In "Angel: Season Two, the long set-up from Season One is finally put to good use, as the episodic structure is finally broken down, and a serialized story somewhat emerges, focusing on the cliffhanger that ended the Season One finale.

Darla's back in town, thanks to arch-nemesis Wolfram & Hart, and she's human. Well, at least initially. Let's just say that the Angel/Darla relationship is used as the jump-off point for a host of bizarre and thoroughly entertaining developments that will keep viewers just as riveted to their televisions as they were for previous Whedon-approved adventures. David Boreanaz begins to shine in ways never thought imaginable back in his two-dimensional "Buffy" days. The main aspect of his character which comes out and affects the entire show is the humor he's found beneath the dark, brooding loner.

Charisma Carpenter and Alexis Denisof also come into their own this season, as Carpenter's comic timing reaches euphoric highs, spliced between significant chunks of character development. Denisof finally proves to be a worthy replacement for Season One's third man, Doyle(the late Glenn Quinn) and Andy Hallet debuts the Host, a bizarre yet perfect addition. The only weak link in the stellar group is Gunn(J. August Richards), who eventually becomes a complex and engaging character, but exists in Season Two as little more than a "Yo, belie' dat, son!" ghetto stereotype of a black male from South Central. Even the top notch writing team behind these episodes drop the ball here by giving him lines like "what's the 411 on that green monster dude?" These cringe worthy moments aside, Gunn is a solid member of the team, but Joss Whedon has raised the bar so high with his previous character sketches that "solid" just doesn't cut it here.

As for the story, this is the season that separates the Angel fans from the Buffy fans still tuning in to see old characters, as the plot veers off towards some truly quirky directions that Buffy, at the time, had yet to touch with a ten foot pole. Without spoiling much, I can say that that in one season, we visit 1950s Hollywood, explore a tragically doomed romance, see our heroes splintered and hardened, and wrap up with a big medieval fantasy set in a dimension named Pylea. I remember slowly turning away from Angel this season when I first watched it. It just got a little too comic booky for me, and turned me off until the middle of the incredible fourth season(which I now consider my favorite season of any show, ever) On second viewing, however, my perspective changed, and I really enjoyed the subtle arc displayed through the season, and began to admire it for its odd structure and random shifts of direction. On DVD, it's easy to keep

up with everything that's happening, and it's even easier to appreciate it. It takes most shows three seasons to equal the development that occurs here.

By far the most welcome guest to the season is Drusilla(the terrific Juliette Landau), arguably the most entertaining villain this side of Angelus in the Buffyverse. Thankfully, she hasn't gained an ounce of sanity since we last saw her, and her brief appearance gives the show a much-needed boost in its most needed spot. She's one of the final Buffy guests however, as the show begins to veer out on its own.

It should be noted that Season Two is actually the beginning of a large-scale story arch that builds to the epic, Apocalyptic Season Four, and on second viewing, hardcore fans will find in one crucial episode Darla's casual reference to "Jasmine growing" in the garden very interesting. It's either a very clever wink to the audience, hinting at the monstrous events to come, or a very convenient tie-in to the episode that (initially unknown to the viewer)begins this slow build to destruction. Despite its faults, this writing team is simply the best television has to offer.

Overall, Season Two is an important bridge between Buffy and the first season's subject tone and that of the radically different show that emerges in the following years. Hints of the darkness to come are found, along with the complex character layers forming. It's hardly a smooth ride, and is actually quite challenging to grapple onto at times, but it is ultimately more rewarding than a thousand seasons of comfort food like "CSI" or "ER". The metaphors and messages hidden beneath the surface of the flashy action simply can't be rivaled by the mainstream shows fresh in the public memory. If you're sick of saying there's nothing good on tv, pop in "Angel: Season Two" and enter a brave, addictive new world of quality. It's a great spot to jump on, and even in its weakest episodes, makes the competition look bloodless by comparison.

Show Grade:A

The picture and sound are as good as it gets for these shows, and the widescreen presentation is much appreciated. There are few extras of note; only a season overview and a couple of featurettes on things like stunts and make-up, but nothing revelatory.

DVD Grade: B

This is a case of the product overwhelming the presentation, and despite a ho-hum DVD, the show is a great buy for any adventurous tv fan looking for real entertainment. Storytelling just doesn't get much better than this. At least until Season Four.

Final Grade:A