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
( ... )
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.
The storyline with Skye is so great. Like, her whole raison d'etre in the pilot episode was fighting the system, man, changing the world, just shaking things up. HA, HA, I GET IT NOW.
Oh, OH, or Skye (air), Rising Tide (water), and now Quake (earth). She's only missing fire!
He's amazing.
AMAZING. And consistently so. There's this new pacing and cadence that has to be part of everything Fitz says and it always works.
I love that it's such a long-running storyline, it's an ever-present part of Fitz's narrative, and that it's not simplified in any way at all, for any of the characters involved and most especially not Fitz. YES. I was initially pretty apprehensive about it, and I don't think that was unreasonable? Because Inspirational Cripple or otherwise kind of character-flattening narratives can overtake characters far less puppy-like than Fitz if there's not a lot of effort going into resisting it. And I mean, he is still a puppy! But no more or less than before, and not in a way that diminishes his perspective or character
( ... )
I don't think either Mack or Bobbi can keep up a persona with the completeness that Ward did in S1.
I think that's probably true of Mack, though that might be wishful thinking on my part. But Bobbi managed to infiltrate the top level of Hydra's security division of all places, so she probably is in Ward's league, skill-wise. Which makes me doubt Mack all the more, if she's so convincing! But I don't want to doubt Mack! The apparent existence of a social network including Lance (ie people who aren't in on whatever it is) is a good sign, though.
I did end up really feeling for Lance already. Like, you could tell he went to Mack because he knows how desperate he is to believe Bobbi and that's why she keeps throwing off his scent.
2 weeks and another two released episodes later, I've finally watched 2x11 and 2x12! (Though not the more recent 2 eps)
The handling of Fitz's storyline is. SO. GOOD.
His relationship with Skye has been such a great aspect to focus on, for the both of them. It lampshaded Fitz's perspective on his disability so well.
And it also turned very quickly from being about what she needed to being about what he needed? Or at least, what is an understandable framework of relationships to him... I think he’s sincerely acting on what he’s learned through his own experience, but I think he’s also a little afraid of seeing Skye treated differently.
And oh, yeah, she is treated differently: Fitz was left to collapse into his own mind, but Skye is PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.
Yessssssssss. It's even more illuminating that this happens when Skye getting a destructive but effective power, in the context of, well, secret shady government organisation as her team/bosses.
And I can’t help but suspect Coulson is really thinking on some level that Mack is
( ... )
I have no idea how I missed this comment! I am sorry!
Yessssssssss. It's even more illuminating that this happens when Skye getting a destructive but effective power, in the context of, well, secret shady government organisation as her team/bosses.
That's a really good point. Skye's difference makes her as much an asset as a liability, and that shouldn't be separated from why she's treated so differently. Fitz's disability threw his value to the team in question, and that does influence how the others reacted.
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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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Oh, OH, or Skye (air), Rising Tide (water), and now Quake (earth). She's only missing fire!
He's amazing.
AMAZING. And consistently so. There's this new pacing and cadence that has to be part of everything Fitz says and it always works.
I love that it's such a long-running storyline, it's an ever-present part of Fitz's narrative, and that it's not simplified in any way at all, for any of the characters involved and most especially not Fitz. YES. I was initially pretty apprehensive about it, and I don't think that was unreasonable? Because Inspirational Cripple or otherwise kind of character-flattening narratives can overtake characters far less puppy-like than Fitz if there's not a lot of effort going into resisting it. And I mean, he is still a puppy! But no more or less than before, and not in a way that diminishes his perspective or character ( ... )
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(The comment has been removed)
I think that's probably true of Mack, though that might be wishful thinking on my part. But Bobbi managed to infiltrate the top level of Hydra's security division of all places, so she probably is in Ward's league, skill-wise. Which makes me doubt Mack all the more, if she's so convincing! But I don't want to doubt Mack! The apparent existence of a social network including Lance (ie people who aren't in on whatever it is) is a good sign, though.
I did end up really feeling for Lance already. Like, you could tell he went to Mack because he knows how desperate he is to believe Bobbi and that's why she keeps throwing off his scent.
Reply
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The handling of Fitz's storyline is. SO. GOOD.
His relationship with Skye has been such a great aspect to focus on, for the both of them. It lampshaded Fitz's perspective on his disability so well.
And it also turned very quickly from being about what she needed to being about what he needed? Or at least, what is an understandable framework of relationships to him... I think he’s sincerely acting on what he’s learned through his own experience, but I think he’s also a little afraid of seeing Skye treated differently.
And oh, yeah, she is treated differently: Fitz was left to collapse into his own mind, but Skye is PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.
Yessssssssss. It's even more illuminating that this happens when Skye getting a destructive but effective power, in the context of, well, secret shady government organisation as her team/bosses.
And I can’t help but suspect Coulson is really thinking on some level that Mack is ( ... )
Reply
Yessssssssss. It's even more illuminating that this happens when Skye getting a destructive but effective power, in the context of, well, secret shady government organisation as her team/bosses.
That's a really good point. Skye's difference makes her as much an asset as a liability, and that shouldn't be separated from why she's treated so differently. Fitz's disability threw his value to the team in question, and that does influence how the others reacted.
Reply
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