Rating: 
Summary: Angel
Review: I love this show it is one of the best shows that I've ever seen. It has especially picked up in the third season. In the UK the seasons 1 & 2 have already been released. I hope that here things will be produced alot quicker. That's probably just wishful thinking.
Rating:
Summary: Introducing Angel
Review: I have to say I'm sorry I didn't watch this show until the last few eps of Season 4 (eager to see how Willow, Faith & Angel crossed between this show and Buffy's final hour.) Everyone assures me that seasons 3 & 4 were the best this show has seen yet, but I have to say I'm already very impressed with Season 1. It's got a darker, more dramatic feel than Buffy - even with Cordy! I never liked her character much on Buffy, but really enjoyed her, and her newfound maturity, on Angel. Though this season didn't really work up to a Big Bad the way Buffy usually does, (Wolfram & Hart was a more subtle bad and Kate is just plain boring) there were some great oneshots. We've got Faith and Buffy and Spike guest spots, and a whole slew of really cool demon characters - amazing makeup FX. Not to mention some great comedy (Angel dancing! Spike's voiceover!), and some great tearjerking moments. (I liked Doyle a lot, and found myself missing the new blood the late Glen Quinn brought to the show, plus the romantic tension - there wasn't a lot of romance in these eps.) If this season is considered lackluster Angel, I really can't wait to watch him shine - and the season one finale certainly makes me eager to buy the next boxed set - and definitely tune in for season 5! All in all, an entertaining introduction to a dramatic fantasy show.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous beginning for a stunning series!
Review: This is a great beginning to a first class show! Season one of ANGEL the series has far less story archs than later seasons, and more character introduction, monster-of-the-week type plotlines. This is probably because it was a test drive to see if the series would catch on. It intoduces L.A., and the basic feel and layout of how the series will play. Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) make up the lasting core character group of the series. Also, Glenn Quinn gives a memorable performance as Doyle for several episodes.Spike (James Marsters), Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), and Oz (Seth Green) all make guest apperences from BtVS. The DVD set has many special features, though not as many as following seasons. All in all, this is a great product!
Rating:
Summary: This is strictly on the episodes only!
Review: I don't own this set but I have seen most of the episodes of Season One! This is what I am basing my rating on:
- City Of... - This picks up where Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season Three leaves off with Angel coming to L.A. and meeting up with a half-human/half demon named Doyle and a familiar face in Cordellia Chase from BTVS. - In the Dark - Excellent episode which continues the feud between Angel and former ally Spike! This also shows Angel out during the daytime for first time that I can recall! - The Bachelor Party - This sees Doyle nearly get killed at the hands of his ex-wife's fiance! - I Will Remember You (Guest Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar) - The most heartbreaking episode on either BTVS or Angel and a bittersweet chapter in the Buffy/Angel romance. - Hero - The final appearance of Doyle. Ironically and tragically, the actor that played him died two years later from a drug overdose. RIP. - Parting Gifts - Cordellia gets a new power while Wesley Wyndham-Price from BTVS shows up and joins the team after a brief encounter with Angel. - Expecting - Cordy suddenly gets pregnant! - The Prodigal - An old protege from the past returns to kill Angel. - The Ring - Angel goes undercover into an illegal fight ring. - Eternity - A struggling former child actor tries to seduce Angel into making her a vampire but instead unleashes Angelous!
- Five by Five - Rogue Slayer Faith is hired by Wolfrham & Hart to eliminate Angel. - Sanctuary (Guest Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar) - Buffy hunts Faith to settle a score (see Buffy The Vampire Slayer season 4 for the reason) These are the episodes that I have seen. But, I did enjoy them so I am certain that the others are of good quality as well. On a personal note, I will probably purchase this item soon myself just for "I Will Remember You" alone! While I am more of an action guy, this heartbreaker even had me nearly in tears! Its that powerful and it is one of Sarah Michelle Gellar's best performances as Buffy in my view! Season one is worth the money!
Rating:
Summary: dave and his daughter (18) on Angel season1
Review: This first season is just magnificent! Every episode looks and seems like a movie! Each episode looks amazing and is very entertaining. We haven't found one that bored or dissapointed us. Over the years unfortunately you can see a decline in quality and good stories, but definitely not here. Angel is super hot too. Sorry I just had to throw that in. This season is so worth the money. Any fan of Angel would just die without this collection and any newcomer will be pleasantly surprized and imediatly addicted to the show. This first season is the absolute best of the five.You have got to check it out!!
Rating:
Summary: Cooool!
Review: I got this set cause I hadn't taped many of the early episodes, not knowing how I'd feel about it. Then later, once I got addicted to it, I had to buy each season on DVD.
This season is great for many reasons, Angel struggles to find his place, he learns about saving souls as well as lives, and there are quite a few crossovers with Buffy (TVS). Most of the stories will touch your heart as well as entertain you, cause it's a metaphor for life.
The DVD contains some great featurettes. Though, technically, there are no deleted scenes, there is unused footage from the original pilot episode on a featurette called "Introducing Angel."
Rating: 
Summary: Rocky start, but turns great
Review: I first bought Angel to tide myself over between Buffy season releases; I'd never followed the show when it was on the air. This, it turns out, was a mistake; Angel was one of the best shows on television. Not that it started out that way, not exactly.
Angel was defined as its own show with a different basic format than Buffy: Doyle would get a vision, and Angel (with help from Doyle and Cordelia) would go out and fix it. The "Help the Helpless" angle would need a major overhaul before it could effectively drive the show; Angel at its best was a show about moral choices, and the show didn't come into its own until it began to deal with them seriously and primarily.
The brief Doyle era contains some fun situations, and a lot of classic dialogue. "City of" is wonderful, and "I Will Remember You" is deeply tragic (if you watch the first three seasons of Buffy to get the context). "Hero" is really where the series first hints at the tough choices it will be about in the future. Glenn Quinn's portrayal of the sarcastic Irish half-demon is what makes this fun; the stories themselves are still scrambling to find solid ground.
When Alexis Denisof comes in full-time, it's pretty much unbelievable for the Buffy fan - Wesley was the least compelling character in Buffy season 3 by a long shot. But he starts to grow and change, and by Angel's season 3, he was the most fascinating person in the Buffyverse. And aside from "Somnambulist," much of the midseason is middling at best. It starts to pick up in "Eternity," as we get another glimpse of Angelus; the group has meshed well and it seems to be getting an idea of where it ought to go.
With the two-parter "Five by Five" and "Sanctuary," Angel becomes its own show. Following up on Buffy's two-part "This Year's Girl" and "Who Are You?", "Five by Five" brings the volatile Faith to Los Angeles; Angel as a character is finally presented with a real, hard situation of redemption and moral choice. His fostering of Faith (a decision that turns out to have consequences for the best) makes for fascinating television, and "Sanctuary" solidifies that Angel/Buffy is no longer even an issue. This is the real, quantifiable point when Angel becomes a better show than its companion.
The characters keep making the tough decisions in "War Zone," when the new, tough Gunn must stake a vamp that was his sister, and Angel must win his trust; "Blind Date" sets up nemesis Lindsey McDonald as a near-miss in terms of redemption (as if to make it clear that not every lost soul will be won as well as Faith was). "To Shanshu in L.A." destroys the old offices, and puts the show on a footing that can handle its new emphasis on choice, consequences, and redemption.
David Boreanaz was still growing as an actor here, coming out of Buffy (where his chemistry with Sarah Michelle Gellar carried him a long way) and into his own part; he did so well. Charisma Carpenter is not the world's most versatile actress, but still hits all the notes for Cordelia quite well here, and fleshes her out somewhat - but not out of character. Glenn Quinn is great as the comic side of the first nine episodes; Alexis Denisof replaces him with a funny side, but also starts to grow the layers that will serve him so well in later seasons.
Once Angel found itself, it became the best thing on television. You can see it happen here - and once you have, the next four seasons just become the natural thing to watch.
Rating:
Summary: better than Buffy and I'll tell you why
Review: I didn't start watching Angel until last summer (A Big Bummer!!!). There are three reasons why I started watching Angel THIS late: 1. when Angel was on the WB it was wednesday nights, my no-tv time. 2. Angel's monsters in there kinda grossed me out(now they are not of course). and 3. I didn't get attached to Buffy (this is probably the biggie). don't get me wrong, I love love love Buffy's character, I think she's cute, strong and cool. BUT, Buffy's storyline just isn't appealing to me. for me Buffy's story is just another one of those monster/fantasy shows for teenagers. Then I heard the news that the WB was cancelling Angel they had that commercial on over and over again " THE LAST FIVE EPISODES OF ANGEL!!!" so I had to check it out, so I watched the last five episode. And frankly, 4 out of 5 of those episodes just LEFT ME OPEN MOUTHED, even though I haven't been watching it. so I decided to get Angel's DVD and give it a chance. at first I was planning on buying Angel's forth season. because one of those last episodes I've watched "origin" about Angel's son I felt is really strong, and I want to get to know the relationship between Angel and his son more. but it hasn't came out yet. so I bought season one instead...
guess what??? I TOTALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH ANGEL. I've watched lots of fantasy shows and movies (including charmed on WB), but Angel is just different than any other fantasy shows I've been in touch with. here are my reasons:
1. Angel- I know he's really good-looking and all but I have not expected him to be SOOOOOO COOL. his broody, wise, understanding and many times angelic kind personality just captures me in an instant. His personality strongly contradicts most of other shows' characters who are usually just funny, cool, normal-americans, this includes Buffy. Even when I was not watching this show, I've always been captured by the "a vampire named Angel" idea. But I had absolutely no idea how Angelic and dark he can be at the same time. The irony in this show is probably the most well-done I have ever know. When I watch Angel, even I feel protected, that he is watching over me, even though he is a vampire. ( to tell you the truth I'm pretty easily scared, but now whenever I'm scared I think of Angel, hey it works!!!).
2. The supporting characters- This is probably the only show that NON of the supporting characters are boring. In Buffy, the supporting characters are just not as strong. Willow is okay later on but she was pretty much a stutter and I just don't feel her character. Xander is pretty much an idiot, he just been put there because the show needs such characters to keep the story moving. Giles is pretty vague, Joyce is just too motherly and always gets in Buffy's way. And Angel, My God, Angel in Buffy is just soooo much different than Angel in Angel. He is also really vague, at times cowardly, and only sticks around for like five minuts. probably the only characters I like in Buffy are Buffy, Faith and Oz. Watching everybody else just puts me to sleep. But Angel's supporting characters are all unique BUT NEVER BORING. I guess it's because of the mature thing. Angel is so much more mature and the the character's speech is funny but also in a mature way. Supporting characters like Cordelia ( she was soo annoying in Buffy but now she's one of my favorite characters in Angel), Wesley ( he was also an idiot in buffy but now... should I say more??), Gunn-you would think he's gonna be vague but the street fighter is also very intelligent, not just all kicks. fred- she is like willow in Buffy but Fred is soo much better, in her speech you know she's brilliant and I just feel it more with her than Williow, Lorne- remember I said Angel's monsters used to gross me out??? At first when everyone said Lorne is probably one of the most interesting character but I didn't believe them. Now I certainly changed my mind- LORNE IS COOL, last is Connor- he's the least coolest I know but he is such an important character and represented sooooo many things I just have to accept him. I don't know much about Doyle- he had potential but he only sticked around for 9 episodes. All of the supporting characters just mesh with Angel and I just love every single one of them. they are just absolutely perfect with Angel.
3. the storyline- you would expect a common fantasy show story line, you know- monster of the week, there's a big bad guy behind every frame work and the hero sought him/her out and defeats him/her. hero wins-hooray etc. But NO, Angel is actually very complex and dramatic- even tragic. Angel is comparable to les misrables. and even though it is a fantasy show, it's surprisingly realistic. Angel actually teaches many things that are very true in real life, things people don't think about. And the Irony, my goodness, you can't even count how many there are and how brillian and true they are in real life. And unlike other fantasy shows, or just shows for that matter. Angel actually has a REAL character transformation, not just transformed from weak, naive to strong mature. But Angel's ups and downs are actually more moving than any other shows I have ever seen. It's probably the first time I have seen a major character in a show to transform like that. usually in shows major character is good, and he/she sticks to been good and doing the right thing ( this is also true for Buffy), But Angel's transformation is actually more human and believable than any other characters I have seen anywhere (Big irony there, Angel is not human). Angel is cool, but most important of all, HE ACTUALLY HAVE REASONS TO BE COOL. Angel used to be a scoundrel and loser and not like most other characters on other shows that major character is cool just because he/she is the major character. Angel is also THE FIRST SHOW that makes me cry(literally) and laugh(literally) at the same time.
the thing about Angel is that you have to watch it from the beginning to the end ( helps if you watch first three seasons of Buffy), otherwise you wouldn't get it. but once you did, I bet you will fall completely in love with it. in love with its irony, tragedy, humor and realism. And oh, David Boreanaz is such a good actor!! He didn't show much acting talent in Buffy but on Angel- oh my god, he is soooo talented. Still don't believe me?? well, the critics agrees that this is a superior show, it won three saturn awards already, 3 out of 5!!! and the fifth one haven't been decided yet. Cross your fingers and wish that Angel will win the saturn on its fantastic last season.
Rating:
Summary: My Healthy Obsession
Review: I have been an Angel fan since its debut on the WB11 in 1999. The spin-off of the hit show Buffy the Vampire Slayer is full of all the right stuff. It's full of action, drama, and it intrigues the viewer into the imagination that there are demons among us. I bought this first box set around Christmas of last year. I had it finished within a couple of weeks. This box set with its extra features is better than watching the show on TV.
Rating:
Summary: yeah
Review: I cannot name a season of Angel I have not loved!
That said, I liked this one for it's attitude. Angel felt like a recovering alcholic the whole time, fresh from his break-up with Buffy. A lot of people thought they did too many cross-overs, but I disagree: it needed it to get off it's feet.
Sara and David are so good together as actors. The episode I Will Remember You is amazing. Worth the whole dvd to watch. I hadn't fealt this much emotion since Season 2 of Buffy in The Becomming prt. 1-2!
I would recomend Angel over Buffy any day! Buy this!
|
