Agents of Shield

[BWFoster78]

I must admit, as an old school comic book guy and Marvel fan, I was excited to see this show. Combine a cool universe with Joss Whedon, and what could possibly be better?

Though I'm sticking with it for now, my interest in waning by the episode:

1. You have a cool universe full of superheroes and super villians. Let's make a show that, wait for it, doesn't contain either. Good plan. I'm okay with not making the show about the heroes and villians, but it barely even mentions them. The fall out from the alien invasion from The Avengers is a bit cool, but it's not like even that is a real focus. It feels exactly like a lame police procedural.

2. I love Whedon's stuff because he usually has such cool characters. So far, I've found nothing compelling about anyone other than the hacker, and she's not enough to carry the show.

Anyone else watching/disappointed?

 

[CupofJoe]

Very disappointed but there again, not really. I wasn't expecting much and so far it has delivered exactly that...
It might be a Whedon pulling the stings but it is Jed and not Joss.
For me, all the characters are flat with only Ming-Na Wen's Melinda May being at all interesting and that is probably because she isn't saying much. Enigmatic and taciturn works for her.
Fitz and Simmonds seem to be a teenage take on the two scientists McKay and Beckett from Stargate: Atlantis, the bickering odd couple that really love each other [okay that might be reading too much on to McKay and Beckett].
I'm not a fan of Ward but I'm not a fan of Alpha Male characters as a rule.
Skye [the hacker] doesn't seem to ring true to me. I don't get why Coulson is so invested in her when she seems to follow her own agenda at every point. I hope we will see her arc and involvement improving.
I haven't seen the movie The Avengers [Assembled] so most of the back story is lost on [of little interest to] me.
[It was nice to see Saffron Burrows last week though she play the baddie very well!]
I'll probably keep watching because it fits neatly in to my Saturday morning route [it is shown Friday night and I'm out them but Agents of Shield is not too bad over a coffee and croissant]

 

[Steerpike]

So far, I've liked all of Whedon's TV shows. I haven't seen this one, though, and what I've heard is disappointing.

 

[Quillstine]

I am in the same boat. I was looking forward to agents as I am huge Whedon fan….but so far can’t say I like much of what I have seen.
My biggest disappoint has been the characters, normally his shows are so dynamic with really rich interactions and interesting group dynamics. But on Agents, there is no one that I find compelling, interesting or in any way making me want to come back to see more.

 

[Devor]

I think a lot of people are disappointed because they wanted it to be something it's not. Between Whedon and Marvel, people had big expectations which aren't what the show was trying to be.

A few of the actors could be better, but otherwise it's a fun show.

 

[Darkblade]

I am enjoying the series for the most part. I just have two issues.

One stems from the lack of magic in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and turning the Asgardians into aliens with sufficiently advanced technology (at a point in time when the comics are very thoroughly treating them as actual magical Gods of myth). The idea of looking into strange occurrences but outright dismissing anything magical just irks me, even more so when using the name of a universe known for having magic alongside advanced technology.

The other is that this is not a Marvel Universe series. Over the last fifty plus years Marvel has created hundreds of existing characters, even if we exclude the magical characters and the characters who are tied to titles that Marvel sold the media rights to then there are still an insane number of potential characters to draw on and reinvent as the movies have reinvented Marvel's A-Listers. Instead we are getting characters that are original in only in the sense that they are not pre-existing but could easily have been something more with a little effort.

 

[Penpilot]

I can say I was mildly disappointed at first, but I think the last two or three of episode the quality of the stories has improved. It's not 100% what I expected, but I also didn't expect there to be superheroes popping up every episode, maybe a few C-listers. I did expect some cameos once and a while like they did with Fury a bunch of episodes back.

One thing I noticed with Whedon's last series Dollhouse was nothing too-too interesting happened until the 6th episode. Before the 6th episode show was standard same basic story every week. The 6th episode seem to be the point where they started to tackle more interesting things about the characters and the world.

I kind of see the same pattern happing with Agents of Shield. Part of me wonders if Whedon's trying to play the game of give the networks and the non-discerning audience the mindless drivel they expect at the beginning, to hook the ratings and ensure at least a full season of the show before throwing in the juicy stuff. I mean nobody wants another FireFly to happen. Awesome show that couldn't get the ratings because most didn't get it and didn't even get a full season.

 

[Quillstine]

One thing I noticed with Whedon's last series Dollhouse was nothing too-too interesting happened until the 6th episode. Before the 6th episode show was standard same basic story every week. The 6th episode seem to be the point where they started to tackle more interesting things about the characters and the world.

I am hoping they use this serious along with the other films to make a nice entrance into Avengers 2...I would be disappointed also if the actors here did not get cameos in A2 as well.

 

[Devor]

I am hoping they use this serious along with the other films to make a nice entrance into Avengers 2...I would be disappointed also if the actors here did not get cameos in A2 as well.

Supposedly they want the show to get established on its own before they begin using it to launch characters or expand the cinematic universe. So for now we're mostly seeing stuff which plays off of the existing movies. Although,

Spoiler: Villain

They've clearly set up Graviton's origin story, and he's pretty powerful.

The show has potential, but I think - among other things - that they're playing it a little too safe.

 

[BWFoster78]

The show has potential, but I think - among other things - that they're playing it a little too safe.

I'm willing to give it a bit of time. The first season of Buffy was pretty spotty, but I'm glad I didn't dismiss that one. Firefly, on the other hand, was pretty awesome right from the start.

 

[Penpilot]

Firefly, on the other hand, was pretty awesome right from the start.

And it died before its time. Arrgg. I think Whedon's new trick is to be mediocre at first and then get better.