Creating a successful television spinoff series is not an easy task. While occasionally there are great spinoffs like theBreaking Badcontinuation,Better Call Saul, focusing on just one character or theme that worked within a broader context can prove to be disastrous. As theFriendsspinoffJoeyorThe MandalorianspinoffThe Book of Boba Fettproved, some characters simply work best in supporting roles, and cannot lead a series of their own. However,Buffy the Vampire Slayermanaged to lead into the excellent spinoff,Angel. Not only wasAngela totally unique show that took a much darker approach, but it quickly equaled (and often improved) the quality of its predecessor.
Buffy the Vampire Slayertells the story of Buffy Summers (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar), a teenage girl who is the latest in a long line of women warriors that protect the world from demons and other supernatural threats. Buffy forms a relationship with the enigmatic stranger Angel (played by David Boreanaz), who to her shock ends up being a vampire. At the end ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s third season, Buffy leaves Buffy’s hometown of Sunnydale to start a detective agency in Los Angeles, setting up the first season ofAngel. He is eventually joined by Buffy’s friend Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), and later by his fellow vampire Spike (James Marsters).Angelran for five seasons before it was unfortunately canceled. Here is every season ofAngel, ranked worst to best.
UnlikeBuffy the Vampire Slayer,Angelintroduced serialized storylines that connected the entire season together in one fluid arc. While this was an interesting decision that yielded some excellent results, Season 4 featured a narrative so disastrous that it nearly ruined the series ahead of its finale. The ending of Season 3 had set up a premise where Cordelia enters a mystical realm and gets strange new powers that she can’t control. While Carpenter tries her best to deliver a strong performance, her romance with Angels’ son Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) feels underwritten at best, and creepy at its worst.
WhileAngelis a significantly darker series thanBuffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 4 continuously punished its characters and showed them all at their most miserable. Angel’s feud with Wesley Windham Pryce (Alexis Denisoff) is simply uncomfortable to watch, and later Angel’s friends Fred (Amy Acker) and Gunn (J. August Richards) decide to unleash Angel’s dark alter ego Angelus. The entire season is a mess, except for the delightful comedic episode “Spin The Bottle.”
Related:Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Funniest Episodes, Ranked
Similar to Season 4,AngelSeason 3 tells a season-long story that gradually builds towards a tragic conclusion. The first half of the season is genuinely riveting; Angel’s lover and occasional lover Darla (Julie Benz) is hunted down by enemies and gives birth to their son. It’s incredible how much Darla had evolved since her introduction at the beginning ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer. Somehow, a villainous vampire that was killed off became one of the most tragic and complex characters within the mythology.
However, the introduction of Kartheiser as an adolescent iteration of Connor simply didn’t fit the preexisting group dynamic. Connor often comes across as a whiny, obnoxious burden for Angel to carry, as Connor has sworn to remain loyal to the villainous Holtz (Keith Szarabajka). The lack of “monster of the week” episodes results in many interludes where there isn’t anything compelling going on. However, Denisoff deserves praise for handling Wesley’s tragic arc with grace.
UnlikeBuffy the Vampire Slayer, which had to establish an entire world and set of characters at the very beginning,Angelhad the benefit of having a series premise that was already established. Angel is seeking redemption for a lifetime of killing and harvesting as Angelus, and he’s pained by the knowledge that he will never be able to have a romance with his true love Buffy. His decision to start a detective agency makes sense, andAngelquickly found a way to bring back some characters from its predecessor. Both Cordelia and Wesley are significantly more mature inAngel; Cordelia has learned responsibility, and Wesley knows that he failed in his duties as a Watcher.
Prior to Wesley’s first appearance towards the middle of the season, Angel and Cordelia work alongside the mutant Doyle (Glenn Quinn). Unfortunately, Doyle was killed off early on, leading to the emotional episode “Hero.” Quinn had beenstruggling with addiction issuesand died in 2002. He was remembered fondly by his cast mates, and Boreanaz said that “working with my dear friend who passed away, Glenn Quinn, is still is a huge memory in my heart," (viaTV Guide).
Related:Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Every Season, Ranked
Season 2 was a rollercoaster ride of emotions that dug into deeper philosophical themes thanBuffy the Vampire Slayerever could. WhileBuffy the Vampire Slayerwas alwaysa coming-of-age story,Angelexamined whether the battle of good against evil could ever truly be one.Angellearns this lesson in “Reprise,” when he realizes their attempts at heroism are always doomed to fail. This brilliantly leads into his romance with Darla in “Epiphany,” where they conceive the child that would eventually become Connor.
Season 2 told a mostly serialized story, but individual episodes stood out by showing different investigations that the heroes handle. “Are You Now or Have You Ever Been” was a standout episode that added flashbacks to the 1950s where Angel explores the history of death, prejudice, and tragedy that haunt the hotel they work out of.
WhenAngelseason 5 began airing, it was afterBuffy the Vampire Slayerhad already concluded. This gave the writers room to explore a completely different direction with Angel, Fred, Gunn, and Wesley all working for their former enemy Wolfram & Hart. The introduction of Spike as a new member of the team added humor, but it also allowed Spike and Angel to reflect on their shared history together.
The season made some ambitious swings, including the surprisingly delightful puppet episode “Smile Time.” However, the series finale “Not Fade Away” found a brilliant way to end the series on a cliffhanger. It was unclear if the heroes would make it out of the final battle alive, but it’s shown that they will never give up in their fight against evil.
