***Official Angel box Set Seasons 1 and 2 (SPOILERS)*** (1 Viewer)

[Scott_F_S]

Admin note: This thread is now designated the official Angel box set discussion thread. The thread title will change as the Angel box sets are released (in the US, we are aware there are non-Region 1 Angel sets, please do not discuss plot points from those box sets, there's already a Angelriffic thread to cover most of the discussion up to the current season.)

This thread is specifically to discuss the episodes found in the most current Angel boxset released in Region 1, and that means Season 1 and 2 for now. That means every episode from season 1 and 2 is fair game to be discussed, so be warned of this fact for this thread.

Do not discuss episodes or plotlines beyond the most current released boxset (I would prefer people not even put spoilers in spoiler text, but refer people to the Angelriffic thread if they must discuss future episodes/plotlines beyond the boxset contents).


Shall we start a discussion here, as someone did with the Buffy DVD sets?

Talk about anything to do with Angel Seasons 1 and 2 box sets, but please no discussion on seasons 3, 4 and 5. For that, please go to the Angelriffic thread.

Just finished watching Season 2. Way exceeded my expectations for the first 18 episodes. But those last four ... pretty lame, worse than anything in Season 1, and there were some low points in S1.

What, were Greenwalt/Minear/etc., trying to prove they could outdo Hercules/Xena or something?

 

[Adam_ME]

They originally wanted to continue the Darla arc, but Julie Benz was unavailable due to her commitment to the Glory Days pilot. The irony is her character was eventually recast on that show anyway.

So basically Greenwalt, Whedon, and Co. were forced to come up with an entirely new season-ending storyline out of nowhere. Hence the Pylea nonsense. I wasn't too big on it myself, although at least we got to see Cordy in a skimpy outfit and Numfar's dances of joy and honor.

And without giving anything away, the premature end to the Darla arc in "Epiphany" allowed them to reintroduce certain characters in Season 3, so in retrospect the Pylea stuff may not have been so bad after all.

 

[Scott_F_S]

That makes sense, because all that sure seemed like an abrupt turn right into afterthoughtness.

You are right about another thing: Cordy looked absolutely stunning during those eps.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

I also hated the Phylea arc... What a lame way to end a season... Originally, that was not the intention at all...

Originally, it works out differently... Fred still worked at ther library when they met her... I believe there was even an audition that had her reading for the part... I know I saw that on the region 2 set... The final 4 episodes were completely different originally...

Angel, Cordy, and Wes were also originally going to be on the Buffy Season 5 finale to help fight Glory... Why they changed this, I have no idea... It would have been a great way to send Buffy off (It was Buffys last show on the WB)... Doesnt make sense... There were no rights issues because the WB still owned both shows at the time...

 

[Dan Rudolph]

I loved the Pylea precisely because it was so far out of left field. All fo season 2 is like, with new twists constantly coming out of nowhere. But not in a way that pissed me off, ala Xena.

It did create some plot holes regarding Fred though. We find out in season 3 (very minor spoiler)

She was within striking distance of a master's degree when she disappeared.

Combine this with the fact she was gone for five years and she'd have to be a bit older than she looks.

 

[Andy Sheets]

They originally wanted to continue the Darla arc, but Julie Benz was unavailable due to her commitment to the Glory Days pilot.

I'm kind of glad it happened since I wasn't a fan of the Darla storyline (and I can't say Julie Benz ever truly impressed me enough to warrant that much screentime). I found that Angel as a show got tedious whenever it dwelled over-much on Angel's darkness. It's like it turned into Anne Rice-lite and that doesn't grab me. My favorite phase of the show was actually the earliest stuff, when Joss and Greenwalt were designing it to be more episodic in feel, with Angel as a vampire PI. Alas, Joss changed his mind and the show started drifting over to a more Buffy-like structure.

 

[Adam_ME]

Combine this with the fact she was gone for five years and she'd have to be a bit older than she looks.

Not necessarily. Fred is a pretty smart girl after all. Maybe she pulled a Doogie Howser.

 

[Scott_F_S]

Combine this with the fact she was gone for five years and she'd have to be a bit older than she looks.

Well, that just makes up for how Xander and Cordelia looked like they were 25 years old when they were in high school.

 

[Joshua_W]

I liked the Pylea arc in an "Army of Darkness" sort of way. But it was a huge change-up from what had gone on previously in the season.

And I'm not sure about Angel, Wes, and Cordy showing up in the Buffy S5 finale. That probably would've made the episode too crowded. Maybe if they thought it would've been the series finale they might've gone that way for closure. I've also heard of a few other "alternate season five finales" that didn't involve the Angel crew, so a lot of this could either be fan speculation that got passed off as truth or foilers.

I remember when the whole Angel crew was originally going to be in Sunnydale for the seventh season series finale.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Joss originally intended for it to be the end. Sometime during season 5 he thought "There's more to tell. At least 2 years." (maybe one...)

I'm sure if it were the true finale, there would have been one final crossover.

 

[Carlo_M]

although at least we got to see Cordy in a skimpy outfit

That's justification enough for me! More Pylea please (only if it means more Cordy in skimpies)!

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Personally, I enjoyed the trip to pylea. It doesn't work quite well for a season finale, would have been better fit as episodes 17-20, save 21/22 for the Darla finale (which couldn't have happened)