Angel

• Cert:
• Cat.no: 21096C
• Running time: 484 minutes
• Year: 1999
• Pressing: 2000
• Format: PAL
• Sound: Dolby Surround
• Languages: English
• Fullscreen: 4:3
• Price: £34.99
• Extras : None

Cast:

Angel: David Boreanez
Allen Francis Doyle: Glenn Quinn
Cordelia: Charisma Carpenter
Wesley: Alexis Denisof
Buffy: Sarah Michelle Gellar

You loved Buffy and now here’s Angel,a 244-year-old vampire with a soul and the love of Buffy’s life. Set in LosAngeles, Angel (David Boreanez) fights the good fight against the demonsand vampires of the city.

Along with Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and Allen Francis Doyle(Roseanne‘s Glenn Quinn), a half man/demon who aids as Angel’smentor by having visions of people in need who Angel then helps.

Angel investigates and helps the helpless and needy (sounds rather like theA-team – DVDfever Ed), but only if you have the money,according to Cordelia who has come from Sunnydale to pursue an acting career.

The following is a break-down and score for each of the eleven episodeswithin this boxset.

• City of… : Angel meets his two sidekicks, Doyle and Cordelia.Angel tries to save a girl called Tina but when she is found dead he setsabout trying to find the killer. At that point Cordelia gets involved.
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• Lonely Hearts : One of Doyle’s visions takes Angel to a bar wheresomething is killing all the party-goers and he meets someone in whom he cantrust.
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• In the Dark : Spike (James Marsters) from Buffy theVampire Slayer turns up for the gem of Omara which Oz (Seth Green)gives to Angel. Angel won’t give it up without a fight.
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• I Fall to Pieces : Melissa is being stalked, but the stalkerdoesn’t meet the eye. Good special effects.
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• Rm w/a vu : Cordelia moves into a new place which has a ghost whodoesn’t want her there and Doyle has an unwanted visitor.
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• Sense and Sensitivity : Angel helps Kate to catch a villain who istrying to leave town. A contract is out on Kate’s head and a firm calledWolfram & Hart are behind it.
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• The Bachelor Party : Doyle’s ex comes to town. She intends to marryand Doyle’s invited to the party – and what a party!!
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• I Will Remember You : Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) comesin search of Angel and gets more than she bargains for.
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• Hero : Angel and Doyle try to rescue a group of half men/demons.
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• Parting Gift : Cordelia receives something she doesn’t want andtries to kiss everyone in sight to get rid of it. Even Wesley (AlexisDenisof), the demon hunter
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• Somnambulist : There are some killings going on in the city whena blast from the past comes back to haunt Angel. Kate gets more than shebargains for.
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The picture can be a little dark in places but then Angel can’t go out indaylight. There are very good special effects in Hero and the make-upis equally effective. However, the film was shot in 16:9 widescreen, likeBuffy Seasons 4 and 5, but is centre-cropped to 4:3 here.

The surround sound is very good too with directional effects used where itcounts and the theme tune rocks!

Overall, from ghosts to a bachelor party that goes wrong, Angel is full ofaction-packed, gripping stuff and funny one-liners. There are plenty ofgreat episodes, such as I Will Remember You and the boxset forBuffy Season 4 Part 1 is also out now.

If you’ve only seen iton Channel 4 then you’ve only watched half of it, thanks to them not botheringto obtain widescreen prints (if BBC2 can manage it for Buffy, then whynot Channel 4 for Angel!?) and cutting anything violent or using stronglanguage which ruins the narrative.

Episodes have been shown as early as 5.25pm on Fridays. You’re also meant towatch episodes of Buffy and Angel alternately, so Channel 4 didn’t help byscreening this one two weeks early before moving to double-episode helpingsand then continuing while BBC2 stopped for snooker.

Word has it that uncut episodes will be screened in January, but I’ve yet tobe convinced.

Hence, until the DVD is eventually released, this box-set comes veryrecommended for any Angel and Buffy fan.