The Vampire and the City

So I was finally able to start watching Angel again. I know I technically could have started it any time but I really feel like it needs to be watched alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer--the stories overlap so much, Angel's preoccupation with Buffy is too much a part of his character, it would feel odd. Yet I do think Angel has enough of its own identity to be the superior show.

Also, on Amazon Prime, Angel is presented in glorious SD. No notorious remasters here and the show was originally shot for widescreen so there aren't even potential cropping issues.

We find Angel (David Boreanaz) settling in in the big city, already occupying office space, which will be handy when, by the end of the first episode, his quest to help people also becomes a business, thanks to a suggestion from his new secretary, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter).

She's still basically Buffy Cordelia at this point which means she can have snappy lines like, "Hey, you're a vampire!" when she puts together the guy trying to seduce her has old fashioned tastes and no mirrors. One of the disappointing things about Angel is how Cordelia gradually changed from the frank and shallow fashionista into a living saint. I do wonder if that played any part in Carpenter's beef with Joss Whedon.

The first episode of Angel was written by Whedon and the show's co-creator, David Greewalt, and directed by Whedon. It actually features a kind of MeToo-ish story, its villain being a wealthy vampire who seduces young women with implied offers of stardom and financial security. It's an interesting way to take the vampire concept in the Buffyverse in another direction, and it leads to a memorably satisfying climax at the end of the episode.

The first episode also introduces Doyle (Glenn Quinn), the third part of the show's original star trio who only lasts nine episodes. I remember really liking him--I still like him--and wondering why he didn't last. Now it's generally known that the actor had problems related to drug use that made him difficult to work with and that led to his death not long after. Quinn is so charismatic and vulnerable with a hint of self-conscious sleeziness, it would have been nice to have him around longer.

Angel is available on Amazon Prime.

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