Amazon.co.uk Review
The second half of
Angel's fourth year is a wild ride with no brakes and few stand-alone episodes. To recap, Los Angeles has fallen into perpetual night; Angel has mislaid his soul again; and something odd is going on with Cordelia, who is uncharacteristically aware of the effect of every word she utters. Wesley and Gunn are fighting over Fred; Lorne's ability to read souls is getting clouded, even when they sing karaoke; and the wounded Lilah is the only survivor of their former nemesis, the law firm of Wolfram and Hart, after a visit from the horned rock-like Beast. Things can only get worse--and, inventively and surprisingly, they do.
Angel started off as an anthology show but in this season became so arc-heavy as to be almost impenetrable to the new viewer--but for the initiated it is as tense and suspenseful as
24 and even more prepared to put all of its characters in jeopardy. Things are so bad with the Beast, its hidden master and Angelus, that Faith (Eliza Dushku) breaks out of jail and back into the show to help out and Willow makes a surprise visit from
Buffy. Particular praise is due to Gina Torres for her air of whimsical menace as the goddess Jasmine and to David Boreanaz for his silver-tongued devilry as Angelus and his brooding charm as Angel. --
Roz Kaveney
Synopsis
Features the episodes 'Calvary', 'Salvage', 'Release', 'Orpheus', 'Players', 'Inside Out', 'Shiny Happy People', 'The Magic Bullet', 'Sacrifice', 'Peace Out' and 'Home'.