It's getting less and less likely that I'm going to catch up with S2 before the summer (especially since Agent Carter threw into such sharp relief how much this show struggles with its storytelling), but I am vaguely keeping up with what's going on. The most compelling theory I've heard about what Bobbi and Mack are up to is that they're working for Maria Hill/Tony Stark, and that their work will tie in to the Ultron project and the disaster that will become of it in Avengers 2. I harbor strong suspicions that Age of Ultron will be used to justify SHIELD's official reformation, and if Bobbi and Mack's betrayal of Coulson is related to Ultron then it could also be used to justify his way of doing thing. To put it another way, I'd love it if it turned out that you're right and that the show is critical of Coulson's controlling, my-way-or-the-highway management style, but the thrust of the MCU as a whole makes that hard to hope for.
I like your observations about Skye but they also put the finger on why I found her so difficult to care about in S1. She was introduced as someone with strong views and an agenda, and almost as soon as that was established it melted away. As you say, that makes sense for the character, because it's been a survival tactic for her to become a sort of personality tofu (and is one of the many ways in which she reflects Ward), but that's not a very appealing quality in a heroine. Her best scenes in S1 were the ones opposite Ward once she learned the truth about him, because he offered her something to take a stand against. With the possible exception of her father, it doesn't sound as if S2 is offering her the same opportunity.
Did Agent Carter end up being solid? The first one and a half episodes didn't hook me at all.
That theory about Mack and Bobbi working for Stark makes so much sense I can't believe I didn't think of it.
Her best scenes in S1 were the ones opposite Ward once she learned the truth about him, because he offered her something to take a stand against. With the possible exception of her father, it doesn't sound as if S2 is offering her the same opportunity.
I think these couple of episodes have set up the potential for Skye to grow more secure in herself as what she is, rather than define herself as what she's against. But of course, potential is just that, and it could fizzle out and lack the moments of antagonism which do work out well for the character.
I liked Agent Carter a lot - it had very good plotting, excellent action scenes, and of course Hayley Atwell has star power coming out of her pores. Episodes 5-7 are particularly strong (and introduce an interesting antagonist) though the finale is a bit of a step down. I'm not sure you'd find the same character complexity in it that you have in AoS - I thought the middle of the season did some interesting things with interrogating the reactions that Peggy's male colleagues have to her, and Peggy herself is more complex than she initially appears, but it's definitely more interested in celebration than introspection. But on the other hand, it's not a show where I ever found myself frustrated by the feeling that I was expected to take as heroic characters and actions which were anything but - to bring this back to what we were saying about Skye, Peggy's greatest strength is that she knows herself, through and through.
You absolutely should! Agent Carter is a real gem of a series. My Mom isn't that keen on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. but loved Agent Carter, and even though I like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a lot, I agree that Agent Carter was a better, stronger show (this first season, at least).
Even Greg Bishansky loved it, and he's highly critical, doesn't like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or The Legend of Korra (but loves Avatar: The Last Airbender).
He has a review of Agent Carter Season One that's not very spoiler-y, except that it mentions the names of the two main antagonists, which you won't know if you've only seen the first one and a half episodes: http://gregxb.blogspot.com/2015/03/agent-carter-season-one.html
See, I think that review captured a big part of why the "eh" of the first two episodes for me? Like, I kind of worry that what he calls "role model" I call "Strong Female Character(TM)" and Peggy was already toeing that line from First Avenger.
IDK, I mean, I can see why someone who doesn't like AoS might like Agent Carter, in that everything I'm reading about it strikes me as the show being a lot more optimistic and aspirational in its lead character, whereas AoS kind of sets the audience up to be a little more wary of Our Heroes? Like, you have to be wary of at least some of them at least some of the time, because they vehemently disagree about some stuff? And I get why just giving one central character you can side with makes for neater execution. But it's a turn-off for me, especially when it's a character I'm already kind of side-eyeing.
But! I will try to put that expectation out of mind and give it another shot at some point.
Oh, I wouldn't worry about that too much. Compared to the Captain America movie, Peggy is a lot more humanized and you get into her head a lot more. And certain other characters open up to her, which I found interesting.
Actually, his problem with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. seems to be not finding the characters interesting and thinking Skye's a Mary Sue, which I disagree with, but I agree that the plotting on Agent Carter is stronger on the whole.
Edit: I recommend not waiting too long to see it (I don't know how long it stays on Netflix or On Demand).
Is Agent Carter on Netflix? How would you watch it after season finales? I'm wondering because I don't have Netflix, you see, and my ABC On Demand doesn't generally keep things up that long.
Another user, named Eric, left this comment on Greg's blog post more recently:
"I think I've mentioned before that I was cautious about this show not only due to "Agents Of S.H.I.T", but because I felt and still do feel that the Peggy Carter character in that first Captain America movie would've been nothing without Hayley Atwell's spectacular acting, seeing as aside from adding a strong female lead, love interest, and aspect of tragedy, her role in the film's plot was very throwaway. It was her appearance in "The Winter Soldier" that got me truly interested in her and now she's proven she actually COULD carry a series of her own, though not without a great supporting cast to play off of. She feels so much more realized and human yet still absolutely awesome and commendable as a character. I hope for a second season too, since this one actually left me invested."
I like your observations about Skye but they also put the finger on why I found her so difficult to care about in S1. She was introduced as someone with strong views and an agenda, and almost as soon as that was established it melted away. As you say, that makes sense for the character, because it's been a survival tactic for her to become a sort of personality tofu (and is one of the many ways in which she reflects Ward), but that's not a very appealing quality in a heroine. Her best scenes in S1 were the ones opposite Ward once she learned the truth about him, because he offered her something to take a stand against. With the possible exception of her father, it doesn't sound as if S2 is offering her the same opportunity.
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That theory about Mack and Bobbi working for Stark makes so much sense I can't believe I didn't think of it.
Her best scenes in S1 were the ones opposite Ward once she learned the truth about him, because he offered her something to take a stand against. With the possible exception of her father, it doesn't sound as if S2 is offering her the same opportunity.
I think these couple of episodes have set up the potential for Skye to grow more secure in herself as what she is, rather than define herself as what she's against. But of course, potential is just that, and it could fizzle out and lack the moments of antagonism which do work out well for the character.
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He has a review of Agent Carter Season One that's not very spoiler-y, except that it mentions the names of the two main antagonists, which you won't know if you've only seen the first one and a half episodes: http://gregxb.blogspot.com/2015/03/agent-carter-season-one.html
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IDK, I mean, I can see why someone who doesn't like AoS might like Agent Carter, in that everything I'm reading about it strikes me as the show being a lot more optimistic and aspirational in its lead character, whereas AoS kind of sets the audience up to be a little more wary of Our Heroes? Like, you have to be wary of at least some of them at least some of the time, because they vehemently disagree about some stuff? And I get why just giving one central character you can side with makes for neater execution. But it's a turn-off for me, especially when it's a character I'm already kind of side-eyeing.
But! I will try to put that expectation out of mind and give it another shot at some point.
Reply
Actually, his problem with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. seems to be not finding the characters interesting and thinking Skye's a Mary Sue, which I disagree with, but I agree that the plotting on Agent Carter is stronger on the whole.
Edit: I recommend not waiting too long to see it (I don't know how long it stays on Netflix or On Demand).
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"I think I've mentioned before that I was cautious about this show not only due to "Agents Of S.H.I.T", but because I felt and still do feel that the Peggy Carter character in that first Captain America movie would've been nothing without Hayley Atwell's spectacular acting, seeing as aside from adding a strong female lead, love interest, and aspect of tragedy, her role in the film's plot was very throwaway. It was her appearance in "The Winter Soldier" that got me truly interested in her and now she's proven she actually COULD carry a series of her own, though not without a great supporting cast to play off of. She feels so much more realized and human yet still absolutely awesome and commendable as a character. I hope for a second season too, since this one actually left me invested."
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