It may have taken a little time, but Angel has left its parent show, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, far, far behind. Angel is about as recognizable a spin-off from Buffy as Frasier is now from Cheers.
Gone are the days when Angel‘s plot lines mirrored Buffy‘s, and now Angel has a cult following that rivals even Buffy‘s. Ratings are at an all-time high for the WB show, and that’s due in no small part to the star and eponymous lead, David Boreanaz.
When we talked to Boreanaz, who graciously took out 15 minutes during the filming of the season finale, he gave most of the credit for Angel‘s success to others.
“It’s all due to the writers. They’ve done a great job expanding the role, and the WB has allowed Angel to grow.
“The following that has grown with the show will recognize and appreciate the changes in Angel.”
While Angel had been off for the past few weeks, fans have been busy on chat boards, clamoring for the season to continue.
Boreanaz, 30, uses his brooding good looks to sharp effect on the show, as he plays Angel, a vampire with a conscience, who’d like to make amends for many of the wrongs he’s committed. During the first season, Angel may have been a bore to play–Angel was cast as an other-wordly detective during the inaugural season–but this season has seen great emotional growth in Angel’s character.
When the series continues on Monday, April 15, Angel is obsessed with getting his son, Connor, back; that’s no easy task, as his son was teleported to another dimension through a rip in reality by an evil demon, a demon Angel must now coerce to help him.
Angel must also deal with feelings of betrayal, as his (former) best friend, Wesley, helped kidnap his son, which made Angel very angry. But never fear: Angel doesn’t seem to be headed back to his evil ways, as he did in season two.
“I don’t think this is too deep a descent for Angel; he should be able to come out of it. Have hope!” Boreanaz implored.
While SahJhan (the new evil demon) may not stick around for very long–no bad guy ever does–a new female friend has arrived. Fred (short for Winifred), who was once abducted from Earth to another dimension before recently returning, is the show’s pure, peaceful influence.
“Fred’s a very good influence on Angel and the rest of the gang. I believe she will have a greater presence on the show in the future,” Boreanaz guardedly explained.
But Fred’s no love interest for Angel. Angel is still reeling from his past relationship centuries ago with another vampire, Darla, and doesn’t yet know how to deal with his unrequited feelings for Cordelia.
Boreanaz admits he has no insight on that story line: “I don’t know how they’ll go forward with Cordelia and Angel’s relationship. I’m not even sure the writers know yet.”
While rumors swirl that the WB will focus on family fare next year, Boreanaz leaves the worrying to others.
A recent newlywed who’s expecting his first child, Boreanaz has a movie that will be released in 2002 (I’m with Lucy, with Monica Potter and Henry Thomas), perhaps heralding a full-time move to the big screen if Angel folds.
For now, though, Angel fans have six new episodes to watch until the end of the season. We’re sure it’s going to be a wild and exciting ride.
Angel airs on Monday nights at 9:00 p.m. on the WB.
