LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - "I will continue to be consulting producer David Greenwalt," says the co-creator (with Joss Whedon) of The WB’s "Angel." "I will continue to watch from afar and work from afar."

While he’s no longer involved in the day-to-day affairs at the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" spin-off, which just got picked up for its fifth season, Greenwalt keeps a weather eye on the Wednesday-night drama and has a few hints about what’s coming up this fall.

"I kid you not," Greenwalt says, "I believe this show will go another three years."

In its season finale, "Angel" made a huge bid for renewal and revamped its format, taking Angel (David Boreanaz), the crusading vampire with a soul, and his evil-fighting crew — Gunn (J. August Richards), Wesley (Alexis Denisof), Lorne (Andy Hallett) and Fred (Amy Acker) — out of their former headquarters in a dilapidated hotel, and stuffing them into a gleaming, fully staffed Los Angeles office tower — courtesy of their former foe, the evil law firm of Wolfram & Hart.

Although W&H has sworn that the gift comes without strings, Greenwalt is not so sure.

"Obviously, they wish to corrupt all our people," Greenwalt says, "and all of our people wish not to be corrupted. Some of them will be corrupted, some of them won’t be."

"Gunn is going to become the coolest. You’ll be seeing him in beautiful suits. And you know, Fred has never had money and a car and a place of her own before, so she’s going to be living a little wilder than ever. Lorne is in heaven, because he gets to talk to Michael Jackson and all the entertainment people."

"Angel has got eyes open, always looking for the screwing, but meanwhile, they can use the full faith of Wolfram & Hart to help the people they need to help."

The offer from Wolfram & Hart was delivered by employee Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov), raised from the dead just for that purpose. Greenwalt says she is likely to return, "and hopefully some new femme fatale, as well."

As for Lilah’s former office rival, one-handed lawyer Lindsey McDonald (Christian Kane), last seen in season two, Greenwalt says, "It’s funny, David [Boreanaz] had said that to me, too, ’I’d love to see him come back.’ They’re buddies, and Christian brings a lot to the party. Him walking in the door with his porcelain hand wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen. It’s on my wish list."

Also on Greenwalt’s wish list is a visit from Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, who ends her seven-season run as Sunnydale’s slayer May 20 on UPN — complete with a visit from Angel, her former lover, who first appears May 13.

"I bet you’ll see her," Greenwalt says, "but I don’t know how all that’s going to work out. David’s done a lot for her; she’s done a lot for David. When we launched the show, she showed up on the set in downtown L.A. in the middle of the night with a cake. She is quite capable of the big, lovely gesture, and I hope to see her in the show."

Already signed to join the cast this fall — for a full 22 episodes — is Buffy’s other vampire lover, Spike (James Marsters), a former protégé of Angel’s who also has a soul. But first, he must finish his storyline on "Buffy."

"Well, yes," Greenwalt says, "because when you see how ’Buffy’ finishes, you’ll realize that we have a bit of a problem there. But we’ll figure it out."

For the moment, "Angel" is basking in the joy of a new season — and thanks to specially tempered glass at Wolfram & Hart, Angel can bask in a little California sunshine (without bursting into flames).

"What you have now," Greenwalt says, "is ’Angel’ meets ’West Wing’ meets ’L.A. Law,’ this whole new look and feel. It’s not going to be dreary and dark. He can walk in the sun. I am so sick of this no-sun thing."

"To me, it’s like a brand-new show."

And, it seems, there’s also a new metaphor. "’Buffy’ had a huge metaphor," Greenwalt says, "high school and the little girl, ’I want to go to the prom, but I have to fight big evil.’ We sold ’Angel’ as exactly the same thing in your 20s, but as you go on, there is no big, iconic metaphor in your 20s. But at about 29, you either decide to join the world or you go live on a commune."

"So this is, how do I integrate into the real world? It’s really where you make the big decisions — do you sell out or not sell out? Things start to have a consequence again in your life."