Now, I don't know if you guys have noticed, but the geek community can be a little critical sometimes. [insert hearty, sarcastic laugh here] And all that criticism floating around online has kept me from giving Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a try. Given all the sniping, I expected it to be about the quality of Arrow, which I do like, but just barely. (I keep giving up on season 2, because ug.)
So imagine my shock and delight when I discovered Agents is friggin' FANTASTIC.
Not anymore, A.C. NOT ANYMORE.
(Don't worry, this'll be spoiler-free.)
The pilot hooked us immediately with its mix of action and laughs - classic Whedon, really - so John and I just knew it was going to go bad at some point. And I'll be honest, in the last half of season one things do get a little rocky. (If you've seen Winter Soldier in theaters, you can probably guess why.) However, stick it out, because the last few episodes pull it back together brilliantly, and will reward you with a finale that quite literally left us cheering.
Best of all, Agents kept surprising me with clever plot twists and turns. Several times John and I would "call" something: "Oh, THAT's the bad guy" - or - "Well now THIS is going to happen, obviously" - and we were almost always wrong. It's so refreshing to watch an unpredictable show! And the writing never once insulted our intelligence with inept agents, easily avoidable problems, nonsensical plot holes, etc, etc.
If I seem like I'm fangirling, it's because I'm totally fangirling. I like the Avengers, and I've liked just about all the movies in the franchise, but I LOVE this show. I love that it's an ensemble cast of non-super-powered humans... who are still super heroes.
I guess I prefer my heroes a little less super, and a lot more Coulson:
What's more, I love the women in this show, who are eminently badass (Thank you, Joss!):
She's the cavalry - but don't call her that.
I love that Chloe Bennet, who plays Skye, could act circles around most of the cast of Arrow.
(Sorry to go after Arrow, btw, but it seems the most appropriate comparison, and I'm still kinda bitter about all the spoiled potential over there.)
Well, him and Lola, of course:
While Coulson could carry the show on his own, I'm glad he doesn't have to. Because amid all the action and laughs, there's a lot of heart to these characters' relationships, with layers of past pains and tantalizing mysteries that kept me guessing 'til the end.
So to sum up, if you're looking for a great way to spend this New Year's Eve that DOESN'T include Ryan Seacrest, hop on over to Netflix and get to bingin', my friends!
Oh, and no spoilers in the comments, please, since John and I are about to dive in to season 2. Awww yeaaah. :)
yay! I am so glad you love a show that consistently has me squealing every week. I am watching live (or nearly - dvr'd) and am always so happy to see the newest episode. I am currently waffling between glee and gloom that Agents will be replaced for the next 8 weeks with Agent Carter. But, I have hope for another strong female.
ReplyDeleteI love Agents of Shield! Only halfway through the first season, so you are ahead of me
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review! I've been looking for a new show to watch, so I may give this one a try.
ReplyDelete(Also, if you and John need something to do, I'm at Disney World through the 2nd and would love to meet up! I've sent a couple emails, but I'm not sure if they got through...)
Ah, sorry 'bout that; John's still catching up on e-mail, but I *think* he mentioned yours. This is the week the parks are the most crowded of the whole year, so I don't think we're up for gettting anywhere near those crowds! Sorry we'll miss you, but I hope you have fun!
DeleteNot a problem! Thanks for getting back to me, and I totally understand. The line just to get to the toll for MK parking the past few days has been nuts... Hope you both have a wonderful New Years and take care!
DeleteArrow is frigging amazing. I binge watched the first two seasons and am gut wrenched at the mid-season finale. I think there is phenomenal acting going on there! Stephen Amell can convey so much with his eyes. There are one, maybe two, characters that IMHO were miscast, but that's it. (Plus SA is just an amazingly cool dude. Check out his Facebook; he raised over a million bucks for a cancer charity, posts videos to the fans, and keeps fan art that he's sent. And his daughter is so cute!)
ReplyDeleteI gave up on Agents after about three episodes, but maybe I was too hasty. I know we have them recorded somewhere... :-)
This. Arrow is absolutely amazing.
DeleteI would definitely give Agents another try. The first half of season 1 is...rough. I personally couldn't stand it, but then, it magically become awesome. You won't regret it. :)
Absolutely, (though I never gave up on SHIELD as it's awesome.) You really need to get caught up on Arrow, because it just keeps getting better and better, and the Flash takes all the best parts (like the loveable nerds and humor) and transfers them into a lighter show. As the two shows are in a shared universe with the Flash being a spinoff, there are more than a few visits paid between the Central City and Starling City crews and they're always fun. I love that Barry calls Oliver out on some of his nonsense and helps him toward healing even as Oliver helps Barry become stronger. Barry has been really good for Oliver, even getting a real laugh out of a man who hasn't managed more than a wry, suppressed chuckle in years. I'm looking forward to watching them both grow.
DeleteOne thing to always keep in mind with Oliver is how incredibly damaged he is. I think my favorite part of the show is the dichotomy between the his descent into darkness in the flashbacks and his journey back into the light in the present. I think Season 3 has been particularly interesting in that the two halves of his journey are sort of meeting in the middle now. And of course, that mid-season finale that left me and everyone who saw it going WTF at the end!
I love Agents of SHIELD. My favorite thing about it is the cast and crew often live-tweet during the show. It's so much fun to interact with them.
ReplyDeleteDon't give up on Arrow. It gets better. You'll have to check out the Flash sometime. It's more light-hearted than Arrow.
SQUEE! I looooove AOS! To me, it was the middle of the first season that lagged, but the last third picked back up. And wow, what an ending! This season has been really good, as they pick up the pieces and try to get things back on track. (Hope that's not too spoilery.) I know a LOT of people dropped it mid-season, but I stuck with it, because I believed in it, and was so happy to see the payoff.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't give up on Arrow Season 2 - great stuff! And this season has been really good. The mid-season cliffhanger came out of nowhere and I had to pick my jaw up off the desk!
I've been seeing the first couple minutes of a few episodes (it comes on after Doctor Who sometimes) but as I'm always watching it taped, it cuts off on me. Now I might finally start watching it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I concur with whoever suggested the Flash. So much better than Arrow. I gave up on that one after 8 or 9 episodes... so angsty.
I am a fan, and I CAN'T WAIT for Agent Carter to finally come out! Been waiting for this since Captain America (and seeing the short film on you tube that was included only on Blu-ray).
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me that I need to set my DVR!
DeleteI was just going to ask if someone had mentioned Agent Carter. So EXCITED!!
Deleteplease, please, please post your thoughts after you watch season 2. you're in for it based on some of what you wrote above (huge changes, especially for FitzSimmons and Skye)
ReplyDeleteI second this request!
DeleteThose were my thoughts exactly!
DeleteThat's what I was thinking, too!
DeleteWhere do you find season 2 of Agents of SHIELD? Netflix seems to only have season 1 yet.
ReplyDeleteSeason 2 is currently airing and on its winter break, so Netflix probably won't get it for a while. You can watch them on Amazon Streaming (for a per-episode cost), the past few episodes are on Hulu (I don't recommend starting in the middle of the season), or if you have cable you can watch them on demand. I'm sure there are probably ways to stream the earlier episodes online without going through a subscription service, but I've never had good luck with those options.
DeleteThank you so much for the info.
DeleteFirst, I am so glad that you guys have started Agents of Shield! I can understand your hesitation because Season 1 had its rocky moments but Season 2 has been incredibly FANTASTIC!!!
ReplyDeleteSecond, I hope that you are willing to stick it out as far as Arrow is concerned because Season 3 is truly really good. I think that the cast is doing a fantastic job this season. Also with Arrow comes The Flash and that show is just great, thought it does include super powers. :D
I watched the first couple of episodes of SHEILD as it aired and then inexplicably stopped for a while. I just finally got back to it and in the course of two weeks watched every episode to catch myself up. I don't know why I didn't love it the first time, because I love it now! For pretty much all of your reasons, too.
ReplyDeleteI also watch and love Arrow, but for very different reasons. SHEILD goes for the wit, Arrow goes for the gut. It's gritty, it's not subtle, but for me, it doesn't seem like it's trying to be. The fandom around the internet seems to take it about as seriously as I do, which is not very. The CW seems to specialize in prime-time soap operas with just enough more substance and clever charm to make them worthy of their time slots, and Arrow fits solidly within that mold. If you want something nuanced, Arrow is not for you. If you can get past the stereotypical comic book tropes (could we have a female character who doesn't have exposed cleavage while fighting? Or maybe give Diggle an outfit?), don't think too hard about where Oliver gets his money, and embrace it for the silly, flashy, gritty-but-not-so-much-that-you-can't-wash-it-out-of-the-fluff show that it is it is a lot of fun to watch. I think it might be my favorite show currently airing. So my advice? Try to let go of the missed potential, have faith that certain characters to get their acts together and become actual characters instead of caricatures, and watch the first half of season two in one go (maybe while crafting?). The show does not demand your entire brain, so until you find it entertaining enough to want to spend a lot of time on it, don't!
I watch...well, pretty much all of the super hero shows on broadcast TV. (I can't help myself...I've loved comic books since discovering vintage Shazam! in junior high.) Honestly, I like most of them. (I'm still not sure about "Gotham", but first seasons are usually rough.) But Arrow's my favorite...followed by the Flash (they mesh together really welI.) I find SHIELD more uneven in tone and sometimes like it's backup PR for the movies. If I could pick up Coulson and plop him into Oliver's basement hideaway (there's a lack of sane adults in the Arrow world,) I would be content.
ReplyDeleteI am in love with this show too! I am not into comics however I seem to be obsessed with all things Marvel, and this show is no exception! I was so worried that season 2 wasnt going to keep it going....I was WRONG, its awesome as well.
ReplyDeleteI've just finished season 2 of Agents of SHIELD, on the whole I enjoy it but sometimes it does veer into adding lots of new characters too quickly (I found that with season 1 too). It's definitely a good binge-watch show.
ReplyDeleteMy son and I totally went fangirl when Agents was announced. I mean, come one, Coulson is alive!!! We have our Tuesday night watch party and then spend a good 10-15 mins after discussing the future of the show and Marvel in general. There are many OMG moments in season 2. I think anyone who likes Joss Whedon will find this show a home run. We are really excited for Agent Carter to start her mini series next week, you should totally check it out. Merry New Year!
ReplyDeletebinged on 5 episodes the day after Christmas! So glad you like it too.
ReplyDeleteI love Agents of SHIELD! So glad you've discovered it too :D Coulson is a fantastic character! Agent May is a close second though. We're a couple of episodes behind in season 2. I love how funny the show is in the middle of all the action and suspense, and Joss Whedon has done a wonderful job giving us kick-ass female characters again! I'm also looking forward to the upcoming Agent Carter series.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year wishes to you and John!
ReplyDeleteRight now, my NYE plans consist of baking another batch of cookies (no, the two I already baked are NOT enough), getting set up for the party we are hosting this evening, and enjoying said party with our fellow geeks. We're planning to play "The Secret Lives of Gingerbread" RPG, pinball, and possibly some Mario Party or some such.
Fitzsimmons <3<3<3
ReplyDeleteI will say, Season 1 was like, my all time second favorite show ever (cause I mean.. Firefly!).
Season 2... ennhhh. I'm hoping it'll all pull me in together at the very end. Though I will say.. I still can't stop watching it! LOL
Squeeee! I love this show. So glad you discovered that it's miles better than Arrow (keep giving up on season 2? I gave up on episode 2! I want to love it because John Barrowman, but UG, indeed.)
ReplyDeleteMy list of stuff to watch on netflix is ever growing lol. I wanted to watch Agents when it came on but my one tv house hold went "UUHHHNNNGG NO" >.> well now i have the netflix so boo yeah lol. I am still trying to make it through the last season of gilmore girls.. uhg the feels so many feels.
ReplyDeleteI also love Agents of SHIELD. Coulson is adorable.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved season one of AOS but haven't been able to keep up with season 2 for various reasons. Thanks for the push to get caught up! I've been meaning to, but I've been binge-watching Supernatural instead. :D Definitely need to get caught up on AOS. And I'm so glad you gave it a shot. Absolutely one of the best shows airing right now.
ReplyDeleteI see you've jumped on the AoS bandwagon too. I honestly don't know why so many people bailed after the first couple of episodes because I loved it right from the get-go. It's true that the pacing in the first part of season 1 was slower than in the second half because they were setting things up for The Winter Soldier, but there was still plenty to keep viewers interested. *shrugs* Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI won't spoil season 2 for you, but I will say that what has aired so far has been pretty epic. Also, lots of feels ahead. Keep some tissues handy.
No one's gonna mention Bear McCreary's amazing job on the score, here? Show some love, people! He crams a cinematic-level score into every episode somehow! <3
ReplyDeleteBut yes. Clark Gregg could TOTALLY carry the show by himself if he needed to. I adoooore him. Thank goodness he doesn't have to. Good cast. Goooood cast.
I would agree with the others on mentally preparing yourself for season 2 though. It's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster xD
So far I have loved all the MCU movies since the first iron man and am counting the days to the next avengers movies! I've wathe AOS since the beginning and have all of season 1 on iTunes so I could rewatch the episodes commercial free when ever I wanted and I already have the season pass for 2! I love this show and cannot wait for March when we get new episodes :D
ReplyDeleteI adore AoS! And I have a bit of a Coulson crush. :D Can't wait to hear what you think of season 2.
ReplyDeleteWe love AoS in my house! We've been on board from the beginning. The sniping criticism of the show was definitely over done.
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE Agents! It had a bit of a rocky start, but most of the second season has been SO good! The mid season finale was fabulous and seriously, I just love it!
ReplyDeleteI've been loving Agents of Shield since it first came on, and the midseason finale was excellent, though tantalizing… now on to Agent Carter!!!
ReplyDeleteI think my expectations for AOS were too high, thanks to all the hype. I found it so hard to sit through until the very end of the season, when it finally picked up a little. This last season has been much much easier to watch, but I still only watch for FitzSimmons (cuties!). Arrow has always been more exciting from the getgo, but I'm a DC girl at heart so I was kind of hard wired to love it. And then they crossed over with The Flash! So now DC definitely wins the TV superhero game for me. :D (Now if they'd just bring in Dick Grayson/Nightwing, I'd be in heaven.)
ReplyDeleteNo spoilers, but season 2 has been EPIC. I think season 1 took some time to get off the ground in the first half, then the second half was really really good (we binge watched the second half) and then season 2 has been SO AWESOME. I'm sad for my friends who gave up the show too early because they're totally missing out!
ReplyDeleteIt's less Joss than his other stuff! He's busy doing other stuff so he's higher-level producing this one, thankfully his brother and sister-in-law have similar sensibilities and have worked closely with him on so many of his other projects.
ReplyDeleteI have been eerrr-ing about weather to watch the show or not, but after that gowing review I think I might have to. You have me intrigued ;)
ReplyDeleteYou must check out Flash & Defiance!
ReplyDeleteI hope Agent Carter is as good as Agents of Shield!
ReplyDeleteMy FAVOURITE Coulson line,"Are you gonna shoot me if I come out? Cuz then I'm not gonna come out."
ReplyDeleteAoS started out a little slow, but picked up later on. The second season is fantastic. Many twists and turns that you won't see coming.
ReplyDeleteI would also recommend Gotham. It is very well done.
The exact same thing happened to us! We started it on a Christmas break whim and I am such a fangirl now. So good. So obsessed.
ReplyDeleteThis show has been on my to-watch list for a while now, but we just started watching last night. We were only able to get one episode in before I had to head to bed (curse you, job!), but I love it already! I can't wait to get home tonight and watch more. Although, I suppose I should probably watch Iron Man 3 and Winter Soldier soon, before we get too far...
ReplyDeleteI'll just say that IMHO Season 2 is even better then Season 1 :)
ReplyDeleteI am so giddy that you like this show! I love it. I think binge-watching probably makes it even better, because it makes for more coherent storylines, and you can get really immersed in the show. I can't wait to hear what you think of Season 2 so far, once you watch it.
ReplyDeleteSince my husband was sick this New Year's, we did binge watch Agents of Shield!! We both fell in love it!
ReplyDeleteUgh. I love AOS. Of course I love Coulson and had to watch the first episode the night it aired. I followed every episode of the first season as it aired. I love all the characters and their dynamics. I think it really adds a personal dimension that a lot of the superhero/comic stories lose when they're translated to the screen.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I had more trouble getting into the second season (it started slow as they set everything back up and introduced new characters) and then I had trouble catching the shows due to working late on Tuesdays, but now I'm eager for the show to pick up after the Peggy Carter series.
I started watching it but halfway through season one I was tired of it all being about Skye, the Wil Wheaton of AOS. Judging from what you all have said, I should suck it up at least into season two?
ReplyDeleteMy husband, son and I just binge watched season 1 and started on season 2. I LOVE Coulson and we were also cheering in the season 1 finale (watched a certain scene SEVERAL times just so we could cheer again). Can't wait to see what season 2 brings! We are also big fans of Flash, Arrow and Gotham and excited to see Agent Carter.
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched it yet, but with a description like "unflappable storm-the-castle-in-a-suit-and-tie BAMF-ness" I most definitely will have to now. Right after I finish Orange is the New Black.
ReplyDeleteSoooo glad you've discovered Agents of Shield. I've been a fan since day 1 and got so frustrated with all the critics not giving it chance. Also very excited for the premier of Agent Carter tonight.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa
I love AoS. Every week I end up slapping whoever is around me while fangirl shrieking "I LOVE THIS SHOW!" (Come to think of it, I do the same nearly every episode of Supernatural too).
ReplyDeleteOne thing that always gets me is that out of every single show I've watched, on any network, even movies... Skye is the first female character I can recall seeing who pulls her hair back into a ponytail before going into any fight/battle situation. It's so simple, but so DUH common sense... and yet every other show/movie seems to think we care more about their badass women or crime investigators looking good instead of acting realistic. It's the tiniest minor detail, but just another one of the things that makes me love the show.