15 Best Angel Episodes
3. City Of (Season 1, Episode 1)
"Once upon a time, there was a vampire..."
Angel's first episode is still one of TV's greatest pilots. Not only does it set the tone of the show brilliantly, but it does so without relying on the popularity of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is, from the very first scene, it's own perfect organism, darker than its predecessor, moody and daring.
In the episode, Angel moves to LA, away from Buffy and his old life, and comes into contact with Doyle, a half-demon who puts him on a path of redemption. At its core, City Of is a simple monster-of-the-week effort, but it's not as cut and dry as that. For starters, there's the introduction of Wolfram and Hart, the show's primary antagonist; the seedy aesthetic and more mature tone; and the fact that the woman Angel is sent to save dies despite his best efforts.
This was, right from the get-go, a show that was not going to take itself lightly, and was not always going to be as happy and fun as what came before. Add to that the scene stealing Doyle and the re-introduction of a more grown-up Cordelia, and what you have is a perfect episode of TV.