Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Season 1)

**Mara** · 10-02-2013, 03:25 PM

My roomie and I agree that so far its main flaw is that it is trying too hard to be cool. I hope it eases up.

But this wasn't bad.

**slqrick** · 10-02-2013, 04:08 PM

I enjoyed the little callback to Serenity with that repulsor weapon or whatever that Ward used (Simon used it to save River in the opening flashback scene).

**Henry Gale** · 10-02-2013, 06:37 PM

It says something when two of the most electric and gratifying scenes have been the ones that they managed to get Cobie Smulders and [

Show Spoiler

] to stop by, but outside of knowing why this can't be the case every week, it does make it seem like the show is in a lower tier than other Marvel adventures by default. Not that it was them alone that elevated the material, but also how playful, hilarious and emphatic the vibe of the writing and acting of them were within their episodes.

This second episode was fun, but it still felt like a mildly ambitious episode of any spy show (with bigger sets, better effects). That being said, the last scene was great and brought everything together in the way I hope more of the show could.

I dunno, maybe if the show maintains popularity for long enough we can see those bigger elements merge a little more.

**Qrazy** · 10-02-2013, 07:28 PM

Quoting Henry Gale (view post)

This second episode was fun, but it still felt like a mildly ambitious episode of any spy show (with bigger sets, better effects). That being said, the last scene was great and brought everything together in the way I hope more of the show could.

I dunno, maybe if the show maintains popularity for long enough we can see those bigger elements merge a little more.

It was a fun shot but it's also kind of stupid that every time they find one of these things their solution is to send an incredibly expensive rocket shooting into the sun.

**Henry Gale** · 10-02-2013, 08:07 PM

Quoting Qrazy (view post)

It was a fun shot but it's also kind of stupid that every time they find one of these things their solution is to send an incredibly expensive rocket shooting into the sun.

Oh, I meant [

Show Spoiler

]

**number8** · 10-03-2013, 02:20 AM

I'm still waiting for it to feel less like I'm watching a sci-fi version of Bones, I guess. I'm still not that into the cast. I feel like even though I didn't like the first 2 episodes of Buffy and Dollhouse, I already got the feel of the ensemble at that point. I hope it pulls an Angel and shakes it up halfway through the season. Just put Alexis Denisof in there or something.

**number8** · 10-03-2013, 02:23 AM

It's also becoming more and more obvious that Skye was written for Eliza Dushku.

**Irish** · 10-03-2013, 05:27 PM

Quoting number8 (view post)

I'm still waiting for it to feel less like I'm watching a sci-fi version of Bones, I guess. I'm still not that into the cast. I feel like even though I didn't like the first 2 episodes of Buffy and Dollhouse, I already got the feel of the ensemble at that point. I hope it pulls an Angel and shakes it up halfway through the season. Just put Alexis Denisof in there or something.

^ This. The biggest problem is that the show doesn't feel like it has a central character, a protagonist, and that several roles really seem to overlap.

If we have Ming Na Wen kicking ass, why do we need the square jawed motherfucker who looks like he just walked off the set of the Young & the Restless? Why do we need 2-3 supergeeks who are good with "science" and "computers"?

Much as I love Gregg, I also think his character is a serious problem on an ongoing series. It's the Bugs Bunny paradox: If you have a character that's always cracking wise and playing it cool, it's difficult to convince the audience that they are ever in any real danger, which makes it difficult for them to become involved at a deeper level.

**number8** · 10-03-2013, 06:16 PM

I don't have a problem with overlapping functions, but it is problematic that they share personalities too. Dollhouse's big cast had several characters with similar skills and jobs, but they all had their own different quirks. With this cast, I don't get why they made Fitz and Simmons both awkward, talkative, neurotic Brits. Or that Ward and May are both stoic, standoffish badasses. I hope the 5th or 6th episode will have a non-adventure and explore their unique personalities more. Or at least, spend more time in SHIELD HQ and get to know some of the technicians there to add more flavor. Maybe Ron Glass's doctor can be interesting.

**Irish** · 10-03-2013, 08:14 PM

Quoting number8 (view post)

I don't have a problem with overlapping functions, but it is problematic that they share personalities too. Dollhouse's big cast had several characters with similar skills and jobs, but they all had their own different quirks. With this cast, I don't get why they made Fitz and Simmons both awkward, talkative, neurotic Brits. Or that Ward and May are both stoic, standoffish badasses. I hope the 5th or 6th episode will have a non-adventure and explore their unique personalities more. Or at least, spend more time in SHIELD HQ and get to know some of the technicians there to add more flavor. Maybe Ron Glass's doctor can be interesting.

I'm of two minds about that. First is, I agree with you in spirit. If they can delineate the characters more and make them entertaining, it's not such a huge issue.

Second is, I think this has always been a problem for Whedonesque shows. He writes characters that outlive their usefulness and then they just sort of .. hang around. It's awkward. (Xander and Dawn on "Buffy," Gun on "Angel", and Book on "Firefly" are all examples. If you look too closely at certain points, you begin to wonder why they're on the show at all.)

It wasn't Whedon, but the various incarnations of "Star Trek" had this problem in spades (especially "Voyager"). Where a character becomes dead weight, the writers don't write for them, but the actor has a multi-year contract).

In terms of pure genre, I think character overlap is deadly. These things need to be light. They need to move. They need to be simple. Having Captain Square Jaw hang around while Ming Na is his superior in almost every way is pointless (she kicks harder ass, she's got an interesting backstory etc).

**Mara** · 10-09-2013, 12:06 AM

Skye is bad at punching. Also, even Buffy knew that when punching, it's best to pull your hair back.

**Mara** · 10-09-2013, 01:03 AM

This wasn't bad. I'm finally getting a bead on a few of the characters (for instance, I find I like Fitz.) Most of the backstory feels pretty rote so far, though.

Simmons' blouse/cardigan/tie ensemble was freaking adorable.

So, Coulson is a clone, right?

**Fezzik** · 10-09-2013, 01:41 AM

I found this one to be a marked improvement on the first two episodes.

It's not that the first two were bad, necessarily, I just thought that this one was tighter and more comfortable in its own skin.

**Qrazy** · 10-09-2013, 05:18 AM

I find the writing is still quite poor. Hopefully there are some epic plot twists on the horizon because that's one of the key things that makes Whedon worth watching.

**Irish** · 10-09-2013, 06:03 AM

Quoting Qrazy (view post)

I find the writing is still quite poor. Hopefully there are some epic plot twists on the horizon because that's one of the key things that makes Whedon worth watching.

Agreed. They really need to get away from this MacGuffin-of-the-week stuff. This past episode reminded me a little of a half-baked adventure stuff from the 70s or 80s -- Hart to Hart, Remington Steele, or the A-Team. (Infiltrate some kook's compound on Malta? Really? That's your show?).

The more I see of this cast, outside of Gregg, the less I like them. More generic they could not be.

PS: I did laugh, though, when Coulson hit the beach ... in a suit and tie.

**number8** · 10-10-2013, 02:19 AM

Agreed that it's the best episode so far. Still not great television, but it was a pretty great Magnum PI episode.

**Mara** · 10-16-2013, 04:59 PM

I'm starting to get a feel for these characters. This was the first episode where I liked Ward.

**Mara** · 10-16-2013, 05:09 PM

Quoting Mara (view post)

This was the first episode where I liked Ward.

I mean, he's ticklish. That's adorable.

**slqrick** · 10-17-2013, 12:47 AM

Quoting Mara (view post)

I mean, he's ticklish. That's adorable.

The "seduction" bit was funny, and the kind of scene that gives him more to do than be generic handsome guy.

**number8** · 10-17-2013, 02:29 AM

And once again their best episode so far, which means they're steadily improving. The cast actually gets to have some personality (I really like the idea of Skye hiding out in the SUV). The episode felt like a good mix between Whedon humor and Bond movie. I like the Melinda May/Coulson relationship that's developing, too.

Winston* · 10-17-2013, 07:53 PM

The latest one also looked less cheap than the previous ones. The opening sequence in Sweden was really cool.

**Qrazy** · 10-17-2013, 07:54 PM

Quoting number8 (view post)

Agreed that it's the best episode so far. Still not great television, but it was a pretty great Magnum PI episode.

It felt more like Chuck to me.

**number8** · 10-17-2013, 08:43 PM

Quoting Winston* (view post)

The latest one also looked less cheap than the previous ones. The opening sequence in Sweden was really cool.

I laughed at the absurdity of a bank dressing up their employees in these conspicuously menacing red masks in public in order to not get robbed, but whatever, made for a visually arresting cold open.

**Mara** · 10-18-2013, 02:33 AM

On public transportation, no less.

**amberlita** · 10-19-2013, 08:33 PM

TWOP can be annoying, but I thought this was a fair illustration of why I can't bring myself to give a shit about this show.

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