Angel title sequence

The Angel title sequence is featured in each episode of the Angel television series (save for the Angel pitch tape) presenting the series' cast members, consisting of clips from the show itself.

Theme song[]

Angel invited bands to submit demos for the theme music to the show. They asked bands to use "dark superhero ideas" and "cello-rock." For inspiration, Darling Violetta watched pivotal Angel-related episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer like "Passion," "Becoming, Part One," and "Becoming, Part Two," along with co-writer and music producer Holly Knight. Eventually, Joss Whedon accepted Holly Knight and Darling Violetta's interpretation of an Angel theme as that most suitable for the show.^[1]

The theme has a slower tempo than the Buffy theme, with heavier use of acoustic instruments such as cello and violin. In 2005, Holly Knight and the band composed an extended version of the Angel theme called "The Sanctuary Extended Remix," which featured on the soundtrack of the series Live Fast, Die Never.

Joss Whedon and Alexis Denisof sang their own lyrics to the theme song in the DVD commentaries to the episode "Spin the Bottle": "Angel is a vampire, who solves crimes (yes, he does) with his friends (with the gang). Wesley will never get a leather jacket cuz he will never be cool (aww!) no matter what he does (this episode sucked)."^[2]

Credits[]

Each Angel cast member has a signature colored border appearing when they are credited. Colors are sometimes shared by two cast members, though never at the same time — Glenn Quinn's yellow background is inherited by Alexis Denisof, Vincent Kartheiser's indigo background is inherited by James Marsters, and Charisma Carpenter's green background is inherited by Mercedes McNab.

The only actors that are credited for all 5 seasons are David Boreanaz (Angel) and Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce), the latter appearing in all but the first 10 episodes. David Boreanaz is the only cast member to keep his background from the first season to the final season. Alexis Denisof is the only cast member to have two different backgrounds.

The complete cast of the series includes David Boreanaz (seasons 1–5), Charisma Carpenter (1–4), Glenn Quinn (1), J. August Richards (2–5), Amy Acker (3–5), Vincent Kartheiser (4), Andy Hallett (4–5), James Marsters (5), Mercedes McNab (5), and Alexis Denisof (1–5).

Images[]

Season 1[]

Season 1 of Angel has the smallest main cast in comparison to the rest of the series. It stars David Boreanaz as Angel and Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia. Glenn Quinn (Doyle) appears in the title credits for the first 10 episodes (although he left the show after the 9th episode) before being replaced by Alexis Denisof, who stays in the title credits for the remainder of the series.

Red: Open/Creator Credits
Blue: David Boreanaz
Green: Charisma Carpenter
Yellow: Glenn Quinn (episodes 1 to 10)
Yellow: Alexis Denisof (episodes 11 onward)

Season 2[]

Season 2 features Boreanaz, Carpenter, and Denisof again, with the addition of J. August Richards as Gunn. The background for Alexis Denisof's colored border changed from the inside of Doyle’s apartment, with Doyle in his tan leather jacket slightly visible, to drawings in a book.

Red: Open/creator credits
Blue: David Boreanaz
Green: Charisma Carpenter
Yellow: Alexis Denisof
Orange: J. August Richards

Season 3[]

Season 3 features the same cast from season 2, with the addition of Amy Acker as Fred. This is consistent for the entire season. J. August Richards' background color became a slighter darker shade. The opening credit cast images are now presented in widescreen.

Red: Open/creator credits
Blue: David Boreanaz
Green: Charisma Carpenter
Yellow: Alexis Denisof
Orange: J. August Richards
Violet: Amy Acker

Season 4[]

Season 4 features the same cast from the previous season, with two previous recurring characters added to the opening credits. Vincent Kartheiser (Connor) is added for the full season (his only season as a regular) and Andy Hallett (Lorne) is added in episode 14. Charisma Carpenter is still credited until the end of the season, even after her character's death in "Inside Out." Alexis Denisof is once again in the last spot in the credits and is now credited with "and" in front of his name.

Red: Open/creator credits
Blue: David Boreanaz
Green: Charisma Carpenter
Orange: J. August Richards
Violet: Amy Acker
Indigo: Vincent Kartheiser
Pink: Andy Hallett
Yellow: Alexis Denisof

Season 5[]

Season 5 features the largest amount of main cast changes. Charisma Carpenter leaves the show, with James Marsters (Spike) being added onto the main cast in her place. Also, starting with episode 17 ("Underneath"), Amy Acker's credit is changed to show her more prominently as portraying Illyria rather than Winifred, and Mercedes McNab (Harmony Kendall) is added to the title credits for the remainder of the season.

Red: Open/creator credits
Blue: David Boreanaz
Indigo: James Marsters
Orange: J. August Richards
Violet: Amy Acker
Pink: Andy Hallett
Green: Mercedes McNab
Yellow: Alexis Denisof