Angel: The Complete Fourth Season

Review by Tom Johnson

TomJohnson@TheCinemaSource.com

Rated TV-14 for grisly fantasy violence and sexual situations

Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be; it’s harsh, and cruel. But that’s why there’s us. Champions. It doesn’t matter where we come from, what we’ve done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world was what it should be, to show it what it can be.

Season 4 of Angel begins with this passionate mission statement from its battle-weary title character(David Boreanaz), delivered to his spiteful son, Connor(Vincent Kartheiser) who betrayed him at the end of Season 3. This moment, despite coming with little fanfare, becomes the season's launching pad, as both the minor flaws in Angel's otherwise beautiful statement and his quest to finally reach Connor explode into action, fueling the most epic season of television ever produced. Epic not just in storytelling(which takes our main characters through a rain of fire, a blacked out sun, a zombie-filled building, and too many other events that would be best left to surprise) but also in themes explored. Despite the heavy action and destruction that permeates nearly every episode, the show still takes the time to put everything into perspective, achieving a balance between the grand spectacles and the intimate moments that only classics like Lord of the Rings have been able to achieve in the past.

Summarizing the season in full would fail on two points: first, it would ruin the best collection of plot twists, swerves and detours ever collected in one place; secondly, to summarize the season in full would confuse outsiders to the point of intimidation. On paper, the season might sound like a bizarre soap opera gone awry, when in reality, it plays out like pure Greek myth, even referencing a few legends along the way. The best attempt that one could make to at least give context to the season is to summarize the first few episodes, the only episodes that play out in a familiar fashion to other Whedon-verse exploits.

When we left off, Connor had dumped his unwitting Dad in a box and sunk him to the bottom of the ocean, Cordelia(Charisma Carpenter) had mysteriously been called up to the heavens to become a higher power, and the rest of the gang was unwitting to both. When the season picks up, it's 3 months later, and Fred(Amy Acker), Gunn(J. August Richards) and Wes(Alexis Denisof) finally locate Angel, though not together. Wes is still the dark, brooding outsider he became in Season 3, sleeping with Angel Investigations' arch-enemy Lilah(Stephanie Romanov) and torturing a captive Justine(Laurel Holloman) for information. After meeting Lorne(Andy Hallett) in Las Vegas, Cordelia returns, sans memory and, terrified of her surroundings, takes up residence with the exiled Connor. Once she finally

gets her memory back, she has a terrifying vision of the future; a vision of an invincible nemesis named the Beast(Vladimir Kulich), sent from the center of the Earth, who's about to cause more damage by himself than all the arch-villains of the previous three seasons combined. Keep in mind that this is all nearly contained on just the first of six discs.

From this point on, nothing is what it seems, and a mammoth plot swerve lies behind every corner. Also, from this point on, the show becomes completely serialized, meaning that the first minute of nearly every episode occurs right after the final minute of the last episode, each one separated by cliff-hangers that put even 24's best to shame. The best way to describe the majority of the season might be a comic book run wild. The Apocalypse teased for so many seasons finally arrives in grim, grisly fashion, and by seasons end, more than a few hundred thousand of LA's citizens are dead. Despite the season's wild flourishes and high-octane action, however, the focus always returns to the point of it all, the answer to Angel's early speech and his attempt to have a loving son.

So much happens to Angel's characters in one season that some fans expressed their discontent with the radical changes made in such a short period of time. Namely, the treatment of one character in particular, used as an evil pawn then discarded late in the game. Despite the irrevocable damage done to the character, the sacrifice is completely justified, throwing a monkey wrench into the plot that only makes the season burn brighter and hotter. This choice only heightens the evil forces that threaten to rip our team apart, and paves the way for the return of fan favorites Faith(Eliza Dushku) and Willow(Alysson Hannigan). A villainous fan favorite, perhaps the villainous fan favorite for fans of both Angel and Buffy, returns as well, but that is a development that won't be spoiled here.

Listing the quality of the actors might seem a little beside the point here, as the focus this season is more on story than character, but without the underrated strengths of David Boreanaz, Eliza Dushku, and in particular, Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker, Season 4 would have been in danger of crashing headfirst into campy nonsense. Grounded with its stellar performers, however, even the most unbelievable events that befall our heroes are taken with the Apocalyptic weight they deserve. Action-wise, the show also kicks it into over-drive. Comparing Team Angel's rooftop battle with the Beast, for instance, which features neck gouging, (literal)body stacking, axe splitting and slow-mo, John Woo-style gunfire, with any shaky-cam, punch-punch-kick-kick brawl from the first season of Buffy shows just how far production company Mutant Enemy has come in seven years

of story-telling, and more importantly, how much of the talent went to Angel once the big spin-off split occurred. Be forewarned, however, that in addition to pushing the limits of tv action, the season also pushes the limits of gore. Heads are sliced, ripped, and blown-up, limbs are torn apart, and blood flows like water as the show's body count rises to astronomical levels. Gore-a-phobes need not apply. But the violence is not out of place, rather, it complements the gritty tone perfectly. And ultimately, the violence is necessary to illustrate the ultimate moral conundrum that caps off the season. It's a dark, disturbing world indeed, but what's the true cost of making all the pain go away?

Despite the dramatic questions asked, the season never descends into Matrix-like philosophical babbling, and always keeps its morals and arguments at an unpretentious, accessible level. In short, this show juggles so many elements that, by S4's end, it's amazing it still has enough gas in the tank for its fifth, final, and greatest season. Season Five only ranks higher than this one, however, because of its equal focus on character and story. Taken alone, Season Four still surpasses the best of Buffy and takes the viewer on a roller-coaster ride that is nothing short of thrilling. Better yet, once all the puzzle pieces are in place, it's apparent that this story has actually been brewing since the middle of Season Two. This season acts as a climax to everything the show has thrown at its viewers over three years, and flexes its storytelling muscles the way a body-builder finally shows off years of work-outs. It is television at its very best. And on DVD, there's no waiting to see what happens next.

Show Grade:A+

The DVD contains an essential season overview, which has been on past discs, but is especially useful in connecting the season's gigantic 22 episode arc. Features explore the amazing fight choreography and special effects, while commentaries abound as usual. The only thing lacking is the outside packaging, which is barely distinguishable from the other 3 seasons' bland covers. A heavy assortment of deleted scenes and outtakes would have been nice as well.

DVD Grade: A-

If you're a Buffy fan who never made the leap, or was even turned off by Angel's first couple seasons, this set could not come more highly recommended. The season single-handedly redefines what can be done on tv for a shoe-string budget, and engages the viewer like nothing has since Buffy Season Two's second half. Personally, as a fan who initially tuned out midway through Angel's second season, I can honestly say that I originally tuned in a third of the way through Season 4 for the first time in a while, only to be

sucked into the events with a vengeance, shocked at the cinematic level of quality present. By season's end, I was kicking myself for ever wavering in my support for the writers' talents. Despite the complex, climactic atmosphere, and the analysis of previous episodes required to fully appreciate the season, new fans will be forced to fill themselves in as they go along, drawn by the sheer power of the story and the absolute epic nature of the proceedings that permeates each episode. You can't call yourself a true fan of either show until you view the crowning achievement of Whedon and company's work. And still, the best is yet to come.

Final Grade: A