CHECKPOINT

Introduction to Angel Season 5

The final season of Angel is a masterpiece of television production. It changes the parameters of what viewers had come to expect of the show, begins with a strong thematic presence that is explored at both textual and sub-textual levels and for the most part, manages to maintain its continuity and purpose throughout. This is achieved despite the fact that it was unexpectedly not renewed for the following season, despite being the WB networks second highest rating program (buffy-vs-angel.com)

Angel Season five was going somewhere. It was laying the groundwork for another season, possibly two, of the series. It had plenty more stories to tell. They’d only just managed to get Angel and his erstwhile protégée Spike back together, something the writers had thought about for quite a few years (O'Hare, 2001).  In season five the foundations were being laid, the soil prepared for cultivation. But the house never got built and the fruit was never harvested. Yet despite this season five works as a finale, maybe in part because of the fact that it was in essence a new beginning for the show, production seemed to have a renewed sense of purpose and, ironically, there was hope for the future.

Season four of Angel had been difficult. Joss Whedon, creator and genius at the helm of the Mutant Enemy production group, was spread thin with commitments to three television programs. It was Buffy’s final year and his new baby, Firefly, was demanding attention.  Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia in Angel) became pregnant in real life causing planned story arcs to be hastily retooled and rewritten. The creative team behind Angel were fighting to keep the show alive (J. Whedon, Conviction DVD commentary). The result was highly criticised by fans as it contained unexpected twists and turns. On first viewing, season four is shocking. Cordelia is not quite herself, Angelus makes a very menacing reappearance, there are some, shall we say, interesting sexual couplings as well as some very challenging storylines.  On re-viewing the season, once the shocks are absorbed and there are no alienating unknowns to be encountered, season four is actually very good with inventive stories that are well written and acted throughout.

By season’s end Angel has lost the two most important people in his life.  Angel and Co. had foiled the plan of a renegade Power That Be, Jasmine, who wanted to 'save' the world by removing free-will. World peace had a very high price indeed. The senior partners of Wolfram and Hart were so impressed with their efforts at ending world unity that they offer Angel Investigations the chance to take over the L.A. branch of their evil law firm. Angel only accepts the deal when they meets his demand to give his son a new life. You see, Connor, Angel’s son and Cordelia, Angel’s best friend, confidant and almost love, had been used shamelessly by Jasmine and as a result, Cordelia was in a mystical coma and Connor was deranged. By accepting the deal at Wolfram and Hart he is able to get expert care for Cordy and magical invention for Connor. Through magic Connor is given a new life, with a normal family and everyone except Angel forgets his existence. This of course echoes a decision he made way back in season one’s I Will Remember You where he changed time in order to ‘save’ Buffy just as he alters events to ‘save’ Connor. On both occasions he’s acting heroically, yet neither decision is above criticism (Tea at the Ford, Ryan's Angel Review, Angel Episodes Reviewed ). Angel’s propensity to make decisions for others ‘own good’ regardless of its impact on others is now long-standing and habitual and it certainly comes into play in season five.

As part of the acceptance deal with Wolfam and Hart, Angel is given a mystical amulet which he promptly takes to Buffy in Sunnydale to help her with her war against evil.  Buffy takes the amulet but gives it to Spike, choosing him as her Champion and sending Angel back to L.A.  In the final episode of Buffy, Spike wears the amulet and save the world making his extraordinary journey from evil villain to selfless champion complete. In the process he is incinerated in an effulgent pillar of light, closing the Sunnydale hellmouth for good. A heroic end for a reformed vampire? Not quite.

This brings us to the opening of Season five of Angel and things are automatically different. Firstly, Angel Investigations is no more. The team has moved to swanky new digs and all have new positions of power within the firm of Wolfram and Hart, their former enemy. They all seem uncertain of their mission and no one, except Angel, has any memory of Connor’s existence. Cordelia is only referred to vaguely as being ill. The consequence of the acceptance deal is all too clear. Connor might be safe and sound with his new nuclear family but Angel’s best friends have had their minds violated to achieve this. 

As part of the renewal deal with the WB fro season five, the network demanded no complicated arcs, They wanted stand alone episodes and resolution, resolution, resolution at the end of each one. This might have been what the network thought they were getting but what they actually got was a season of television carefully and intricately planned to contain cleverly woven plot and sub plot, story and meta-story that work together to build a rich and complex whole. This analysis will look at all twenty-two episodes of season five and examine the textual and sub-textual elements as well as themes and issues that are explored in them. Their contribution to the overall thematic arc of the season and series in its entirety will also be investigated. Of course, this is a personal response and I hope only to add a perspective on the series, I do not deign to be definitive (though feel free to quote and reference my thoughts at will ). That, after all, is the beauty of the Buffyverse; its openness and aptitude to multiple interpretations.