Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Pilot: The first series this year that I didn’t find utterly disappointing. The combination of Whedon’s playfulness and Marvel fun works again. We haven’t got to know the characters much, but in any case Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. looks better than most of today’s hurried competing series. Let’s hope it lasts. The plot isn’t so surprising or original (even though I thought that about Luke Cage), but it works for the introductions. The ending with Lola was enjoyable and I hope at least for a Cameo by the Capo or by Fury. Season one: What the...? I haven’t seen such an erratically made series in a long time. The middle part was just stuffing made up of regurgitated missions that disappointed fans and forced the creators to try harder and to hire better screenwriters. The turning point comes with the second Capo who completely rehashed everything we are used to and who makes the show about 50% better watching (adding up to today’s 67%) and serves us up some marvelous B-movie action with outrageously cheesy lines and frequent over-acting that reaches an extreme in the last episode. The effort put into going somewhere with the concept and having a second season approved is visible. That’s why it has begun to be very powerful. I had shivers down my spine during the last scene, so maybe it’s a god omen for the episodes to come.Season two: doesn’t play about and offers the best undemanding entertainment on TV. The Hydra and the Inhumans are entertaining and the ending surprises us with an interesting outcome to almost all of the storylines. Even Ward is put to good use. The finale scene leaves marvelous bait, let’s have more of that. I look forward to what comes next. Secret Avengers? (25/09/2013)

Whedon delivered on his promise. In other words an episodic popcorn movie (brain in off-line mode essential) from a world where the Avengers are running about “somewhere off round the corner". With traditional Whedonesque dialogs and the traditional Whedonesque lack of story. Which is unpleasant shock; and it’s what sinks the series before it even set sail; it’s a simple fact that at best all the characters are uninteresting and at worst should be strung up. How they managed to put together such a priceless symbiosis of amateur non-acting and annoyingly written characters. And this is a fundamental problem for a series whose only concept is to be a pleasant relax for the whole (American) family. It all stands on Coulson’s shoulders, but while in movies he appears for barely five minutes and so his one-dimensional übercool wisecracking pose works, in a series where it’s mainly him, you soon have enough of the same pose all the time and after a couple of episodes it starts really getting on your nerves. (26/09/2013)

The first series started off sympathetically, followed by a few slightly awkward but still entertaining episodes, and from about the seventh episode onwards I could find little to fault the series for. I'm only sorry about the finale (i.e., the last two episodes), which seemed to me to be a bit sloppy... Not that I was expecting more action scenes, but more emotions for sure. However, Agent Coulson is a knockout, the show doesn't lack insight, Nick Fury or Stan Lee, so three and a half.___P.S. Not to be spoilerish, I have to praise the filmmakers for the rather radical transformation of one of the main characters, which really surprised many viewers (including me). But I hope this was not a matter of just some screenwriting shenanigans. Only the second season will tell.___The second season was sensational, the finale was perfect, and Kyle MacLachlan in particular did some sensational things. I dare not even guess how the third series will develop. (15/05/2014)

Pilot Review: Whedon's series follows the Avengers comic book juggernaut, but is essentially its antithesis. This time around, the focus is on ordinary people without superpowers trying to keep the superheroes in check. You could say it's a kind of superhero procedural drama (or dramedy, rather), with less action and more dialogue (there's practically constant talking). The sarcastic sense of humour and self-ironic tone of the Avengers remains, but unfortunately there's too much of it. The fanboy allusions, the constant wisecracks of the heroes and the constant banter between them are so over the top that it feels contrived at times. It's clear that the series is trying its best to please both Marvel fans and uninitiated viewers in its pilot, and that over time, the self-absorption and desire to be cool at all costs may wear off. Then it'll be fine. (25/09/2013)

The MCU primarily only entertains me in the storyline that deals with the golden age. So there's Cap's first movie and everything Agent Carter - related. I simply have to laugh at Adrianne Palicki's career. It went through DC's Smallville and two Aquaman and Wonder Woman -themed fails and eventually, surprisingly, took root with the competition. (27/02/2015)