WB drives stake into 'Angel'

Turns out Joss Whedon was wrong. Just last month, "Angel's" co-creator and executive producer expressed confidence that the show would return for a sixth season.

It won't. The WB has canceled "Angel," which will end its run in May.

That will also bring to an end (at least for now) the eight-year odyssey into Whedon's universe that began on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and continued on its spinoff, "Angel."

"Angel" certainly hasn't run out of gas creatively. Tonight's episode (8 p.m., WB/Ch. 30) is a gem — Angel (David Boreanaz) is turned into a puppet in an innovative hour that's not only very funny but makes sense within the universe Whedon created.

Fans can't afford to miss the scene when puppet Angel fights with Spike (James Marsters).

But, like "Buffy" before it, "Angel" never really became a mainstream hit. And between its numbers and its cost, the WB made the decision to drop it.

This certainly isn't good news, but fans have got to be grateful for the five seasons and 110 episodes they got. That's a lot more than most series have a chance to produce.

And, while WB Entertainment president Jordan Levin has to make business decisions about shows, he's also passionate about TV. Just last month he expressed his personal love for the show in a conversation with the Deseret Morning News, and in another informal chat last year he expressed the opinion that UPN, which was home to "Buffy" for its final two seasons (after 4 1/2 on the WB), didn't give that show a big enough send-off when it retired in 2003.

The early announcement of "Angel's" fate was made with an eye toward giving that show the send-off it deserves.

"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," said the WB in a prepared statement. "And that is why we went to Joss to let him know that this would be the last year of the series on The WB."

Levin and his team have had discussions with Whedon and Fox about the possibility of producing "Angel" TV movies for the WB next season, but there's no word on that yet.

For now, fans have another nine episodes to look forward to. And, hopefully, a finale that will be worth waiting for. If only we could have waited another season or two. . . .