Angel

Put On Your Party Hats for Angel’s Birthday Bash and a Cool Yule Reality-TV Shindig by Kristin | December 12, 2003 (The artist formerly known as Wanda)

Throw a bunch of actors, producers, network executives, crew members and reporters into the same room, and you normally get chaos. Hair-pulling, name-calling, "you’ll never work in this town again" chaos. But when I visited the set of Angel last week for the show’s 100th-episode celebration, I was met with a blissful, Zenlike calm.

Pact with the devil? Perhaps. More likely, however, these Angel-ic peeps are professionals who’ve somehow managed to keep their egos in check even though they work on the show we bow down to worship every Wednesday night. Weird, huh?

Now, faithful tubers, zee plahn was to save all the lengthy interviews and video clips for the mother of all Angel features, to be unveiled around the Feb. 4 airdate of the ep—but since things went so well, I can’t help but give a little scoopity-poop now to wet your whistle. (Mmmm...poopy whistle.)

The 100th episode celebration included, of course, a big cake and lots of singsongy praises. In addition to all the current series regulars, Christian Kane (Lindsey), Mercedes McNab (Harmony) and Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia)—with adorable baby in tow—were along for the festivities.

David Boreanaz, whose son is a real angel (couldn’t be more adorable), hinted that there might be some Buffy guest stars in the works. "I know having James Marsters over now has been great for us," he said. "And I’m sure there’ll be some other people popping in." Who? "You’ll have to wait and see."

Personally, I’d rather try to get it out of Angel boss Joss Whedon (hey, stranger things have happened). "Alyson Hannigan obviously was on the show last year, and that was a lot of fun," Whedon said. "We just love having her, and Willow is somebody I’d love to see again on the show. Buffy, you know, that’s sort of up to her [Sarah Michelle Gellar]. If she’s interested in doing an episode, obviously we’d always make room. There’s two guys on the cast who are in love with her, so it’s not like she doesn’t have anything to play, but it’s really her call."

Those kind words about Alyson should make Alexis Denisof (Wesley) an even happier man, if that’s possible. The boy was still beaming six weeks after his wedding to the girl he calls "the love of my life."

"I think what this show really needs is a redhead," he said. "For me, it’s becoming personally offensive that we aren’t representing that group. There’s only one redhead in Hollywood, so naturally they should hire my wife. I just can’t believe there hasn’t been an organized movement."

Meanwhile, Christian, you’ll be happy to know, is ready, willing and (fingers crossed) able to stick around. "I’ll stay on this show as long as Joss wants me to," Christian told me. "I’m best friends with David, and I love my character now. Instead of coming back and putting on a suit and walking back into that skin, it’s a totally different person."

Charisma, on the other hand, seemed legitimately grateful to be a part of the 100th brouhaha, but in general, ready to move on. That might have something to do with the fact that her relationship with producers appeared slightly strained—during Joss’ introductions of cast members before the cake cutting, hers was the only one missing a lengthy buildup. Intentional? Who knows? In any case, Charisma says she doesn’t plan on coming back.

"I’m ready [to move on]," Charisma told me. "It’s so nice to have a change. I’ve been over on Miss Match and I’ve done an ABC Family movie and I think I’m ready for the next step, and it’s not a bad thing. I leave here in a good place and I know the door is open—or has been open—or it’s open today. And it’s a good experience going back, it means a lot to be able to do that. But I don’t think there’s anything left to say, or do, for [Cordelia]. I don’t know how Joss’ mind works. I never say never to anything, but I’m fairly sure this is it. There’s nothing in the works now, just know that. Cordelia leaves. But then, we lopped off Lilah’s head and she came back, so who the hell knows anymore?"

When asked if Cordelia might return, Joss simply said, "She might."

On the flip side, James Marsters is adamant that he isn’t going anywhere. "Hell yeah!" he spouted when asked if he has more seasons of Spike in him. "I say we do another 100 episodes and do The Spike Show."

And turn into a human? "No, no, no, no," James says. "Spike is a cool character. I can play a human when I’m done with Spike. This is the actor talking, not Spike, but I think he’d realize he made a mistake."

Meanwhile, Andy Hallett—who I am convinced is the funniest mother-effer alive, green or otherwise—was celebrating his own achievement that day. "I just got cast to do a cartoon voice in a movie, Geppetto’s Secret. I’m a cricket. The guys were teasing me, not because it’s a cartoon, but because I’m green again. Green!"

"What’s next, the Hulk?" I asked.

"Actually," Andy said excitedly, "I have to tell you, I love Lou Ferrigno. He and I were at a bar about a year ago, and I was bitching about the makeup. He doesn’t drink, and I’m sure he thought I was insane. We were talking about how many times we’ve been painted green. The only two green guys and we’re in a bar. What are the chances?"