Buffy the Vampire Slayer vs Angel

CAUTION: THE FOLLOWING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR EVERYONE WHO HASN'T WATCH EITHER BUFFY OR ANGEL! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

A conversation with a friend has inspired me to compare and contrast the TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, both by Joss Whedon. This is a debate that Joss Whedon fans have had since both shows hit the air ways. Buffy came first and Angel was a spin-off using the character Angel a vampire with a soul, as the lead character. The debate will never end cause different people have different tastes in shows. However, since I am in the mood and since this is my blog, I have decided to give my two-cents, for what its worth, on this debate.

Now since both shows are written by Joss Whedon, both have there good points and I will state each shows good points, as I see them, as well as their bad points. I will start with Angel.

Pros for Angel:
1. Good development of Cordy and Wes, two already known characters from Buffy. Cordy becoming part demon and Wes's journey into darkness were both incredible!

2. Seasons 4 and 5 are incredible! Very dark and dig far into different issues. These two seasons got me invested. Sadly they are the last two.

3. The show gave the world Fred aka Winifred, Lorne and Gunn three AMAZING heroes.

4. Wolfram and Hart the law firm that is the big bad throughout the ENTIRE show. Specifically Lilah and Lindsey. Thus proving my theory that lawyers are at the center of evil ;)

5. Very dark at times especially seasons 4 and 5.

6. Interesting idea to have a vampire get pregnant. Sorta forced at times, but still interesting.

7. Connor's story was also very interesting. A lot of people hate Connor, but he had
a very interesting idea behind him and the actor played the role VERY well!

I can't think of anymore pros for Angel. So, on to the cons.

Cons for Angel:
1. To traditional strong male hero saves "weak" "defenseless" female. Seemed far too men are strong women are weak for me. I was surprised Whedon did it that way.

2. Seasons 1-3 were an absolute SNOOZE FEST! To action hero-y and not enough story telling.

3. Not enough development of the main character. Angel started as a brooding vampire with a soul, he ended as a BROODING VAMPIRE WITH A SOUL!

4. Not enough flaws in the main character. He always seemed to be on the side of right in the show.

4. Not enough new hero characters added. Fred, Gunn, and Lorne are the only three brand new heroes added to the show that stay longer than a season, Doyle is excluded because of that.

5. Some of the best episodes involved already established characters from Buffy like Faith. Sorry, but a good show wouldn't have to rely so heavily on characters from another show.

6. Darla was extremely under used. They had a chance to make the show interesting when they brought her on, but didn't use her for shit! Darla is not included in 5 because she wasn't well established in Buffy

7. Ending of season 4 failed to deliver on how good that season was. The rest of the season 4 was EXCELLENT with Dark Cordy and everything, but then they ruined it by doing the Jasmine story line XD! They should have done their original idea with the final battle being between Cordy and Angel.

8. Gave the world Holtz quite possibly the dumbest bad guy ever! He was so boring! Didn't really do anything. At first I liked the idea, but they failed to really go anywhere with it and the end was obvious.

9. The relationships seemed very forced/didn't make sense. Fred and Gunn comes to mind here. I like the idea of having an interracial couple, but this just felt forced and the actors had no spark on screen. Angel and Cordy would have made sense HAD they done anything with it! Lilah and Wes made sense as well, even though it really shouldn't have! They got it right with Fred and Wes at the end though, I'll admit that.

10. Over all the big bads of the show FAILED! Wolfram and Hart/The Senior Partners and Evil Cordy are the exceptions to that. If I don't buy into the big bads, I don't care if the hero wins!

11. When Buffy came on to the show the writing for her was terrible! Buffy isn't Buffy when she comes on Angel. Not sure who she is, but its not the character from the BtSV. The epically failed to give her good writing. Pissed me off!

Can't think of anymore cons for Angel, on to Buffy!

Pros for Buffy:
1. Very female centered. The women had the power it is a refreshing change from the typical hero show. Men where much more the sidekicks.

2. The core four of the Scooby Gang all had their flaws. Buffy had flaws, just because she was the main hero, doesn't mean that she is perfect. She hides Angel from the gang when she knows he is back. Willow went way to far into magicks. Xander has commitment issues and is a bit jealous of Angel in the early seasons. Giles kills an innocent and tries to trick Buffy.

3. The big bads, while evil, aren't always wrong. The Mayor and Faith for instance call Buffy and Angel on somethings. The Mayor focus on their relationship, while Faith focuses on Buffy's idea of what being the slayer is.

4. The Big Bads are just cool! Right down the list in the show, the Big Bads are just so cool and very well written and acted. This includes development and back stories they are excellent. Adam, in season 4, is the exception.

5. The relationships are just amazing and believable. They all make sense and the actors have incredible sparks on screen! Willow and Tara is of course my favorite ^_^, but even Kennedy and Willow makes sense in my opinion. Faith and Robin are a great interracial couple that works!

6. Buffy doesn't end up with a man! It is classic for a female lead to end up with a partner, typically a male, at the end of show, Buffy does NOT! She is single at the end of the show. I love that part!

7. The center theme of the journey of self discovery in the show. All the younger core of the scoobie gang, and to a lesser extent Giles too, are trying to figure how they fit into the crazy world as well as who they are. A theme anyone can relate too.

8. Not clearly black and white. Right and wrong really aren't labeled in the show. Vampires and demons aren't bad just because they are vamps and demons. When Giles kills Ben in order to kill Glory, they never say he did the right thing or the wrong thing. Morals are very muddied in Buffy with no real clear answerers.

9. Season 6. Words can't express how much I love this season! I have and will always argue that season 6 is about love and the power of love. Everything happens in this season because of love. It is also SO dark, creepy and gives us Spuffy (aka Spike and Buffy). My favorite of the the character Buffy's relationships.

10. The idea of fighting as a community. Buffy very often needs the help of her friends and can't do it on her own. The show argues that this is very often the best route to go with, especially in season 4 when the Initiative, a military site, gets its ass kicked because one man is calling th shots and doesn't listen to Buffy and her friends.

Ok, I think thats enough to get my point across, and I can't think of any more. On to the cons!

Cons for Buffy:
1. Gave the world Riley Finn. Epically failed as a relationship for Buffy he was threated by a strong women. EPIC FAIL!

2. Gave the world Adam. The worst Buffy villain EVER! The idea of Buffy fighting the first man was cool, but the actor failed to do a good job.

Those are really about the only two things that I dislike about Buffy.

So, in case you couldn't guess which one I like better, what are you living under a rock? The answer is BUFFY! I feel I have explained my reasoning well enough and I am tried of typing.

Bye everyone!