Watching Agent Carter (review of eps 1-2 - minor spoilers)

[chamekke]

The 2-hour premiere of Agent Carter aired tonight (2 episodes shown back-to-back), and I gotta say, it was pretty damn wonderful.

Comments

[togsos]

Okay, so not reading your post because I am only going to see this tonight, but so glad to see positive reaction to it seems universal so far.

[chamekke]

It's better than I'd hoped it would be, to be honest. There were moments early on when I feared the show might move into any number of tiresome tropes (Action Girl, Smurfette Principle, etc.) but Agent Carter, and Peggy, turned out to be much more than that.

[blythechild]

I LOVED the first two episodes. Peggy was my favorite thing about the first Captain America film and I'm delighted that the same level of commitment to her character and attention to the time period has been brought to the small screen. I couldn't get over seeing a tv show that featured a smart, resilient woman (pretty much on her own) who didn't need a man to save her, could use her gender to manipulate others without becoming callous, and who is sympathetic enough that you kinda wish she was your friend (random assassins notwithstanding). And how happy am I that James D'Arcy was cast as Jarvis? That guy made me cry in Cloud Atlas. This was better than I expected it to be :)

[chamekke]

This was better than I expected it to be :)

Heh, I just finished saying exactly that to Togsos. I was sooo worried that it might veer into one or more irritating tropes (Action Girl, Smurfette Principle...) but the show's creators are better than that.

Few things irritate me more in TV and movies than the smart, likeable female lead who inexplicably has no female friends, no supportive female coworkers*, but exists only in a bubble of maleness. I liked that they I am SO glad they didn't go there, and I'm really hoping they don't slide into that.

*Sometimes this can can be handwaved by explicitly making the workplace all-male, but it still bugs me. Thus I was unreasonably tickled by Peggy's exchange with the (female) switchboard operator at the beginning. It doesn't imply friendship, granted - the operator was effectively functioning as a doorman (doorwoman?) - but it was a nice moment of respectful, fleeting woman-to-woman recognition of the type we seldom get to see on TV.

P.S. And yeah, Peggy would be an awesome friend.

[draycevixen]

I really enjoyed it too... although I have to admit that I cringed when Peggy used the "female problems" excuse as I felt it just reinforced the way these men already see her.

[chamekke]

That was my first reaction - "Aw, Peggy, did you have to go there?" Then I thought about it and decided, yeah, maybe she did. The stakes were high, and she had to find a quick way to get out of the office that was open-ended. I debated a bit whether instead Peggy could have suddenly feigned illness, but that might have seemed less plausible under the circumstances (she hadn't been dragging herself about), and a headache plus undisclosed-and-therefore-flexible-symptoms gave her leeway not to worry about how long she needed away, whether she looked healthy or not, and even (thanks to her boss's stupid comment about shopping) whether someone might spot her out and about

[draycevixen]

...I understand the motivation in doing it but she's been presented as a woman who has never taken the easy way out and then, she does.

There are lots of other points in these two episodes where she's gallivanting around without her bosses having a clue where she is or what she's doing so it just felt clunky and unnecessary.

Still, it wouldn't have bothered me so much if they weren't getting it so right everywhere else so I'm definitely taking this as a win. :D

[severinne]

I made a point of making sure I was home in time to catch these first two episodes and I absolutely loved it :D For all the reasons you already mention here though the scene with the fork was a special delight. And I do love the quality of her relationship with Jarvis. Can't wait to see more.

[chamekke]

Yes, the scene with the fork was wonderful - and a great insight into what Peggy can be like when she's really riled.

It's fantastic to have a new show we can really get excited about watching, isn't it?

[umadoshi]

SO GOOD SO GOOD SO GOOD. I just saw it tonight, and I am so very happy with the glory that is Peggy Carter,

[chamekke]

*nods* She is wonderful and I love her.