Essential 5: Angel

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was so successful that Joss Whedon was able to expand the universe with a spin-off show. That show, Angel, replaced much of the campy teenage vibe with dark fantasy. He killed off main characters, added moral ambiguity, and in the process created a show which added to the so-called "Buffyverse," yet is also capable of standing on it's own merits. I would actually argue that season 5 of Angel is as good as any single season of Buffy.

What really makes Angel interesting is how different it is from season to season. In Buffy, experimentation took place in individual episodes, but the format of the show remained essentially the same. Angel, though, experimented over whole seasons. Season 4 is entirely serialized for instance, while others are almost completely about stand-alone episodes. To say more would ruin the surprise, but half the fun of watch a Joss Whedon production is to explore the nature of modern storytelling. He isn't afraid to take chances in making the audience think as much about the format as they are about the plot.

The influences on the show are numerous. It's clear that he wanted to keep some of the soap opera feel and humor of Buffy, while bringing in the darker influence of film noir and horror. The show is not always successful in living up to the references it evokes, and is best when it goes as far in its own direction as possible. It would be easy to talk on and on about the shows merits (I haven't even touched on the show's multiculturalism and overt racial messages), but analysis of the show's messages can be found elsewhere, this is an introduction. The episodes below all represent the show at it's most daring, playing with genre, character, and audience expectations:

1. "City of" (season 1 ep. 1)
The pilot episode almost invariably makes these lists because it serves as the basic introduction to the series and its characters. Even if it's of poor quality, the episode becomes essential to understanding the rest of the show. In the case of Angel, which is so ever changing from season to season, episode to episode, it becomes less important that it is the first episode, and more important that it sets the basic tone for the series. Important characters die, the tone is dark, and the title character's goal (redemption) is a long ways off. What the episode promises for the rest of the series is an allegorical look at the soul's struggle for goodness. It is not essential to the story, but it is essential to the tone.

2. "Waiting in the Wings" (season 3 ep. 13)
I must admit that I have a bit of a thing about dance depicted on screen, from The Red Shoes to Talk to Her I have always felt that there was something a bit magical about the connection between the camera and dance. This is a Joss Whedon written and directed episode which almost inevitably means a spike in quality. He also seems to save for himself the most important emotional moments in each season, and this is no exception. Whedon expertly crafts a scenario in which all of the main characters begin to grow in ways that they hitherto have been unable to. This is particularly pronounced in the development of the character Wesley, who finally crosses the line from Giles parody to a dark complex character all his own.

3. "Conviction" (season 5 ep. 1)
This episode marks the beginning of the last, and by far best, season of Angel. This is a basically an extremely complex set-up episode. It's a pilot episode with several already well-developed characters (with back stories to boot); what I imagine a television producer's dream would look like. The first few minutes is a hilarious parody of the beginning of the aforementioned "City of", highlighting not only the rebirth of the series but also acknowledging how the characters have changed. Whedon shows off his love of the unbroken tracking shot to great effect here, reintroducing each of the main characters (many of whom would be new to the casual viewer).

4. "Smile Time" (season 5 ep. 14)

The funniest of all the Angel episodes, this is the only one I chose that isn't Whedon directed, though it's still a story conceived by him (It's pretty clear that he is the creative drive of the show). The writer's were clearly having a lot of fun with the idea of evil Muppets and the loose feeling of the writers flexing their creative muscles fits the show well. 

5. "A Hole in the World" (season 5 ep. 15)
The funniest Angel episode is followed by the saddest. The episode is filled with moments of dread. I normally detest the melodramatic bullshit which populates WB shows, but this is myth-building at its best. Whedon has clearly paid attention to comic books, as this episode feels very much inspired by their sense of pathos. That means the episode is heavy handed, but the very nature of the fantasy genre is heavy handed... If you've gotten this far you can probably forgive the lack of subtlety due to the clear intelligence and artistry that went into this show, and this episode in particular.