Angel

Joss Whedon ("Waiting in the Wings," "Spin the Bottle"). The "Buffy"-"Angel" mastermind writes and directs the "Angel" season opener for the first time since the pilot. (And, yes, this nails dead the possibility that the male-slayer fan-fic that blighted the Internet last weekend could be even partially legit. There’s no way those pages sprang from the giant brain of The Whedon.)

Jeffrey Bell ("Habeus Corpses," "The Magic Bullet"). An "X-Files" vet who joined Team "Angel" around the same time Winifred Burkle did, he became de facto showrunner last season when Whedon and Tim Minear were busy putting "Firefly" on its feet, and co-creator David Greenwalt left to oversee ABC’s short-lived "Miracles."

Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain ("Release," "Players"). Joined the series last season. Their other big credit was writing for the WB’s "Glory Days," a short-lived whodunit from Kevin "Dawson’s Creek" Williamson.

Steven DeKnight ("Apocalypse Nowish," "Inside Out"). A vet of MTV’s nakedness-free porn soap "Undressed," DeKnight served as a "Buffy" scribe during the slayer’s fifth and sixth seasons, then leapt to "Angel" with last season’s terrific opener, "Deep Down." He’s been exclusive to "Angel" ever since.

(The Great) Ben Edlund ("Sacrifice"). Edlund is a certified comedy genius, having created "The Tick" comic book, the Saturday morning cartoon based thereon, and the primetime Fox sitcom version of "The Tick" starring Patrick Warburton. He was hired last season to work on Whedon’s spaceship show "Firefly." When that was cancelled at midseason, he joined "Angel."

David Fury ("Salvage," "Peace Out"). The Iron Man of the Buffiverse, Fury joined "Buffy" in season two and has written for every subsequent season. He’s also authored scripts for all four prior seasons of "Angel." He’s also the fellow in "Once More With Feeling" who sings "They Got The Mustard Out!"

Drew Goddard (The "Buffy" episodes "Conversations With Dead People" and "Dirty Girls"). Goddard is technically the only true "Angel" rookie this season. He joined "Buffy" last season and his very first episode was season seven’s very best: the sad, scary, hilarious and Anya-centric "Selfless."

Who won’t be writing for "Angel" this season? Jane Espenson. Herc’s second-favorite "Buffy" writer joined the slayer circle during season three and co-wrote the series’ penultimate episode with Doug Petrie. Like Petrie, she hasn’t scripted an "Angel" since that show’s second season. Espenson is committed this season to working exclusively for "Gilmore Girls" (the show that inherited the WB’s "Buffy" timeslot after the slayer made the hop to UPN two years ago).

Drew Greenberg. Greenberg joined "Buffy" in season six. And while he crafted an installment of "Firefly," he’s never written an "Angel." Post-"Buffy," he’s joined the staff of the WB’s "Smallville."

David Greenwalt. With the cancellation of "Miracles," "Angel’s" co-creator now oversees UPN’s upcoming comic sci-fi actioner "Jake 2.0."

Rebecca Rand Kirshner. "Freaks & Geeks" vet Kirshner joined "Buffy" in season five and wrote the season-seven standout "Help" as well as the series’ antepenultimate episode, "Touched." We’re not certain what she’s up to this season, but we’re told she won’t be joining "Angel."

Tim Minear. The writer-director behind "Angel’s" spectacular season-four finale has been a major part of the series since season one, but has now left to oversee Fox’s supernatural midseason drama "Wonderfalls."

Marti Noxon. A "Buffy" writer since season two and its showrunner since season six, Noxon scripted only one episode of "Angel," during its first season, but apparently remained involved in shaping the spinoff’s story arcs. This season Noxon will oversee the Fox’s "Sixth Sense"-esque supernatural midseason drama "Still Life."

Doug Petrie. A "Buffy" writer since season three, the writer-director behind Herc fave "As You Were" hasn’t scripted for "Angel" since its second season. Petrie is now on staff at Eliza Dushku’s upcoming "Groundhog Day"-esque Fox drama "Tru Calling."

Mere Smith. An "Angel" writer since season two, she’s responsible for lightning lass Gwen Raiden’s best moments last season. Smith has moved on to the WB’s upcoming urban actioner "Tarzan & Jane."

Hey! The season-four "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" DVDs go on sale this Tuesday, June 10!!