10 Best Performances In Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Angel (like love-rival Spike) is a divisive character. Some find him too whiny and uninspired, others love him and think he's the best. Whatever your opinion on him, though, one thing cannot be denied, and that is the performance of David Boreanaz.

Though Boreanaz made a bigger impact acting-wise on his own show, the simply titled Angel, it's a testament to his subtle and deceptively simple performance that such a show was commissioned. On Buffy, Boreanaz balanced the romantic nature of his character with his inner turmoil with great power and commitment, and it looked early on in the show that he would be the next big hero in the series after Buffy.

Then Season Two rolled around, and everything changed. After a night of passion with Buffy, the cool and cuddly Angel goes from romantic lead to villainous demon. It's here that Boreanaz gives fans a chance to see the full extent of his acting chops. Yes, some of his time as Angelus was slightly over-the-top, but thanks to svelte and controlled performances in episodes like "Passion", "I Only Have Eyes for You" and the two-part finale, "Becoming", he's shown how capable he is as both the really good guy and the really bad guy.

When he returns as the re-souled brooder in Season Three, it is Boreanaz's sensitive performance that makes his redemption so easy to watch. That's exactly what Angel needed, and Boreanaz pulled it off wonderfully.