Arriving in LA, Angel is soon approached by the mysterious demon Doyle, who suggests the vampire help others to atone for his past crimes, getting involved in their lives. The first person he suggests is a woman named Tina, but Angel finds himself getting involved in more than he bargained for. Meanwhile, Cordelia arrives to pursue an acting career.
It’s effectively a pilot to introduce the set-up and characters, and City of is certainly effective in that regard. Gleen Quinn is a real find as Doyle, and should be great to watch as time goes on. Charisma Carpenter is as on-form as ever playing Cordelia. The one who seems out of place is David Boreanaz. Admittedly he’s now toplining his own show, but he seems ill-at-ease being in nigh-on every scene, though hopefully Angel’s character will expand to better fit the series as time goes on. One thing he can do, though, is fight, and the opening teaser sequence is truly fantastic, especially Angel’s soon-to-be-patented double-stakes manoeuvre which deserves applause.
The vampire villain on hand is good, and the introduction of a regular background enemy works well too. There’s an element of too much talking to the audience and explaining the backstory of Angel and Cordy, but it’s forgivable in a pilot. One thing you do notice immediately is the difference between Angel and Buffy. The new kid is much darker and less humorous than its predecessor, plus it features car chases and unexpected twists, including a shock death that you wouldn’t expect from Buffy.
For a pilot, this episode is passable and bodes well for the future, but it’s still finding its feet from the look of this tale.
***
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