10 Best Performances In Angel

Angel had a lot riding on it as the spin-off the cultural phenomenon Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But thanks in part to its darker tone and deviation from the themes of the original show, Angel has become a classic piece of pop culture in its own right - a brooding, intelligent, constantly surprising show with much to love.

Most of that love, though, needs to go straight to the actors, whose performances brought to life some of the best characters in the entire franchise. Like Buffy, it is down to the passion and talent of Angel's diverse and staggering cast that the series was such a success. From demons to witches, Slayers to heroic humans, vampires to everything in between, every actor has a chance to shine.

There are many actors who don't make the following list, but rest assured that the likes of Eliza Dushku, Tom Lenk, Christian Kane and Mercedes McNab were all great in their respected roles. It's just that their arcs or their limited screen time means they don't quite stand out as much as those who make the way into the rankings.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Oh, Doyle. It's a testament to the talent and sheer likeability of the gone-too-soon Glenn Quinn that Doyle holds such a soft spot for Buffyverse fans. Although he's only around for the show's first nine episodes, the amount of backstory and characterisation we get to see from Doyle is staggering and remains one of Season One's biggest triumphs.

Starting the show off as the big plot driver, a demon who comes to Angel to aid him in his redemption, Doyle quickly proves to be more than just a living piece of exposition. Rather, he is a funny, dependable, complicated and heroic man whose secret past drives him even before we know anything about where he came from.

His chemistry with both Angel and Cordelia Chase is a season high point, and his death, which was brilliantly executed and played to perfection by Quinn, is the first real indication of how much darker the show was going to be from its original series.

Quinn's untimely death a few years after his final appearance only makes his performance more compelling and lovable on show re-watches, and you can't help but wonder where a character with such a rich history and complicated story would have been had he lived to see the show's later seasons.