Angel: Season One

For the first season of a spinoff of a series which was risky in the first place, Angel hits the ground running. Eager to establish Angel as it's own show, the creators used what they learned from filming the first 3 seasons of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" to craft a bolder, darker show which, despite the name, appealed more to males than high school girls. If Buffy was a microcosm for high school, Angel is the microcosm for "everything after". Having shed most of his ties with Sunnydale, Angel, "the vampire with a soul", journeys to LA to find his true calling. There, along with the help of Buffy regular Cordelia Chase and the psychic Doyle, they form "Angel Investigations". The first season deals mostly with "monsters of the week", but the viewer is rewarded for watching the episodes in order, as an over-arching story arc is maintained throughout. Great viewing in its own right, but easily the weakest of the series. That's okay- each season gets better and better. With all of Joss Whedon's work- you have to start at the beginning- only then will everything make sense and pay off. Deep, rich characterization and seriously funny dialogue distinguishe this show from the rest of the ho-hum WB flock. Highly recommended. Then go on to season 2!