Monday, February 7, 2011

A Little Fun with Angel

The other day I was watching Angel (a Joss Whedon creation and spin-off to the Buffy series) and I realized that Whedon is a master of integrating setting, plot, and characters.

Angel is set in modern day Los Angeles, which is a hotbed of vampires, demons, and other otherworldly creatures. Now, having grown up in So. Cal, I can honestly say L.A. is the perfect setting for such a show.

Whedon takes Angel, a centuries old vamp with a soul and puts him among these creatures as a detective of sorts. He helps those who can’t help themselves against the darker forces in the world.

In Angel, the setting becomes just as important as the plot of each episode. It is always explained, if it is not obvious why a certain species of demons need to live in the sewers under the city.

Also, for the title character, Angel, Los Angeles is the place he comes to start over and find a purpose. The city of Lost Angels plays host to Angels own quest for redemption and purpose only to find out that he is the “Chosen One” from the Powers that Be. Now, he not only is trying to answer the question of who is he, but he is also trying to find what it means to be a hero.

If you have not seen this series, I recommend you watch it. I’ll leave you with a little of David Boreanaz’s hotness as Angel as he is awkwardly singing karaoke.

*Warning: Angel Can't Sing, but he's cute when he tries

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