Angel

Feature: Angel

As we bid a fond farewell to the nearly departed fang gang, we take a look at the key events surrounding the series’ end - rubbing hips with movers and shakers from both sides of the camera... Writer & producer Steven S DeKnight “It’s one of those things where it’s a surprise but not a surprise,” he reflects. “We were surprised because the show was going so well. When we heard the news, we were coming off Smile Time and were shocked because we thought we were doing really good shows. On the other hand, we saw the writing on the wall and the fact the show barely came back last year. Our numbers are up but not significantly enough. Plus, The WB is really excited about Dark Shadows and nobody thought they’d do two Vampire shows. You don’t want to believe it but it is kinda obvious.”

James Marsters
There are two vampires with a soul in the world, both of them champions, and both competing to fulfil the Shanshu Prophecy and to become Human. It’s a fascinating twist that has formed the backbone of the show’s fifth season, and one that will hopefully reach fruition in the show’s 110th, and final, episode. “I’m having more fun than I’ve ever had in this universe,” says Marsters of his experience of the series. “I had a lot of fun over on Buffy, but I’m having even more fun on Angel.”

David Boreanaz
For leading man David Boreanaz, now the only original cast member left on the series since Charisma Carpenter’s departure (which culminated in the touching belated swansong You’re Welcome), the fifth season has been a pivotal year. “We’ve taken it into a new level,” he believes. “This year, being in the law offices of Wolfram & Hart, has changed our perspective, and how we relate to each other.” For now, the series endures on DVD and in re-runs, ensuring that it will be remembered. But what would Boreanaz like the show’s legacy to be? “In 10 or 20 years, I think people will look at it in a different light to Buffy,” he muses. “It’s a broader show. It’s a larger show. It takes place in a major city. The characters are much different.

Sarah Thompson
“The biggest challenge in playing Eve was not knowing what the overall story arc of the character was going to be,” says the actress. “I gleaned as much information as possible from script to script and asked questions of the show’s producers and the directors of each episode. Other than that it was pretty much a guessing game. “So it took me a while to figure out who this girl was. Of course, knowing now what I know about her, I’d describe Eve as someone who was very much in love with and in many ways idolized Lindsey. She was willing to do anything to please him in order to prove that she was worthy of his love. That said, Eve was still a very strong woman. She was intelligent, witty as well as sarcastic and loved to push people’s buttons, all of which was fun for me to play.”

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