"Angel" To Shanshu in L.A. (2000)

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Director:

David Greenwalt

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator) &
David Greenwalt (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Angel" (1999)

Original Air Date:

23 May 2000 (Season 1, Episode 22)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

Plot:

In the season one finale, Angel Inc. is facing it's biggest challenges ever. A demon attacks Cordy and Wes...

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Vampire Slayer | Redemption | Actress | Supernatural

Cast

David Boreanaz	...	Angel
Charisma Carpenter	...	Cordelia Chase
Alexis Denisof	...	Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Elisabeth Röhm	...	Detective Kate Lockley (as Elisabeth Rohm)
Christian Kane	...	Lindsey McDonald
Stephanie Romanov	...	Lilah Morgan
Sam Anderson	...	Holland Manners
Todd Stashwick	...	Vocah Demon
Carey Cannon	...	Female Oracle
Randall Slavin	...	Male Oracle
David Herman	...	David Nabbit
J. August Richards	...	Charles Gunn
Julie Benz	...	Darla
Louise Claps	...	Homeless Woman
Daren Rice	...	Uniform #1

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When Cordelia has just handed Angel a cup of blood to drink, the mike slips into view in the center of the screen.

Quotes:

Gunn: [to Angel] Are you getting enough iron? You look a little pale.

Movie Connections:

References To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

Season One

Season One of Angel can be considered uneven in comparison to its successors, which is what makes the fact that it is an excellent season of television all the more surprising.

One of the most impressive things about "Angel" is that despite including main characters AND guest characters from its parent series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", it manages to be completely unique and not only different to its parent series, but to most if not all series on TV. There's just a small hint of "Forever Knight", enough to show respect to the only former 'Vampire Detective' television series, but nothing obvious. The biggest compliment I can pay to this series is that it's a supernatural investigation series that captures the humorous team dynamic of "The X-Files" while allowing itself its own identity and unique, complex mythology.

Season One of "Angel" has numerous excellent episodes but I would have to say that the absolute standouts were "I Will Remember You", "Five by Five", and "Sanctuary". I realize it seems odd that I just praised this show for being unique and now am saying that its best episodes from this season were the crossover episodes. Here's the great thing about this- they don't seem like Buffy crossovers, they seem like "Angel" episodes.

This show may not have found its feet yet, but that doesn't mean season one isn't full of brilliantly-written episodes with a fabulous core group dynamic, especially in the latter episodes.

Average rating based on all episodes: 7.68/10