Which series gets messages and metaphors across better: Buffy or Angel?

[Robb Stark]

Both shows can be pretty direct with the messages they're trying to convey, and they are two of the best I've seen at it. My question is, which do you think is more effective?

For me, even though Buffy is my favorite character from, well, any show ever, I think Angel gets it right the most. Right from the S1 opener "City of..." you know exactly what the show is about and what it means. The journeys of all the characters are meaningful and impactful. Every season without exception feels like it has something important to say, while at the same time not being overbearing or preachy. That's when T.V. is at it's best I think. The only time it went a little sideways was during S4 and the whole Jasmine arc.

In particular, the messages that come across in Angel S1, S2 and S5 are pretty cool. They've made a pretty big impact on my life.

 

[tec]

The messages in Buffy where clearer I thougt
High School is hell
The messages about addiction,lonelyness,love where always clear and defined on Buffy.

 

[EffyStonem]

I think that both shows are on even ground when it comes to this.

Buffy in the early seasons was quite good with metaphors (Angel turning into Angelus being the metaphor for sleeping with a guy who turns into a jerk afterwards, Spike's chip as a metaphor for impotency, Xander in The Pack as a metaphor for bullies and "pack mentality" etc.) but I think they got lazy and/or confused in the later seasons. The Willow Magic Addiction storyline was far too anvilicious and didn't really hold up well as a metaphor for drugs and Buffy being "addicted" to Spike doesn't really hold up either. What is especially annoying is that for an entire season these are both played as metaphors for drug addiction but instead showing that addiction is bad and should be stopped the show seemed to say "Addiction is alright as long as you learn to control it".

As for Angel, I've always had trouble seeing clear metaphors, however I believe they get their messages across in a much better (and more impacting) manner than Buffy. Episodes like "City Of" "Why We Fight" "You're Welcome" "Reprise" and "Damaged" are terrific examples of this.