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The Tears of an Angel: A Stake In The Heart For Angel Fans
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off, Angel, has reached the end
of it's bloodsucking run. But we know at least one fan who is seeing
red over the decision to cancel the series. Taste her red rage here
...
Cult TV experienced a cold day in Hell because just another season of the show could not be funded and made to tie up the loose ends to finish an intelligent, thought-provoking series. 'Farscape' was left hanging in a frozen state of cliff-hanger sadness. It later became apparent that it was also a change in network direction that prompted the cancellation. Throughout the SF community, people were outraged at the network's decision. We all thought it could not happen all over again.
The Warner Brother Network announced the cancellation of one of its flagship shows, Joss Whedon's 'Buffy' spin-off series 'Angel'. The announcement hasn't come as a complete shock as last year's contract renewal of the show by the WB Network seemed to drag its feet. Season 5, at that time, was on thin ice. The cast and crew of the show have no understanding why such a popular and highly rated show has seen the glint of steel over its neck. The reason for this announcement appears as ambiguous as finding anything out about it. WBN have no indication on their linked website as to the decision. In a statement, that was released late on Friday 13th February, fans are none the wiser as to the real reason to the cancellation. IGN.com published it along with the feedback that creator Joss Whedon made on Saturday on the Bronze Beta message board: - 'For the last seven years, Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer have been cornerstones of our network. The sum total of the work done on those shows has produced some of the proudest moments in our history. Like some of the great series that are leaving the air this year, including Frasier and Friends, the cast, crew, writers and producers of Angel deserve to be able to wrap up the series in a way befitting a classic television series and that is why we went to Joss to let him know that this would be the last year of the series on The WBN. We have discussed continuing the Angel legacy with special movie events next year, which is still on the table. In a perfect world, all of these details would be completed before this information went to the press so that we could be definitive about the show's ongoing future. But in any case, we did not want to contemplate this being the last year of Angel without giving the show the option of crafting their own destiny for this character and for this series. David Boreanaz continues to be one of the finest, classiest and friendliest actors we have had the pleasure to work with and we hope that the relationship furthers from here. The same can be said for all the actors and producers on the show.' In answer to that statement and to offer his devoted fans an explanation Whedon posted this:- 'Some of you may have heard the hilarious news. I thought this would be a good time to weigh in. to answer some obvious questions: 'No, we had no idea this was coming. 'Yes, we will finish out the season. 'No, I don't think the WB is doing the right thing. 'Yes, I'm grateful they did it early enough for my people to find other jobs. 'Yes, my heart is breaking. 'When Buffy ended, I was tapped out and ready to send it off. When Firefly got the axe, I went into a state of denial so huge it may very well cause a movie. But Angel...we really were starting to feel like we were on top, hitting our stride -- and then we strode right into the Pit of Snakes 'n' Lava. I'm so into these characters, these actors, the situations we're building...you wanna know how I feel? Watch the first act of [Buffy episode] "The Body." 'As far as TV movies or whatever, I'm not thinking that far ahead. I actually hope my actors and writers are all too busy. We always planned this season finale to be a great capper to the season and the show in general. (And a great platform for a new season, of course.) We'll proceed ahead as planned. 'I've never made mainstream TV very well. I like surprises, and TV isn't about surprises, unless the surprise is who gets voted off of something. I've been lucky to sneak this strange, strange show over the airwaves for as long as I have. I don't FEEL lucky, but I understand that I am. 'Thanks all for your support, your community, and your perfectly sane devotion. It's meant a lot. I regret nothing (except the string of grisly murders in the '80s - what was THAT all about?) Remember the words of the poet: '"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the road less traveled by and they CANCELLED MY FRIKKIN' SHOW . I totally shoulda took the road that had all those people on it. Damn."' The scope for the ‘Angel’ premise has only really had its surface scratched let alone its tummy rubbed. Unlike the Sci-Fi Channel's axing of 'Farscape', it isn't mainly down to the vast production costs involved in making the show although money is always an issue in these events. So why has the show been cancelled? It's fallen to a growing trend which is set to wipe out long running TV shows in the future, while the mindset is understandable it is a long way away from being logical. In the beginning, 'Angel' had the pooled resource of devoted 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' fans and those that preferred the slightly darker storylines of 'Angel' to fuel high viewer ratings. While these foundations appeared to stand the show in good stead for continued seasons, it hasn't saved it from cancellation. Although in a recent press release from WB about its shows 'weekly ratings', it stated that 'Angel' had 'outstanding year-to-year gains' in all of the key demographic groups. Although more recent 'Angel' ratings figures have been conspicuously absent. 'Angel' is WBNs third highest rated hour long series, recently beating mainstream shows such as the 'West Wing'. Even though 'Angel' was having an impressive recovery with Season 5, with the creative input of Whedon and the return of James Marsters to the series. Its figures have got to grow and grow for it to be saved according to Jordan Levin WBN's Entertainment Chief, however figures released for last year show that is actually the case. Two years ago, the fight to stay on the screens started. The contract for another season at the end of season three was tenuous at best, but the series managed to harvest a renewal. Again, once that season was over, the contract was long in coming, fans were wondering if 'Angel' would have a pitiful Season Four life. After long talks between the Network and the makers, Season Five's contract was secured but after the 100th episode party last November, Joss Whedon was told by Jordan Levin WBN's Entertainment Chief that Season 5 could be the show’s last season with WBN. Overheads at the WBN have evolved negatively because of the myriad of channels available to viewers dilutes the overall viewing figures of any one sole series. Partly responsible is the fact that the merger between Time Warner, WBNs parent, and AOL has had monetary ramifications for the corporation. Resulting in the selling off of Warner Music Group to Edgar Bronfman. Cuts have to be made and an aging schedule including 'Charmed' (although it's just been renewed for a 7th series), '7th Heaven' and 'Smallville' are adding to the pressure. Re-runs of such drama cut production costs and the scheduling in of low overhead reality TV shows. But, to have these budgeted programmes scheduled in, the network has to have a place to put them and 'Angel's top table position seems to have been taken in a scheduling game of musical chairs. Even so, the sales of DVDs for shows like this, syndication and foreign sales are where series like these make their money. 'Most series make a loss on their first showing (approximately a million dollars an episode)' - Michael Cassutt Scifi.com. A complete series is far easier to sell to foreign networks as 'Farscape' clearly showed. But these factors don't seem to influence the networks in the slightest. Jordan Levin is quoted to have said, 'We have a lot of veteran shows that are ageing, and we're going to have to make room for new programs.' One of these new programs is 'Dark Shadows', a gothic soap opera about a vampire that first aired in 1966 but was axed five years later due to poor ratings. It's programmes like these that are supposed to appeal to fans of 'Buffy' and 'Angel,' but all the network has done is alienated these fans by the cancellation of 'Angel'. The sad truth of every piece of evidence related to this announcement is that 'Angel' was and has always been on the up. The most recent series had pulled in its best ever viewing figures of the whole five seasons put together and all the portents looked damn good for Whedon and his brainchild. The WBN has taken a handgun and shot itself in the proverbial. Its own bullet will probably seal the fate of many more long running shows set to be out by the end of the year. The real problem is, it's not just WBN that is getting into this habit. The only way to make any kind of difference with this highly illogical trend is to vote with your remote. When the cheap and nasty reality TV shows come on, we as consumers have to turn off. There are a number of fan campaigns already including savingangel.org, saveangel.org and supportangel.org all on similar lines to save 'Farscape' campaign. Shows have been resurrected by fans in the past including 'Farscape', 'Roswell' and even 'Star Trek'. Whether another network will pick it up is yet to be seen but I think the possibility of an 'Angel' movie is slight as Joss Whedon is soon to be making a movie based on his recent 'Firefly' series. One 'Angel' fan went to the main network who air the series in the UK, BSkyB, and asked them as to their view on the cancellation. This is the response they received:- ‘Thank you for your email, we are glad to hear you are enjoying the new season of Angel on Sky One . Here at Sky One we too were surprised by the decision to cancel Angel after its current season. Angel has always been one of our more popular programs with a loyal and passionate fan base. To answer your question yes Sky have been in contact with both the producers of the show and the American based broadcast network The WB and we are told that discussions are going ahead behind closed doors to try and secure a sixth season of Angel but unfortunately we are not privy to the information from these discussions. Sky One have assured the producers of the show they have our 100% support and we intend to continue showing Angel on our channel should an agreement be made to secure another season. As to your question of other networks picking up the show, unfortunately we do not have information on this but be assured everything is being done to try and bring Angel back to Sky One next year. Kind Regards’ Here's hoping that a network will pick up the show and Season Six will eventually come to fruition. The future of not just 'Angel' is in the balance here. This growing trend in cult TV especially, will continue and the trickle of axed shows could become a flood making way for cheap television. In my honest opinion, I can see a future for television in a devolved state where the fire box in the corner of the lounge spends more time off than on, being used more for the playing of DVDs than for the watching of television channels. It could even get to the point where the companies producing DVDs are the ones to finance new shows. Much like the way a huge influx of dot coms emerged from the nineties; they also paved the way for the disappearance in the masses at the beginning of the millennium. Networks, at heart, simply want to make money and often only see the short-term gains and not the long term picture. Was 'Angel' cancelled due to money or was it something more sinister? So after the huge increase in channels we now have to ask ourselves what do we really want to watch? If we want a diluted, dumbed down entertainment we need only carry on watching its spoils. We could see the long running cult TV show as an extinct thing of the past. Donna Jones (c) Donna Jones/SFCrowsnest 2004 - all rights reserved Related links www.supportangel.org
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OTHER CONTENT - April 2004
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When
the Sci-Fi Channel cancelled 'Farscape' back in September 2002,
fans were up in arms about the decision. 
But
on the eerily superstitious Friday the 13th February this year,
lightning struck twice. This time it was the turn of the Warner
Brothers Network to send the fatal blow.
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