"Angel" Review

If given enough time, Joss Whedon will kill every single character he has ever created. Cracked.com said it best when they wrote that Joss Whedon will "slaughter everything that makes you happy inside."And "Angel" is no exception. In fact, I'm pretty sure it has the highest body count among main and recurring characters of any Joss Whedon show. So know this: no one is safe on "Angel," regardless of how cemented within the Buffyverse a character appears to be.

"Angel" is the only spin-off of Whedon's critically acclaimed series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and follows the character of Angel, a vampire with a soul, as he moves from Sunnyville, the setting of "Buffy" where Angel was a main character for the first three seasons, to Los Angeles. In LA, Angel sets off on a path towards redemption, as he tries to atone for the horrifying crimes he committed in his past as a soulless vampire, his monstrous alter ego known as Angelus.

Along with Angel, the supporting cast expands and changes over the course of the show's five seasons, including Cordelia Chase, previously a main character on "Buffy," and Doyle, a part-demon who receives visions from The Powers That Be, one the mysterious guiding forces that are a central focus of the show, that are meant to help Angel's quest for redemption. These visions of the future usually consist of someone in danger from a supernatural creature or force that Angel must try and save, and are a major part of Angel Investigations, a detective agency Angel sets up in LA.

At the end of the first season, it is revealed that, if Angel follows the path laid out by The Powers That Be, it is possible for Angel to fully redeem himself and have his human self restored, something he desperately wants. As part of a curse that restored his soul and forced him to feel guilt and remorse for his actions, he cannot have a single moment of true happiness, lest he lose his precious soul and turn back into the bloodthirsty and vicious Angelus.

Over the course of the series, Angel is joined by Wesley Wyndam-Price, a recurring character from "Buffy," Charles Gunn, a local demon hunter, Winifred Burkle, a brilliant scientist, and Lorne, a karaoke-loving demon who has empathic abilities. The show's antagonists usually are connected with Wolfram & Hart, an evil law firm that represents various demons and foes that often come in direct conflict with Angel Investigations.

This is one of the main distinctions between "Angel" and its parent show, as Angel has to take more sophisticated and omnipresent villains than Buffy has had to. The Big Bad, the term commonly used to refer to a season's overall major villain, is usually in some way connected to Wolfram & Hart, and the law firm is almost always heavily involved in the major story arc for each season. Lindsey McDonald and Lilah Morgan, two of Wolfram & Hart's lawyers, are excellent cerebral antagonists for Angel and his team, and stand in contrast to the stereotypical powerful monster villains found in the Buffyverse. And without giving too much away, Wolfram & Hart and its mysterious Senior Partners are much more than simply lawyers and a law firm.

Another major distinction is the darker tone of "Angel." Angel cannot save every single person The Powers That Be send visions of. Major characters die, often sadly and unexpectedly. Angelus makes a few appearances, and at times Angel himself is no better than his demented alter ego. Even the theme that runs over the main credits is slower and more somber than that of "Buffy." One of the themes that plays at the heart of the show, at least early on, is moral ambiguity. When characters find themselves seemingly at their lowest points, it is interesting to watch how they choose to either pick themselves up, stay where they are, or try and dig deeper into the darkness, and whether or not they ignore the moral implications of doing so.

Other concepts explored on "Angel" include the idea of free will, trust and deception, the cost of violence, and the notion of the Champion, with Angel serving as one on behalf of humanity. Free will is constantly at play thanks to The Powers That Be and particular prophecies that concern what is to come. While Angel firmly believes in free will, his viewpoint is constantly challenged by the presence of The Powers That Be and the visions they send down. Trust and deception become major themes explored in the later seasons, as connections and bonds between various characters become fragile and sometimes break, often leading to disastrous consequences.

Four of the five seasons of "Angel" were very well thought-out and constructed, with Season Four being the only weak link. Season One establishes the tone of the show, and while not having as detailed a season arc as the rest of the series, does set up how Angel can truly and fully redeem himself. Season Two sees the return of Darla, Angel's sire, as she and Wolfram & Hart work together to try and bring down Angel Investigations.

Season Three also sees the return of someone from Angel's past, a vampire hunter from the 1700s named Holtz seeking revenge on Angel, who, as Angelus, brutally killed Holtz's family. Season Four, the only dud, was not very effective due to no permanent Big Bad, instead jumping from one villain to another, as well as poor use of one of the main characters. The final season puts the show back on track and builds to a fantastic climax, one that's infuriating yet brilliant.

All that's left to talk about is the cast, and the cast is great. David Boreanez does a superb job reprising his role as Angel, and is able to show off a wider array of his acting skills than he could on "Buffy," as his character is finally able to emote more now that his former love interest is gone. Glenn Quinn, as the enigmatic Doyle, is quite fun to watch onscreen. The adorable Amy Acker (Winifred Burkle) shows off a fantastic range as the series progresses, and Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Price) also is remarkable as the character of Wesley changes dramatically over the course of the show.

Finally, if you're looking for "Buffy in LA," this isn't the series for you. "Angel" is more violent, more cerebral, and isn't afraid to go places where "Buffy" never would. This isn't to say that "Buffy" is a lesser show, or that "Angel" delves too far off the path from its parent, but merely to point out that they shouldn't be compared. It would be unfair to do so. One should take them as two entirely separate shows that happen to inhabit the save fictional universe.

Until next time, Orange Hat Guy