Angel or Buffy?

[Beck]

So which show do you prefer? Why? Which did you watch first? Which season? Is that your favourite? Do you think starting watching during a later season or watching Angel first would change your views on the show?

[Little Miss]

I have to say buffy as ive not seen all of the angel series. I watched buffy from the begining to the end and loved watching the charaters change over the years. My fav seasons of buffy were 3 and 7.
I loved Angel's first 3 seasons but have yet to watch the last two. Maybe i should do that soon?! lol

[Glenn]

Now for me this isn’t much of a hard decision, Angel wins hands down even though it is a spin off of the original show but I think it managed to establish its singularity.

Now the first thing I ever watched in the Buffy verse was “School Hard” in Buffy season 2 and it still sticks as one of my favourite episodes of all time. Spike was just a fantastic villain and his “Use your head” before smashing a vampires head into the fire glass was brilliant. Season 2 possibly stands out as my favourite Buffy season with Angelus and Spike and the dynamic between them. Watching quite a loved character turn into such an evil thing was inspired.

For me Angel had a much a higher standard quality of season than Buffy did. Angel season 1 was brilliant with its stand alone episodes, getting to see such a different style of show. In every season of Buffy a “Big Bad” was introduced during the season which ended in a big apocalyptic battle by the end of the season. Angel however, did this rarely, season 1 had the introduction of the greatest villain in Buffy verse history “Wolfram & Hart” and ended with Darla being brought back to life, season two’s Big Bad Darla was gone way before the end of the season which came to a head when they had to go to Pylea, something I personally enjoyed. Season 3 introduced Holtz but again it didn’t end in an apocalypse. Season 4 was the first real apocalypse we had to endure, but we had a string of Big Bad’s, The Beast, Angelus, Cordy and we didn’t find out who the genuine villain was until very late on in the season. Season 5 went back to the season 1 route, stand alone episodes, with the gang fighting against the longest standing Big Bad of all time ‘Wolfram & Hart’.

So for me I think that the Angel seasons have the edge over Buffy

Now as for the feel of the shows.

Angel took us to a much darker place, the second episode of season 1 “Lonely Hearts” took us where Buffy would never have been allowed to take us. Where Buffy started out as mostly metaphor for High school equals Hell, Angel didn’t need to bother going that way and could just deal with the action.
Also we didn’t have to deal with too much California speak which did actually grate on me at times.

The fighting on Angel I also think was an improvement, the fact that DB could do most of his own fighting may have something to do with that but when they started adding the slow motion moves and the speeded up fight sequences it just bowled me over.

Now as for Character development, once again I think Angel had the edge. Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles all stayed relatively the same. Willow became a powerful witch but it was still the same old Willow. Angel's season 1 character’s Cordelia, Wesley and Angel himself had amazing character transformations. Cordelia changed from being selfish and self centred to someone who would sacrifice her own life for the people she loved. I don’t think I really need to explain Wesley’s character arc from 'bumbling fool' Wesley to 'do what must be done' Wesley. And then you have Angel, the brooding loner to the guy who can’t function without his ‘family’ by his side.

As for your other questions, if someone was to watch Angel first I think that they would prefer Angel to Buffy, but on the other hand I think if you were to start with Buffy you are capable of moving onto Angel, that is just my personal opinion on the matter and I’m sure someone will tell me that I am wrong.

Also someone who joined Buffy in season 5 I think would be very biased in their views while watching earlier seasons. They will be used to the Willow/Tara relationship and may not warm to the character of Oz as much and the same could be said for Xander with Anya in season 5 people will look back and not be too keen on his relationship with Cordelia. Also much Buffy/Angel hate can come from people who joined from a later season, as they will enjoy the character of Spike very much and like his little romance/obsession with Buffy, not remembering what he was like in season 2.

So that is my two pence worth ;D

[Bre]

I don't like one or the other better. I've seen all of Buffy and I've basically seen all of Angel except I've barely seen any of Season 3. But they're totally different shows. Angel is much darker than Buffy. So it's hard to say which is better.

[infectus]

I like both equally but im not sure if that will change after ive seen the other 4 seasons of angel (only seen the first, im so slow...) IMO Angel is a much more dark and somewhat more adult, they focus more on the investigative side of things and because its set in a large city rather than a town they have alot more to work with and alot of new elements come into the picture. Buffy on the other hand is more of a "stick to tradition" show, its set in a small town so everyone more or less knows everyone and they keep a very routine storyline which isnt bad. They are both 2 of my fav shows and i hope i see the rest of angel soon.

[Mooshi]

I would definetly have to say Buffy. Angel was a great show but i just loved how Buffy could be so serious and then be so funny at the same time. And Buffy came out before Angel and i always thought that some of the episodes of Angel were way to much like Buffy.

[secret]

I saw Buffy first and I am still going through Angel (just watched season 3 finale yesterday!). Therefore, I voted Buffy. I'm more familiar with the Buffy cast at the moment and I've seen more of it, so yeah, that about sums up my vote.

[Vyse]

I like both, but I definitely enjoy Buffy more. I like the whole "girl power" thing!

I started watching when a network was airing Season 5 re-runs. It made me curious and then I started watching from Season 1 as soon as I got the chance. I was hooked immediately!!

I don't know what would have happened if I had seen Angel first... I like it but it's a bit too dark for my taste. In fact I like Season 4 of Buffy most because it's the funniest, though the overall plot maybe is not as good as in the other seasons.

[Lexie]

I like Angel more. I like the darkness of it and I think the twists in Angel are generally better than the ones in Buffy. (Except Angel loosing his soul in season 2--it's hard to top that)

[Deleted]

I watched BtVS from the very beginning and then started AtSat its beginning, too. I was only in 7th grade when the first season of BtVS aired, so I was pretty young. I think that's one of the reasons I've always preferred BtVS. I was about their age and more easily able to connect with what they were going through. Now, I'm able to connect to AtS easily enough, but it was often in terms of characters, not storylines. If I had watched AtS first--or had I been a bit older when I first saw AtS--it's very possible my opinions would be different.

[Lexie]

Angel has the cool springy stakes and Buffy doesn't...sorry I just thought of that today and I think it's another good reason for Angel being better...

[buffymanic]

yeh but buffy has the puns! also don;t forget the rocket launcher incident and the way cool scythe......... ok theres the geek coming out in me!

[Beck]

Angel had puns too I still prefer Buffy though, I feel more for the characters, and yeah... thats really the it.

[Paul]

have to admitt i preffer angel, buffy is great too but angel was just that bit more darker more adult orientated, dont worry about your inner geek tash we all have one

[buffymanic]

meh I love them both equally! and always will

[Lexie]

buffymanic said:

yeh but buffy has the puns! also don;t forget the rocket launcher incident and the way cool scythe

Sorry, nothing beats the springy stakes!! And I actually like some of the Angel puns and jokes better.

Wilson: This is a private club. Featured word: Private.
Angel: You don't talk to me, I'll kick your ass. Featured word: Ass



That's just one example...

[Brittany Bear]

I prefer Buffy over Angel I think. Don't get me wrong I love Angel but I have to go with Buffy on this. I felt for the characters more on BtVS. And Anya's in it! Plus Willow.(I know willow was in Ats a couple times) Also I watched Buffy first and am still watching angel. That might be part of it....

[Kana]

I can't believe I haven't posted here. I voted for Angel because I find his journey more intriguing. The reason being is the dilemmas he's faced with have a greater degree of moral ambiguity. A lot people come down on Angel saying he hasn't done as well as the other heroes but his choices are bloody hard, the main one's being to do with W&H and Jasmine. No matter what he chooses he's steeped in ethical quandries which have no clear answer and I think that's more reconcilable with the adult world. It's not simply about killing the bad guys but about finding oneself as the existential hero in a world where is hard to know what is right and the only thing to be sure of is yourself and your own ideals. Buffy had some dilemmas but mostly about how they should do the right thing but Angel is more about questioning what the right thing is which I find much more engaging.

[jeanvic]

I agree with you Kana. Angel is a lot more adult than Buffy and deals with more real life situations. Also, it is a darker show and I prefer dark things. I prefer Batman over Superman and Spiderman for instance.

I also like Angel for, like you said, the moral ambiguity. On Buffy it is usually very cut and dry which is best shown with their fight against the First Evil. Absolute good vs Absolute Evil. On Angel the evil is more insidious. It isn't always about the slime or the horns, it's about the heart of evil, what drives it.

I prefer it more as well because I can connect with Angel's struggle more than Buffy's, as I have mentioned to you in the past Kana. In my everyday life I come across more things that are shown on Angel than I on Buffy and that makes watching it much more enjoyable.

Another reason (sorry for this rant) is because I like the anti-hero and Angel is a huge anti-hero. He is a vampire, a demon yet he fights for good while Buffy is portrayed as the ultimate good of the verse. Again I make reference to Batman vs Superman.

In general it is the struggle that each character faces that intrigues me. They are each fighting evil on a daily basis but it is clearly shown that each of them has to face their inner demons. Examples: Wesley stealing Connor. Gunn killing the Professor. Doyle abandoning the demons. Angel allowing Darla and Dru to kill the lawyers etc. It shows that even the warriors for good need redemption, something I strongly believe being a born again christian.

In final it is just a more grown up, compelling show that deals with everyday life and the challenges it brings.

[shred]

I prefer Buffy more than Angel.

One main reason is because Buffy have much more interesting characters than Angel. I'm able to relate to them more. And also because Buffy has a lighter tone than Angel. It's funnier and easier on the brain compared to Angel.

Overall, I just feel that the plot in each season of Buffy (ok, maybe not the first season), is much better than Angel.