Angel: Complete Season 5 [DVD]

The 4th season was evidence of the show getting a bit stale and this move was a breath of fresh air. The season has some excellent continuous storylines, but also some great individual episodes. Smile Time, You're Welcome and Harm's Way are great examples of these. Every charcter had episodes devoted just to them, with references going back to the beginning in some cases. The story arcs are great too. Adjusting to life in the largest, oldest and not forgetting most evil law firm in the world provides a great plot for the 1st half with some memorable and hilarious moments, the reintroductions of Spike and Harmony being an excellent choice. The 2nd half then moves into more serious plots that don't just revolve around individuals, but the company as a whole. The introduction of Illyria halfway through was a bold but great move and the build up to the final battle with the Senior Partners is addictive viewing, quite literally. I watched the whole series in the space of 25 hours. Never has a show had such a moving ending. It leaves you feeling very satisfied while at the same time wanting more. You get closure on all the characters that matter, from Cordelia all the way through to Lindsey. The progress in the relationships between Fred & Wes and Connor & Angel are especially moving.

The final few episodes manage to create a sense of finality at the same time as having a familiar sense of continuity. It has stuck to the theme of all the seasons - you have to fight on and although the war may never end, you can always make a difference in the world. This will not let any Angel fans down. Joss has done his best job yet and it was truly sad to see the show go. Essential viewing.

Although the special features have not yet been revealed, if they're like other seasons, they will be well worth having and just make the DVD even better value for money. The episodes alone make it worth it, though.

However, when I finally watched it, I was completely amazed. Angel went out with a bang, not a whimper, and kept it's premise until the very end. There's plenty of stand-alone episodes, which makes a refreshing change to the interesting although heavy arcs of the last 3 seasons, and a focus on character development. Everyone changes in this season, whether it's Lorne, Gunn, Fred or Connor (please note that despite being a chief Connor hater, this season convinced me that the character could be incredibly likeable). Angel's loyalties are kept ambiguous right from the very end, as he dives deeper and deeper into Wolfram & Hart. There are plenty of new characters to pique your interest, as well as the return of Buffy favourites (most obviously, Spike). For those interested in what happens to the Scooby gang after Chosen, there is even a little valuable info on their whereabouts!

To cut it short, this is a worthy last season to a surprise hit show. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, you'll cover your eyes during the gory bits, but most importantly, it will reward you 8 years of watching the Buffyverse unfold.

A must buy!