Reviews from Customers
Angel stands alone in excellence
Angel Season Three was one of the best of the stellar show's five seasons. While it wasn't quite the best (wait for fall 2004 and the release of the season 4 DVD and you'll see what i mean), but it did mark the show's divergence from the shadow of its sister show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It also shifted the focus from the more stand-alone episodes of the previous two seasons to the more structured storyline that would continue into the excellent fourth season.
The season opens with Heartthrob, an episode that has Angel dealing with the death of Buffy, as well as facing an old friend from his demonic past, who returns as an enemy out for vengeance against Angel for killing his lover. The episode finally allows Angel to put Buffy behind him and move on. The season's main arcs are introduced in the next few episodes, dealing with the worsening of Cordelia's visions, the deepening feelings of Cordelia and Angel for one another, Darla's pregnancy with Angel's son (a birth by two vampires, an unprecedented event), the Wesley-Fred-Gunn love triangle, and the reappearance of the 18th century vampire hunter Daniel Holtz, who makes a pact with the demon Sahjhan to return in the 21st century to avenge his family, who Angel brutally murdered before being re-ensouled.
The season is incredibly well-written, showing Angel coming to terms with fatherhood and growing to deeply love his son. It shows Wesley sinking slowly into darkness as he is forced to betray Angel in an effort to do the right thing. It shows Lilah Morgan of Wolfram and Hart finally begin to show glimpses of inner conflict. And it shows Holtz, a potrait of a man consumed by hatred, with nothing left but a thirst for vengeance which he will do anything to satisfy.
Although the best part of this season is the main story arc, there are several excellent stand-alone episodes, including That Old Gang of Mine, where Gunn must finally choose between Angel Investigations and his old gang; Billy, where, infected by a demon who Angel freed from hell to save Cordelia, Wesley stalks Fred through the hotel with an axe; and Waiting in the Wings, where Cordelia and Angel fall under a spell and are possessed by the spirits of dead lovers and eventually save a ballerina who has been pulled out of time.
Season Three of Angel showed that the show could survive on its own, and since the show has surpassed the show that spawned it with the stellar fourth and fifth seasons. It's a shame this show got cancelled. But this is what the miracle of the digital video disc is for.
Arc Angel
The third season of Angel features some of the series best work. I actually think, the fact that its sister show Buffy moved from the WB to UPN was the best thing to happen to Angel. Since crossovers between both series, were now a no-no, the charaters and situations had to stand up for themselves. That said, the creative forces decided that season three would borrow the Buffy like story telling technique, having a better defined season long arc than ever before.
The gang returns from the world of Pylea, with a very thankfull "Fred" (Amy Acker), who tries to adjust to our world again. Meanwhile, Angel (David Boreanaz) is visited by a very pregnant Darla (Julie Benz) followng their tryst last season, just as he works out his feelings for Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter). While Cordy welcomes another Pylean citizen (Mark Lutz) who has become taken with her. This is all overshadowed by the interdemensional arrival of Holtz (Keith Szarabajka), who is out to kill Angel for past deeds against his family. This vendetta puts a strain on Wesely (Alexis Denisof) and his friendship with Angel. All this, and the folks at the Wolfram and Hart law firm learn of the threats and Angel's impending fatherhood, and hatch a plan of their own. Gunn (J. August Richards) and Lorne (Andy Hallett) are also along for all of the fun as well. And even though series co creator Joss Whedon was off getting Firefly off the ground, he still found time write and direct the standout "Waiting In The Wings" episode. By the end of the year, Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) will shake things up now and in the future.
After being disappointed by the sparse extras for the second season DVD box set, the powers that be have made up for that mistake, this time around. Not only do you get all 22 season three episodes, spread over six discs, but you get more supplements to chew on. There are 3 episode commentaries from writers Tim Minear and Jeffrey Bell on "Billy", then Minear is joined by Mere Smith on "Lullaby", and while these are fun and informative; it's Joss Whedon's commentary for "Waiting in the Wings" is the best of the three. We also get to see, for the first time, deleted scenes from the show. The episodes "Birthday" and "Waiting in the Wings" are given a unique perspectve with this deleted footage. Whedon, Minear, and Smith offer commentary here as well. There are three eaturettes: "Darla: Deliver Us from Evil,", "Page to Screen", and a season overview. As ususal, you can find out some nice tidbits about the series during this stuff. Rounding out the bonus material are a couple of series outtakes, the screen tests for co stars Amy Acker and Vincent Kartheiser, (Acker proves why she's so good on the show) and the standard season still gallery.
If you are regular viewer, the season three set is a must have, for you to own. Highly Recommended
Hitting it's stride
Just like the show it was spun off from, Angel achieved greatness in it's third season. Beginning with Angel (David Boreanaz) mourning the death of his former lover Buffy, the vampire with a soul finds his old love Darla (Julie Benz) pregnant with his child, while the evil law firm of Wolfram & Hart begins to dismantle everything that Angel and his crew have built around them. Evil seductress Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov) has her own plans as well, and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) faces a destiny that she, nor viewers who have watched her since she was on Buffy, would have never expected. As the season comes to a close, the love triangle between Wesley (Alexis Denisof), Fred (Amy Acker), and Gunn (J. August Richards) explodes, and the super cliffhanger season finale has to be seen to be believed. The cast of Angel excels in this season more than ever (I firmly believe that this is the best season of Angel) and the casting of Vincent Kartheiser as Angel's estranged son Connor is perfect. Andy Hallet is plain loveable as the green skinned, karaoke loving demon Lorne, and Boreanaz is at his brooding best. All in all, season 3 of Angel saw the show step out of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's shadow and stand on it's own as one of the best prime time TV dramas on the air.
