Pegosaurus
Banned
So I just finished watching all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and I gotta say I'm a huge fan. I've watched a lot of Whedon's other works over the past few years as well, such as Dollhouse, Firefly, and Dr. Horrible, all of which I enjoyed, but I think these two series are my favorite thing I've seen from him so far.
The characters in both shows are likable, and while not all of them are terribly strong characters, I do find that they all have an interesting arc at some point in either series. I know Buffy herself is a character who many fans think is one of the weaker characters of the show, which I agree with in the first few seasons, but Season 5 and onward I think Buffy really comes into her own as a great character as well. I do think that Angel has characters who are more fleshed out and that they have more depth (with the exception of Spike and maybe Xander), but both shows casts hold up well throughout the series. I think Spike and Wesley probably have the best character arcs overall, but I also loved Lorne in Angel.
Although I think Angel has a deeper cast ( I don't want to say better, because I'm not sure if I feel that way), I think I prefer Buffy overall, mainly due to a lack of interesting season long arcs in Angel. Buffy had better overarching plots with the Mayor, Glory, The First, etc. Even season 6, who didn't have a traditional big bad, had a great overarching plot what with exploring the casts feelings and such. I think Angel did the "episodic" episodes better, or rather the standalone ones which didn't have much influence on the larger plot.
I know a lot of fans think that Buffy got worse after season 5, but I greatly enjoyed Season 6 and 7 as well. Season 2,3,5.6 and 7 of Buffy are all great. Season 1 was ok. Season 4, which I know is considered the "black sheep" (something I agree with), was pretty bad. All the characters took a dip in quality, and Riley was kind of annoying. "Hush" was a phenomenal episode though. Season 6 also has the episode "Once More with Feeling", which may be the best episode of the show.
Similarly, I think that Angel seasons 1, 2 and 3 are pretty on par, season 4 was pretty good up until the halfway point, and I finally understand why people complain about Connor and Cordelia, because that was insufferable. Season 5 was fantastic though, with some great standalone episodes (Smile Time, The Girl in Question), mini arcs ( A Hole in the World, Shells) and an AMAZING finale, which I just watched moments ago.
So, seeing as my impression of both series is positive, I want to delve into the comics as well. I know the Buffy comics are pretty straightforward (Season 8, 9, 10), but where do the Angel and Spike comics fall into play? How do I read them in continuity with the Buffy comics?
Also those of you who've read them, what are your impressions of the comics? Do they service the shows well? Are they worth reading?
Anyone who came into this thread and hasn't watched either series, I highly recommend them, especially if you're itching to watch a show focused on the supernatural! I used this guide to maintain the continuity, which I don't think is necessary, but certainly doesn't hurt either.
The characters in both shows are likable, and while not all of them are terribly strong characters, I do find that they all have an interesting arc at some point in either series. I know Buffy herself is a character who many fans think is one of the weaker characters of the show, which I agree with in the first few seasons, but Season 5 and onward I think Buffy really comes into her own as a great character as well. I do think that Angel has characters who are more fleshed out and that they have more depth (with the exception of Spike and maybe Xander), but both shows casts hold up well throughout the series. I think Spike and Wesley probably have the best character arcs overall, but I also loved Lorne in Angel.
Although I think Angel has a deeper cast ( I don't want to say better, because I'm not sure if I feel that way), I think I prefer Buffy overall, mainly due to a lack of interesting season long arcs in Angel. Buffy had better overarching plots with the Mayor, Glory, The First, etc. Even season 6, who didn't have a traditional big bad, had a great overarching plot what with exploring the casts feelings and such. I think Angel did the "episodic" episodes better, or rather the standalone ones which didn't have much influence on the larger plot.
I know a lot of fans think that Buffy got worse after season 5, but I greatly enjoyed Season 6 and 7 as well. Season 2,3,5.6 and 7 of Buffy are all great. Season 1 was ok. Season 4, which I know is considered the "black sheep" (something I agree with), was pretty bad. All the characters took a dip in quality, and Riley was kind of annoying. "Hush" was a phenomenal episode though. Season 6 also has the episode "Once More with Feeling", which may be the best episode of the show.
Similarly, I think that Angel seasons 1, 2 and 3 are pretty on par, season 4 was pretty good up until the halfway point, and I finally understand why people complain about Connor and Cordelia, because that was insufferable. Season 5 was fantastic though, with some great standalone episodes (Smile Time, The Girl in Question), mini arcs ( A Hole in the World, Shells) and an AMAZING finale, which I just watched moments ago.
So, seeing as my impression of both series is positive, I want to delve into the comics as well. I know the Buffy comics are pretty straightforward (Season 8, 9, 10), but where do the Angel and Spike comics fall into play? How do I read them in continuity with the Buffy comics?
Also those of you who've read them, what are your impressions of the comics? Do they service the shows well? Are they worth reading?
Anyone who came into this thread and hasn't watched either series, I highly recommend them, especially if you're itching to watch a show focused on the supernatural! I used this guide to maintain the continuity, which I don't think is necessary, but certainly doesn't hurt either.
