Should I buy Angel Season 1? (1 Viewer)

[Haden]

I got hooked on Buffy a year ago when I started watching reruns on the FX channel, so naturally I picked up seasons 1 and 2 on DVD and will be getting season 3 next week. I've neglected to really get involved in Angel on the WB and I don't think early season reruns are shown anywhere. I'm wondering how different it is from Buffy and is there a chance an avid Buffy fan like myself wouldn't like it? I'm debating whether or not to invest in the series on DVD, even though I like Buffy so much. Opinions?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

It's different from Buffy, but just as good in many ways. Especially season 3

 

[John Bryant]

Jeff-Would watching season 1 of Angel spoil anything for someone who has only watched the first 2 seasons of Buffy on dvd?

 

[Haden]

What season was Buffy in when Angel premiered? Season 4?

 

[ChuckDeLa]

Yes, 4

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yes, Angel Season 1 has several episodes that tie into Angel Season 4. Some lead into Buffy, others lead FROM Buffy (there's one crossover that starts in Angel, goes to Buffy, ends in Angel)

You should at least finish Buffy Season 3 before watching Angel (you've got a month!)

Episodes to avoid to remain spoiler-free for Buffy S4, WARNING other episodes may refer back to them

In The Dark
I will Remember You (One of SMG's best performances EVER in the last 5min)
Five by Five
Sanctuary

 

[Zane Charron]

Yes, I think Angel is well worth a blind buy. It's very similar to Buffy in many ways, but just different enough to be interesting. And Cordelia's in it, so how bad can it be?
Though I will admit that it took me a handful of episodes until I really got into it. It didn't click with me at first.
One of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life was Angel imagining himself dancing when a girl at a party asks him too. You'll know it when you see it. Priceless.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

For anything Buffy related, everything is full of spoilers. Even if you don't see any of the crossovers, the whole premise is full of Buffy season 3 spoliers. I'd advise waiting until buffy season 4 hits dvd (or watch it in syndication) and watch Angel concurrently.

 

[Pete Battista]

I highly recommend Angel... I already have mine on pre-order. definitely has spoilers for season 4 Buffy... thats why I am surprised they are releasing this one with season 3 of Buffy instead of releasing it with season 4! But it is one I am sure you will definitely want to collect if you like Buffy. Speaking of which.... WooHoo!!! I got an email notification that my Buffy season 3 shipped this past Tuesday!!

 

[Adam_ME]

While I'm a big fan of Angel, and I've got both the 1st and 2nd seasons on Region 2 DVD, I do feel the need to point out that the 1st season of the show is easily its weakest. There were way too many mediocre monster-of-the-week episodes(much like the first 2 seasons of Buffy), and a sudden cast change about 1/3 of the way through felt sudden and awkward(although in the long run, it was a wise move).

That being said, there are still a handful of excellent episodes in the season, particularly "Five By Five" and "Sanctuary", although I would seriously recommend viewing Buffy Season 4 first since these involve major crossovers. And of course, the 1st season sets up several great supporting characters who will play pivotal roles in the outstanding 2nd season(still my favorite season of Angel to date).

I guess what I'm saying is, buy the boxset, but don't go in expecting something on the level of the first 2 seasons of Buffy. And definitely don't expect it to come close the brilliance of Buffy's 3rd season.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

I agree, if you loved Buffy enough, Angel should be good. I think it really hit its stride at the end of season 2, and hasn't stopped yet.
Season 1 was good enough, and totally worth the price.
I would watch the first 2 episodes, but after that, the crossovers begin, and you shouldn't miss them.
I remember how cool a night on the WB would be when there was a crossover. It was like watching a movie.
I honestly think FOX should have released this set closer to season 4, many will pick it up, but not realize the stuff it'll ruin in Season 4 of Buffy.
I'd have released it a month before Buffy season4, and kept it on that 6 month release strategy.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Quiet Robert! Delay? It's been long enough! Why punish the faithful?
(Thank you Mr. Staddon!)

 

[Ken Stuart]

The only way to do it right is to:
- Watch Season Three of Buffy in its entirety (btw, the most consistently good season of Buffy).
- Then watch Season Four of Buffy (available in June on DVD) while watching Season One of Angel by alternating them .
When they were originally shown on WB network, they would show an episode of Season Four Buffy immediately followed by a Season One episode of Angel. In many cases, the episode of Angel was actually a continuation of the Buffy episode.
It's hard to say more without spoiling things, although I can say that the eighth episode of Angel "I Will Remember You" has this unique aspect, in that it is perhaps the most important episode of the series... Buffy - while at the same time, they've written things so you can watch the all subsequent Buffy episodes without knowing that you've missed something important.
PS They did not do this as much with S5 Buffy and S2 Angel, although a long half-season arc in S2 Angel is "spoiled" in an S5 Buffy episode when a character in Buffy gives a synopsis about what happens in those Angel episodes.

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

I would say that the first two seasons of Angel were easily the best. (As with "Buffy," for that matter.) Precisely because they were doing a lot of self-contained monster-of-the-week episodes. By season 3, they de-emphasized the "detective show" aspect and made it a soap opera, or as some call it an "arc" show. I've never understood the idea that story arcs are better than self-contained episodes; I'll always take the show with lots of self-contained eps (and maybe a small, but not too elaborate, overall arc), because that creates more variety in the stories, allows the supporting characters to shine, allows for more interesting themes (because they can deal with a unique theme in the course of one ep rather than having to tie the episode into the overall themes of the season) and doesn't leave you feeling frustrated at the lack of good story structure. "Buffy" is an example of that too; I'd take a monster-of-the-week any day over the lame-o soap-opera stories they've been doing since the beginning of season 5. (And while I like season 3 of "Buffy," I don't think it was as good as s. 2 when they were alternating a simple story arc with a lot of funny/scary MotWs. Season 3 had fewer MotWs and became too soapy and pretentious for that reason.)

 

[Jeff Kleist]

," I don't think it was as good as s. 2 when they were alternating a simple story arc with a lot of funny/scary MotWs. Season 3 had fewer MotWs and became too soapy and pretentious for that reason.)

That's why X-Files pissed me off so badly, too many Monsters of the week. Some of us WANT the soap opera and 22 eps of continuous storyline

 

[EricCr]

So should S5 Buffy and S2 Angel be viewed the same way as S4 Buffy and S1 Angel by watching Buffy first and then an episode of Angel? If I understand it correctly once Buffy moved to UPN with S6 the references between the two shows pretty much stopped and viewing order no longer is an issue. Is that correct?

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

That's why X-Files pissed me off so badly, too many Monsters of the week. Some of us WANT the soap opera and 22 eps of continuous storyline

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Jaime, kindly spoiler tag your post please, especially the bit at the end

Season 5 was the best one after 3, edge of your seat! The characters still have plenty of development, they've been developing for 5 years, and that's what let's you go all-out seat of your pants. Season 5 has a ton of great self-contained eps, like

Real Me
The Replacement
Family
Fool for Love
Triangle

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

IMO the self-contained eps in season 5 can't compare to the best from seasons 1-4. ("The Replacement," as a Xander episode, doesn't compare to "The Pack" or "The Zeppo.") And the overall arc was boring to me, because Glory had no real objective except to get home, and I felt no sympathy for Dawn or Buffy. (I loved Buffy as a perky young woman, but as a depressed single mom she's just a pain.) The metaphors weren't much, either; nothing to compare with the truly scary-funny metaphorical monsters of season 1. Season 5 was also the season where the humor was leeched out of most of the characters, so everything was divided into "serious" scenes and "comic relief" scenes instead of the early seasons' abrupt switches between comedy and drama. The visuals became less interesting and the lighting wasn't as good as in seasons 1-4 (though not as bad as it is now). The characters were completely separated from the surrounding Sunnydale community, so the whole show was about them rather than the main characters interacting in a larger world (high school, college). There was too much Spike and not enough Xander. And it was the season where the show started taking itself too seriously, giving us preachy episodes like "Family" and heavy-handed ones like "The Weight of the World." Buffy was more profound when it was lighter, because great comedy is more profound than soap opera. All IMO.

 

[Adam_ME]

If you don't like the story arc episodes of Buffy or Angel, then you might as well stay away from either show after their respective second seasons. And you REALLY don't wanna see any of Angel Season 4. It's pretty much a full-blown soap opera at this point(mind you, I'm not complaining about this, just pointing it out).

Myself, I prefer the story arc-driven seasons to the monster-of-the-week ones. And IMO, Season 5 is arguably the best full season of Buffy after the 3rd one. The reason you don't see Buffy at school or in Sunnydale that much was because the theme of that season was "family". Also, there was plenty of humor that year. Xander was used much better than in Season 4, Glory and her minions were usually played for comic relief(as opposed to the ultra-serious Adam from the year before), and best of all, we got to see the Buffybot.

Now Season 6...THERE was a season that took itself way too seriously.