“Dark Angel” takes place 20 years in our future, posits the theory of what would happen following an electronic pulse that renders electronic materials useless. This sets up a great ‘what if’ scenario of a city in decay. Where life has reverted to that of the Great Depression, with everyone trying to eke out an existence doing whatever work they can get. Caught in the middle of this world is Max (Jessica Alba), a girl who seems on the surface to be normal, but is in fact a genetically engineered human, with hyper senses and abilities. She is on the run from her past, where she escaped from the military installation in which she was created. Hunted by a man named Lydecker (John Savage), Max befriends Logan (Michael Weatherly), a cyber-journalist known as ‘Eye Only’ who hides his identity as he reports news of a corrupted government.

“Dark Angel”, for those who hadn’t seen it, was another one of those TV series that should have lasted longer. It was James Cameron’s foray into network television, and it was a well-written series that I believe could have continued if given a chance.

The first season offered up a highly stylized introduction to this future world. As opposed to looking high-tech and futuristic, we were given a grittier view more like what a once rich town would look like as it settled into decay. The people hunting Max were brutal and unrelenting, stopping at nothing to get their property back, or at the very least destroying it.

The overall story arc of Max’s past and the existence of other genetically engineered ‘brothers and sisters’ consistently kept the series interesting, and ultimately tragic. I was pretty much hooked on this show from the pilot episode. The performances from all the leads were exceptional, and surprisingly so from Jessica Alba. Her good looks are quite disarming, and she could change the character from coy and shy to smart and tough with little more than an expression. Michael Weatherly is extremely likeable as Logan, and he proved himself to be quite a strong actor over the course of the series.

I was actually a bit surprised to see that there was going to be a DVD release as the show didn’t last long, but I was glad to see it. “Dark Angel” was certainly worth of a longer run, and is more than welcome on DVD.

20th Century Fox decided to go all out on this six disc set, as they do on all of their releases. There are commentaries on some of the episodes, the most interesting one being that on the pilot episode by producer/creator David Eglee and director David Nutter. Together they explain what it was like getting Cameron’s vision of the future not only onto TV screens, but how they were able to do it week after week on a relatively low budget. They banter back and forth sharing stories, and I found it to be more interesting than expected.

There’s also a long documentary on the creation of the series (Dark Angel: Genesis), full of interviews with all the cast and crew, another one on how the creators came up with the ‘look’ of post-apocalyptic Seattle (Seattle Ain’t What it Used to Be), and a third that focuses primarily on the character of Max (Creating the X-5). I really enjoyed the five minute ‘gag reel’ that was included. We get to see a lot of the goofs that were made during filming. Be sure to look out for Jessica Alba’s ‘rat’ experience!

One of the things you don’t often get to see is audition tape. Well, leaving no stone unturned, you get some here. Featured are auditions for Michael Weatherly (Logan Cale), J.C. Mackenzie (Normal), Alimi Ballard (Herbal Thought), Valarie Rae Miller (Original Cindy), Jennifer Blanc (Kendra), and William Gregory Lee (Zack). You have the option of listening to the original audition track or the final scene track, which is pictured in the lower left side of your screen.

I really have to hand it to Fox for doing such a great job with the DVD release. “Dark Angel” is a very… well, ‘dark’ show, much like “The X-Files.” There are a lot of scenes that are shot at night and in shadows, and the transfer that was done worked very well in keeping a sharp contrast during these scenes. I never had a problem making out what I was watching.

As I mentioned before, I really wish “Dark Angel” had lasted longer than it did, but at least its being given an opportunity to be seen on this terrific looking DVD release.

Starring: Jessica Alba, Michael Weatherly, and John Savage
Extras: Audio Commentary on Selected Episodes, Three Behind the Scenes Featurettes, Audtion Tapes, Blooper Reel, James Cameron’s “Dark Angel” Video Game Trailer
Specifications: Full Screen (1.33:1), Dolby Surround
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: 5/20/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Dark Angel - Season 1 an A.