Summary SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Angel , the quintessential vampire boyfriend of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, is absent from just one season of the show. Moving between being Buffy's love interest and antagonist, Angel was an important part of the show, and of Buffy's life. He pops up in almost every season of the series, but he is never seen on-screen in season 6 of Buffy, a curious aberration that has a real-world explanation.
After his official departure from the main cast of Buffy in the season 3 finale, Boreanaz got his own spin-off series, Angel, in 1999. The first season of Angel premiered alongside the fourth season of Buffy, and crossovers between the two shows made for exciting double features. At the time, the shows aired in succession on The WB. Often, an episode where Angel guest starred on Buffy, Buffy would return the favor on the following episode of Angel.
Buffy Season 6 Is The Only One Without Angel The season finale of Buffy season 5 was a tear-jerker. It practically reads as a series finale. The episode is the third time Buffy as the slayer dies, as she sacrifices herself to save the world and her sister, Dawn . Amidst the drama on screen was off-screen drama, as well, however. At the time the network airing Buffy, The WB, was in a bidding war with Fox, the network producing it.
It's possible Angel and Buffy would've had more time together if Buffy had stayed at The WB. Seeing the reunion between them would have been sad, but cathartic. However, it probably wouldn't have changed that season 6 Buffy The Vampire Slayer was dark, and a tone shift for the series. Buffy had to go through what she did in season 6 in order to become who the series needed her to be for the final Buffy the Vampire Slayer season, season 7.