Agent Carter

[LizzieMaine]

In the Era, Automats were set up like a cafeteria -- the food was prepared at a central commissary, delivered by trucks, reheated by kitchen staff at each local restaurant, and then inserted in the vending windows. You picked up a tray and utensils, made your selections, and then waited in line to pay the cashier. Not all the food was kept in the vending compartments -- usually only entrees and desserts were there. You picked up side dishes like hot vegetables or soup at steam tables along the cafeteria line, where they were dished out by attendants. If you wanted table/waitress service with your cheap lunchroom experience, you went to Bickford's or Child's.

 

[Fading Fast]

Lizzie and Dr, thank you. Based on your comments, it seems that the diner in "Agent Carter" is inaccurate as it has Automat vending machines and full-service (waitress takes your order, brings your food, cleans up, etc.) diner counter and table service in one (over-the-top art deco) diner.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I think we've established that the show's period stylization is just that: stylization, not a serious attempt at accurate recreation.

How come nobody has a problem with believing knockout lipstick or safecracking wristwatches - not to a mention the super soldier serum or the Tesseract - but the Walther PPK/S and an automat with table service are distressingly inaccurate? Sure, I myself pointed out inaccuracies in the establishing shots, but come on. This show is a fantasy... Crank up your suspension of disbelief just a little more and enjoy!

 

[Frunobulax]

I think we've established that the show's period stylization is just that: stylization, not a serious attempt at accurate recreation.

How come nobody has a problem with believing knockout lipstick or safecracking wristwatches - not to a mention the super soldier serum or the Tesseract - but the Walther PPK/S and an automat with table service are distressingly inaccurate? Sure, I myself pointed out inaccuracies in the establishing shots, but come on. This show is a fantasy... Crank up your suspension of disbelief just a little more and enjoy!

I agree, it's a comic book adaptation, after all. For that matter, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the current time period isn't accurately portrayed, either. Unless Elon Musk has a fully powered flight suit made of an unheard of material.

As someone who joined this forum because of the whole "hat" thing, it's fun for me. The opening shot was a sea of grey/black suits and fedoras bobbing up and down the sidewalk, with her striking red fedora popping up in the middle of them. One of the first lines of the show was, "Nice hat!"

 

[Doctor Strange]

Off-topic: Frunobulax, your signature happens to be my very favorite quote from The Notebooks of Lazarus Long!

 

[Wally_Hood]

Watched the premiere on Netflix last night, and really enjoyed it. Sharp-eyed Loungers will spot the anachronisms and inaccuracies, but I kept thinking, Wow, this must be an expensive show to produce. I, too, was struck by the auto-mat/diner hybrid.

 

[tecolote]

Lizzie,thanks for your info the automats. I do not think they ever made it down to early 1950s Atlanta where I started life, but I do remember that the old Candid Camera show used to have alot of fun in them.

As to the lack of hats in the show, my dad never seemed to be much of a hat man; he had a fedora, but I never saw him wear it, and other than his WW2 photos,we don't have any photos of him in any headgear. At the time of the show, he and my mother were in Pittsburgh where you'd think a hat would help in the winter, still no photos. Maybe the show just has a slim hat budget,or more likely, they just don't know...

Regards,

Tecolote

 

[Frunobulax]

Off-topic: Frunobulax, your signature happens to be my very favorite quote from The Notebooks of Lazarus Long!

Thank you. I think the first Sci-Fi I ever read was "Have Space Suit, Will Travel." Devoured everything he wrote over the years.

 

[Wally_Hood]

Frunobulax, is your avatar based on Frank Zappa?

 

[Frunobulax]

Yes. As is my username.

 

[Alice Blue]

I've just caught up with the three available episodes as well as the "One Shot." The dialogue is fairly snappy and I'm glad that the writers resisted the temptation to throw in forties slang, which they probably would have botched. However my suspended disbelief did crash to earth with a thud when one of the agents told the other "don't be that guy." Maybe modern slang is part of the comic-book sensibility but it was really jarring in that context.

 

[Fading Fast]

I've just caught up with the three available episodes as well as the "One Shot." The dialogue is fairly snappy and I'm glad that the writers resisted the temptation to throw in forties slang, which they probably would have botched. However my suspended disbelief did crash to earth with a thud when one of the agents told the other "don't be that guy." Maybe modern slang is part of the comic-book sensibility but it was really jarring in that context.

My guess is that, if this show is successful, more, not less, of those anachronisms will creep in as most period shows - even the ones that are focused on getting the details right, and "Agent Carter" is not one of those shows - have an arc that starts pretty dedicated to keeping the atmosphere correct but, over time, the modern influence can increasingly be seen in the plots, dialogue, hairstyles and politics.

Even now, "Agent Carter" is a just go with it show and don't stew over the details or it will drive you crazy. I am not familiar with the comic book ethos, but I get the feeling that a mishmash of periods (think even of Chris Nolan's incredibly well done Batman movies) is the norm for some. So, for now, I'm embracing it - I love the over-the-top art deco of the diner, for example - but I fear I know where this is going.

 

[Bushman]

I've just caught up with the three available episodes as well as the "One Shot." The dialogue is fairly snappy and I'm glad that the writers resisted the temptation to throw in forties slang, which they probably would have botched. However my suspended disbelief did crash to earth with a thud when one of the agents told the other "don't be that guy." Maybe modern slang is part of the comic-book sensibility but it was really jarring in that context.

I'm actually a little happy they did, too. The last time I watched The Maltese Falcon, for some odd reason, I couldn't help but laugh a bit at the amount of slang that simply poured from Bogart's mouth. I don't know if I simply never paid it any mind before or what, but Bogarts constant use of slang was slightly comical, even a bit stereotypical. I feel like it was overboard, even for the time. It's certainly one of the most slang-using Golden Age films I've ever watched.

My guess is that, if this show is successful, more, not less, of those anachronisms will creep in as most period shows - even the ones that are focused on getting the details right, and "Agent Carter" is not one of those shows - have an arc that starts pretty dedicated to keeping the atmosphere correct but, over time, the modern influence can increasingly be seen in the plots, dialogue, hairstyles and politics.

Even now, "Agent Carter" is a just go with it show and don't stew over the details or it will drive you crazy. I am not familiar with the comic book ethos, but I get the feeling that a mishmash of periods (think even of Chris Nolan's incredibly well done Batman movies) is the norm for some. So, for now, I'm embracing it - I love the over-the-top art deco of the diner, for example - but I fear I know where this is going.

I don't think you have to worry about future anachronisms, too much. I believe this show is meant to be a mini-series only with something like 8 episodes all together. I'm not sure if Marvel will be continuing the show even if it is successful.

 

[Alice Blue]

I happened to run across an interview with the costume designer. I like the wing-collar blouses and suits she chose for the lead actress, and don't care much whether they are spot-on for 1946-1947 or not.

http://hellotailor.blogspot.com/2015/01/interview-agent-carter-costume-designer.html

I don't think you have to worry about future anachronisms, too much. I believe this show is meant to be a mini-series only with something like 8 episodes all together. I'm not sure if Marvel will be continuing the show even if it is successful.

I'll be disappointed if that's the case. I like this show far better than the other Marvel stuff.

 

[Doctor Strange]

It's a miniseries, but I'm sure they're planning a return next year if it "succeeds". Maybe just another mini in between the season-halves Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. again. Maybe an actual whole season order. Certainly, it's getting excellent reviews and a fair amount of attention, if not stellar ratings.

And both of those costume articles were interesting, thanks!

 

[tecolote]

Howard Stark's jacket with the leather trim is, IMHO, the coolest one in the show:


Did this kind of jacket have a particular name,or was it just "leather trimmed"?
And,just for fun, here's the view behind the counter of the automat/diner:


Regards,

Tecolote

 

[DecoDame]

Forgot when ep 4 broadcast - skipping a week threw me off schedule, in my mind. Realized last night and caught up. The ep started top heavy with exposition, but made up for it in the end. Peggy and Stark's confrontation was great; Hayley was very effective in that, with all the subtext of it being Steve's blood adding to the drama.

And me (and many others) called it, that Dottie was more than she appeared! Nicely played reveal!
[video=youtube_share;np_O4gpJID8]http://youtu.be/np_O4gpJID8[/video]

Here's an interview with the 2 producers, fleshing out the implications of some of the reveals of this week:

I'm all in! Looks like they're building up to quite the cliffhanger, so I'll be really put out if they don't get more episodes...

 

[Doctor Strange]

I thought it was the weakest episode yet... but that big argument scene between Peggy and Howard was outstanding. Very well written, and delivered with tremendous force and passion by Atwell. She's really something in this role, so it's not surprising (and great!) that they are using Peggy Carter in so many different shows and films.

Plus: A Stan Lee sighting!

 

[DecoDame]

Plus: A Stan Lee sighting!

Oh, right! Forgot about that. I had seen promos so I knew he was behind that paper (downside to looking at PR). But great that they worked his cameo into this series too.

 

[Hat Dandy]

It's a miniseries, but I'm sure they're planning a return next year if it "succeeds". Maybe just another mini in between the season-halves Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. again. Maybe an actual whole season order. Certainly, it's getting excellent reviews and a fair amount of attention, if not stellar ratings.

And both of those costume articles were interesting, thanks!

The ratings dropped again and is roughly 67% of the original pilot. This doesn't bode well for a full on show for next year if it keeps dropping. However, another miniseries might be in the cards if it holds on.