'BUFFY' & 'ANGEL' S4/S1 DVD Challenge (1 Viewer)

[Scott-S]

Harsh Light of Day:

I really feel bad for Harmony. Spike really treats her bad in this episode. I guess all the ladies that are in love with spike seem to forget about this episode. This episode is why I never really liked him.

They really go out of their way to make guys look bad. Parker is every bad thing about guys all rolled into one.

Buffy does have bad luck with the guys but at least Xander gets “lucky” again. This is about the only relationship he ever has that doesn’t end badly for him. I like Anya.

Fear Itself:

This is a very funny episode but does have a lot of not so subtle alternate ideas about the fears everybody is facing internally.

Angel:

The only comment I have have was the Spike episode was good, but the mad doctor story was just really cheesy. I have watched the whole series and the doctor one is easily the worst episode.

 

[Wendy_L]

Last night I finally got to watch City Of.... I forgot how good the first episode of "Angel" was. And I also forgot how much I liked Doyle.

Tonight I will watch the next episode.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I finally watched the pilot City Of and I must say it was excellent! It did exactly what a pilot needs to do, it established the premise and provided a pretty meaty story right out of the gate.

I suppose the fact that we already knew who Angel was and why he was in LA to begin with, it gave the show freedom to just jump right in. I particularly love the opening credit sequence and the music that accompanies it, i've always associated violins with being very old and they suit the vampire theme well. Another thing that I noticed, Angel sure did hone his Mission Impossible-style daring-do skills since we last saw him, he even uses a grappling hook at one point lol.

That was all part of the fun, though, i'm so glad that i'm finally rolling on this show, it's going to be a blast, I can tell already.

 

[Nick Martin]

Do yourselves a favor and listen to the commentary for the episode - Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt touch on some of the things they make Angel do (like his sudden Batman-like skills) and refer to themselves as cheesy hacks when coming up with this stuff...it's a great commentary that doesn't really spoil anything. Well nothing important, anyway.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I'll do that, Nicholas, thanks for the tip.

 

[Jay_B!]

season 4/season 1 was just an "okay" season for each (because Buffy was in a transition season and Angel was just starting and setting up its own identity separate from Buffy), but the next season for each show completely makes up for whatever is lackluster about the 1999-2000 season for each IMO.

 

[Holadem]

I am quite curious to see your reactions to this show. Post frequent reviews!

--
H

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Okay, okay, i'll post them as soon as I watch them Mr. Pushy lol.

 

[Simon Massey]

The Freshman:star::star:
Buffy never seemed to get the knack of doing good opening episodes. This episode doesn't really work for me - I get the theme they were going for with Buffy moving to university etc, but with everything that has gone before it just seems wrong to focus this on Buffy. Would probably have been better for this theme to be done through Willow, especially as she was so keen about it in Season 3.

Living Conditions:star::star::star:
Much better episode with the "room-mate from hell" being taken literally. Very funny.

 

[Jay_B!]

if anyone watches Desperate Housewives, the roommate from the first two episodes of season 4 is a recurring nurse on there, and she plays essentially the same character, lol

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Lonely Hearts

Fun episode, sort of reminded me of The Hidden. The thing that i'm really liking about this show is the level of humour, it's got the same amount of playful humour that Buffy had but it's refreshing seeing it come from Angel.

Yes, our dark and toothy hero is fitting in nicely in his new town.

I commented to Wendy as we were watching it that he almost seemed as if he was a little stiffled in Sunnydale, like he couldn't truly spread his wings until he was in his own element and out on his own, and since this is the first time he's truly been on his own since Whistler put him on a path with a purpose, Angel has found his calling and is learning what a tolerable life is like without a certain blonde vampire slayer in it.

Our broody vamp is all grown up (sniff sniff) so to speak.

I'm also loving the developing chemistry between this core group. Yep, Angel is shaping up very nicely, glad i'm finally onboard.

 

[Nick Martin]

When you have completed the entire series, you will most likely look at these early episodes as very humble, to say the least. I actually haven't started ANGEL yet, only because I'm trying to finish some more DS9, and then the whole Star Wars thing just happened. I'll officially begin with the WB farewell broadcast.

That said, the entire series is for the most part, committed to memory, so following along in the mean time is very easy.

Trivia:

Max Perlich, who as of my typing this is on the repeat of "My Name Is Earl" season finale, was going to be on ANGEL as his Buffy character Whistler, but the actor didn't want to commit to a series. That is why Glenn Quinn's character Doyle has similar traits- being a half-demon, style of clothes, and shaping Angel's path to redemption.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Oh no doubt, it goes without saying that the show will get much better than the early eps, the same can be said for any good series. Buffy certaintly went far beyond it's early eps, I fully expect Angel to do the same.

 

[Nick Martin]

I wasn't referring to the quality, but where the characters are in their lives. You would never guess how much things change for them, and that evolution is a complex, riveting journey. On Buffy, the slayer herself just grew more self-absorbed, Xander stayed more or less the same but wore better clothes, Willow changed the most which makes her the big exception, and Giles will always be Giles. ANGEL's characters will be quite different in this regard.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I'm sure the characters will change, Wendy has already prepared me for that and I even know what happens to a couple of them, but IMO the characters on Buffy did change in the end.

Buffy will always be high on my list of most beloved tv shows of all time and so far Angel is on it's way right up there.

 

[Holadem]

I found most of Angel S1 a challenge to sit through, coming off a stronger and more serialized season of Buffy (I think it was S5). It takes longer to really get going plot-wise than the other series ever did. But ultimately I found the payoffs more rewarding.

--
H

 

[Nick Martin]

Season 3. Season 1 of ANGEL aired alongside season 4 of Buffy, back-to-back on Tuesday nights on The WB.

Watching them that way was weird for me since I didn't watch Buffy at that time. I'd sit through a show not knowing what the hell was going on, waiting for its spinoff series at 9PM. Odd, but that's how it was.

 

[Holadem]

Nope. I watched neither show on broadcast. I got into Angel after B5, perhaps B4, but definitely didn't do the whole simultaneous seasons and matching crossover thing -- an annoyingly overrrated practice.

I am a binge TV on DVD watcher, typically line up several episodes in a row. Intercuting my run with another show, no matter how close, kinda cramps my style .

--
H

 

[Wendy_L]

I watched "Buffy" and "Angel" at different times too. But I'm looking forward to watching them together in almost the order they were intended to be watched. Tonight I will watch the first set of cross-over episodes.

I loved the first season of "Angel" because I thought there were some excellent stand alone episodes that season. When we get into Seasons 2-5 it's hard to remember certain episodes that stand out since the seasons tend to be one long story arch. But, on the upside, at the end of Season 2 we get introduced to what will become my favorite character on "Angel"....

Fred

 

[Nick Martin]

It seemed as though you were saying S1 of ANGEL took place after S5 of Buffy. That's why I said S3.