Ratings for the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" offshoot had actually trended up in Season 5, so series creator Joss Whedon aimed to head off at the pass what had become a typical, anxiety-creating, mid-May renewal decision by leaning on The WB CEO Jordan Levin in February of 2004.

But pressed for an early decision, Levin opted against a Season 6.



“I guarantee that, if we waited as we normally did, by the time May had come around they would have picked up Angel,” EP David Fury said in a September 2004 interview, echoing what WB chairman Garth Ancier said months prior.

“The mistake that was made … was that we didn’t wait until May, we just made the decision early based upon their request.”

https://tvline.com/gallery/tv-shows-cancelled-for-dumb-reasons/#!1/angel-1999-2004/