Angel

Where We Left Them 

Season Four ended with all the members of Team Angel accepting the reigns of the Los Angeles branch of Wolfram & Hart. Each one was tempted with his or her fondest working environment wishes, but it was Angel’s secret agreement with the Senior Partners via Lilah that sealed the deal. In exchange for running the firm, Connor would get placed in a perfect home, living the normal life Angel could never give his beloved but troubled son. So, all but Angel’s mind was wiped of all memories of Connor as they embarked on a very new adventure of fighting evil - inside the belly of the beast.

Where They Went 

With Angel and his team moving into Wolfram & Hart, there was an interesting dichotomy of the season being altogether new and then very similar. The WB’s mandate to make the show more standalone meant the style of storytelling became very reminiscent of the first season of the show, with each episode having a beginning, middle and an end. But about a third of the way into the season, the tricky creative team began weaving an arc into the season, which is what the die-hard fans tune in for every week.

Yet, the shiny new offices of W&H, where the majority of the action centered this season, made for an alien landscape for our players to inhabit. Where the show had always been dark and gothic, this season brought in a plethora of outside light, polished wood conference tables and the sterile environ’s of Fred’s lab. The adjustment for characters and audience were synonymous but interestingly it worked. Hampered by a cut budget, Angel never once looked like a show limping along. In fact, they raised the bar in creativity with atmospheric sets and locations shoots that brought the themes of the episode to life.

With the addition of Spike to the crew, Angel was given a creative shot in the arm. The writer’s took full advantage of the potential by taking these vastly different but equally engaging characters and exploring their present incarnations by way of their complicated pasts. Their beguiling and begrudging brotherhood provided a deeply resonant foundation to the season extracting wit, action, pathos and dark angst from the pair.

The other main characters also were given fertile ground especially Gunn’s credible change from a street fighter to slick lawyer and back. Sweet, goofy Fred was taken from the hearts of her boys and the audience in a devastating arc where she was yanked from this world only to have her living shell inhabited by the unexpectedly fascinating, Illyria. Wesley rode out the remains of his amazing transformation from fuss-budget geek Watcher to the dark, desperate and profoundly sad soldier that was left with an irreparably broken heart.

Overall, the change in storytelling style was a bit of hard to embrace, with the first few episodes of the season, especially feeling repetitive and less engaging to certain degrees than previous seasons. But by the time Destiny exploded on-screen, the show felt like it was back in balance with both the new format and the depth of an unfolding arc taking root and starting to hit stride. The overall arc was a bit choppy at times especially in regards to Lindsey’s return/purpose and the too late in the game reveal of the importance of the Circle of the Black Thorn, but it all lead to an appropriate conclusion and exploration of the nature of evil and how to beat it. Most importantly, the majority of characters were able to change, grow and learn over the season making for a yearlong string of amazing scenes featuring every actor.

Season Five returned to the more standalone format, which after a very arc-heavy fourth season, allowed the show to open back up to new audiences. It also allowed Joss and the creative team to really push new ideas and boundaries like never before. There were episodes featuring flashbacks, WWII subs, puppets, ghosts, Slayers, Old Ones and for the most part almost everything worked. It was one of the series strongest seasons ever showing a stunning amount of bravery and creativity for a show in its fifth year. When fans look back, it’s almost assured that many will rank episodes from this season as some of the best the show ever produced

- The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco: Written and directed by Jeff Bell

- Destiny: Written by David Fury and Steven DeKnight and directed by Skip Schoolnik

- You’re Welcome: Written and directed by David Fury

- Smile Time: Written and directed by Ben Edlund

- A Hole in the World: Written and directed by Joss Whedon

- Origin: Written by Drew Goddard and Directed by Terrence O’Hara

- Not Fade Away: Written by Joss Whedon and Jeff Bell and Directed by Jeff Bell

Season five offered an amazing array of opportunity for memorable guest appearances, with the best just leaving us wishing there was another season so we could see them again.

Roy Dotrice [Roger Wyndam-Pryce] was referenced over the years but never seen, so the appearance of Wesley’s father was about as perfect as one could imagine. The proud, aristocratic and undeniably imposing figure Mr. Dotrice’s presence provided was exactly the demanding taskmaster everyone imagined and then some. Ok in the end, he turned out to be a robot but that certainly didn’t take away from the father/son chemistry played to perfection throughout the episode.

Tom Lenk [Andrew] was a welcome face from the Sunnydale gang. With his Dr. Who hair and 80% more manly-Watcher in training schtick, he made catching up with the fate of the Scoobies a delight. And while we cheated because he did appear twice this season, Andrew still gets on this list by adding something special to the mix whenever he showed up.

Navi Rawat [Dana] was the frightening realization of the dark side of Buffy’s Slayer gift from Chosen. Fragile but terrifying at the same time, Dana was a brutal reminder to both Spike and Angel of how their pasts will always manage to haunt them.

Carole Raphaelle Davis [Ilona] was the head of the Italian branch of W&H. With her over-the-top clothes, accent and welcome of Spike and Angel to her turf, Ilona stole every frame of film she appeared in. This was one W&H lawyer we all would have welcomed back with open arms and a, "Graci, ciao, prego!"

The season gave us the chance to say, "Hello" and "Goodbye" to many recurring or former cast members and their characters, while meeting a few new ones of note. While Joss didn’t know going into the year that this would be the last season for the series, he and his creative team did a wonderful job tying up some lose ends with characters that meant a lot to the series and the fans and adding new ones to miss.

Christian Kane [Lindsey] returned after a two-season absence. His surprising reveal at the end of Destiny was a season highlight and it was wonderful to see the crackling energy between Lindsey and Angel once more. The new Lindsey, with his long hair and rune tattoos was a far cry from the man who walked away from L.A. and it was fun figuring out why he was back. While he never quite became the Big Bad we expected, his final fate at the hands of Lorne was a stunning finish to the fascinating character.

Charisma Carpenter [Cordelia] made her triumphant return to form in the 100th episode of the season. While fans were resoundingly split on Cordelia’s character development over seasons three and four, there was no doubt everyone wanted proper closure to the comatose character. Happily, Cordelia returned in the voice and persona that fans loved the most. Gorgeous, snarky, opinionated, but compassionate she owned the episode and gracefully reminded everyone what an indelible mark she made on the show. Her last moment with Angel was a true three-hanky moment and a classic moment in the series history.

Vincent Kartheiser [Connor] finally proved to fans that Connor was a character worth loving! He only appeared twice in Origin and Not Fade Away but that’s all it took to completely change the way we looked at the character forever. Gone was the dour, angry young man that was hard to like and instead there was a cute, sweet, laid back kid that was exactly the son everyone wanted for Angel. It was a triumph for the writers and for Vincent in giving us a new version of the character that was so remarkable.

Sarah Thompson [Eve] made her ambiguous entrance in Conviction and played with Angel and the gang for most of the season as the liaison to the Senior Partners. Sweet as honey, but lacking the bite of Lilah, she kept the agenda of the Partners front and center for the better half of the season. She wasn’t much of a threat but her secret romance with Lindsey kept her interesting and in the action until the end.

Adam Baldwin [Hamilton] took the role of the new Senior Partner muscle when Eve failed to prove she was actually working for the Partners best interests. Looking like a mix of the Terminator and Agent Smith, he didn’t have to say much to get what he wanted. At the end, he proved a worthy opponent for Angel and gave a distinctive voice to the Partners.

Season Five gave the entire main cast some of their biggest challenges ever on the series. While the show lost Vincent Kartheiser from the credits, there was the addition of James Marsters and Mercedes McNabb, who both added their unique talents to the backbone of the show.

David Boreanaz [Angel] has spent seven years in the role of Angel and his growth as an actor rivals only that of the growth of his alter ego. While the season started with the familiar brooding Angel, having lost his son and remaining deeply conflicted about his new role at W&H, the season gave David plenty to challenge him. His ability to change gears from menacing (Conviction) to introspective (Numero Cinco), then romantic (You’re Welcome) to hilarious (Smile Time) is a testament to his ever-growing skill. Being a parent now, also infused his moments with Connor with such a sense of pride and protectiveness that it was a joy to behold. Yet for all the great moments, his best work came when he squared off against Spike. Whether they were bickering like siblings, beating each other to a pulp, nursing broken hearts or just sharing quiet words of understanding, David and James elevated one another to a new level this year achieving moments on the show that reached true brilliance.

J. August Richards [Gunn] had the most dramatic changes happen to him on the series this year. Having connected with the kitty in the "White Room" and then accepted the W&H enhancements to make him into an Esquire, Gunn was all about the new and improved version of himself. Smart, suave and sporting silk suits, he was enamored with being an equal to the rest of the brains in the group and proving his worth. The perils of corruption had Gunn as a poster boy this season and his fall from grace was a meaty arc for J. to superbly play. Shaken to the core, Gunn ends the series going back to his literal roots and finding acceptance and power in where he came from. One of Gunn’s finest moments ever will always be his return, though mortally wounded, to the Hyperion in Not Fade Away with his spirit and amazing strength shining bright even in the face of death.

Alexis Denisof [Wesley] came to the end of his journey this season and it was the climax of one of the best character arcs ever in dramatic television. As played so amazingly by Alexis Denisof, Wesley achieved one of the most gradual and thoroughly convincing transformations of character in memory. Lineage ably showed all the facets of Wesley molded into one man and provided a striking reminder of the changes he experienced over six years. While he was finally paired with the love of his life, Fred, it turned out to be a wretchedly short affair, as he lost her to a vicious death that not only took her life but his reason for living too. The aftermath of his loss and the presence of Illyria would leave Wes with equal parts rage, madness, and a fathomless sorrow that would be his undoing. It was a tour de force for the actor and the character with an ending that felt right despite the ensuing tears shed in watching his good-bye.

Mercedes McNabb [Harmony] returned as Angel’s secretary and gave us just what the show needed - a little levity amongst all the drama. The ditzy vampire from Sunnydale provided the perfect blend of history and shallow fun for the show, playing office buddy to Lorne, jilted ex to Spike, annoying employee for Angel and touchstone for the audience, especially in her day in the life episode, Harm’s Way. Played with perfect breezy comedic timing by Mercedes, Harmony was a bright spot in the season, even when she was screwing up big time.

Amy Acker [Fred] came to the end of her journey as well this season. As the head of the W&H science department, Fred spent the first half of the season working her test tube mojo to help the gang out of plenty of pickles. She bonded with a non-corporeal Spike, helping to transition him into the team, played conscience to Angel and finally, took Wesley into her heart. For all that, there was so much for her to still learn yet in the remarkable, A Hole in the World, the lovely, sweet Texan was so painfully taken from this world and her love. As if her death scene wasn’t enough of an acting marvel, Amy Acker literally transformed into the blue colored superwoman, known as Illyria, moments later and left the audience stunned for the rest of the season. Her daring turn as the angry and confused ex-god trapped in a mortal coil was astounding and truly and unequivocally proved the depths of her talent.

James Marsters [Spike] came to Angel with a roar and a swirl of CGI from his heroic death in Sunnydale. While his non-corporeal status for the first third of the season grew tiresome, the potential just waiting to be tapped by the actor and the character came to fruition in Destiny. The century long feud with his literal blood brother, Angel, was explored and used to create some compelling drama, comedy and pathos for the show. The oil and water vampires transitioned to allies over the season and proved that what separates them also binds them. And though Spike’s love for Buffy was an amazing catalyst for him on that series, his season on Angel allowed him to grow unencumbered by the shadow of someone else and let him continue to explore his heroic journey to redemption. James Marsters made a flawless shift onto the series and graciously melted into the ensemble playing whatever Spike the episode called for with equal finesse. He added a lot to the series and left us wanting more.

Andy Hallett [Lorne] didn’t have the most compelling first half of the season. As the head of the W&H entertainment division, he mostly double fisted cell phones, trading catty quips with clients or team members before he disappeared. It wasn’t until Life of the Party that he got to shine in the spotlight when the toll of his new duties at the law firm overtook him. Fun as that was, Lorne and Andy Hallett really got to prove their mettle when Fred died. Particularly destroyed by her loss, the happy Lorne of the past slipped away and became a more restrained and world-weary demon. It was a welcome, new side to explore with the character and Andy hit all the right notes bringing it forth. More reluctant to be part of this new dynamic as the episodes passed, Lorne still stood bravely to the end even going through with taking Lindsey’s life by Angel’s orders. Yet, that last action was the final straw and with a look of disgust and sadness, Lorne walked away from Angel and his path into a future that we can only hope is free of the sadness and pain that he sought to escape.

Where They Are Going 

And that will remain the question for the ages, fan fiction or at least, until Joss Whedon wants to answer the question himself someday. When Angel stepped forward in the last seconds of "Not Fade Away" with his impish smirk saying, "Well, personally, I kind of want to slay the dragon. Let’s get to work," it was the perfect end in tone and theme to what the series had been saying since Day One. Redemption, of the kind Angel was searching for after an un-lifetime of horrid sins, wasn’t going to be attained easily and probably his battle against evil would truly be eternal. After five seasons battling his demons, both literally and figuratively, Angel knew that the journey was his redemption and when he signed off any chance of receiving the Shanshu Prophecy, he also knew that the fight wasn’t about a reward. So, we can all hope that there still is a story to tell for Angel, Spike, Gunn and Illyria and that standoff in the alley wasn’t their swan song, but if it was - there is a bittersweet acceptance that they went out as they would have wanted, as champions fighting on their terms for the most noble cause of all.