19 out of 19 people found this review helpful.
The life and times of an avenging angel
Date of Review: Nov 2, 2004
The Bottom Line: Buy it. Excellent special features, acting and dialogue make this all a must buy.
I purchased the first season of Dark Angel recently at Wal-mart for 29.99. It is the six disc collector's edition that comes on DVD. The show produced by James Cameron and starring Jessica Alba first premiered in the fall of 2000, and it was on air for only two seasons.
The story
The show follows the life a genetically engineered super human female, Max Guevara, in a futuristic post-apocalyptic world. It is Seattle, and the year 2019. A magnetic pulse over the western United States has turned this world upside down and caused chaos. It is now ten years following that event, and the world is still returning to its former state. Even with it appearing to be 2019, it reminds you of what the depression of the 1930s might look like.
Max is a girl trying to live a quiet life. However, there is nothing quiet about her life. She is not like any normal girls, far from it in fact. She was made and not born into this world, and that is evident from the beginning. She can do things everyday people cannot. She can see farther, move in ways that defy logic, is intelligent, and her beauty is captivating by all those that see her.
This first season shows you into her life and what has happened before. It follows her relationships with those around her, with a focus on her relationship with one man, Logan Cale. Logan is your modern day Robin Hood, warning the public about the bad guy, and helping those he can. With the help of Max, he takes from the scum bags, and puts the money to better use. Logan and Max meet, him discovering her past, and offering to help her find the others out there that are like her.
The DVD's
The collection consists of six DVD's. On these DVD's you can find all twenty-one episodes of the show's first season plus a ton of extras located on the sixth disc.
The Discs:
Disc one: Episode one - The pilot, Episode two - Heat, Episode three - Flushed,
Disc two: Episode four - C.R.E.A.M, Episode five - 411 on the DL, Episode six - Prodigy, Episode seven - Cold comfort
Disc three: Episode eight - Blah blah woof woof, Episode nine - Out, Episode ten - Red,
Disc four: Episode eleven - Art attack, Episode twelve - Rising, Episode 13 - The kidz is aiight, Episode fourteen - Female trouble
Disc five: Episode fifteen - Haven, Episode sixteen - Shorties in love, Episode seventeen - Polloi loco, Episode eighteen: I and I am a camera
Disc six: Episode nineteen - Hit a sista back, Episode twenty - Meow, Episode twenty-one - ... And Jesus brought a casserole, special features
Special Features
Three behind the scenes featurettes - Dark Angel Genesis, Seattle ain't what it used to be, and Creating an X5
Original audition tapes for most of the major characters, showing both the audition and the final scene on screen at the same time
Blooper Reel
My thoughts
I was a fan of this show from episode one, and I was saddened to see it canceled just after two seasons. It is fresh and lively, even now with its content. I watched some of the episodes for the first time in years, and I wasn't bored. The show gives us an eye on one possible future. This show produced by James Cameron has a wonderful cast with catchy dialogue. The plot has many twists and turns from episode one to the final episode of the season. Throughout the show you learn more about Max and what she is capable of doing.
This special edition DVD has a ton of extras that make it a great buy, especially if you can find it at a cheaper price. I've seen it on sale for as low as twenty-five dollars, which when you figure it out is just about a dollar and some change an episode.
The behind the scenes give you an insight into what exactly went into the making of the show. Most of the cast at the time were fresh faces. Now they are more known. Jessica Alba and Jensen Ackles, who appears in the second season, have both gone on to other projects. Jessica known for her role in Honey, as well as future roles in the Fantastic Four and Sin City.
I would highly recommend this DVD for purchase to include in your DVD library. Each episode is wonderful, and the special features alone make this a wonderful addition to any collection.
