iewers of the first season of Angel had no idea what was coming up in season two of Angel—the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff that had met with modest success during its introductory year. They certainly had no idea that one of the most colorful characters, Lorne, would be introduced. A green-faced, horned demon with a sharp wit and a psychic sense for what's to come for those who spill their guts through karaoke, Andy Hallett's Lorne is the rare character who becomes an instant asset.
That said, the second season of Angel was very much a mixed bag. Rather than having a throughline, the season can be divided into three distinct parts, and although all move the series forward, developing its own mythology around Angel (Boreanaz), they do so in an often convoluted way. The first third of the season is dominated, and bogged down, by its arc with Darla (Benz), the reincarnated woman who first sired Angel all of those years ago; then there's a plotline that sees a deep schism between the demon fighters of Angel Investigations, causing Angel to fire the gang—including Cordelia, who now receives the visions of Los Angelinos in trouble that Angel relies on to carry out his mercy missions. The final four episodes follow an arc that's about as far removed from the rest of the season as possible, following a portal to another world, which just happens to be the homeland of Lorne, the karaoke bar host. And knowing the events of this season is crucial to understanding what's to come in seasons three and four.
That's not to say that season two doesn't have its stellar points—particularly between specific characters, some of them crossovers from Buffy. Angel and Darla have some strong moments together, and Darla and Drusilla (guest star Juliet Landau) are simply a wicked, terror-raising pair once Dru completes the circle and sires Darla (originally resurrected as a human by the lawyers at that demon-serving law firm, Wolfram & Hart). The show's wit—and deft ability to balance its sense of humor with drama—remains intact. And while the karaoke singing gets old quick as a plot device, Lorne's establishment does produce some of the most hysterical moments in the season. (Angel does Manilow with a rendition of "Mandy"—need we say more?)
Among the noteworthy episodes are the flashback-filled, McCarthy-era "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been"; "Redefinition," in which Angel confronts Darla and Drusilla; "Epiphany," where Angel realizes he wants to reconcile with Cordelia (Carpenter), Wesley (Denisof) and Gunn (Richards); "Disharmony," a hilarious episode in which newly sired Harmony (Mercedes McNab) visits her good friend Cordy; and "Over the Rainbow," the second episode of the closing arc that introduces Fred (Amy Acker), who joins as a regular in the later seasons (this episode is also one of many this season to carry a reference to The Wizard of Oz).
Presented in widescreen format, this set is light on extras, with a handful of commentaries, a season overview, a look at the agency and featurettes on the monsters and stunts. There's also a weak still gallery, set blueprints and the scripts for "Darla" and "Disharmony."
A thirst for fresh blood
Darla and Drusilla might have been after fresh blood when they rampaged on L.A. However, viewers will just be looking for fresh content that wasn't obviously recycled from some previous source, as most of the featurettes appeared to be. The audio commentaries here are the only really fresh content in this set—and there are only two of them, one narrated by writer/producer Tim Minear, the other by director Fred Keller.
Keller's is the drier of the two, even though the episode itself, "Over the Rainbow," had lots of interesting possibilities to talk about. Minear's commentary on the second episode of the season, "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been," has a lot of interesting insights, both about the new season as well as this particular, stylish episode.
The 14-minute season two overview on Disc 6 jumps around a lot, switching between general reflections on Angel's sophomore year by producer David Greenwalt, as well as more character-specific observations, as offered via soundbites by assorted players from behind and in front of the camera (frequent director James Contner, actors Landau, Benz, Boreanaz and Richards). Sadly, the disorganized nature of this short documentary is distracting, and the 2001 copyright at the end confirms that this info is likely recycled.
Likewise, the other featurettes show little imagination. The supershort (about five minutes apiece) segments on stunts and monsters are just that, short on substance and long on fast-cutting shots. More substantial is the 15-minute Inside the Agency, focusing on the set design of Angel Investigations' new headquarters in a former hotel.
