There are some five star episodes, there are some two star episodes, but overall, this was an average outing.

Jessica Alba is Max, a genetically modified soldier who escaped, along with other soldiers who had been tested on, from the X5 military installation. Ten years later, and she's making her own life as a message courier by day, thief by night. When she meets Logan (Michael Weatherly), who is also an undercover rebel, her modified abilities are used for good.

So we get a series of episodes that show the rebel team righting wrongs. After the spectacular pilot (also incuded in this boxset) the series didn't start off too well. Run of the mill storylines didn't help, and the series didn't live up to the action promised in the pilot.

Alba is also the best thing on offer here. Not only does she looks great, she really brings the compleities of her character out in the open and is very engaging in what is her show. So it's a shame that, apart from Logan, and uber-villain Lydecker, that the rest of the supporting characters can really get on your nerves.

The pseudo youth talk grates, as does any of the characters from the Jampony message service. The supporting characters are weak and annoying, and the Jamaican character borders on racism.

Still, giving up on Dark Angel there would be doing the show a dis-service, because later episodes are much, much better. As the show goes on, other soldiers and people from Max's past in the X5 project come to light. Any episode that contains Zach is brilliant, and thankfully many of the episodes have a main plotline centred around the X5 installation, that makes up for the obligatory light-hearted sub plot that takes place each episode.

Towards the end of the series, things that seemed unconnected come together in a big way, and little bits and pieces from various episodes fill in the jigsaw for what is an astounding and eciting last third of the show.

The action picks up dramatically, and is always quite well done. The acrobatics by Alba are amazing, and there's a good balance between strong characters in strong storylines with decent action fights.

With some surprising plot twists, the positives about this show more than make up for its deficiencies. However, the show doesn't quite clear everything up, perhaps with so many plots used throughout the show there was just too much to take on. It's very ambitious, and succeeds mostly, apart from the few duff characters and episodes, and obviously there is season 2, which I now look forward to seeing how they can develop this series.

dark angel
Review date: 2005-12-21 Rating: 10 out of 10

it has to be one of the most exciting shows that i have ever seen i watched it and could not stop. the show there is not a tv show that is like it ever it has something for every one it keeps you on your toes to wit will happen next

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