Angel

Last spring’s demise of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" left fans longing to see their favorite characters appear on the spin-off thriller "Angel" - but the reunion may have to wait a while.

The punk vampire Spike (played by James Marsters) made the jump from being a regular on "Buffy" to being a regular on "Angel," and producers are hoping for a few other crossovers down the road.

But overall, there’s already a crowded ensemble on "Angel" and producers say their main priority is to focus on the regular cast of actors.

Meanwhile, there was an unresolved plotline involving the character of Cordelia Chase, a brunette wannabe-actress who fought evil with cold, cutting sarcasm. She was left in an offscreen coma, and actress Charisma Carpenter was dropped from the show - the plotline unresolved.

Nothing is certain at this stage, but the following is a rundown of who may and may not make guest appearances on "Angel" :

Buffy Summers : Likely - but maybe next season. Sarah Michelle Gellar has said she’d enjoy resurrecting her character as Angel’s old flame, but wanted some distance on her signature role. "Buffy" and "Angel" creator Joss Whedon also said he’d like her to return - eventually. "I’m not banking on it," he said.

Willow Rosenberg : Possibly. This good witch played by Alyson Hannigan has shown up on "Angel" before, and the actress has another connection to the show : she’s engaged to marry "Angel" co-star Alexis Denisof. "I hope they can talk her into it. I’ll certainly be trying to talk her into it," he said. "It’s a question of scheduling and the storyline. You’ve got to come up with a story that really justifies it."

Rupert Giles : Maybe, but unlikely. The grown-up occult expert who oversaw the evil-battling kids in Sunnydale is earmarked to return - someday - in a TV movie titled "Ripper." The character never cared to cooperate much with Angel, who killed Giles’ girlfriend years ago during a relapse of evil. But actor Anthony Stewart Head has said he wouldn’t mind crashing "Angel" for a clash with his old nemesis.

Xander Harris : Doubtful. Nicholas Brendon played this ordinary guy, who always harbored jealousy over Angel’s relationship with Buffy. Brendon has said the characters probably wouldn’t fit well together.

Dawn Summers : Doubtful. Buffy’s little sister (played by Michelle Trachtenberg) wasn’t around when Angel was hanging out in her hometown of Sunnydale, so she has no connection to him or reason to join forces.

Cordelia Chase : Bet on it. This glamor gal may be lying in a coma, but the writers expect to bring her back for a midseason flourish. "We definitely want to see Charisma again," Whedon said. "She has an important part to play this season to bring some closure."