Most people travel to Los Angeles in search of fame, fortune, and a really great tan. Angel (David Boreanaz), that tormented vampire-with-a-soul from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, came to L.A. looking for redemption. Ironic considering that the city he seeks sanctuary in isn't exactly a mecca of epiphany? Not in the hands of Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt - two pop impresarios working in (mostly) entertaining, witty form. No, in the hands of these two Buffy alums (the former was its creator, the latter was a staff writer) Angel is a moody, moldy, jocular supernatural noir with our heroic vampire himself moonlighting as stoic detective and Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), Doyle (Glenn Quinn), and Wesley Wyndham-Pryce (Alexis Denisof) flitting around as his wise-cracking sidekicks. Sound a little strained, a little too top-heavy with "atmosphere"? The answer is: Angel works...if only by the skin of its barred teeth, err, fangs.
The series begins with Angel alone and doing his Batman thing against every evil in the metro area; needless to say, it takes a toll - both physically (though he is like immortal, duh) and mentally; see, our tall, dark, and brooding protagonist only remains as such as long as he remains attached to the world he is so guiltily saving. How? In steps Doyle, a half-demon who receives visions from those in need. Also comes along Ms. Chase, a wannabe actress from Sunnydale armed with a stinging tongue(her perfectly manicured person only masks a soul of the utmost superficiality...which is part of her charm). Together the three start Angel Investigations (they "help the helpless")...albeit somewhat reluctantly and so the show is born and so it runs as such for the first half a dozen or so episodes (Monster of the Week, every week - rinse, repeat); plus, it runs well - considering the level of slapstick verbal theatrics at work and the enjoyable talents of the actors.
But wait, the season is 22 episodes long and I mentioned only the first six or so; so what happens? Well, to phrase it lightly, the whole premise is all shook up. A new character pops up (coincidentally also from Buffy): Wesley Wyndham Pryce, a former Watcher now cavorting about as a "rogue demon hunter" (aka, a baffoon); speaking bluntly, I didn't much like Wesley's character and by the end of the season I couldn't muster nearly as much affection for him as I could for Cordelia (buoyed by Carpenters delicious performance) or Angel (held down my Boreanaz skilled, if rough, sullen essence). And overall the middle portion of the first season is bogged down in tedium and mediocre writing; but have hope! Just as I felt the promising potential of that first act gave way to the grating chatter of the second (ushered forth by the emotionally poignant "Hero") there came a cool wind - "Sanctuary".
Written by Tim Minear & Joss Whedon (only the second episode Mr. Whedon dained to write for the show in it's entire first iteration, bleh), "Sanctuary" has every good element in Angel - a razor's edge of suspense, high drama, and wit - and amped it up into a snazzy cocktail with bark and bite. In the pantheon of the show's writers and their first season achievements, "Sanctuary" definitely ranks high up, and the little Whedon contributes pushes him to the front of the ranks (barely past David Greenwalt, talented in only a slightly less capacity). To say it was a great episode would be a disservice; it was Angel's greatest episode in those rocky first months.
But from that struggle, eventually and not without the sweat stains to prove it, came a true contender; a lithe fighter capable of quick jabs at the funny bone (in that way it rips through pop culture, wordplay, and the withering retort), the heart (in its earnesty concering Angel's "family"), and the blood (in the way it makes it run cold). Watching through the early hours one may have doubts - I sure did - but preserve on: Angel may just be the type of show to get all hot and bothered about.
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