10 Things Angel Did Better Than Any Other Show

2. The Apocalypse

Much like with the concept of other dimensions, there have been numerous depictions and interpretations of how the world might end. 'Angel' had more than its fair share over the course of it's five-year run. The most notable of which was during Season Four where Jasmine brought about world peace by hypnotising everyone in the world into worshipping her, including our heroes. However, this meant that free will was almost completely obliterated from society. Angel told Jasmine that humanity should be able to choose whether or not they live in a utopian society as opposed to just being forced into it. So, in other words, The Angel Investigations Team worked to avert an apocalypse by ending world peace. Which brought up many excellent questions about free will, absolute good and evil and what it means to be truly happy. Not exactly the fire-and-brimstone, chaotic, hellish landscape version that most shows go for. Although, they had that too in "Apocalyse Nowish". 'Angel' didn't need to shove the world ending into viewer's faces on a consistent basis to get the direness of a situation across. Instead, the writers chose to depict the world as it is, a place where good intentions €“ more often than not €“ give way to terrible things happening. And it didn't take some standard, mundane interpretation of The Apocalypse to be this way, either. It's just how it's always been. Wolfram And Hart weren't just cookie-cutter villains who wanted the world to end. If anything, they wanted the world to stay the way it is. They drew their power from the status quo of human existence. So someone like Jasmine taking over the world with her idea of what the apocalypse should be like didn't fit in with their game plan. This, in turn, invites the question of who is the lesser of those two evils in that situation? And is free will and an option to choose better to have than world peace? Obviously, there's no easy answer to those questions. It's all about perception. But at the end of the day, that's what 'Angel' has always been about, making impossible decisions and dealing with the consequences but still being willing to fight for what you think is right. And that's what sets 'Angel' apart from the crowd. The ambiguity forces you to question everything you believe. But it's through withstanding those trials that you're able to strengthen your resolve. For better or worse. Other shows deal with the end of the world, 'Angel' deals with the world even after it's ended. You never really stop the apocalypse. There's always another one right around the corner.