Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1687 in VHS
• Released on: 2002-08-19
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 3

Amazon.co.uk Review
The second half of Angel's third season demonstrates yet again that when the "vampire with a soul" and his human allies are closest to happiness they are more acutely in danger. The vampire Darla is dust again, leaving Angel with their son Connor to rear, and for a few episodes things go pretty well--but Angel's enemies, both those he has made in his quest for redemption and those he made when he was unadulterated evil, are still out there. Stephanie Romanov comes into her silky own in this season, making Lilah Morgan all the more seductively evil because she is clear about the choices she has made; the satanic law-firm of Wolfram and Hart are this show's most inspired creation.

As the season moves to its climax, Wesley (Alexis Denisof) has hard choices to make and of the show's core cast it is Denisof who has the most interesting things to do; he has triumphantly turned the bumbling fop of Buffy's third season into a man nearly destroyed by good intentions and despair. The season's devastating climax is compulsive viewing and this box also contains one of the most impressive single episodes the show has yet come up with: in "Waiting in the Wings" writer, director and creator Joss Whedon comes up with a classic ghost story as Angel and his crew go to the ballet and find a performance that is literally timeless. --Roz Kaveney

Synopsis
More adventures with Angel. Features the episodes 'Provider', 'Waiting In The Wings', 'Couplet', 'Loyalty', 'Sleep Tight', 'Forgiving', 'Double Or Nothing', 'The Price', 'A New World', 'Benediction' and 'Tomorrow'.

From the Back Cover
Tape Four:
Provider: Fred solves a puzzle for a group of demons who literally want to buy her brain; Angel is hired to clean out a vampire nest by a man who can’t afford to pay for Angel’s services; Wes and Gunn help a woman whose dead boyfriend is stalking her.

Waiting In The Wings:Angel and his friends attend a ballet, where Angel realizes he saw the exact same dancers on stage 110 years ago.

Couplet: Angel struggles with his jealousy of the Groosalugg and Cordelia’s attraction to him; Gunn and Fred get captured by a tree monster.

Loyalty:Wes dreads the fulfilment of the prophecy that Angel will kill Connor; Sahjhan becomes dissatisfied with Holtz’s progress in staking Angel and takes matters into his own hands; Fred and Gunn try to figure out how to juggle working together with their new romance.

Tape Five:
Sleep Tight:To save Connor’s life, Wes takes him away from Angel; Angel uncovers Lilah’s plot to have him kill Connor; Holtz finally attacks.

Forgiving:As Fred and Gunn search for Wesley, Angel searches for Sahjhan – and casts a spell to make him corporeal so he can be killed.

Double or Nothing:When a demon Gunn once sold his soul to comes to collect on the debt, Angel, Fred and Cordelia help to save him.

The Price:Angel’s hotel is infested by demonic slugs created by the spell he used to alter Sahjhan.

Tape Six: A New World:Angel pursues Connor, who makes a new friend on the streets; something else comes through the portal from Quor-Toth; Lilah approaches Wesley.

Benediction:Holtz insists that Connor rejoin Angel; Justine learns Holtz is back; the Groosalugg realizes the depths of Cordelia’s feelings for Angel.

Tomorrow:Connor returns to Angel to seek his revenge; Angel and Cordelia acknowledge their feelings for each other.

Customer Reviews

BEST SO FAR!
This box set contains some of the best Angel episodes ever made. The first episode "Birthday" centres around Cordelia. It gives us an insight into the woman she has become and illustrates to us what an important role she plays in Angel Investigations. This episode pushes the Cordelia arc forward and there is also an appearance from the hilariously funny Skip.
"Waiting In The Wings", written and directed by Joss Whedon, is a stroke of genius as it has all the elements of a classic Angel episode. The story is all about the five main characters and their personal relationships with each other all change. Some grow closer while others drift apart.
Two of the best episodes in this set are "Loyalty" and "Sleep Tight" as they give Alexis Denisof a chance to shine as Wesley. "Sleep Tight" is without a doubt the best episode of the season as the performances are all to an incredible standard and the story is dramatic and suspenseful. This could have easily been the season finale.
The final three episode entitled,"A New World", "Benediction" and "Tomorrow" see Angel's world begin to pick up and his life starts to come back together. As usual, the happiness is short lived as by the finale, things will take a turn for the worst and the season ends with a cliffhanger.
There are a few disappointements however. The Gunn/Fred story "Double Or Nothing" lacks in plot and has little relevance to this season's overall arc. Also, Charisma Carpenter is not present in three out of the eleven episodes, which is a shame as her character has been the most likeable this year. Although the final episodes are better than previous, they do not compete with the final episodes of Buffy's Sixth Season.
This box set has everything for a die hard fan and everything for a casual watcher. The bar has been raised to new heights and only time will tell if Season Four can match this year. The acting has been superb and the writing has been compelling. It has to get 5/5!

Solid conclusion to the third season
Powerful and unpredictable, boasting a string of excellent performances, the second half of Angel's third season proves as equally as colourful.

The plot follows as Angel (David Boreanaz) battles to protect his baby son Connor from a variety of foes all willing to get their hands on him: scheming, dimension-travelling demon Sahjahn (Jack Conley), vengeful vampire hunter Holtz (Keith Szarabajka) and the evil lawyers at Wolfram and Hart.

However, Angel is betrayed when his well-intentioned but misguided ally Wesley (Alexis Denisof) kidnaps Connor after translating an ancient prophecy that says Angel will kill his own son. Holtz promptly flees with the baby into another dimension and Angel despairs, unable to get his son back.....

As with its sister show, "Buffy", "Angel" is at its best when it's episodes focus on bring the season's plot forward and when it's focussing on the characters. Thus "Sleep Tight", "Loyalty", "Forgiving", "A New World" and "Benediction" are this set's best episodes, featuring a swathe of strong dramatic moments.

In "Forgiving", Wesley has given Connor to Holtz and has had his throat slashed for his troubles. Lying, nearly dead, in his hospital bed, he is visited by Angel. The vampire comes close to forgiving his friend, then gets angry and tries to kill him.

Later on, in "A New World" and "Benediction", Holtz returns with a now teenaged Connor (Vincent Kartheiser). Angel confronts his foe and is forced to slowly apologize to Holtz for killing his family. It is a very beautiful scene, as the two arch enemies appear to have made peace with each other. But Holtz has one last trick up his sleeve, making way for the season finale "Tomorrow".

Little doubt the triumph of this season has to be Holtz. Well played and voiced by Keith Szarabajka, he comes across as a deeply sympathetic but ultimately insidious man destroyed by his own lust for vengeance.

Also good is Alexis Denisof as Wesley, whose own good intentions nearly prove to be the death of him. Andy Hallett provides much of the season's humour as the wisecracking Lorne. Finally, David Boreanaz maintains a continually consistent and energetic portrayal of Angel.

However, the characters of Gunn (J.August Richards) and Fred (Amy Acker) are left on the side. Asides from their romance, they sacrifice much of their personalities (Fred's babbling eccentricity and Gunn's hard-nosed streetwisdom) to the needs of individual episodes. And the lawyers at Wolfram and Hart, whilst still very much involved, could do with a more consequential role in the season's plot.

That aside, this is still very good entertainment and worth watching. Roll on Season Four.

Angel at its best...
Despite the fact that Angel was put on the backburner for a while in the states, this is one of the best seasons of Angel ever. After Buffy we all thought it couldn't be possible for Angel to love another. He now has new son Connor, and Cordy forming a big part of his life.

Relationships form a large part of the theme throughout this series and the Gunn, Fred, and Wesley love triangle has very surprising results. Cordy also has her fair share of men to deal with, and the problems along the way. Will she figure out her true feelings before its too late???

How will everyone adapt to the new Demonised Cordy? Will Angel be able to protect Connor from the new big bad Holtz (Or Wesley for that matter)? And does Lilah continue to be as annoyingly evil as ever? We can all love the humour of Lorne the Host too.

It amazes me that each year the Cliff-hanger gets more and more exciting. Thought last year left you high and dry, then wait till you see this years! Characters heading in different directions, what on earth will happen next? This is a must for all Angel fans. The best season yet!