10 Best 'Angel' Episodes

[David]

https://www.hypable.com/angel-best-episodes/

‘Angel’ turns 20: Here are the 10 best episodes of the series to watch
anytime

Angel is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Here are the best episodes
to pick up and watch at random!

Billed as being the darker, more noir-seeped tale of a vampire with a soul
living in the demon-riddled Los Angeles in the early 2000s, Angel took pains
to break from Buffy‘s shadow and carve out its own place on network
television. When the cast reunited for EW earlier in 2019, much to this
writer’s delight, executive producer David Greenwalt described Angel saying,
“The stories will be darker and, more important, [Angel]’ll be darker.”

Dark, dark, dark. That is the word used to describe the lightest, and
arguably, most fluffy vampire to ever done sharpened teeth on television.
Sure, you cannot parade a pancake of a man on television and say, “Come for
the brutal and morally manipulative scenarios each week, but stay for the
cozy, sweater wearing undead being who just wants to love his friends.”

The character, though insufferable at most times on Buffy grew into one of
my all-time favorite characters on television by the fifth season’s
conclusion. Angel changed because of the people he met in his own series.
Charles Gunn, the return of Cordelia Chase and Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Lorne,
Fred, and yes, even Connor, all allow Angel to blossom on his never-ending
journey of redemption. From Doyle’s short-lived, yet impactful presence, to
the comings and goings of villains, ill-translated prophecies, and a few cut
throats and hands, Angel seasons 1-4 are a rollercoaster of what it means to
love and trust in a world where nothing good ever seems to happen.

By the time we get to season 5, things are off the rails in the best way
possible with the addition of the equally soulful Spike. That season is a
dream–I can’t believe it happened in the way it happened with the episodes
it had.

Unfortunately, if you followed the show in real-time or caught up after the
fact, not everything was smooth sailing for Charisma Carpenter both off
screen and on, leaving her absent for season 5 and portrayed in
less-than-ideal circumstances for the one prior. This left Angel
broken-hearted and fans even more so when during EW’s reunion it was
reported that Boreanaz walked into Carpenter and Aker’s makeup chairs,
“plops himself on the counter and sits, legs swinging giddily, catching up
with them while they’re curled and coiffed. “Look at that smile,” he says,
gesturing to Carpenter with affection.” Honestly, bury me right here.

[snip]

Season One

Episode 1, “City Of”

The pilot of Angel is actually one of my favorite episodes of the series. It
plucks Angel right from Buffy and sets him on his own course, in this new
city, not so far away mileage wise, but worlds away from the Hellmouth. It’s
a city with its own troubles, a place where a person can make amends and
strike out in a new direction. And, of course, it all starts with saving the
life of a familiar face.

Episode 16, “The Ring”

Humanity is just as evil as any demon from any dimension. This is one of the
themes that Angel comes back to again and again. And it is one that I
appreciated the most about the series. The demons are sometimes the people
who need help, it is not easy to determine the monster of the week,
especially when the Monster of the Series is a corporation run by humans. It’s
a murky gray area, always. This episode also gives Cordelia and Wes some
time to work on their undercover work, which is always hilarious.


Season Two

Episode 2, “Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been”

Fresh out the gate, Angel season 2 strikes with a great episode blending
some of Angel’s past experiences in Los Angeles with a present Monster of
the Week case. The Hyperion hotel, which becomes a central location for the
pancake gang, serves as the local for the group to confront a demon who
preys on the insecurities of its guests, driving them to eventual madness.
The group move into the hotel at the end of the episode as it is now a place
that is meant to accepted and made whole again, now that the evil is gone.

Episode 21, “Through the Looking Glass”

I forgot how much time is spent in Pylea! The penultimate episode of the
season, however, is where the best bits of the adventure occur. With
Cordelia on the throne, the illusion of her power and pull to stay in Pylea
begins to fade. Additionally, we meet Fred when Angel saves her life. She is
not indebted to him for long as he struggles to face the monster, he is
usually so great at burying inside of himself. This spawns the beginning of
a great alliance between Fred and Angel that carries over throughout the
entire series…well… until…you know.


Season Three

Episode 5, “Fredless”

This episode is the best snapshot of this group. The dialogue alone is the
rapid-fire, sharp-witted exchanges that you would expect from siblings or
friends who have known each other for years. From Cordelia and Wes
reenacting what Buffy and Angel’s reunion looked like, to Angel getting
offended that he was called “fat” to Wes and Gunn bickering endlessly it’s
all there.

Episode 13, “Waiting in the Wings”

“Waiting in the Wings” is one of those episodes that sticks with you. Not
just because of some fan fulfillment, although that was very much
appreciated. But mostly this episode gets a lot of things on the table–Angel’s
feelings for Cordelia, the moves made between Gunn and Fred, Wesley handling
the loss of that coupled with the changing dynamic of the group.


Season Four

Episode 11, “Soulless”

I am, unapologetically, obsessed with Angelus. Boreanaz is incredible as
Angel’s alter ego. When he opens his eyes at the conclusion of the prior
episode, I screamed. Boreanaz’s ability to bring this character to such a
deeply twisted place is baffling to me. Of course, I would not miss an
opportunity to bring Angelus into the mix. He is always a welcome delight.
Don’t just take my word for it, listen to the director, Sean Astin (fun
fact!).

In his television directing debut, Astin noted in an interview with Zap2it
that, “Angelus [has] so many layers and so many different shades and
qualities, you want to keep exploring them and mining them and pulling them
out. It’s such a rich, meaty character for him to do. He’s good at evil. It’s
a little creepy.”

Episode 22, “Home”

Season 4 left a lot to be desired. But “Home” sets the show on a new path
for season 5, one that leads right into the belly of the beast – Wolfram and
Hart. Lilah’s pitch has undeniable appeal and even without Angel handing
down a decision for the group, everyone gets the hint on their own. With the
resources at hand, they can keep evil in check much better from the inside
than waiting for hints that it is coming from the outside.

Plus, Angel gets office windows that let him stand in the sun, and the
knowledge that Connor now has a family and memories of a life where he is
loved, cared for, and never alone.


Season Five

Episode 14, “Smile Time”

One word: puppets. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, funnier to ever
happen on this series than watching Spike fight with a puppet Angel and then
having Lorne pick up his body with fluff coming out of it saying, “My little
prince.” I could barely write that last sentence. This episode is a gift.

Episode 22, “Not Fade Away”

The series finale of Angel can be polarizing. I, for one, think it is
brilliant and ends the way the show needed to–no answers, just fight for the
chance to see another day. So long as they are on the side of good, the
series did its job.



David