Angel is an American television series, a spin-off from the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffy's creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt. It aired on The WB from October 5, 1999, to May 20, 2002, consisting of three seasons and 66 episodes. Like Buffy, it was produced by Whedon's production company, Mutant Enemy.
The show details the ongoing trials of Angel, a vampire whose human soul was restored to him by a Romani curse as a punishment for the murder of one of their own. After more than a century of murder and the torture of innocents, Angel's restored soul torments him with guilt and remorse. Angel moves to Los Angeles, California, after it is clear that his doomed relationship with Buffy, the vampire slayer, cannot continue. During the majority of the show, he works as a private detective in L.A, where he and a variety of associates work to "help the helpless", restoring the faith and saving the souls of those who have lost their way. While he must also battle his own demonic nature, he typically battles with evil demons or humans allied to them, primarily related to Wolfram & Hart, a law firm supported by occult practices which is an extension of otherworldly demonic forces.
Storylines[]
At the start of the series, Angel has just moved to Los Angeles. He is soon visited by Doyle, a messenger sent to him on behalf of The Powers That Be, enigmatic and ancient forces that assist the side of good. Doyle receives visions that can guide Angel on his mission as a champion of humankind. Angel also encounters Cordelia Chase, who is trying to launch an acting career. The three group together to form Angel Investigations, a detective agency that hopes to "help the helpless". When Doyle dies in the episode "Hero", he passes on his "visions" to Cordelia with a kiss. Shortly thereafter, the ex-Watcher, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, joins the group. Meanwhile, the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart pay increasing attention to Angel. They tempt him toward darkness when they resurrect Darla, Angel's ex-lover and sire—killed by Angel in the first season of Buffy in the episode "Angel".
Robin Wood, who was introduced toward the end of the first season in the episode "War Zone," is a the son of a deceased slayer, daytime lawyer, and nighttime vampire hunter. He is initially determined to kill Angel but slowly comes to accept him and join his cause throughout season two. Wolfram & Hart's star lawyer Lindsey McDonald primes Darla as its weapon to bring down Angel. However, Darla is brought back as a human, not a vampire. But as a human, she suffers from a terminal case of syphilis—which she had contracted in her original life before being sired. Lindsey brings in Drusilla, a vampire originally sired by Angelus, to restore Darla to the cause of evil. Enraged by this, Angel begins to grow darker. He cuts himself off from his staff (secretly to keep them away from this kind of dark territory for their own sake) and attempts to go after the pair himself. While fighting the pair, he discovers that Darla is pregnant with his child. Angel has an epiphany; seeing the error of his ways and reunites with his group. The group is puzzled over what might be the first vampire birth. Darla sacrifices her life to save the life of her child, Connor. In exchange for Connor's life, Angel and his team agree to work for Wolfram & Hart.
In season three, the gang begins to settle into their new lives at Wolfram & Hart. Robin Wood struggles with being on the opposite side of the court room than he usually is. Spike arrives from Cleveland, having spent several months trying to find purpose and deciding to throw in with Angel's cause. The series also introduces Winifred "Fred" Burkle, a precocious physics genius working in Wolfram & Hart's science department. There is conflict within the group over several issues, including the revelation that Spike is the one who killed Robin Wood's mother. Angel infiltrates the Circle of the Black Thorn, a secret society responsible for engineering the Apocalypse, and plans to take them all out in a simultaneous, hard-hitting strike. Because this is probably a suicide mission, he tells each of his friends to spend the day as if it were their last. That night, the team launches its attack on the Circle, dividing up their targets. Angel confronts Senior Partners' new liaison The Beast and defeats him with assistance from Faith.
Once the Circle has been dismantled, Angel and the surviving members of his gang rendezvous in the alley behind the Hyperion Hotel. Cordelia arrives with news of Wesley's death and feels the need to retaliate in her anger and grief. Spike also arrives, triumphant about his successful mission and hungry for further violent fighting. Robin Wood emerges, staggering from a serious stomach wound, but ready to fight. The survivors wait as the Senior Partners' army of warriors, giants, and a dragon approaches. Angel and his crew prepare for the upcoming battle, with Angel saying, "Personally, I kind of want to slay the dragon." The series then ends with Angel saying, "Let's go to work," after which he and his team attack the army of monsters head-on.