A spin-off of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, if any show on this list surpassed its parent, it's Joss Whedon's Angel. Early on, Angel leaned heavily on its Buffy ties: Oz, Spike, and Buffy herself crossed over in year one, while Cordelia and Wesley (after Doyle's death) were already part of the cast. Yet the show viewers tuned in for that first season would be nearly unrecognisable by year two. The Pylea storyline at the end of season two, which saw the Angel Investigations team sucked into another dimension, sparked character growth unlike anything else in the Whedonverse. Angel's cast of characters developed at a rapid pace, often tragic events forcing them to adapt to an increasingly dark, cruel world. By season five, James Marsters joined the cast to up viewership, as Spike (Buffy's sometimes foe, sometimes lover) was as popular as ever. The network wanted bigger returns, and renewal was uncertain. Then Joss Whedon made his biggest blunder: he insisted on early renewal. The WB didn't want to commit so soon, and Angel was cancelled, the power play failing for both parties. Angel's ratings were actually up, while the fifth season had met critical acclaim; The WB would later apologise for the move, and admitted they would have brought the show back.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
