Agents of SHIELD. Season 1 Discussion Thread

[ToddKent]

Honestly, I haven't seen Iron Man 3 yet, and I understood the Extremis thing fine.

Same here.

I liked it. It felt like they were setting up plenty of different things and I look forward to seeing it all play out.

This may sound odd, but I was certain that Coulson would be killed in this episode (or only be in flashbacks or some other thing that would have stopped him from being in the rest of the series). I really thought the huge promotion involving the character and actor was a huge Whedon-esque misdirection but I'm glad I was wrong.

 

[Admiral2]

Okay, I've seen it, and I liked it. I'm going to keep watching.

 

[Christopher]

There's so much about the premise of this SHIELD show that plays like jumping into the middle of a narrative in progress. Why make an issue out of one little detail that isn't adequately explained?

I'm not the one making an issue of it! It was one point I made in a significantly longer review, but for some reason, some other posters here have been dwelling on it relentlessly all day to the exclusion of my other points. I've just been responding to that, clarifying what I meant in the first place.

And yes, dammit, for the record, I do think a lot about this show felt too much like jumping into a narrative in progress, and I'm pretty sure I've already said so. It's just that nobody else seems to notice anything I'm saying except the passing Extremis mention.

 

[davejames]

While reactions from within the comics industry seem largely favorable, Jim Steranko was not impressed.

I totally agree with his take. The show really needed to be tougher and edgier, with a greater sense of danger.

Right now the tone is so cutesy and fun that it's hard to take anything all that seriously. It just feels like too much of a lark.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Yeah, should a hacker chick who lives in a van ...

I can't not mentally add "down by the river" when I hear that.

Certainly splashier than Alphas, but not sure it's better...

Did have a bit of an Alphas vibe to it.

While reactions from within the comics industry seem largely favorable, Jim Steranko was not impressed.

Please, what does that guy know about SHIELD?

 

[Christopher]

Yeah, should a hacker chick who lives in a van ...

I can't not mentally add "down by the river" when I hear that.

I don't get it.

 

[Photoman15]

Felt more like Torchwood

(this is in response to someone above who said it had a vibe to it like Alphas)

 

[TheSeeker]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but does anyone want to hazard a guess as to Skye's real identity? It was pretty clearly implied that she erased her former identity and started a new life.

I know it's kind of out there, but could she be Janet Van Dyne? I ask this having no idea what her character has been up to in the comics world for the last 15 years or so, so try not to rake me over the coals to much for this one.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I liked it fine, I'll keep watching. It was no more or less than I expected it to be. I don't think we're going to see major costumed heroes on this show, they'll save those for the movies.

Let's add in the cost to make it look realistic, like all the extras they would need to have running around to staff the helicarrier. Using it would be too expensive.

Not to mention needing to use the movie sets, and explain why we never see Nick Fury.

I have to admit, I enjoyed it quite a bit - was at least on par with the One Shots we've had on the DVDs and had the added benefit of being more than a 'one and done' story.

You must mean Blu-Ray...I own all the DVDs and haven't seen a single One Shot.

Personally I loved the flying 'Vette - anyone who thinks its cheesy or 'lame' has NEVER read a classic SHIELD/Nick Fury comic where the 'Standard Issue' SHIELD flying car was as iconic a part of the SHIELD 'look' as the Helicarrier, the Needle Gun and Nick Fury's eyepatch. That made the show for me. It took it from being yet another CIA or Alias type show and brought it firmly into the Marvel Universe.

Hear, hear! And as another poster brought up, it's established way back in the 1940s in Captain America. It's not so hard to believe that Howard Stark got it to work practically by the 1960s.

Makes you wonder what sort of work was keeping SHIELD busy in that era of the MCU....

Yeah, should a hacker chick who lives in a van ...

I can't not mentally add "down by the river" when I hear that.

I don't get it.

That would be a reference to Chris Farley's classic motivational speaker character on early-90s SNL. His main motivational hook was to tell kids that they might wind up like him, living in a VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER!

Watch it now, before NBC has it taken down.

 

[JD]

While reactions from within the comics industry seem largely favorable, Jim Steranko was not impressed.

I totally agree with his take. The show really needed to be tougher and edgier, with a greater sense of danger.

Right now the tone is so cutesy and fun that it's hard to take anything all that seriously. It just feels like too much of a lark.

I'm actually glad it wasn't tougher or edgier, I liked the fact that it was a light, fun show. I like dark and edgie stuff, but sometimes it's nice to just sit back and relax with a show that is just a fun, light hearted, good time.

As for my overall reaction, it wasn't anything mind blowing, but I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to more episodes. I thought they did a pretty good job of introducing everybody and giving us an interesting plot at the same time.
I was not expecting so many blatant references to the movies. I figured there might be a few references to Cap or Iron Man, but I wasn't expecting any of the stuff from movies to play such a big role in the story.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I can't not mentally add "down by the river" when I hear that.

I don't get it.

That would be a reference to Chris Farley's classic motivational speaker character on early-90s SNL. His main motivational hook was to tell kids that they might wind up like him, living in a VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER!

Watch it now, before NBC has it taken down.

And right to the point
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nhgfjrKi0o[/yt]

 

[doubleohfive]

The pilot wasn't great. But I want to see episode 102, so that makes the pilot good enough for me.

 

[Thestral]

Compare Skye to Felicia Day playing Charlie on Supernatural. Supernatural got it right. SHIELD got it wrong.

To be fair though, and no offense to Chloe Bennett, this is Felicia Day we're talking about.

I totally agree with his take. The show really needed to be tougher and edgier, with a greater sense of danger.

Right now the tone is so cutesy and fun that it's hard to take anything all that seriously. It just feels like too much of a lark.

Ehhh... compare early Buffy with late Buffy.

Besides, they did "lead character finds out he's a robot" on Power Rangers Operation Overdrive, which was not one of their best seasons.

Executed well though, it could be very good. "Am I the real Coulson?" sort of thing. Put me down for LMD that thinks he's the original Coulson.

Overall it's a solid pilot that has me curious to see more. Nothing blew me away and none of the characters really grabbed me, but I want to see where this goes. More Maria Hill would be nice of course.

 

[Christopher]

I dunno... given that absolutely everyone at this point is guessing that Coulson's really an LMD, I suspect that's just what they want us to think. It would be pretty boring if the big surprise reveal turned out to be the exact same thing everyone was predicting from before the show even premiered.

 

[Yoda]

This pilot was kind of a snoozer for me. I usually like Whedon TV, but all the Marvel Universe stuff is just baggage to me, as I'm not a comic guy. I'll give it some more episodes though, worse pilots have turned into great shows.

 

[Turtletrekker]

When they were listing all the causes of superpowers they mentioned Dr. Erskine's formula, gamma radiation, and Extremis. But they also mentioned alien metal? Do we know anyone in the MCU who would have their powers derived from alien metal? Could it be a hint of things to come, either on the show or in the larger MCU?

 

[Tosk]

When they were listing all the causes of superpowers they mentioned Dr. Erskine's formula, gamma radiation, and Extremis. But they also mentioned alien metal? Do we know anyone in the MCU who would have their powers derived from alien metal? Could it be a hint of things to come, either on the show or in the larger MCU?

There was some kind of Chitauri device shown earlier in the episode. I'm guessing certain "powers" will come from recovered Chitauri tech, a la the Item 43 one-shot.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Minor point, but is SHIELD supposed to be an American government agency, or a clandestine version of NATO? I ask because the two tech specialists are Brits. Then there's the fact it's precursor (SSR ?) was an Allied Forces operation and Fury in Avengers Fury appeared to be answerable to some kind of World Council.

Even Marvel Comics can't make up their minds on that one. It tends to be what ever is needed for the story at hand.

 

[Owain Taggart]

While reactions from within the comics industry seem largely favorable, Jim Steranko was not impressed.

I totally agree with his take. The show really needed to be tougher and edgier, with a greater sense of danger.

Right now the tone is so cutesy and fun that it's hard to take anything all that seriously. It just feels like too much of a lark.

The movies have all been more about amped up fun with a bit of humour, so I don't see the series as out of place. If anything felt out of place, it was the dark tones in Ironman 3.

 

[Dream]

ABC Will Repeat ‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ On Thursday Night

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