Angel

LOS ANGELES - David Boreanaz says playing the TV vampire "Angel" is like being possessed by a legion of rambunctious spirits.

The supernatural drama on the WB chronicles the "life" of a youthful-looking 250-year-old bloodsucker who is trying to redeem his history of wickedness by helping people in demon-infested Los Angeles.

The DVD of the second season of "Angel" debuts next Tuesday.

The program, recently renewed for a fifth season due to support from critics and its outspoken cult-fans, often flashes back to Angel’s brutal youth in 18th century Europe, his struggle to become good after being cursed with a soul by gypsies, his brooding life as a loner in America during the early 20th century, and his occasional magical reversal into murder and evil.

It’s the 32-year-old’s eighth year playing Angel, who started out as a love-interest on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in 1997.

"People say, ’Don’t you get bored playing this character? Do you feel like you’re going to get typecast?’ I say, ’You know, I play this character that embodies every character I’d want to play down the line in my career,’" Boreanaz said. "I get to play an action-adventure guy, and the vulnerable hero, or the Satanic cult guy, the evil guy, so I’ve been having a good time."

Boreanaz said the series has been revamped - so to speak - and will include the bleached-blond bad-boy bloodsucker Spike, played by James Marsters, from "Buffy," which ended its run in May.

"(Spike’s) presence will be felt right off the bat toward the end of the first episode," said Boreanaz, who added that he’s not sure how the two rival vampires will get along. "It’s something that’s going to be a pretty strong relationship between the two of us. We’ll have to see how all these dynamics fall into place."