15 TV Seasons That Are Totally Flawless

Angel's first two seasons were remarkably good, but with seasons three and four things started to slip away from the writers. Characters were betrayed needlessly, terrible plot twists were added with little tact or foresight, and the dark tone became unbearably overwrought and cynical.

With fan favourite Cordelia effectively written out of the show - and its sister series Buffy the Vampire Slayer coming to an end the previous year - Angel's fifth season had an awful lot riding on its shoulders, but pulled no punches to make it the best season yet.

Adding antihero vampire Spike to the main roster and spending the season focussed on his and Angel's age-old rivalry, the show took a series of daring narrative leaps, offering up such daring escapades as the Muppet-inspired insanity of Smile Time, and the realisation that the end of the world is looming.

With Angel's last stand in the show's all-timer of a series finale, the Apocalypse has really never looked so good.