John’s “Dark Angel” Season 2 flashback review, Oct. 8, 2020
“Dark Angel” Season 2 (2001-02, Fox), episodes 1-4 — “Mutant X” has been using “Dark Angel’s” Season 1 storyline, and in an ironic turnabout, Fox’s “Dark Angel” has been stealing from “X-Men” this season. Having Max (Jessica Alba) contract a virus so she can’t touch Logan (Michael Weatherly) was obviously inspired by “X-Men’s” Rogue-Gambit relationship, while the idea of monstrous-looking mutants being persecuted is the central theme of “X-Men.” Oddly, by splitting up Logan and Max, “Dark Angel” has essentially thrown away the only thing that kept the show watchable last year.
— John Hansen, “Is this the season of the rip-off?,” NDSU Spectrum, Nov. 2, 2001
FOND FAREWELL
A tip of the cap to “Dark Angel” (2000-2002, Fox), an underachieving show that had moments of greatness. On the negative side, Jessica Alba never had a firm grasp as to whether her character was dark and moody or playful and ironic; Season Two was sunk by a “mutants vs. humans” arc brazenly stolen from “X-Men;” and the writers overplayed the Max-Logan mating dance by about a season and a half. However, dark and stark episodes like “Rising” and “Harbor Lights” demonstrated what the show should have been like every week … and could have been if given another season.
— John Hansen, “TV RIP: Five shows that will be missed,” NDSU Spectrum, Sept. 13, 2002