Angel

Remember all the wonderful eleven ways Dean Winchester is like Buffy Summers? You’ve got to figure that young, snarky demon hunters would have something in common, right?

What about a demon hunter and a demon-hunting vampire? I admit this list is a bit leaner, but as I watched Supernatural progress, I couldn’t help but be bonked over the head with the whole theme of Sam Winchester’s redemption and the similarities to Angel, our friendly neighborhood vampire from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and his own spin-off, in that aspect.

Both of their true loves died

Sort of. It all depends on who you consider Angel’s true love-to-be. If you’re in the Angel / Buffy camp, I suppose you could still argue that Buffy did die, twice in fact. Really, though, I was thinking about Cordelia, who did eventually die, after a possession, ascension and coma.

Sam’s true love, Jessica, died in the pilot episode of Supernatural, and when she succumbed to the demonic flames and spun around spastically on the ceiling, Sam decided to avenge her death and help Dean hunt demons. Because of these deaths, our heroes became …

Broody

Again, sort of. Sam definitely became broody, since he started off the series as happy, go-lucky college guy with a love and a future. Jessica’s death, the reality of the hunting life and eventually his temptation by demonic power made Sam a rather broody guy. Sure, he tried thinking positively for a while, but the life got to him.

Angel started off Broody and only came out if it with the help of Cordelia. So when she died, it was land o’ brood all over again.

Sam and Angel both have alter-egos, so to speak Angel, the vampire with a soul who fights the good fight … well, you wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. Or make that happy, because God forbid this guy ever have an orgasm and lose his soul. Angelus is one of the most sadistic vampires you’ll ever meet and when Angelus comes out to play, all bets are off.

Are you convinced of the existence of Demon Sam? I suppose it’s a very fuzzy area, but there was something there to begin with, what with all of Sam’s headaches and visions and furniture-moving powers. When Ruby convinces Sam to drink demon blood, the line between Sam and Demon Sam becomes all too fuzzy. Which brings me to …

They both drink blood

Angel, the demon (vampire), drinks human blood to survive. Sam, the demon hunter, drinks demon blood to get powerful. Interesting that Angel was only doing what he had to do to live, and got his beverage of choice from a blood bank. Sam, on the other hand, really got hungry for the power, and whether or not he started out with good intentions, the dude screwed up.

Redemption

Angel’s whole life (death?) has been about redemption, about paying it forward for the evil deeds he did as Angelus. It’s what drives him as a character, it’s his base motivation. There is no theme that plays greater throughout the series of Angel than redemption.

So this season on Supernatural, because Sammy screwed up so big, he’s been seeking redemption too. Trying to earn back the trust of Dean and Bobby, and trying to trust himself around demon blood. His situation is like that of a mini-Angel — not a whole century or so of screw-ups, but the one biggie that leaves him feeling guilty and sorry.

Both banged a werewolf

In season five of Angel, we were introduced to Nina Ash, coffee-buddy-turned-girlfriend- turned-sexual-partner to Angel, King of Brood. Oh yeah, did I mention she was a werewolf?

In Supernatural season two’s “Heart,” our friend Sammy had a fling with Madison, a newly turned werewolf. Talk about loving them and leaving them … um, killing them, eh Sam?

I leave you with this incredible coincidence, because really, there aren’t too many people out there who have sex with werewolves. I may be onto something…. Did I miss any similarities between Sam and Angel?