German Title: "Dark Angel"
	Original Title: "Dark Angel"
	Alternative Title: "James Cameron's Dark Angel"
	Country & Years of Production: USA, 2000-2002
	Genre: Action / Science Fiction / Drama
	Episodes: 41 + Pilot in 2 Seasons
	Idea: James Cameron, Charles H. Eglee
	Music: Chuck D., Gary G-Wiz
	Premiere: 2000-10-03 (USA)  |  2002-01-19 (GER)
	Original TV Channels: FOX (USA)  |  VOX (GER)

The role of Max is portrayed by Jessica Alba. The series was her breakthrough which made her a star. Jessica had already trained one year for her role, before shooting begun. Besides motorcycling, she learned various martial arts and did a daily fitness training for several hours. Since at the time of casting just one page of script existed about Max' character, the role was virtually tailor-made for Jessica. With this series, she won the People's Choice Award (2001), the TV Guide Award (2001) and the Teen Choice Award (2001) amongst others.

Story

Short time after their escape in 2009, the USA became victim of a terrorist attack. Due to a electromagnetic pulse, all computers and means of communication were destroyed and the country descended into chaos. In the general confusion, the escaped children could disappear.

Ten years later, violence and the law of the strongest rule in post-apocalyptic Seattle. Here of all citys, Max succeed in setting up her own business. She earns her living as a nondescript  bicycle courier at "Jam Pony" messenger service. None of her friends suspect her to be something special. After she had realized herself who and what she is, Max desperately tries to find her "fellow sufferers" that escaped with her from "Manticore". However, the people behind this secret project, especially the ruthless Colonel Lydecker, have still not yet given up their chase...

Even though Max is forced to live as inconspicuously as possible at the fringes of society, she uses her special abilities as a sneak thief in order to scare up the money necessary for her investigations. As fate would have it, Max encounters the idealistic cyber-journalist Logan Cale during one of her nightly break-ins. The young man form a rich family made it his own business to fight under the pseudonym "Eyes Only" agains corruption and the suppressive establishment in order to save the society. Logan get curious for the extraordinary girl that intruded into his home. With ultra-modern technology and persistence, he succeeds in finding Max and discovering her secret. He finds the right way to get Max on his side. He promises to discover more of Max' past and the whereabouts of her "siblings" while she supports his activities in return. In this way, Max become a fighter for the good cause against her beliefs. However, in doing so she gets more and more into the focus of her haunters that are chasing her mercilessly. The fight for her freedom and the future of America begins...

Cancelation of the Series

Loyal fans of the series put the viewer losses down to a misjudgment by the US channel FOX which decided to air the second season on Friday evening instead of Tuesday evening. Additionally, the changes in atmosphere and background of the series were held responsible  for its downfall. However, many of the changes were inevitable due to budget worries, quitting actors and the September 11 attacks. The latter forced the series to downplay its post-apocalyptic scenario. Nevertheless, the portrayal of the own country as former superpower vanquished by terrorists and fighting for survival might have been in conflict with a patriotic self-perception of americans viewers.

Initially, however, the third seemed to be "done deal", but when Joss Whedon rewrote his pilot for the series "Firefly" according to demands of the TV channel, FOX prefered the production of "Firefly". This was the definite end of "Dark Angel". ("Firefly" was canceled after only eleven of the fourteen produced episodes were aired.)

As small consolation for fans, two official books were released in 2003 reputed to be based upon the story planed for the third season. They finish important open plot strand and conclude the series.

Background Information

While the characters of Max and Logan fall in love with each other during the course of the storyline, both leading actors, Jessica Alba and Michael Weatherly, also became a couple in real life while shooting the series. Hence, it is not surprising that their falling-in-love is also convincingly depicted within the series. In 2001, both actors announced their engagement, however two years later they broke up again.

Press Comments and Reviews

Gary Levin for "USA Today", 24 August 2001
"Fox's Dark Angel seems to have sparked a trend in TV drama this season: the empowered young female hero..."

"Tiger Beat", September 2001
"The beautiful, butt-kicking Max and her could-be boyfriend Logan continue the fight against corrupt government agents."

David Zurawik for the "New York Post", 4 August 2001
"Jessica Alba enters her second season kicking butt and taking names on FOX's Dark Angel."

David Zurawik for the "Baltimore Sun", 29 July 2001
"[Max is] One of the hottest new characters of last season. [...] Jessica Alba plays a genetically engineered woman with attitude."

J. Max Robins for "TV Guide", 5-11 May 2001
"FOX's first bona fide sci-fi hit since The X-Files."

"Teen People", May 2001
Jessica Alba was chosen as one of the "25 Hottest Stars under 25"

"Jump", Spring 2001
"We can only dream that our future will be this fun."

David Bauder for the "Associated Press", 10 April 2001
"Dark Angel made Jessica Alba a star."

Alan Johnson for the "Chicago Tribune", 23 March 2001
The character of Max was included as one of the 10 best characters of the 2000/2001 television season. "She's Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a mean streak [...] a sarcastic, slick and sexy attitude that is the sassiest on TV."

Benjamin Svetkey for "Entertainment Weekly", 16 March 2001
"[Jessica Alba is] Sci-fi's siren for the next generation. [...] With a potent one-two punch of futuristic fisticuffs and good old-fashioned sexiness, Dark Angel's Jessica Alba is giving FOX its greatest sci-fi success since The X-Files. [...] FOX's most successful sci-fi show since The X-Files. [...] Dark Angel is one of most sociologically diverse shows ever to integrate the airwaves, with a character for virtually every demographic."

"Dreamwatch", March 2001
"[...] Jessica Alba - television's hottest new action star. [...] Cameron has done it by mixing the sober feminism of his Terminator and Aliens characters with the sexed-up Girl Power of a Britney Spears concert."

"Glamour", February 2001
"No doubt about it - this angel's career has wings."

Comment about the pilot by willtipin

Awards