Agent Carter

[Worf]

After watching this weeks episode I've come to a startling revelation... Dare I say it (gulp, here goes)... I want MORE "Agent Carter" and less "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D!!!! I don't miss Colson and company one blessed bit. I want to stay on this here roller coaster ride!!!! I want more Howling Commandos!!!!! I want more, more, more, more of her, her, her!!!!!!!!

Whew, hadda get that off my chest.

Worf

 

[Worf]

Dude! I used to have the wooden legged Captain Savage ish no. 1. Sgt. Fury goes to sea...

Wally... I love your takes and your commentary and your style.... BUT this is the second time this week you've called me "Dude".

Now I know its a "Cali" thing but us New Yawkers don't cotton to sech otherworldly lingo. Git me? :flame:

Yours... ever so kindly... Worf.

 

[tecolote]

Worf: I wholeheartedly agree with on Carter vs. SHIELD.
Regards,
Tecolote

 

[Doctor Strange]

We ALL agree! S.H.I.E.L.D. remains a disappointment, even after improving considerably post-CA:The Winter Solider events. Carter is more fun, has more style (*), is far more innovative and surprising, and features a knockout performance by Atwell. Nobody in the cast of S.H.I.E.L.D. has that kind of charisma, not even our beloved Agent Coulson.

(* Why does it seem like most of every episode of S.H.I.E.L.D. takes place in boring warehouse and factory settings? The show's production design is awful!)

With all the noise being made these days about the lack of female-centered superhero stories amidst the insane glut of product, here's a property that's way ahead of the pack. And Peggy is something of an MVP in the MCU now - with appearances in both Cap films, both TV series, and a cameo in the upcoming Age of Ultron, she's one of the central connecting characters!

Are you listening Marvel Studios? GIVE US MORE PEGGY!

 

[Fading Fast]

"Agent Carter" is growing on me. I'm okay with the a beyond-reality plots and stunts, but I am a bit tired of the two dimensional character aspects of the men in the office who don't like working with a woman. They seem to be coming around in one episode and, then, in the next they are back to being Neanderthals. Either leave them as Neanderthals or show them growing as individuals - having them grow and then revert back is annoying. Also, kudos to the set designers - also a bit beyond reality, but in a good way - it fits the style of the show.

 

[Wally_Hood]

Wally... I love your takes and your commentary and your style.... BUT this is the second time this week you've called me "Dude".

Now I know its a "Cali" thing but us New Yawkers don't cotton to sech otherworldly lingo. Git me? :flame:

Yours... ever so kindly... Worf.

That exclamatory expression is hereby banished from my vocabulary.

 

[Worf]

That exclamatory expression is hereby banished from my vocabulary.

LOL! See???? Whadda tell ya? Prince of a fellah this guy!

Worf

 

[DecoDame]

Last night's 1X07 ("Snafu") was great - easily top 3 for me, maybe even my favorite so far!

It really kept up the tension; I'm really loving the buddy-ness of Jarvis and Peggy (their banter is reliable comic relief that actually makes me laugh); poor Dooley got humanized thoroughly by his family backstory just in time for him to join the League of Sacrificial Red Shirts (was that the Iron Man technology used in the vest? Marvel experts chime in!); Dottie is making it hard for me to hate her, cause she has awesome skills and delights in them (I'm a sucker for good, entertaining villains, especially ones with their own tragic backstory); Sousa and Thompson continue to thaw and show some greys in their outlook (I also appreciated that small bit where Thompson reassures Sousa of his abilities (("I have no doubt of that, but...")) while warning him of the dangers of Dottie - a crack in his verbal borderline bullying of him - I'd like to see more of that growth). And finally... "Attagirl" - I actually teared up.

I am surprised that Dottie and Faustus (? - Not familiar with him as a comic character) didn't take more than #17, especially leaving Steve's blood - but the focus of the mission, I guess. How are they planning on employing that, in the bigger picture? Just mass suicide/homicide of your enemies - doing your work for you?

One thing I really like is that so often when I watch a show, they do something that ignores continuity or leave some plot point out and I'm screaming at the screen in annoyance. But in AC, more often than not it's a true misdirection and not a hole in the plot, and god, what a relief that is. The only major instance that I caught were they did the former and not the latter, was when Peggy was so blase last week about losing her room key, and never questioned that someone may have gotten in. That was one time were they dumbed down the characters to further the plot and keep things moving, but overall, they are not guilty of that or the other typical narrative sins, imo.

Here's an interview with one of the showrunners - it certainly seems like they're structuring things in the hopes of more seasons. Fingers and toes crossed!

 

[Worf]

Watched it last night... The ole Lady was slack jawed in awe as Dottie hop scotched down those stairs. Dottie relies on the American males reluctance to shoot a woman down in cold blood, Peggy's gonna have to do the dirty deed. Judging from the previews the ultimate battle of the female titans will take place next week. Some questions though...

1. Who's gonna run the shop now that the boss has "blown up real good".

2. While the idea of having a gas that makes the victims tear each other apart is an "interesting" weapon, unless it's transmittable like a virus, its use as a weapon, much like mustard gas, would be limited.

3. Boy Nucky's brother can't catch a break.

Worf

 

[DecoDame]

I suspect Dottie won't actually be killed (one of those "loose threads" the showrunner mentioned?) - She has too much potential to be Peggy's Arch Nemesis. We'll see!

Yep, poor "Eli". I wonder if the actor has gotten accustomed to period clothing, that if you tried to put him jeans and t-shirt if he would start to spasm. lol

 

[Doctor Strange]

Worf, have you seen the Agent Carter one-shot short that was a test-run for the series? In that, Bradley Whitford plays Peggy's SSR boss... though at the end, Peggy is promoted over him as S.H.I.E.L.D. is founded.

I've seen statements from Marvel and the showrunners that the series invalidates the events of the one-shot and it's no longer canon. I've also seen statements that it represents the end of the 1946 storyline being done in the series. The only way in which it doesn't easily play that way is that Peggy is still being treated like a secretary at the start of the one-shot and has to prove her badassedness (again). My point being: if the show is renewed for a second season, they may have Bradley Whitford come back as the SSR chief.

And re Shea Whigham, I just saw him as a really different character from his usual type of role in Wristcutters: A Love Story... where he plays a Russian who may be an angel!

 

[DecoDame]

Don't know if it's the interview I last linked to or not, but a recent question after the last show was basically "Does that mean Bradley Whitford will be new chief now?" and the showrunner said "Absolutely not". Which I'll not take as anything personal against Bradley. lol But I imagine Peggy would have to start from scratch with the new guy, or...less drama. At least the other fellows will still be around and more supportive.

And re Shea Whigham, I just saw him as a really different character from his usual type of role in Wristcutters: A Love Story... where he plays a Russian who may be an angel!

Okaaayyy. Not checking off any stereotyping boxes I may have had with that one! I'll have to find a clip on that...Sounds hilarious.

 

[Doctor Strange]

It's an odd, unsatisfying little film. But it's the only time that I've seen Whigham play a character so far off his usual beat.

Not to say that he isn't a good actor, he is. But he's more typically a cop, military man, or working stiff. Usually from the American heartland, and often not all that bright. (And we love him for it!)

Regarding Whitford's character returning, I wouldn't take that interview too much to heart. I doubt that ANY decisions regarding another season of Agent Carter have been made yet. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[Worf]

I saw the "one-off" but it was so long ago I remember little about it.

Worf

 

[Doctor Strange]

Another thing that's been mentioned in various interviews is that additional seasons might jump forward in time to the fifties, sixties, etc., and cover the undocumented history of Peggy and S.H.I.E.L.D. before her tear-inducing appearance as an elderly woman with Alzheimer's in the "present" of CA:TWS. So they might just skip over the events of the one-shot and pick up in 1950, or wherever, with Peggy as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in its early days. (Not that I'm in a hurry for them to leave the forties.) That could allow Whitford's appearance in the one-shot as her boss after Dooley to remain canon.

Obviously, I'm thinking about this too much. But once a continuity geek, always a continuity geek!

 

[tecolote]

Here are a few stills from the upcoming episode;

Looks like Stark gives a press conference.

Somebody gets shot at,maybe Stark;BTW the cop's gun is period correct, and patrol car is cool although I can't comment on its accuracy.

Dottie and Faust playing pattycake,not. I think we know know what is about to happen...Faust has a great office:neat desk,lamps,chairs,etc.
This has been a great series. I doubt if I'll bother at all with the reurn of AoS. Carter is a much better concept and the production has been orders of magnitude better than Shield.

Regards,

Tecolote

 

[Doctor Strange]

An interesting article about the show, though I don't agree with all of the author's points:

http://www.avclub.com/article/fascinating-flawed-gender-politics-agent-carter-215594

 

[tecolote]

Thanks for the links. I think her points would points would made the show way too complex and confusing,especially considering its short run.
Regards,
Tecolote

 

[Doctor Strange]

I was mostly happy with the finale, though for a lot of it, so much time was spent with other characters that it seemed like Peggy was a guest star in her own series. But the return of Howard was great, the fight with Dottie was awesome, and Peggy returning the last of Steve to Brooklyn provided a touching ending. We've got a nice setup for another season with Peggy and Angie as housemates in a Stark mansion. And... Dr. Zola!

There are a couple of discussions with the showrunners over at Entertainment Weekly that mention some of the character-building sequences they'd hoped to include, but couldn't with so many characters and so much plot to juggle in only eight episodes. These include Peggy on a night out with the girls, and flashbacks or info-dumps filling in Peggy's background and how she originally came to work for the SSR. As I indicated above, I think one of the (few) problems with the show was that if frequently serviced the other characters too much, so we didn't get to know Peggy better. Hayley Atwell held the lead beautifully with sheer force of personality... but Peggy should have had a bit more focus.

Bring on season two!

 

[Frunobulax]

Zola was a pleasant surprise. Hail Hydra!!

I'm assuming that at some point, some of these plot points, or Stark's technology, show up in S.H.I.E.L.D.