Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #156422 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-11-28
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Colour, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 6
• Dimensions: .74 pounds
• Running time: 990 minutes

Customer Reviews

Season One of "Angel": The recipe for a successful spinoff
In re-watching Season One of "Angel" it is insightful to consider what creators David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon did to make this series a successful spinoff from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer":

First, "Angel" works in a different genre than "BtVS", presenting more of the hard-boiled detective for its plots and film noir for its style. This key difference between the two shows is captured in the contrast of their respective theme songs. Clearly this spinoff goes in a different direction, amply proven by the surprising revelation of the season's final shot ("BtVS" never had such a last second surprise until the end of Season 6).

Second, the decision to have Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) join Angel (David Boreanaz) in L.A. was a masterstroke. Not only because Cordy's inability to stop what she is thinking from escaping her lips contrasts well with Angel's sullen silences, but also because the two characters had relatively little interaction on "BtVS." Consequently, the character dynamic is new ground. Furthermore, the characters all change for the better over the course of the first season: Angel slowly but surely develops a sense of humor, Cordelia develops a conscience in the wake of the death of Doyle (the late Glenn Quinn) and her getting the curse of his visions ("Hero", "To Shanshu in L.A."), and Wesley (Alexis Denisof) undergoes one of the most remarkable character transformations in television history from pompous comic wimp to grim brooding demon hunter.

Third, Kate Lockley (Elizabeth Rohm) provides Angel with his transitional figure between Buffy and what proves to be Cordelia. The first buzz I remember hearing about "Angel" was that we were all supposed to hate this Kate person, whoever she might be, obviously because she was presumptuous enough to take Buffy's place. Things never get anywhere close to that point (Kate is not Parker), but that is beside the point. Even if Kate is not good enough for Angel, and the departure of Rohm for greener pastures means we never really got to see what the show's creators had in mind for the long-term, she opens up the possibility for Angel to move on romantically although we are reminded that this is not a good thing for our hero ("The Prodigal").

Fourth, Angel Investigations functions the way the Hellmouth does on "BtVS," to provide an opportunity to introduce the monster of the week in each episode. Wolfram & Hart provides an additional source of such monsters for Angel and his crew. Unlike "BtVS," where there is a villain arc for the first half of the season that joins up with a second villain arc in the last half (e.g., Spike & Dru join Angelus in Season 2), Wolfram & Hart continues to be a presence for several seasons, even if the roster of players changes.

Fifth, Greenwalt and Whedon were extremely selective in the crossovers they allowed between the two shows. Not surprisingly, these are some of the best episodes from the series. "In the Dark," where Buffy sends the Ring of Amarra via Oz, is one of the best character studies of Angel, "I Will Remember You" where Angel spends a day with Buffy as a human is a fitting coda to their star-crossed relationship, and the end of "Five by Five" as Angel fights Faith in the rain, is the emotional highpoint of Season One (continued in "Sanctuary"). Unfortunately Season 4 of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is not due out on DVD until later this year, which means we have to wait for the first halves of all of these crossovers to be available on DVD.

How good is the first season of "Angel?" The dramatic highpoint of the series has been Darla "giving birth" to Connor during Season 3 and while there is nothing in Season One that reaches that height it is a solid season. Yes, there are some clunkers ("I Fall to Pieces" and "Expecting"), but these are more than counterbalanced by some excellent episodes, most notably "Rm W/A Vu," "Eternity," and "War Zone." Season One of "Angel" is a lot better than Season One of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and also a lot better than I recalled taken in its entirety. Both series have been blessed not only by good writing but also by having actors who exceed initial expectations as to their abilities to perform. This is certainly more true about the three main actors on "Angel" than those they left behind in Sunnydale.

Oh My God
This was brilliant. David Boreanaz portrays Angel very well with Glenn Quinn (R.I.P) adding a touch of class. Many people say it is un profesional but i think if you want something decent to watch this is it.

Great dvd
This is my favourite season by far. It has a great story and great bad guys. This gets A+++++++