10 Best Performances In Angel
9. J. August Richards - Charles Gunn
Charles Gunn was introduced to Angel near the end of the first season as a freelance vampire hunter working the streets of LA with a demon killing gang behind him. He was cocky, tough, loyal to a fault and willing to risk everything for the cause he fought so passionately for. Then his sister was turned and he had to kill her, and from there Gunn was never the same again.
Though as a character the writers sometimes struggled to find a strong footing with his arc, Richards makes it all work. Whether he just seems to be third- or-fourth wheeling with the gang, or playing love rival to Wesley, he is always a blast to watch.
Funny, stubborn, angry and a good guy with a good heart, Richards' best moments come when Gunn is forced to confront his gang past and his final season arc, where he is "upgraded" by Wolfram and Heart to be a seriously cool lawyer.
Despite a few narrative bumps - and some moments spotted about in Season 3 and 4 where it was clear he was becoming a hard character to write for - Gunn is a necessary and welcome part to the show, and thanks to the acting talent of J. August Richards' he never once slips up, even if the narrative isn't on his side.