Tomorrow

Season 3 is pretty much the most consistent season of the show so far, but also problematic in a way. There are really not many weak episodes to be found here, and the arcs are all pretty great. I really liked the Holtz storyline, and the way it ended before the finale. I always dread babies in TV shows, and what they did with Conner in these last few episodes is pretty interesting. That said, I also sort of found it problematic. I feel like these last few episodes perhaps tried to do way too much. It honestly got a little overwhelming. I respect Cordelia's development over the show, definitely, and loved the demon powers and everything she got here. That said, I don't know how to feel about how she ends the season. Also seeing a scene of her being risen to heaven or something didn't really sit well for me. Way too heavy-handed. And also, not sure I'm totally into the Angel/Cordelia romance.

I loved the Wesley development, and I can't wait to see where he goes from here. And going back to Cordelia, I don't buy for a second that she never went to go see him. If she never did because she was mad, I can buy that, but the writers never actually established how she felt towards him. Them not having her visit him or feel one way towards him is totally diminishing their relationship throughout the three seasons.

Amy Acker stands as the MVP of the season, and in many ways the heart of the show now.

This was the end of all direct involvement from showrunner David Greenwalt and in many way created a schism between this and the seasons that came before and those after. 0verall the feel and tone of the show took on a noticeable chance in Season 4. It was a lot to take in that I would no longer have the certainty of every season premiere/finale being written & directed by Greenwalt. Just as Joss Whedon having a less direct involvement in Season 6 of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, the same was felt here. I can understand Greenwalt's desire to move onto other projects, but there was so much missing from Season 4 as a direct result. 0nly until Season 5 being run by Whedon did this show gets Its old school mojo back. But I give props to Greenwalt for coming back to direct Season 5's THE GIRL IN QUESTION. Still too much to take on following the network breakup of both shows.

I don't care about Conner. I DON'T CARE! "Forgiving" onwards is some of the most frustrating television I've ever seen, because it's not really bad, just annoyingly incapable of living up to its actual potential. A bunch of episodes that have some really nice bits in them but which are mostly just boring. Besides, they really look like something out of Xena or the Hercules show from the 90's, except without the tongue-in-cheek sensibility.

Season Three is easily my least favorite Angel season. However, a great first half of the season makes it overall, looking at the average rating based on ratings for all episodes, quite good, actually. I love "Carpe Noctem" as a fun throwaway episode, "Sleep Tight" as the only standout episode of the season's story arc, and "Waiting in the Wing" as a fantastic, dramatic standalone episode in the vein of "Are You or Have You Ever Been" and almost a reprise of "I Only Have Eyes for You" from the second season of Angel's parent show Buffy.

It's a shame that the second half of this season lets it down and the story arc is almost intolerable in spots, because there are several excellent episodes here. It's just not my thing.

Average rating based on ratings for all episodes: 7.27/10