Nathan 1Angel: We Help the Helpless (LINK)
Well I’ve finally reached the finale of Angel and what brilliant 110 hours it has been. I remember first seeing the show when it was broadcast on Sky One just under a decade ago and seeing it with fresh eyes has taught me a valuable lesson about perception and how things change as well as how you respond to different parts of a show that you never used to with the passing time of experience. When I first saw Angel I was excited but failed to see how it could possibly surpass its predecessor Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the magic of BtVS was Sunnydale, the Scooby gang and the memorable Rupert Giles.
At the time despite being impressed by the continuation of storylines and the shows parallel development alongside Buffy, I was still not responding to the elements of the show that made it truly special like I have done on my recent venture back into the city of angels. One example being that, my first time round with Angel I missed out on all the great sleuth gumshoe references to characters like Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe as I had never really been aware of the private eye fiction of the time. Now, after having some wonderful Hollywood classics, most notably The Maltese falcon, Double Indemnity and The Big Sleep, Angel Investigations has really come to life; from Angel’s dark stuffy offices, to the wailing on snitches to get information to the really good stuff like the cool control of emotions whilst still holding on to the ability to care and make the tough choices even when everyone is against you. There is of course the trademark brooding of Angel which is also a quirk of the private investigator who likes to play the loner, enjoying solitude but ready to lend a helping hand when someone needs it.
It was not just Angel that displayed these qualities but Wesley Wyndam-Pryce also, who went through some of the most compelling and seriously badass changes, as he went from British alumni bookworm watcher to rogue demon slayer to sensitive boss to cold, tough guy. Never after watching his character in Buffy as the snotty, play by the rules, dweeb could you foresee him taking on such depth of character and for me becoming one of the best parts of the show. I think even Giles would be proud of him, which seems like a ridiculous thing to say given his irritation and grievances at the dilly-dallying, hapless manner of Wesley. Speaking of changes I think it would be outrageous to overlook the character of Cordelia Chase who went from being the selfish, spoilt, popular meanie at Sunnydale high to a figure of benevolence, altruism and motherhood as she was thrown into the harsh realities of LA life. Taking on certain powers (not to spoil anything) which turned her into a vital member of the group (unlike in Buffy where she just made sarcastic comments or bickered with Xander), was a turning point in her maturity. Even though the gift was forced upon her, she adapted to it with the knowledge that she was being setup for a greater purpose. It wasn’t just Cordy’s wardrobe and hairstyle that changed over the seasons; and boy did it change, turning her from a gorgeous bombshell to…well… a mom. It was her entire demeanour from the way she talked and the things she said to the smallest of hand gestures. All the characters in Angel went through changes as a good show will force them to, but it was Cordelia who by her last appearances in it became another person (metaphysically speaking, though there were some other close calls to).
The one thing Angel did have going for it over Buffy was the philosophical tool they had in the Angel/Angelus split which was the crux of Buffy season two and of which I had expected there to be a reprisal in the bloodsuckers own spinoff. I was not disappointed and neither will you be as he returns cooler, funnier and more evil than ever. The main attraction of the Buffverse has always been its genius use of metaphors (like in Angelus) and the ability of the show to push the viewer to read between the lines. It is obvious that Joss Whedon’s reverence of Shakespeare plays a big part in his construction of subtext and tragedy, and in Angel these tools are used to take the show to a darker and more utilitarian level, as Angel Inc. are a team that exist to help people in more ways than just the supernatural ones in which Buffy was chosen to. Angel has a long bright streak of philanthropy running through it as it puts our heroes in real down to earth situations dealing with real people from all walks of life, which makes the choices extra hard and the big bads a little trickier to defeat.
The show deals with the grey areas of life as the creators Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt often emphasize. One quality line that I don’t think I’ll ever forget from the show goes something like this; “once you’ve crossed the line into the black, no matter how much white you try and rub back in you’re only ever going to get grey.” Corruption plays a major role in testing the crew whether it be the acquisition of power, the betrayal of friends or the separation of a family unit. As the show is supernatural in nature the grey area is even greyer than it is in real life and redemption becomes much more difficult to obtain.
Each season went from strength to strength until the monster of the week/noir writing strategy that played out in the first season gave way to breathtaking feats of fantasy storytelling, weaving together sub plots, character deviations and epic deus ex machinas; whilst integrating elements through guest appearances from the Buffy cast, until it got to a point where in order to understand what was going on you had to have seen every episode; even season one episodes in which characters like Doyle were referenced back into the mix.
If you have not yet seen Angel; maybe because you weren’t a fan of Buffy or maybe because you’re not into the whole emotional-horror genre period, I strongly advise you to let go of those preconceptions and enjoy Angel in it’s own light in a similar fashion to my enjoyment of it in a new light 10 years down the line.
Key episodes to check out if you just want to browse through the show for a bit before taking the whole ride would be:
Rm w/a Vu – season 1
Sense and Sensitivity – season 1
Parting Gifts – season 1
Eternity – season 1
Spin the Bottle (this is a very funny episode from season four so you might want to leave it out if you want to avoid spoilers)
Angel Season 3
At the time despite being impressed by the continuation of storylines and the shows parallel development alongside Buffy, I was still not responding to the elements of the show that made it truly special like I have done on my recent venture back into the city of angels. One example being that, my first time round with Angel I missed out on all the great sleuth gumshoe references to characters like Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe as I had never really been aware of the private eye fiction of the time. Now, after having some wonderful Hollywood classics, most notably The Maltese falcon, Double Indemnity and The Big Sleep, Angel Investigations has really come to life; from Angel’s dark stuffy offices, to the wailing on snitches to get information to the really good stuff like the cool control of emotions whilst still holding on to the ability to care and make the tough choices even when everyone is against you. There is of course the trademark brooding of Angel which is also a quirk of the private investigator who likes to play the loner, enjoying solitude but ready to lend a helping hand when someone needs it.
Detectives
It was not just Angel that displayed these qualities but Wesley Wyndam-Pryce also, who went through some of the most compelling and seriously badass changes, as he went from British alumni bookworm watcher to rogue demon slayer to sensitive boss to cold, tough guy. Never after watching his character in Buffy as the snotty, play by the rules, dweeb could you foresee him taking on such depth of character and for me becoming one of the best parts of the show. I think even Giles would be proud of him, which seems like a ridiculous thing to say given his irritation and grievances at the dilly-dallying, hapless manner of Wesley. Speaking of changes I think it would be outrageous to overlook the character of Cordelia Chase who went from being the selfish, spoilt, popular meanie at Sunnydale high to a figure of benevolence, altruism and motherhood as she was thrown into the harsh realities of LA life. Taking on certain powers (not to spoil anything) which turned her into a vital member of the group (unlike in Buffy where she just made sarcastic comments or bickered with Xander), was a turning point in her maturity. Even though the gift was forced upon her, she adapted to it with the knowledge that she was being setup for a greater purpose. It wasn’t just Cordy’s wardrobe and hairstyle that changed over the seasons; and boy did it change, turning her from a gorgeous bombshell to…well… a mom. It was her entire demeanour from the way she talked and the things she said to the smallest of hand gestures. All the characters in Angel went through changes as a good show will force them to, but it was Cordelia who by her last appearances in it became another person (metaphysically speaking, though there were some other close calls to).
The one thing Angel did have going for it over Buffy was the philosophical tool they had in the Angel/Angelus split which was the crux of Buffy season two and of which I had expected there to be a reprisal in the bloodsuckers own spinoff. I was not disappointed and neither will you be as he returns cooler, funnier and more evil than ever. The main attraction of the Buffverse has always been its genius use of metaphors (like in Angelus) and the ability of the show to push the viewer to read between the lines. It is obvious that Joss Whedon’s reverence of Shakespeare plays a big part in his construction of subtext and tragedy, and in Angel these tools are used to take the show to a darker and more utilitarian level, as Angel Inc. are a team that exist to help people in more ways than just the supernatural ones in which Buffy was chosen to. Angel has a long bright streak of philanthropy running through it as it puts our heroes in real down to earth situations dealing with real people from all walks of life, which makes the choices extra hard and the big bads a little trickier to defeat.
Cordelia Chase and Wesley Wyndom-Pryce
The show deals with the grey areas of life as the creators Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt often emphasize. One quality line that I don’t think I’ll ever forget from the show goes something like this; “once you’ve crossed the line into the black, no matter how much white you try and rub back in you’re only ever going to get grey.” Corruption plays a major role in testing the crew whether it be the acquisition of power, the betrayal of friends or the separation of a family unit. As the show is supernatural in nature the grey area is even greyer than it is in real life and redemption becomes much more difficult to obtain.
Each season went from strength to strength until the monster of the week/noir writing strategy that played out in the first season gave way to breathtaking feats of fantasy storytelling, weaving together sub plots, character deviations and epic deus ex machinas; whilst integrating elements through guest appearances from the Buffy cast, until it got to a point where in order to understand what was going on you had to have seen every episode; even season one episodes in which characters like Doyle were referenced back into the mix.
If you have not yet seen Angel; maybe because you weren’t a fan of Buffy or maybe because you’re not into the whole emotional-horror genre period, I strongly advise you to let go of those preconceptions and enjoy Angel in it’s own light in a similar fashion to my enjoyment of it in a new light 10 years down the line.
Key episodes to check out if you just want to browse through the show for a bit before taking the whole ride would be:
Rm w/a Vu – season 1
Sense and Sensitivity – season 1
Parting Gifts – season 1
Eternity – season 1
Spin the Bottle (this is a very funny episode from season four so you might want to leave it out if you want to avoid spoilers)
