Did we know about this:

Newsarama: When word broke that you planned to partner with writer Brian Lynch and continue Angel’s adventures where the final episode left off, the decision was met with pretty unanimous praise. But do you feel any pressure about picking up from what many fans regard as the perfect ending to a TV show?

Joss Whedon: Actually, a lot of people thought it was a cliffhanger, so they can't be too sad.

And this:

NRAMA: Without spoiling anything, can you give fans any idea of what they can expect to see, or not see, in the comic?

JW: Season six—that is, the storyline we were planning to pursue—made much more epic and fleshed out quite a bit. We're looking at it as a 12-issue miniseries, to keep it tight and intense. Brian and I have been exchanging juicy ideas. And some that are more bran-y. For health.

From here.

Actually, a lot of people thought it was a cliffhanger, so they can't be too sad.

Dude, yes. Weren't we all thinking it was going to be renewed until the last moment it got cancelled? So, like Farscape, it ended up being a cliffhanger--and a doozy of one at that.

How much do I love Joss's speech pattern? Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much.

Weren't we all thinking it was going to be renewed until the last moment it got cancelled?

That's not how I remember it. The network gave them enough notice so that they knew it was the last one before they'd written the last bunch of them.

Chalk it up to my memfault, then. I probably *was* confusing it with Farscape.

It was cancelled before the wrote and shot everything after "A Hole in the World," I believe. Which had to be odd, because suddenly they had this new Illyria character to deal with while simultaneously needing to end the series.

Signed,
Wanted More Illyria Time

Dude, yes. Weren't we all thinking it was going to be renewed until the last moment it got cancelled?

I believe the cancellation notice was made public the week after "Smile Time" aired. I think they had to rewrite some of the final eps to bring closure (would that they'd just pitched TGiQ out entirely!), but there was time to adjust the storyline before the last few episodes were filmed.

I want to say we found out Friday, March 13, 2004.

Friday, February 13, 2004.

It was Feb 13th. "Smile Time" aired the following week.

Yep, I was just coming back in, to correct that post.

Huh, I thought the bad news was fresher than that at the Annual Review. Maybe because it was the first time I saw anyone face-to-face after the announcement?