Angel pitch tape

The Angel pitch tape is a six-minute production never intended to air, but employed in 1999 to show The WB network the potential of the Angel series.

It served a similar function as the pilot had for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Summary

Angel stands on a skyscraper over night-time Los Angeles. He explains key moments in his history that eventually brought him to the city: becoming a vampire, being cursed, and falling in love.

Walking down the streets of L.A., Doyle tells Angel that everybody got their demons, and Angel should help himself by helping others. However, it won't be easy because not every demon has horns and not every damsel wants to be rescued.

In the Angel Investigations offices, Cordelia suggests Angel to charge those they help.

Doyle warns Angel there are powerful forces in the city that make their business out of people's despair. Angel says they won't like him stirring up the waters, and he's counting on it.

Continuity

• The tape takes place during the first episode of Angel, "City Of," with some lines and footage in common.
• To illustrate Angel's stories, the flashbacks reuse footage from Buffy episodes, specially "Becoming, Part One," "Becoming, Part Two," and "Amends." It also includes smaller scenes from "The Harvest," "Angel," "Reptile Boy," "What's My Line? Part One," "Passion," "I Only Have Eyes for You," "Anne," "Enemies," and "Graduation Day, Part Two."

Appearances

Individuals

• Acathla (Only in flashbacks)
• Richard Anderson (Only in flashbacks)
• Angel
• Jennifer Calendar (Only in flashbacks)
• Cordelia Chase
• Dalton (Only in flashbacks)
• Daniel (Only in flashbacks)
• Darla (Only in flashbacks)
• Allen Francis Doyle
• Drusilla (Only in flashbacks)
• Anya Jenkins (Only in flashbacks)
• Ken (Only in flashbacks)
• Faith Lehane (Only in flashbacks)
• Margaret (Only in flashbacks)
• Spike (Only in flashbacks)
• Buffy Summers (Only in flashbacks)
• Kalderash girl (Only in flashbacks)
• Kalderash woman (Only in flashbacks)

Organizations and titles

• Angel Investigations
• Kalderash (Only mentioned)
• Slayer (Only in flashbacks)
• Wolfram & Hart

Species

• Demon
  • Oden Tal demon
  • Vengeance demon (Only in flashbacks)
• Half-demon
• Human (Only in flashbacks)
• Vampire

Locations

• Ireland (Only in flashbacks)
• Romania (Only in flashbacks)
• United States
  • Los Angeles
    • Angel Investigations offices
  • Sunnydale (Only in flashbacks)
    • Sunnydale High School (Only in flashbacks)

Objects

• NKO714
• Orb of Thesulah (Only in flashbacks)
• Soul (Only mentioned)

Rituals and spells

• Ritual of Restoration (Only in flashbacks)

Behind the scenes

Production

• Some footage of this tape is later used in the Angel opening titles.

Music

• VAST — "Here"
• VAST — "Dirty Hole"
• VAST — "Touched"
• VAST — "I'm Dying"

Quotes

Doyle: "There's powerful forces out here. Agents of pure evil. They've made great business out of people's despair."

Angel: "They're not going to like me stirring up the waters."

Doyle: "What, and you're afraid of that?"

Angel: "I'm counting on that."