Angel

Angel

1999 - United States

Spinning off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel took the bold step of detaching itself from the teen-orientated thrills of Sunnydale’s hell-mouth and relocating to the more adult, morally complex streets of Los Angeles. The series followed the fortunes of Angel, a centuries-old vampire cursed with a soul, who traded in high school dramas for alleyway battles and philosophical soul-searching in the aptly nicknamed City of Angels. With nothing but his inner torment and a vague hope for redemption to guide him, Angel prowled LA’s shadowy underbelly in search of people to save — and in doing so, perhaps save himself.

It’s during these early wanderings that Angel encounters Doyle, a part-demon messenger sent by the enigmatic “Powers That Be”. With Doyle acting as both comic relief and spiritual compass, and former Buffy stalwart Cordelia Chase offering a familiar and increasingly pivotal presence, the trio forms an agency to aid the helpless — part detective firm, part exorcist-for-hire. Their cases were rarely simple, often harrowing, and always tinged with the show’s trademark dark wit.

Up until its third season, Angel set itself apart by embracing a more mature tone than its parent series. The themes were weightier, the violence more visceral, and the emotional beats more resonant for an adult audience. In fact, when Channel 4 first brought the series to UK screens, some of the gorier moments were censored, prompting backlash from fans. The channel initially pulled the show before reinstating it in a later, more suitable time-slot — a decision that recognised both the show's content and its loyal viewership. Notably, Angel's darker sensibility influenced the direction of Buffy itself, particularly in its own sixth season.

Like Buffy, Angel thrived on sharp writing, rich character development, and a fine balance of horror, humour, and heart. David Boreanaz gave a commendably rich performance, perfectly capturing Angel’s brooding intensity without ever making him one-note. Just as impressive was Charisma Carpenter, whose Cordelia transformed from comic relief to emotional anchor across the seasons, bringing warmth and strength to a series often drenched in gloom.

In the end, Angel succeeded not by mimicking Buffy, but by carving out its own identity — a noir-infused supernatural drama with soul. For those who prefer their vampire stories with moral ambiguity and a touch of existential dread, Angel offered a compelling and rewarding ride.

Published on November 27th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

Angel - Season 2

Angel's second season opens with a bold statement of a new, perfected style

Also starring David Boreanaz

Angel - Season 3

When Darla turns up pregnant with Angel’s child, the team embarks on a quest to unravel the mystery behind this seemingly impossible pregnancy and decipher its significance

Also starring David Boreanaz

Angel

Buffy the Vampire Slayer's spin-off took a while to settle, but when it did, it proved to be as popular as its parent series. The stakes are as high in L.A. as they were in Sunnydale

Also tagged Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Shadow and Bone

In a world filled with supernaturally gifted individuals called Grisha, a plucky orphan discovers that she’s the long-prophesied Saint who can liberate their world from a sinister force that’s been plaguing it for centuries

Also tagged Fantasy Series

Sweet Tooth

Ten years ago 'The Great Crumble' wreaked havoc on the world and led to the mysterious emergence of hybrid babies born part human, part animal. Unsure if hybrids are the cause or result of the virus, many humans fear and hunt them

Also tagged Fantasy Series

Futurama

Philip J. Fry is a twenty-five-year-old pizza delivery boy whose life is going nowhere. After he accidentally freezes himself on 31 December 1999, he wakes up one thousand years in the future.

Also released in 1999

A season of huge change that unashamedly pulls on viewers heartstrings with brilliantly realised and unexpected developments as Buffy must deal with personal tragedy, a sister who appears from nowhere, and the Prince of Darkness himself...

Also tagged Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Warrior Nun

When an orphaned teen wakes up in a morgue she discovers that a divine artefact has been embedded in her back. The powers it gives her means that she is now the Halo-Bearer for a secret sect of demon-hunting nuns

Also tagged Fantasy Series

The Flint Street Nativity

Squabbles arise when a class of seven-year-olds put on a nativity play at School. Herod won't stop waving to his mum and dad and the subversive Innkeeper is determined to liven up the traditional script.

Also released in 1999