Which season of Angel started the strongest?

[Robb Stark]

Kind of a sister thread to the BTVS one. Of the five Angel seasons, which had the best/strongest opening three or four episodes, in your mind?

I thought the beginnings of S1 really rocked. "City Of..." is one of my favorite, favorite episodes, "Lonely Hearts" was quite strong (even if it did get a little weird) and "In the Dark" was incredible (Spike has one of the best opening scenes EVER in that episode).

Honorable mention to S5 as well.

 

[Kean]

Season 2 for me. Actually, I think season two is the best Angel season. Period.

 

[itssmiletime]

Either season 1 or Season 5... if I had to pick, it would probably be season 1. It really set up the feel for the show, I love City Of... and Spike was fantastic - ''In The Dark'' (loved Oz too). How Spike just brutally tortures Angel always made me wonder why Angel never just ran into Giles apartment in ''Pangs'' and tried to stake him.

Season 5 comes, really, really close. I love the classroom fight scene in Conviction- that the SWAT team brought holy water and stakes with them is such a great moment, proving that W&H still want Angel out of their way. However, seeing the Cordelia-less opening credits makes me really sad. Plus, I love Doyle and Cordelia, so season 1 it is.

 

[Wild At Heart]

I have to say season 1 because it's so nostalgic for me. Like someone else said, it sets up the feel of the show perfectly & it has something special about it that sometimes the show lacked in certain moments later in the show IMO.

 

[Aimee]

As much as I love "City of..." and "In the Dark" season 1 is my least favourite season of Angel. I love season 5 but......

I'm gonna pick season 3. (I pinched these episode descriptions)

All 4 of these episodes were really strong & awesome

"Heartthrob"
As Angel mourns Buffy's death, he battles a lovelorn vampire seeking revenge for the death of his beloved.
"That Vision Thing"
Lilah coerces Angel's help in securing the release of a prisoner the "Powers That Be" have locked in a fiery prison.
"That Old Gang of Mine"
Gunn's loyalties are torn between his current demon-hunting associates and the gang he used to hang out with when his old gang starts murdering innocent demons.
"Carpe Noctem"
An old man uses an ancient incantation to switch bodies with Angel.

 

[The Ferg]

I vote Season 3. It's got two great character episodes and an intense opener. But honestly, no Angel season really had a great opening. In my opinion, Angel starts off really slow every season and kicks it up at about the midway point. If I could vote for the first 3 issues of After the Fall I would.

 

[Tome]

If I had to pick between the opening episode of each season, it would be easy. Deep Down was one of the most dramatic, intense and shocking episode of the show. It started season four with a BANG, and it would make that season my overall pick if not for the weak episodes coming right after it. 🙁

Looking at the episodes list, it's actually kind of hard to choose, because honestly all the seasons had very average beginnings. I'd probably have to go with season three, simply because it had That Vision Thing, which was pretty darn awesome. 😎

So yea. Season 3 is my pick.

 

[Taake]

Hm, hard question. I think most of Angel's season openers are pretty strong but in the end I think I also side with season 3. It gave several strong episodes in a row ("Lonely hearts" wasn't very good IMO and the season 2 opener was kind of blah to me, season 4 was good but not as pow as season 3 and season 5... was good but there was a lot to get adjusted to in the new setting so it felt like a lot of exposition and just wrapping your head around the new scenarios)