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TV Review: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. S3E12 The Inside Man

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Agents_of_SHIELD_logoCoulson and General Talbot are forced to team up and attend a symposium on Inhumans, where they believe Malick has an inside man, but a surprising traitor is revealed.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has a decent action filled plot with this latest episode that feels like it’s more about relationships between a couple of key folks than the bigger picture, because in the end, not a whole lot happens.

The twists and turns aren’t too surprising, they just move the plot along really spending time until we get the bigger picture as to what Ward is.

On the relationship front, it’s all about Coulson/Talbot and Skye/Lincoln. Coulson and Talbot now have to work together, and here we get a sense of how that’s going to be and Skye and Lincoln move forward in the clear relationship they have (which also has me betting Lincoln gets killed by Warn at some point).

None of it is very exciting for me, and the episode feels like it’s generally going through the motions without much else. I know there’s a bigger picture here, but this episode feels a bit blah getting us there. There’s some action, but even that isn’t anything new or exciting.

This is a forgettable episode in a rather uneven season. It’ll probably be important in the scheme of the season, but on its own, it’s probably one you can skip.

Overall Score: 6.7

TV Review: Marvel’s Agents of Shield: Bouncing Back (A Second Take)

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NATALIA CORDOVA-BUCKLEY, HENRY SIMMONSOn Tuesday, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returned from it’s mid season hiatus with the episode’s appropriate namesake we are introduced to more Inhumans, namely Yo-Yo Rodriguez AKA Slingshot from the secret warriors title and another I assume to be Gorgon from the same comic series.  The episode is marked by a meeting between director Coulson the US President following the recent bout between Hydra and SHIELD. The meeting clears up SHIELDS official status or lack thereof. While the President feels its too soon to bring SHIELD back in an official capacity following the events of the Winter Soldier, he recognizes the necessity of SHIELD’s mission and gives Coulson his blessing albeit unofficially. While the ATCU will serve as the public face of the governmental response to the Inhuman crisis, they will be taking their orders unofficially from SHIELD.

AoS as a series as come a long way finding its place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as I have mentioned before it has succeeded in the task of adding to the rich tapestry of the MCU while carving out it’s own place and standing on its own. The introduction of the Secret Wars team/property is smart one, as it maintains both of these accomplishments.  Those with an ear to the ground may have caught wind of the alleged rivalry between Marvel Studios and Marvel TV, with the former hesitant to give creative/ jurisdiction or headway to the latter where storytelling is concerned. This is particularly the case with the Inhumans property. However this is resolved the impact should be minimal. Secret Warriors as a property has always centered on secrecy and fighting those invisible (yet nevertheless epic) espionage conflicts.  The team in the comics were identified not only for the powers but for the fact that few others knew about them. As a group running parallel to the Avengers it makes perfect sense for Marvel TV to embrace their ambit.  First they have free reign introduce any original character they wish as we have already seen with Joey as well as Lincoln and second, not all members of the SW team need to be Inhuman. Whatever path the producers choose there is plenty of space in the field to tell a story that does not step on too many toes. AoS has now provided a very good opportunity for cross media story telling that could dovetail into the MCU proper. While AoS and has itself benefitted from the story of the larger MCU whether the reverse will actually happen remains to be seen. An interesting article about this can be found here.

NATALIA CORDOVA-BUCKLEYThe Inhumans are becoming a high profile issue at least in this corner of the MCU, and I am really curious how this will play into the whole upcoming Civil War (if at all). At the very least we’ve seen that they have become a very strategic macguffin that both SHIELD and HYDRA are scrambling for. This made me ponder Luke’s revelation that Terrigenesis outcomes are not random and that some intelligent natural design is at work to maintain  some sort of equibrilium. This reminded me of the Red Queen Hypothesis.  Coulson gave some thoughts as to this equilibrium was being played out with both shield and hydra inhuman recruitments. This is an interesting point to consider given the symbiotic nature of Hydra and SHIELD both in the MCU and Comic Canon. This also gives a nod to the Inhuman series that has long established that terrigenesis serves the long term needs of the Inhuman community, how this will play out in the MCU with all the various factions remain to be seen but I am excited all the same to see it.

I must give full credit to the writers of the show for navigating a politically contentious mandate (studio wise) while structuring a story that stands on the legs of both the general MCU, as well classic comic stories.  This episode represents are marked improvement from those of   pre-midseason  The mythos of Hydra has been established and the organization reinvigorated with shield’s place on the other hand cemented in the world.

Final Thoughts
Mack and Yo-Yo overcoming their language barrier was a nice touch.
The encounter on a whole seemed to warm Mack up a bit, where his prior xenophobia was concerned.

Coulson’s frequent negotiation of SHIELD’s status presents a striking parallel that that which the producers of AoS seem required to do given the current studio politics. If this has been used as deliberate inspiration for the story, I must give kudos to the producer/writers.

TV Review: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. S3E11 Bouncing Back

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Agents_of_SHIELD_logoCoulson has renewed resolve to end Hydra following his trip to Maveth. Elsewhere: Daisy and Mack form a team of secret warriors to protect powered people and continue to search for Inhumans amidst growing public worry and a new enemy surfaces.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. kicks off the second half of its third season with a bit of renewed vigor and a much improved episode that has the team split across the world pursuing some interesting directions.

Coulson’s pursuit of Hydra is actually the most boring of the episode, as well as the return of “Ward.” It just is very over and at this point I actually want a new enemy for them to deal with. This part feels been there and done that.

What’s actually solid is Daisy and Mack’s part of the episode which has them pursuing a possible new Inhuman and it’s a familiar one for fans of the comic series, with some slight changes. The special fx are actually really good and the action solid. It’s a big improvement from previous episodes where the special fx have just been really bad. Unlike the other half, this actually has me wanting to see more of what they can do.

The episode is much better than what’s come before and it has me looking forward to seeing what’s coming for the rest of the season.

Overall Score: 7.9

TV Review: Agent Carter S2E10 Hollywood Ending

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Agent_CarterMarvel‘s Agent Carter ends its second season with a sloppy episode full of bad acting, bad special fx, and a story that makes little sense.

The season 2 finale finds everyone facing a mission they may not come back from as Peggy urges Howard Stark to eliminate Zero Matter.

The team decides through a strange ally that Whitney Frost is too dangerous and that Zero Matter has to be eliminated for that to happen. That leads to a showdown that’s full of horrible fx, bad acting, and a final episode that I’d rather forget.

SPOILERS

The solution is opening up a rift to get Frost to show up and then shoot her with the gamma gun they designed. The Zero Mater would get sucked up after they zap Frost. They gun? Yeah, that’s out in the open where she can see it? What the hell?

Then there’s the closing of the rift which has individuals figuring out which person will sacrifice themselves. That acting just deteriorates along with the special fx which are some of the worst I’ve seen of any recent live action Marvel production. The story just makes no sense in individual’s actions, as if the writers couldn’t think of anything better.

And there’s that title of “Hollywood Ending,” with the episode doing its best to leave us with a rather expected one in a few ways, and those had me rolling my eyes.

The ending indicates we might see more and here’s hoping it’s better than this one.

Overall Score: 6.4

Tonight’s American Crime is a Must Watch

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CREWIt’s been a few weeks since I watched episode eight of the second season of American Crime. This season’s intertwining storyline has focused on schools, rape, sexuality, and more, and seems to have driven zero conversation in the topics it touches upon.

In January I called the show “the best show you’re not watching,” and I stand by that declaration. In fact, I will say this episode is some of the best television I have ever seen, period.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The previous episode ended with the victim of LGBT bullying shooting one of the bullies and this episode picks up a little later with the high school mourning its student and the shooter in jail.

CONNOR JESSUPBut, it’s not just that topic that makes this a gripping hour, it’s the fact that series creator/producer John Ridley and director Kimberly Pierce and the writers have interspersed real life individuals into the episode. Throughout the hour, real-life Columbine teachers, along with parents and victims of LGBT bullying are featured, reiterating that while we’re watching a dramatization, in real life individuals have and do experience what has transpired. A real face is put to entertainment.

When the show began, I thought I had turned on the wrong show, but after the first few minutes I realized what I was watching and I found myself transfixed, glued to the brave and daring decision to show that what we think might be exaggerated for show is in fact real and at times reality is much worse. We’re shown the lasting impact and the horror from individuals who experienced these exact events first hand. And these weeks after watching the episode I still find myself reflecting upon and haunted by the words spoken throughout.

TV Review: Agent Carter S2E8 and S2E9 The Edge of Mystery and A Little Song and Dance

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Agent_CarterMarvel‘s Agent Carter had another double dose of episodes tonight with back to back episodes eight and nine in another double punch before the season finale next week.

In episode eight, “The Edge of Mystery,” Peggy and Sousa propose a trade with Whitney Frost, while the SSR gets help from Howard Stark that may be the key to eliminating Zero Matter.

In episode nine, “A Little Song and Dance,” Peggy desperately tries to save Dr. Wilkes with a dangerous plan to stop Whitney Frost. But Thompson makes a surprising move that could destroy them all.

Again, with these two episode I think we see a lot of issues that have plagued Agent Carter this season placed before us in back to back showings. Part of that issue I realize is the fact these are two episodes.

The episode has the team attempting to take down Frost with a gamma gun that destroys dark matter. It involves double crossing and lots of drama, and some action, and very little humor. There’s a lot that feels drawn out and could probably have been packed in to an an episode half the length. The last four could have been put in to two episodes.

The series too is also missing the kick-ass feminist vibe of the first season. It’s lots of action and little else. The heart and soul that made the first season enjoyable is missing here. Part of what’s also missing is the “why.” I still don’t understand what Frost wants to do. Her end goal is non existent.

And that ending? What a weird cut. For as good as the first season, this one is falling very short. Thankfully it’s almost over.

Episode 8: Overall Score: 6.75
Episode 9: Overall Score: 6.95

TV Review: The Muppets S1E13 Got Silk?

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muppets-tv-show-posterMiss Piggy goes to an aerial silks class in at attempt to make new friends and Gonzo, Pepe and Rizzo fall under Pache’s spell.

The Muppets is in its third retooled episode, and it’s clear the writers had a goal this episode. The episode is Miss Piggy focused and its goal is to get us to like her a bit more, at least that’s my reading of it. The series has definitely been hard on her, casting her as an out of touch starlet, though the original Muppets didn’t exactly cast her in a positive light.

Piggy is on the search for a friend, and while the episode attempts to play it up for laughs, it’s just really depressing, taking the momentum of the last two episodes and sucking the oxygen out of the room.

The side stories too are a bit blah. Pache wants to do a sketch that’s not much more than an advertisement. Again, the episode could do some amazing meta commentary about the state of television, but it falls short, instead focusing on the butting of heads between Pache and Kermit. It too falls short of laughs.

The episode is a down one. Not all have to be laugh out loud funny, but they still need some humor, even when it’s trying to be serious. I can see what was being attempted, the execution is just painful though, and creates one of the worst episodes of the series so far.

Really, when the episode was over it didn’t move me on Piggy at all and I even questioned the 30 minutes I spent watching the show. In the end, all I just wanted was to see a gender swapped Clueless.

Overall Rating: 5.9

TV Review: Agent Carter S2E6 and S2E7 Life of the Party and Monsters

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Agent_CarterMarvel‘s Agent Carter had a double dose of episodes tonight with back to back episode six and seven in a two hour punch.

In episode six, “Life of the Party,” when Peggy realizes she cannot save Wilkes on her own, she turns to her most unexpected adversary for help while Whitney makes a move to control the deadly Zero Matter.

In episode seven, “Monsters,” as Peggy plots a rescue mission, Whitney hunts for even more dark power; and Jarvis learns he should not make promises he cannot keep.

This second season has been very uneven, and these two episodes are examples of some of the issues the series is seeing. The episodes cover a lot of ground as Whitney moves to control Zero Matter and also get a nuclear weapon. I still can’t quite figure out what Frost’s plan is, it all seems all over the place. It just seems like she’s obsessed with Zero Matter.

The episode has some espionage, some action, some humor, some love interests. And I think that’s part of of the issue of the second season. The conspiracy is deep, and there’s an attempt to flesh things out and focus on other characters, the show has shifted a little from Carter herself. Each episode feels like it’s Agent Carter and her mystery gang getting together for the latest caper.

There’s also a loss of focus on Agent Carter being beyond her time and a kick-ass female character we can all look up to. That independence, that feminist strength, is diminished in this second season. This episode has some of that as Peggy is faced with two hunky guys who both like her! And she can’t believe two men would! It just feels like scenes like that misses part of what makes the character amazing.

I think what really bothers me about the second season is that the plot feels so over the top compared to the first. It’s all a bit goofy. And that focus on the over the top plot seems to be at the expense of what made the first season so special.

Episode 6: Overall Score: 7.25
Episode 7: Overall Score: 7.5

TV Review: Agent Carter S2E5 The Atomic Job

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Agent_CarterAs Jarvis’ precision and quick-thinking skills are put to the ultimate test, Peggy must find a way to stop an atomic explosion that threatens to destroy all of California.

Marvel’s Agent Carter goes Superman III with a threat to destroy California (why do comic related live action things hate California so much?).

Tonight’s episode is a bit mix for me as there’s some solid humor, but also a lot of gadgets that feel a bit out of place at times, like a second rate Q from James Bond.

The good for me was the humor, especially early in the episode with Carter in disguise searching an office. There was some solid stuff in there that had me entertained. Then there’s an ongoing joke about pie which is also solid. Then there’s Jarvis and the uranium that ends with some nice humor.

There’s lots of use of goofy gadgets in this one, some of which you wonder why they aren’t used in the modern tv series or movies. But, it all comes to that bomb plot that bothers me. It seems so out of place and really random as to why it’s needed. It feels rather hokey overall and a bit grand for Whitney Frost. Plus the handling of getting the uranium out of there, and the fact that uranium doesn’t equal a nuclear bomb. It’s rather off.

The episode is decent, but not quite as good as last week. Still it’s one of the better ones this season, which is picking up speed as it moves along.

Overall Score: 7.2

TV Review: The Muppets S1E12 A Tail of Two Piggies

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muppets-tv-show-posterWhen Miss Piggy suffers a scandalous wardrobe malfunction, the network is outraged, and Piggy is forced to question everything she stands for, but Kermit and the gang rally together and come to her defense. Meanwhile, Gonzo misses his ex-girlfriend Camilla, so Pepe and Rizzo decide to throw a house party to cheer him up.

The Muppets came back last week after a break and a retooling that had the show making fun of itself and its network in many ways. This week continues that theme a bit and expands it with a positive messaging about body image.

The episode has Piggy’s tail popping out after a night out, which causes an uproar. The messaging of body image, especially when it comes to female celebrities is solid, it’s also subtle, and fun in some ways. That even expands to how fans react to it.

The issue is “the man,” in this case the network and advertisers who are pulling support and threatening the show because of the tail slip. It has Piggy rethinking her image for a positive twist, which is nice, and it’s not super rah, rah. What’s really solid is the show pokes fun at the demands of advertisers and networks, which often go against the wishes of fans and what fans like.

There’s also Gonzo having to get his own place, and while that could have had some excellent jokes, it never quite takes off as far as plotline.

The episode overall is a bit mixed. It’s not as funny as last week, but it seems to be getting a foothold as to what direction the show is going. It’s a show to keep an eye on, not quite there, but showing a lot of promise and finally getting reliable in tone and humor.

If you gave up on the show, it’s worth checking out this “revamped” direction, it might be closer to what you were hoping for.

Overall Rating: 7.6

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