TVShowsOnDVD.com Reviews Angel's Fourth Season.
Gord Lacey thinks highly of a season that many seem to think is Angel's weakest.
A fairly light review, but it's nice to hear that season four (out on R1 DVD September 7, 2004) will be presented with excellent picture quality and sound.
I really think season 4 will shine on DVD.
August 24 2004
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teenes | August 24, 07:34 CET
Smo | August 24, 07:50 CET
Personally, I loved season 4 of Angel because there was just constant plot that they made fit together and it was just.. overwhelming. But in a good way. :) I just didn't like Cordelia's turn.
And Faith, Willow, and Gwen didn't hurt either ;)
Christopher | August 24, 07:52 CET
It's sort of like Buffy's 4th season in the way that the main arc might not have had the emotional punch they were going for, but when you look at the pieces, the season definately has some of the best episodes. Plus, i'm a sucker for the big arc-y stuff.
thekey1313 | August 24, 08:21 CET
tuneman570 | August 24, 08:22 CET
I can't wait for Sept 7! Next month is my happy month.
electricspacegirl | August 24, 08:36 CET
Madhatter | August 24, 08:51 CET
I'm a big fan of S2, actually; IMO the Darla arc was one of the strongest in the series, and it holds up well to multiple viewings.
Galvatron | August 24, 09:12 CET
That statement is perhaps a little melodramatic, but there is a fair percentage of Fang Gang-ers that do not care for the Cordy/Connor/Jasmine arc.
While Connor's hot and cold nature was a bit off-putting—sympathetic one moment, spiteful the next—the greatest injustice of the season was the space between episodes. Because the parts were so interlocked, those one to n week intervals really made it hard to stay in the mood.
Each DVD season has converted its share of naysayers, but season four should benefit the most from the marathon viewing afforded by those shiny little discs.
Season five is more enjoyable after watching its conclusion; knowing where the episodes ultimately lead unifies them, making several seem less monster-of-the-week. Many all-time favorite moments reside in season five: Wes' lack of hesitation in killing his father (if only symbolically) to save Fred; Puppet Angel striding out of his office with his sword across his shoulders, Fang-Gang in tow; Puppet Angel vamping out; Angel answering the phone after his kiss with Cordy; Connor acknowledging Angel as his father; Eve crawling into bed with Lindsay; the Lorne gunman; Fred's passing, Illyria's birth; Sajan getting his just desserts; Harmony's chopstick fight; Spike looking down, realizing he's standing in a desk; The Prince Of Lies; Fred signaling Wes; and Angel rehashing Buffy's cookie dough comments, apparently on the verge of tears.
That was a bit of season five tangent, but season four has its highlights, which will be re-revealed with a weekend DVD-fest ;)
Ubqtous | August 24, 09:15 CET
Karen | August 24, 09:16 CET
PMMJ | August 24, 09:20 CET
Neither was I. Loved the storyline, but felt the execution was a little off. Maybe because the actors didn't seem to enjoy it.
Caroline | August 24, 09:41 CET
I also liked season 4 and the plot-rich narrative.
Drifter | August 24, 09:59 CET
Simon | August 24, 10:18 CET
With Angel it's the same thing, every season seems to have its fair share of devoted fans and haters. Season 4 for instance is considered the best by many, and the worst by many others (both sides seems to believe that they are the dominant one, when truly it doesn't matter.) I am always suprised to hear of someone not loving season 3, as I believe it was the strongest season of television I have ever seen.
What's great about this, is that with all of these wonderful seasons, we're all getting something else from it, some love the romance, other the tragedy, we don't always agree, but the fact that we aren't just sheep speaks volumes for us fans.
rabid | August 24, 10:21 CET
stiansaint | August 24, 10:25 CET
pezwitch | August 24, 10:50 CET
'Dark' Wesley, the Beast, Angelus, Faith, the whole Jasmin thing, the 'Talky meat' critters....I thought it was pretty powerful stuff. Probably enjoyed it more than S3 if I'm honest. Holtz annoyed me in the sense that he was practically as evil as Angelus by now, but still acted like he had the moral high ground. I know that was of course the whole point, but I can't help but grit my teeth over that.
And ya know, teeth hurting during the watching....lessens the fun. And hey, Faith in S4: "Break me off a switch, there's gonna be a whuppin'."
C'mon that's the good stuff;-)
EdDantes | August 24, 10:58 CET
But s4 was fantastic! Connor on his own never bothered me; I figure a kid with a background like his is bound to be more than a little messed in the head. The Cordy/Connor thing, on the other hand, made me want to scratch my eyes out. (It felt incestuous, which ... Ew.) However this was balanced by the extreme hotness that was Wes/Lilah. And then there was Faith's jail break and her meeting Dark!Wes... Man. Good stuff.
But as much as I luuuuurve s4, I adore s5 all the more, for all the reason Ubqtous listed above, and more. Man, that was one hell of a writing team.
Joss' bitch | August 24, 11:54 CET
I always felt the relationship between Cordy and Connor, such as it was, felt forced and out of place.
However once you discover that the "relationship" actually was totally forced by Jasmine's manipulations it makes it seem a lot more realistic within the season arc.
Most couples in the slayerverse come together naturally over time because of true feelings for each other. This was nothing like that, merely a means for Jamine to get what she wanted, and so the fact it felt wrong actually is the point i guess.
Reading too much into things again ain't i! ;)
The Arcane | August 24, 12:12 CET
I think Season 4's incredibly strong though. The Jasmine plotline was genius, I thought it took balls for the writers to give us spoofing of religious fanaticism/celebrity worship plus questions of right/wrong, free will and whether any of that means anything. The writers probably didn't have much of it in mind since Angel Season 3 (and I doubt they'd decided it'd be a Power That Was' influence that transferred Doyle's visions to Cordelia all the way back in Season 1), but it was nice to finally get an explanation for mystical-vampire-pregnancy. And I appreciated that Cordelia's whole transformation since Season 1 was made out to be a part of Jasmine's grand plan, that worked for me. Did we ever find out why Angel was returned from the hell dimension in Buffy Season 3's "Faith Hope & Trick" ? Was it implied in "Amends" that it was The First Evil's doing, or can I fanwank that Jasmine knew who her grand-daddy would be all the way back then and rescued him from torture for it? (since we're never going to get an explanation for a mystery from that far back).
Angel Season 4 also has my favorite Angel season finale, "Home" (although "To Shanshu in LA" is a serious contender in my eyes).
If not for the weak Pylea arc that ended Season 2 (yeah, I had fun with it too, but it wasn't up to the calibre of the rest of the year and that's not the kind of story you end a season with), that year would probably be my fave, but as it stands I think Season 4 is it. It's hard to choose though, 'cause there were a bunch of great standalones in Season 1 and 5 had Fred's death/Illyria, Puppet Angel, "Origin", and some other great stuff. My opinion could change when I some day see the complete series again on DVD.
Kris | August 24, 12:20 CET
I really don't like Season Three of Angel, I think its just the general feel of the Season as a whole. I love some episodes from it such as "Birthday" and "Sleep Tight" but all together it doesn't fit right for me. I do however love Season Four, and on DVD (UK) it has incredible picture quality, which makes the whole season seem so much better.
"There are many people who loathe Buffy season 1, 4, 6 or 7, yet many who pride one or more of those as their favorite season"
Season Four is overall probably my favourite. Season One is really cool, I love Stand - alone episodes (probably why I love Season 5 of Angel so much) and Season Six is just overall a great Season.
But when it comes to Season Seven....They could have done so much more with that!. I love it from "Lessons" to "CWDP" and then from "Storyteller" to the eventual end. I found the middle a waste of time. I think also, it being set in the house so much, dragged it on, and the addition of so many new characters.......I know that the Season wasn't for me, but that some people love it. I've still bought it on DVD, because it does have some great episodes on there, but they could have done so much more.
Oh Well each to his/her own
Apocalypse | August 24, 14:36 CET
lyn | August 24, 14:37 CET
Story arcs are good, I like em; however the thing I also enjoy about these shows is their sense of humor. I don't remember season 4 having much of that. I did like Jasmine and the Beast.
Remember favorite or least favorite season all these shows are in a league of their own - way higher in quality than other shows.
Passion | August 24, 16:02 CET
Firstly, with Buffy Season 1, I think people judge it unfairly. It was a mid season replacement with only 12 episodes, a limited budget, mostly different writers aside from Joss and David Greenwalt.....but to loathe it? I find all the episodes enjoyable, and that's how I got into the series in the first place.
And honestly, Seasons 1 and 4 are the only seasons I can pick and watch at any time. Mostly because they're lighter.
Well, it's not exactly as light as the others, but I can watch Season 7 whenever too, actually. And I agree with the wavering middle. Though for me, it started after "Potential." They had great Scooby Gang episodes in the first 6 eps (and set up them "turning on" Buffy later in "Selfless"), then from CDWP to Showtime the tension was amped and it was a nice mini arc that ended on a strong note. Then "Potential" was a nice epilogue to it, giving Dawn a great episode, and the last scene with Xander was wonderful (also foreshadowing the eye-loss).
Then from 13-17 (though I like the eps well enough in general) they were in a "we have to get the end slump." And Joss has since admitted he bit off maybe more than he could chew having to manage the Potentials, and it's a shame he didn't get to do what he wanted when he couldn't get all the actors and actresses he wanted, back. But still, compared to other shows' slumps? Really not all that bad.
I love the angst and drama (and that includes Season 6), but I have to be in the mood a lot of times, even though I know it turns out all right in the end (uh, except for Season 2, Season 5, and arguably Season 6....damn your cruel evilness Joss!).
Secondly, Angel. Seasons 2, 3 and 4 of Angel were amazingly well done in my eyes, and feel like three really interconnected chapters in a novel (with Season 1 and Season 5 serving like a prologue and epilogue). You introduce Darla at the end of 1, she carries through the majority of 2, there's even a Holtz reference, she and Angel sleep together.
Carries over into Season 3 which I love. She's pregnant, kills herself to have the baby (*tear*), Holtz becomes a primary character and his arc is crazy good (then at the end when he sets Angel up, yeouch. That's good TV.), Cordelia really matures and unlike a lot of people, the Cordy/Angel development seemed really natural to me.
Like people who'd been friends for a few years and cared for each other, and since Cordelia was the only one who could get Angel to open up over those years, I dunno. It felt good. Then of course, Joss wrecks it. Angel gets waterlogged, she dodges 747s on her way to higher-beingness (and even I went, "WHA-HUH? Cordelia's a nice half-girl/half-demon and all, but, higher being?)
Then Season 4 rolled around, and my questions were answered in the most epic Joss season ever. Of which there was a teenage regression, an apocalypse, a damn cool rock dude, the slaughtering of Wolfram and Hart, a shocking death and an even more shocking beheading. Angelus, Faith, Willow, the beautiful Gina Torres as Jasmine, and most importantly, we learn of Angel's love for "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Sigh. Made me happy.
Then there's Connor. Because as even as much as I wanted to throttle him, I never stopped feeling sorry for him. His whole life he was continually manipulated. By Holtz, then by Justine, then by Cordelia. He never knew which end was up, or who to trust, and the one person he did trust had become inhabited by a deceptive, seductive goddess and started what? Manipulating. And lets leave what was manipulated unsaid, shall we? Whew.
But with the Cordy/Connor thing. One, it never bugged me because I knew it was never Cordelia doing those unsaid things. Two, people seem to forget that in Season 4, Connor was supposed to be of legal age, and Cordelia's the same age as the Scooby Gang, so that means 21, 22 depending on when her birthday is. That's four years! And three, yes, I know Cordelia helped take care of Connor when he was a baby....but she wasn't his mother! There was no actual incest! And shame on you for your minds going in that direction. ;-)
And lastly, my only issue with EvilCordy is that I didn't really buy Charisma's acting ability then. I know she didn't much care for it, but hey, Sarah had issues with the space Buffy found herself in in Season 6 (I think we all wanted to see her bounce back quicker, but I understood it, and seeing as Buffy's never stopped being my favorite character, I was feeling her pain), and the difference? Sarah brought her A-game regardless. Well, I bought it, anyway.
And that's that, I suppose. Time for me to take a nap.
P.S. I like humor, too. But if it doesn't really fit in with the mood of an episode, or even several, then I don't want them to force it for us the viewers. I'll go watch comedy afterwards if I need to. I guess what I'm saying is, I'm all for Joss-humor, but if it's not there, I don't hold it against him or the story.
[ edited by pat22_btvs on 2004-08-24 14:43 ]
[ edited by pat22_btvs on 2004-08-24 15:03 ]
pat22_btvs | August 24, 16:35 CET
Paul_Rocks | August 24, 17:09 CET
ella | August 24, 17:42 CET
Passion -- I agree exactly with what you said regarding the humor of the series. That's probably my biggest issue with seasons 3 and 4 of Angel -- the humor and joy of these characters has been sucked away. Say what you will about the excellent 6th and 7th seasons of Buffy, but that show never lost it's balance of wittiness and pathos. Angel tipped too much into blahness for me, only to be rescued again in season 5.
MindPieces | August 24, 18:18 CET
As a whole, I'm excited. Best season or worst season? Doesn't matter. It's ANGEL, so I'm a happy camper. And the coolest part that gives me the bumpies is that Faith is reintroduced, Willow shows up, and these appearances break the WB-induced taboo of not traversing from one network to the other after season 5 of Buffy. (Her death was so understated by Angel's character at the beginning of Season 3 of ANGEL.) Obviously, the networks and the "Powers That Be" were well aware of the fact that most, if not all, of ANGEL and BUFFY fans were watching both Season 7 of BUFFY while watching Season 4 of ANGEL...(Even though UPN's episodes were out of sync with the WB, and Faith showed up in Sunnydale about two weeks after she left L.A.)
This traversing was best demonstrated by Angel's appearance on UPN's Series finale of BUFFY, during the last two episodes. I think that's the reason for Boreanaz's discontent that SMG wasn't invited to to the finale of ANGEL. He has said that he felt she should have been there. (She was invited to do an episode that she wasn't available for, or something to that effect. When she became available, they didn't want her in the final story, apparently.)
Anyway, back on topic here: Season four is part of the ANGEL series, so I will be thrilled to see it!
[ edited by toontimer on 2004-08-24 16:49 ]
toontimer | August 24, 18:33 CET
ShotgunWes | August 24, 19:55 CET
Pat22_btvs - Great post - I hope you decide to post more often!
OK- I am excited about Angel Season 4 out on DVD here in the states next month. I can't wait to watch it uninterupted (of course there will be sleep and stuff!). All the episodes always get better, and I like them more, the more I get to watch them so once I have 4 on dvd I will be in a better position to be a lot more opinionated on season4.
I know I love season 5 as I taped all the episodes and have gotten to re-watch them.
Caveman vs. Astronauts who will win?
Passion | August 25, 00:47 CET
I remember rewatching "The Magic Bullet" a little while ago and totally connecting the parellels between Jasmine's appearance and Bush's case for war in Iraq. A lot of people, the media especially, dove into the idea without much consideration. Now we have a pile of dead bodies for a cause that turned out to be false. While some people feel that the larger cause is more important than the existence of WMDs or a terrorist connection, too many people refuse to believe that they were wrong, at least on those points. That makes me, at least, very uncomfortable, all the more so because it took me far too long to recognize it.
Similarly, in AtS the Fang Gang say they would have preferred Jasmine's deception to the truth. And even after they dealt with that truth, at least one person, Conner, was willing to live with the ugly reality of what Jasmine was. His decision is the wrong one, I think, but it is as difficult as the one made by the other members of the Fang Gang because he accepts the positives and negatives, whereas the rest of Jasmine's followers can't/won't consider the evidence on both sides.
All of this is to say that "The Magic Bullet" is a masterful look at cognitive dissonance and what happens when people start to deal with it. It is uncomfortable, it isn't fun, but it's very important to recognize that it exists, and to recognize that most people don't deal with it. I hate to deal in universals too hastily, but I'd probably consider that episode to be the most important story ME ever told.
Smo | August 25, 03:02 CET
I couldn't agree more! It's one of the things I love about Joss's shows – that the fans can disagree so vehemently on individual points, or episodes and seasons they loved/loathed, and yet agree on the overall greatness of the shows. I'm always interested to read about people's favorite seasons/episodes, partly because they're so often different from my own. And sometimes, a well-explained opinion can make me go back to rewatch an episode and discover something new or revise my earlier opinion. (other times I just think: to each his own... :-) )
I've always been among those who aren't huge fans of Angel S4 – I missed the humor, wasn't crazy about Connor/Cordy/Jasmine arcs, etc., etc. – but it's also the season I've missed the most episodes in, and i'm eager to get the DVDs and watch it all as an arc (and perhaps revise my earlier opinion). And even as one of my least favorite of the angel seasons, i still think it has marvelous moments. Weaker buffy/angel is still leagues ahead of most of what's on TV.
Same with Buffy – I feel so-so about S1, very mixed on S6 (contains both genius and total failure), and definitely down on S7, but I'll own all of them, enjoy rewatching all of them, and always love hearing from those who count 1, 6, or 7 as their favorite seasons.
Just makes you appreciate the great diversity of Whedon fandom....
acp | August 25, 03:05 CET
nietoperz | August 25, 17:19 CET