Lorne and of Course Angel. It wasn't all bad and some of the episodes where really good.

Looking back on the creation of Angel the TV series I don't think they should have done it. Maybe they could have put some of them ideas in to making a few more series of Buffy instead. Which in my opinion would have worked out better.

I am a big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and do marginally prefer it over Angel. But I will say this, apart from a rather lacking Season 4 and some moments of poor CGI, Angel is a great show. One thing that really works in the show's favour is the charismatic, brooding and compelling performance of David Boreanaz as the titular character, and I loved how Cordelia's role is expanded upon. A vast majority of the time, Angel looks great, with a suitably Gothic feel to it in the darker and more intense scenes very like its predecessor, and the theme tune is not only memorable but kicks ass too. The stories are always well-paced and intriguing, the fight scenes and choreography are often fantastic and the writing is top notch not just in the dialogue but also in the characterisation. Overall, a great show. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Angel had a strong cast and characters. It was dark, but also fun and witty. The only knock I have is the lack of compelling villains. They are mostly villain of the week. The cast and characters are the best part of the show. I watched to see the characters more than the plot.

This is definitely the most underrated series i have seen. A series this good should easily have been given a rating of above 9.0. I have watched many series including Lost, Prison Break, The Shield, The Wire, The Walking Dead, Dexter But non of them are as dark, emotional and addicting as Angel. I wished this series could have continued 5 seasons are not enough for a story line so intriguing and perfect. Each and every element of the series is Perfect especially the intro music. Its my favorite music and definitely the most dark and addicting music ever. You might not like the first few seasons but please watch it to the end because after you finish the last episode I bet you'd agree with me that Angel is the best series there ever will be.................

Angel FTW

Angel as a show did not know what it wanted to be. Most of the plots of Angel were basically Angel vs some evil that he defeats with the help of his friends. In the first season the show kicked off to a terrific start in the first episode, with Angel essentially introducing himself to LA.

Then the show went on a gimmick fest, with stories about, what are these people hiding, why is Angel acting so strange, etc etc. By the forth season it became a sad depressing soap opera, with one continuous story. By the fifth season, they brought the gimmicks back with a party show, a dance show, and a puppet show. However, during the fifth season we see the sad death of two major characters in touching scenes.

It seamed the show searched for an identity: is it a soap opera? is it a sad story? it is a gimmick fest? what are they doing? what is Angel's purpose, helping the helpless? fighting evil?

In the mist of all this, during the gimmick search of the first season, somehow, they smashed a home run, a hundred miles out of the stadium. Bringing the Buffy character evil Faith Lehane, to LA, the writers may have wanted to play with the meaning of the word "bad" in a story called "Five By Five". They came up with a fantastic story, with a great ending, and suddenly the writers appeared to wanted to continue that theme. The Angel show became about "saving souls" and "redemption". Despite using these words often, this theme did not last long and probably would have been a better theme for the show, than where the stories actually went.

I have searched the Angel episodes for another like "Five By Five" and could not find it.

"Five By Five",

overtakes any movie or other story as simply the

most powerful dramatic story

I have ever seen.

Eliza Dushku gives her best and most stunning performance in this episode, and I feel certain this episode is the reason, she was given the lead in two TV series within the first 5 years after Angel ended.

I recognize it is not easy to write a terrific story every week. I recognize that people watch the show for other reasons, other than seeing some powerful dramatic story. There are some good inventive stories. There are some surprises.

But most of all, the show appeared, to go in many direction, when it could have been so much better going in one direction.

Incredibly lame is the best way to describe this show. The jokes are lame, the stories are lame and most of the characters are lame. My guess is that the only reason it has such a high rating is that those that hate it can't even be buggered to vote.

It does have a certain "soap opera" attraction though. You know its utter crap, but you still watch it to see what happens next if only because about once or twice in each season there is an episode that heightens the standard from merely very bad to mediocre, but in contrast to the rest of the show seems very good.

I used to watch it on Sunday mornings, and when you have the aftereffects of a night of binge drinking doing its work on your brain and liver, then this kind of TV is just the thing. (Because engagement of the brain is not required)

But if you are sober (or over the age of 12) then stay as far away as possible from this series.

I was always into vampires, werewolves and the supernatural growing up... when I stumbled upon this show when I was younger, I immediately fell in love with it. I was also a fan of Buffy. But now, I'm sad that they took it off Netflix and I can't watch it anymore!! Great show and amazing cast tho!

A great spin off from Buffy. If you are a Buffy fan you must watch this! Angel, Wesley and Cordelia are originally shown in the first three seasons of Buffy, you get a good sense of who Angel is along with the others. But with this series, the writers really dive into Angel's past as you get to fully discover this character and see some serious development in other characters such as Cordelia and Wesley.

Angel is filled with cheesy humor, along side the dark and evil creatures lurking in Los Angeles. The cast is great, they couldn't have chosen anyone better then David Boreanaz, Alexis Denisof, Charisma Carpenter, Andy Hallett and Amy Aker. The episodes are filled with interesting stories, funny moments, cheesy lines and lots of heart.

At the start of the series and as it progresses there are lots of cross over characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I would Highly recommend that you watch both shows, starting with Buffy.

This is one of those shows I find myself not only going back to over and over, but one that I also recommend to friends who haven't seen it. Although I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer (this is a spin-off if you aren't aware), Angel has a certain charm to it that Buffy lacks. Though it wouldn't have existed without Buffy, I think it is a work of art by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt. This show makes you fall in love with every single character, whether you want to or not. The wins and the losses feel like your own, and the comedic relief in the midst of the drama and the horror is always right on time, exactly when you need it. I've never watched a show that had me more invested and more engrossed in what was going to happen next, and I think it's genius how some of the key points of the story intertwine. If you haven't watched this (or Buffy for that matter), you've got some serious catching up to do but it will be very worth your while. I admit that some of the initial episodes are a little 90's-esque and can be cheesy, but if you love horror, scifi, and amazing characters and storyline, the rest is just a bonus!

Angel, a spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is usually considered to be a more mature version of Buffy. And more maturity, in this case, often meant less entertaining.

The series starts of slow. In fact, it doesn't really get good until about half-way through the third season. Earlier episodes have their moments, but they are often choppy and uninteresting. Angel and Cordelia both evolve and though, if they were real people, it might be considered a good thing, in the context of entertainment it isn't. Angel should always be reserved, reflective and broody - whatever other personality traits he cultivates on the way. Cordelia should always be shallow and witty and oddly compassionate. They could have grown and changed without losing the essence of what made them great and interesting characters.

As mentioned before, the show picks up greatly halfway through the third season. It becomes compelling and entertaining but simple. Which is what this show should have always been. I strongly believe that the spin-off should never have happened. Buffy was not as good without Angel and Cordelia, and Angel suffered without the Buffy characters. Many, in fact most of the story lines in Angel could have been adapted for Buffy. I feel the spin-off was completely unnecessary. Instead of one really great show, we ended up with two okay shows that occasionally had moments of brilliance. I would have preferred the former.

All up, Angel is a decent show and one worth watching if you're a fan of Buffy or Joss Whedon. But prepare yourself for some mediocre and sometimes, frankly, bizarre story-telling until the third season hits.

Whedon's finest work can be seen in Firefly and the first three seasons of Buffy.

Most of the initial early problems of this show were solved by the second season, the attention of Joss was probably not enough until Buffy ended, but by season 5 the show was going full speed and became as compelling as Buffy ever was. The crossover eps with Buffy were gripping, tears were shed, brow wet with sweat.

Cordelia Chase finding a place in the show helped with familiarity, though sadly, she's had little luck other than cameos since, but I was glad to finally see her special side in Bound recently. Spike/James Marsden stole BOTH shows, and the hearts of every 13 year old girl in the country I'd bet, but if vampires don't breathe, how the heck did he smoke so much?

Problems occurred only when the two shows moved to separate networks, as I'd hoped for far more crossovers, because their love was eternal and magical. Season 5 substituted the back of a blond girl as a weak substitute for SMG herself, but still stood out as the best of all with the wildly creative turns.

Fun from beginning to end, if you've ever considered it, it's all worth a watch.

DB, you'll always be Angel to me, even after 10 years as Booth on Bones.

I liked the first three seasons and the Angel Investigations stories. I understand other stories needed to be added cause you can't go on forever without working towards something bigger. I loved the eps about Pylea, they were interesting and I loved the change of scenery. I also love Lorne and Fred being added to the main crew.

But evil Cordy was so incredible annoying, and omg Conner too. So dissapointing. I watched to know how it would all end, but I didn't enjoy it anymore from season 4. It all somehow was too much and it started to feel fake. The acting seemed to become worse and the storyline boring.

I still gave six stars cause I really enjoyed the earlier episodes and seasons.

Angel is the spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and is set after season 3 of Buffy when Angel leaves the show to move to L.A. Unfortunately, Angel suffers from the same disadvantage that most spin-offs do - it lives in the shadow of its partner show. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was such a success, so well loved and one of the defining fantasy shows of the 90s that to try and follow in its footsteps with a spin-off was always going to be a challenge. However, those that do not give Angel a chance or believe it won't be as good as Buffy are missing out. Angel is every bit as good as Buffy, if not even better in a lot of ways.

Angel is a charming, witty, noir series that combines crime, mystery, comedy, drama, fantasy and horror to tell fantastic stories of good and evil. Unlike Buffy which is aimed more towards a teen audience, Angel is an adult show and is much darker and mature in tone. Angel successfully creates itself as a separate and distinctive show from Buffy (except for season 5 where Whedon's influence pushes the show more into Buffy territory), whilst remaining true to the Buffyverse. It doesn't feel like Buffy 2.0, it is its own story with its own characters and defining features which make it unique. It explores many of the complex issues that Buffy such as good vs bad, redemption, forgiveness, grief, friendship, love etc., but does it in a more thrilling and emotional way (examples would be Faith's episodes Five by Five and Sanctuary).

The characters are fantastic (I would argue even better than the characters on Buffy) and there are barley any characters I dislike, villains included. Angel is the show where minor characters from Buffy realise their potential - Angel, Wesley, Cordelia, Darla, Harmony and even Spike all receive fantastic development and stories on Angel that take their character to new places. On Buffy, Angel's character was rather flat, undeveloped and constrained by his relationship with Buffy, in Angel, he truly comes into his own. Through flashbacks and explorations of his past, we gain deeper insight into Angel and the events and experiences that made him who he was. We also see the funnier, dorkier side of his personality which rarely made an appearance on Buffy. Cordelia transforms from the shallow, egotistical young girl preoccupied with money and popularity into an empathetic hero who works alongside Angel fighting the good fight and helping the helpless. Wesley undergoes the most shocking and extensive change of any Buffyverse character, beginning on Buffy as a nerdy, bumbling Watcher and becoming an incredibly dark, impulsive, reckless and morally grey anti-hero. Darla is an intriguing character that gets the time she deserves on Angel as her past, relationship with Angel, Spike and Dru is uncovered and her humanity is explored. The other characters such as Doyle, Kate, Fred, Gunn, Lorne and Connor all add to the seasons they're part of and are interesting and likeable characters. Whilst Buffy suffers from focusing TOO much on Buffy's character, Angel devotes time to all of its characters, giving them their own arcs, stories and developing them in their own unique ways.

Each season has a slightly different format and tone, which personally I enjoy. Whilst season 1 starts out as a bad-guy-of-the-week format, by seasons 2 and 3 more complex plots begin to develop that span across the series, season 4 is incredibly dark in tone and season 5 returns to its more comedic routes and Buffy-esque influences since it is the only season Whedon was executive producer. Much like Buffy, Angel isn't perfect and is not as consistent as it should be. There are some good episodes, not-so-good episodes and truly brilliant episodes all mixed in together where the best episode of the season can be followed by the worst. However, the better episodes more than outweigh the bad and renowned episodes of Buffy such as 'The Body', 'Hush' and 'Once More with Feeling' receive competition from Angel with 'Waiting in the Wings', 'Smile Time' and 'Sleep Tight' amongst many others. Seasons 1-3 are arguably when the show is at its best. Season 4 becomes very weird and takes Cordelia's character in an unfavourable direction, and the final season suffers from Cordelia's absence and is taken in a new direction that steers away from the vibe of the earlier seasons and more towards Buffy. However, it has its good episodes throughout and remains strong until the end, with one of the best season finales of any show I've ever seen.

Although Angel is dark in tone, it is also hilariously funny and almost every episode makes you smile or laugh out loud. The pilot introduces its comedy with Angel's bad dancing (arguably one of the funniest scenes on the show) but the comedy doesn't end there. Cordelia's brutal honesty, Angel's awkwardness, Fred's adorable but bumbly personality, Lorne's flamboyancy, Wesley's wit, Spike's sarcasm and the friendships between all of the characters mean that there is never a dull moment with Angel Investigations. Even in the darkest moments they often find a way to lighten the mood.

Overall, Angel is a fantastic show that exceeds Buffy, in my opinion. I only wish I hadn't been so dismissive of it all those years ago and perhaps I would have discovered how brilliant this show is long ago. Anybody that is a fan of Buffy will enjoy Angel, all that's required is an open mind and this show will suck you in and take you on a wild, emotional journey where it will make you laugh and cry.

However, so utterly fed up with Darla, Darla, Darla, Darla! One very very boring, typical vampire, I could really do without. Guess the writers got 'writers block' or something.

This is an OK show. It entertains. It's rarely boring but it lacks the polish of Buffy. The show gets more and more ludicrous as it goes on - the character of Cordelia, especially, just becomes unrecognisable from the original character who used to be great fun.

The story arcs drag on and on and on - the Season 2 one spends so long setting up the story that I'd lost interest in it by the time things started happening. I don't hate long arcs but I don't think Angel is a show that manages to pace them very well.

David Borneaz does his best but he's clearly out of his depth as the main character. The man has only a couple of facial expressions and this lack of depth in his acting ruins moments that otherwise might have been very effective.

The real bright spot is the character of Wesley and the actor who plays him.