Did anyone else have to highlight the text to actually read the review or is that just me? Correction, seems to be working fine for me now.

And I've slightly amended your subject line to fix the second URL. Apologies for any confusion earlier.

[ edited by Simon on 2005-02-09 18:27 ]

Simon | February 09, 19:59 CET

Nice review, hope the set sells really well, go out with a bang and maybe force the higher ups to do something with a angel film.

SeanValen | February 09, 20:31 CET

One can only wish and dream Sean!
Or maybe an ancient spell??

Anyone?

nixygirl | February 09, 20:54 CET

Rather a breathless commentary. I'm all for positive Angel reviews, but I could hardly read this one.

TheJoyofZeppo | February 09, 21:23 CET

Angel Season 5 is probably the best one of the series, sadly it’s also the last.


^^I've read serveral views where people make mention to season 5 being the best. does anyone else feel that way? Personally season 3 is one i am very found of.

MySerenity | February 09, 21:32 CET

Season 5 was probably my favorite, after that probably season 2 (though it was let down by the Pylea trilogy rather than the Angel v. Dru & Darla that it had been leading to), then 3,4,1.

I've read loads of comments here and on other sites from people hated season 5, but never a proper review mind, they all seem to have loved it.

Looking forward to Feb 21st, not looking forward to paying £55, ah well.

[ edited by Ghost Spike on 2005-02-09 19:50 ]

Ghost Spike | February 09, 21:48 CET

Season 3 has "Billy", the Darla arc, "Birthday", Wesley going dark, me feeling uneasy but hopeful about teenage Connor, the greyest villain yet in Holtz, and Groo...but it also has the accursed baby and the plotlines that came with it, Cordy's character going downhill (not a fan of "Saint Corelia"), and just an overall uneven feel to the season, in my opinion. It felt like, to me, what Season 4 of Buffy was to that series. A transitional year where the tone of the story is significantly different afterward from the beginnings of the series (though I liked Buffy Season 4 a lot more), where a lot of things worked and there were some really strong singular episodes, but the overall arc wasn't as tight as it could've been.

For a while I felt that Season 2 was the strongest (despite not liking the Pylea arc very much, or at least feeling that it didn't deserve three episodes), but for all its faults, I think Season 4 may be their best. I flip-flop so often on this, I'll just say I like Season 2 and 4 equally as much.

Season 5 is a mixed bag for me. I got more enjoyment out of it than Season 3 of Angel. Sure, I know they tied in a lot of those one-off villains by the end with the Circle Of The Black Thorn, but I still wasn't very happy with the more standalone, similar-to-Season-One type of overall storytelling. It actually has a lot in common with Season 1. You've got the Wolfram & Hart problems brewing in the background (only difference this time being the main setting is W&H), then by the last third or fourth quarter of the season it's pretty much W&H-exclusive non-stop. I thought Gunn kinda got short changed, especially after it looked like we were gonna get more into his character after the conduit scene in "Home". Spike was completely unnecessary and it really showed that he was a WB-requirement for renewing the series (that said, I wouldn't have had "Damage" any other way except with him in that situation). Still liked most of James' performance (though Spike could get pretty annoying and at least Angel called him on that), just felt that Spike should've stayed ash after "Chosen". Lindsey was a misfire. His return was one of the best Angel surprises ever, but his motivations were kinda unclear and he never amounted to much. Ridiculous in the 100th episode too. Credit where credit's due though, Season 5 provided some really amazing episodes and/or damn good character-focused pieces. My picks include "Lineage", "Damage", the Cordelia aspect of "You're Welcome", "Smile Time", "A Hole in the World", "Shells", "Origin", and "Not Fade Away" (plus I'm a big fan of "Underneath", even though it's not the best episode. I love the Lindsey though, character-mishandling and all). That's about one third of Season 5's episodes, not too shabby. A hell of a lot better final season than Buffy Season 7. It just felt that Angel only got a lot of recognition and high praise from a large chunk of the fanbase after Buffy was gone...which just made me feel kinda like...Eh, yeah guys, us Angel fans over here have been seeing a competent spin-off for years, one that some weeks even outdoes its originator (that's one thing I always loved about having two shows within the same 'verse. If Buffy was a so-so episode one week, you could sometimes count on Angel to make that okay. And vice versa).

Kris | February 09, 22:16 CET

Season 5 is my favorite.
Season 3 is a VERY close second.

Yay! Next Tuesday I'll finally get to see "Smile Time"

supersymetry | February 09, 22:25 CET

I feel that Season 5 may be the best of Angel, with Season 2 and 3 coming in a close second.

BurkleFreak | February 09, 22:38 CET

Seasons 3 and 5 are my favorite. Season 3 because that's when I fell in love with Wesley, and season 5 because of the Wesley/Fred/Illyria triangle. It's hard for me to choose between them. But I also like 2 and 4, and season 1 is my least favorite.

Note: Angel season 5 is currently #6 in Amazon's top sellers. Go, Angel!

[ edited by electricspacegirl on 2005-02-09 21:18 ]

electricspacegirl | February 09, 23:11 CET

They all have faults in my mind:

I loved season 2 until the Pylea endings.

I loved season 3 until Cordy starting floating/glowing, and Connor appearing (liked the baby plotline until he became an adult).

I loved season 4 much less because i hated Connor/Cordy's boring talks, Evil Cordy, and Jasmine.

I loved season 5 except some of the stand alone episodes were weak early in the season, Eve, and the whole plot line with the Circle of the Black Thorn which seemed too easy.

Gunn 2 N's | February 09, 23:22 CET

I think that Angel season 5 was sort of like Buffy season 4. With that I mean that it was filled with great episodes, but as an arc it didn't really work as well as one could have hoped. Even though compared to a vast majority of every other show out there the arc was excellent, but I think that goes without saying. I rank season 5 after season 3 and 2 but before seasons 4 and 1.

Djungelurban | February 09, 23:31 CET

Wow - I loved the Pylea arc, I just think those episodes are so much fun, and full of surprises! It was great learn about where The Host came from and the stories were not predictable at all. I'm surprised so many are mentioning these episodes in a negative way.

All the seasons vary with episodes and arcs I love, and others I'm not so crazy about.

I think season 5 is the most consistent one, with great arcs, serious drama and humor. I agree that season 5 is overall the best season.

Passion | February 09, 23:40 CET

Season 2 is my favorite. I loved the Darla stuff and I really enjoyed the trip to Pylea. I liked Season 1 a lot too. Season 3 was the first one I watched and I liked it as well. It was concurrent with my least favorite season of Buffy so it was a comparison gainer. Wasn't crazy about glowing Cordy either, Gunn 2 N's. Season 4 starts off with terrific build-up. I liked seeing Angelus and Faith again but when it turned out Angelus was a red herring it lost some impact. Jasmine didn't work for me at all--didn't like the last ep of the season and I really resent and hate the "everything that happened before led up to Jasmine's birth" explanation. Felt like the creators were trying to pull a fast one. Season 5 is actually my least favorite. There are some individual eps I thought were good but overall the season felt unfocused and muddled. I did like Illyria and the series finale though. Maybe it'll all play better when I see the DVD's.

batmarlowe | February 09, 23:45 CET

I feel like the end of season 3 of Angel was the equivalent of the feeling of buffy season 6 with everyone being seperated and lost from each other. Being such a Angel/Cordy shipper, i didn't like the seperation they went through in season 4. even though many characters were reunited in 4, I think it was without a doubt the darkest one.

MySerenity | February 09, 23:50 CET

I liked season four best, myself. I got all caught up in all the twisty turnies. I thought the last, maybe 1/3 of season five was absolute genius, but it seemed like it took a lot of average episodes to get there.

Although, on the other hand, pretty much every season of Angel has seemed to me, on first run TV viewing, like they were just killing time for the first number of episodes before they kicked into gear. But then, when I rewatched seasons 1-4 on DVD I've had to revise my opinion and say that the early, "average" episodes were really way better than I had thought. I imagine I'll probably end up doing that again with season five. Which could easily bump season five into top spot for me, since I'm pretty sure that final stretch (from "You're Welcome" or maybe just before, but skippin' "Why We Fight") is the finest collection of episodes in the 'verse.

ella | February 10, 00:09 CET

S1 = best.

Grounded | February 10, 00:18 CET

If anybody is planning on going on a big buffyverse marathon and watch all of the episodes in order, i created a big list for the order the episodes should be watched, if it helps anybody, just click here.

400lb_Gorilla | February 10, 02:08 CET

I am partial to seasons 2 and 3.
I love St Cordy and thought it was a natural proggresion for a character who had gone through her experiences to become softer.
I always felt robbed of Cordelia in season 4.
And it was never explained sufficiently enough as to why and how she got back?
My all time favorite episode is "Waiting in the Wings"
ya just gotta love it when Angel tries to diguise his 'excitment' :-)
I'm hanging to get season 5.
And yea, it was a lot more interesting than Buffy 7.

nixygirl | February 10, 03:16 CET

OK, 400lb_Gorilla, I was all ready to say "we need to have a serious talk," because I just started MY Buffython this week. I'm up to "When She Was Bad." But here is where you were not reading my mind: I planned to include "Firefly" in my -thon. I said "-thon". *snorting laughter*

But, hey, now all I have to do is stick in the fireflies and I'm all set! Thanks for that.

My As5 DVDs are due 2/22. I can't wait. Wonder if I'll be caught up by then? Wonder if I'll finish the remaining episodes if I haven't?

Yeah, didn't sound convincing to me, either.

brownishcoat | February 10, 04:02 CET

Season 5 is the best. 3 is my second favorite.

charisma | February 10, 07:57 CET

when I rewatched seasons 1-4 on DVD I've had to revise my opinion and say that the early, "average" episodes were really way better than I had thought.

Ella - I taped season 5 when it orginally aired. The quality isn't very good. My reception isn't good and I refuse to get cable. After the episodes aired I remember being disappointed with "Why we Fight" , "Number 5" and "Lineage" but these episodes were much better on repeated viewings.

Upon watching season 4 on dvd I enjoyed it so much more than when it originally aired. Although it's not my favorite season there are many things about it I like. Just don't like evil Cordy and agree with batmarlowe that Angelus's impact was lost a bit and Jasmine didn't thrill me. I thought Jamine was agood idea but the episodes don't really keep me interested in repeated viewings. Loved Skip as a character, but didn't like the explanation that everything that ever happened, happened to create Jasmine. However the last epsiode of season 4 is one of my favorites - Tim really hit that one out of the ball park!

This happens to me alot - all the shows are so much better on dvd. You can see them without commercials and in order and within a reasonable time frame (not waiting a month and a half to see the next episode!)

Passion | February 10, 16:53 CET

Yea, DVD rocks!

nixygirl | February 10, 17:12 CET

Brownishcoat the only way to do a Buffython is to watch every episode one after the other with little or no gaps, true it requires a lot of coffee and a week to spare, but it's fun.

If anyone tries this, un-hook the phones, you'll be glad you did when someone from your group's mom phones at the end of season 4 to get him to come home, ruining the week, there's a very special hell reserved for her and Jordan Levin.

Ghost Spike | February 11, 00:16 CET

Sorry, Ghost Spike, but I have to do mundane things like go to work and I've been spending all my weekends (since Jan. 9) at the hospital. So I'm only averaging about 2 eps per night. And sometimes I drift off in the middle of the second one. Boy, chapter selection really comes in handy the next day!

brownishcoat | February 11, 19:21 CET