This is a relentlessly confident pilot episode, one that exploits David Boreanaz's strengths as an actor, carefully positions him as the hero of his own show, sets up a new mythology for the spin-off as well as relying on imagery and characterization of the past, and generally sucks you in. From the first fifteen minutes, it's patently clear that this is a spin-off series with its own drive and mission statement, and something far more successful than it easily could have been.
Angel was such a dour character on Buffy (notably in season three) that he always ran the risk of becoming frustrating. Pushing him center stage in his own show could have gone either way, potentially sucking the energy dry with his angsty, introspective persona. But what Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt do with City of... is surround him with two strong supporting characters. Cordelia's unfiltered motor-mouth and vibrancy compliment Angel spectacularly. And while Doyle is mostly exposition fairy here, Glenn Quinn exudes enough warmth and humor that he's immediately worthy of endearment. The three of them create an interesting dynamic, positioned as a resourceful albeit easily distracted detective agency for the new millennium.
City of... takes its visual cue from Buffy's own detour into Los Angeles last season. This isn't the glamorized superficiality of Sunset or Rodeo, instead it's all dirty back-alleys, run-down apartments and desperate ambition. The Blade-inspired transition shots are immediately eye-catching, while the relentless bombardment of still shots that wrap up most scenes are obviously arresting. Even the vampires (for a brief period, anyway) look different on this show. A little more bumpy and demonic.
The script introduces a variety of 'types' that become the first season's trademark. There's the damsel in distress requiring saving (Tina one of the more successful versions of the same character this year), the 'slightly more 9pm-timeslot' bad guy (creepy vamp rapist movie mogul Russell), and the oblique references to Wolfram & Hart, a sexy law firm representing all kinds of badness. It's an absorbing story which utilizes each character well, notably a confident and self-aware Cordelia in that final 'girl in peril' sequence at Russell's mansion.
A really strong pilot episode, City of... introduces an Angel which, while quickly moulded and developed over the course of the season, is an engaging opener to a world that feels just as fresh and mysterious as it does familiar and safe. A
Credits
Guest stars Tracy Middendorf (Tina); Vyto Ruginis (Russell Winters); Christian Kane (Lindsey McDonald)
Writers Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt Director Joss Whedon
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