Angel (Angel)

Member Name: sharktrager

Product:	Angel
Date:	04/04/02 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good storylines, Good characters, Charisma Carpenter

Disadvantages: None

Until recently I'd only ever seen the odd episode of ANGEL. I kind of have trouble getting into any TV series these days as I'm often not at home the same time on the same evening for more than a couple of weeks. For this reason I'm really glad that TV shows have started coming out on DVD and in video boxsets in their complete seasons at a reasonable price.

Anyway, on to ANGEL. I recently borrowed the whole of the first two seasons on video from a friend of mine who was adamant that I would enjoy it. I'd never even seen much of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (the series from which ANGEL is a spin-off) so I was a bit sceptical, but I'm glad I did watch it as I got quite used to a regular fix of ANGEL and am now sad because I'm not getting my fix!!

ANGEL stars David Boreanaz as the eponymous character, who is a vampire. However this vampire has a soul and is atoning for centuries of evil deeds by helping people in Los Angeles. Helping him in this are a number of other characters. The first season began with Angel being accompanied by Cordelia Chase (another character from BUFFY) who is desperate to be an actress (which is why she moved from Sunnydale to LA in the first place) and Doyle, a half-human, half-demon. Doyle suffered from visions and it is these visions that usually showed the team who they needed to help - they were a signal from the 'Powers That Be'.

After 9 episodes Doyle was killed off, and his vision power was transferred to Cordelia. She and Angel were then joined by Wesley Wyndham-Price, who had previously appeared on BUFFY too, but who was now a renegade demon bounty hunter. Later they were also joined by another couple of characters - Gunn and Fred - along with a large number of supporting characters who drift in and out of the storylines.

The characters are the best thing about ANGEL. Angel himself is usually dark and broody, and this makes the odd occasions when he becomes a little happ
ier very amusing to watch. Doyle was OK, but when he was replaced by Wesley I was unhappy, as Wesley came across as a bit of a pathetic character. Thankfully he grew on me though. The best character has got to be Cordelia. Charisma Carpenter (the actress who plays Cordelia) is absolutely gorgeous, but that is not the only reason why I like the character (although it's a good reason to like her!). Cordelia as a character has really grown since the beginning of the series, from a vacuous annoying girl, into a more mature, caring, 'deep' woman.

The storylines are also strong and this is something else that I like about the series, and to be honest about TV today. Gone are the days of the 'reset' button, where every episode of a TV show ended with the characters pretty much the same as they were at the beginning. ANGEL is a developing story, and characters and situations change. In this respect it is much like a soap opera, but there's nothing wrong with that!

So, in closing, ANGEL is an excellent series, and I look forward to the release of the Season 3 box set.

Summary: