Agents of SHIELD

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 7:28 pm

Episode 2 has aired, so I figured it safe to ask what everyone thought of at least the Pilot.

Who all has seen it? What'd you think?

Overall... I'm not that impressed. I'd give it a low B/high C, but honestly if it wasn't tied into the Film Universe, I can't say I'd keep watching it.

The two interesting things for me are

1. How Coulson returned

2. Agent May- and who she may actually be.

What do you guys think so far?

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 8:45 pm

Mediocre at best. But, it's a Marvel show so I will stick it out to see what happens.

The biggest thing I thought while watching it was that it looked cheap. Sets and all.

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 9:09 pm

Ok, so I'm not the only one who thought production values were low? I have to agree with you. First episode had me disappointed in the sets and film quality. I wondered if I was just comparing it to film more than I should, but even after this one I felt like it was a little low still.

I have a lot of minor complaints on it, but they're all adding up to make me think this isn't as great as it could be.

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Wed Oct 02, 2013 7:00 am

I think it was probably to save money for some awesome special effects. But it took m out of the show a lot.

Will watch the second episode tonight.

Stocky Boy · Post by **Stocky Boy** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 12:40 pm

It's something I'll likely keep watching, but the first two episodes were very average.

Expectations were obviously high what with this following the Avengers film, which was awesome, but this is uninteresting.

Most shows do follow an established formulae. This show has the following stock plots and characters:
- Tough male expert in all things but sociability
- Quirky outsider who doesn't fit in with established group
- Tension/drama through the interaction of above characters, amicably resolved each episode.
- Mcguffins. In this case science bods. Fitted with sterotypical personality and frailty. Not to be considered as lead material since their role is plot filling for the main character(s)
- Bit of character mystery for supporting characters
- The mystery of the above characters and how they interact with the others should provide subplot interest.

All of the above is formulaic. Most shows have a version of this. What helps you ignore the formulae is if you become intrigued by the characters and are given a reason to care for them. There are several things that the shows provided as reasons to care. You've name a few if not all of them. But, the characters seem to come straight out of the archtype bin that I just don't care much. I don't care that:
- Coulson being alive is a mystery
- Mai/May/Mae not liking combat is a mystery
- Lead dude having no social skills despite being an expert in everything else
- lead girl doesn't fit in

I think it was a good marketing decision to include Coulson in the adverts and trailers for the show. However, if they had kept the mystery of Coulson alive for the show, I think I would have cared more for the Coulson story.
Lead girl speaks like Buffy without vampires. Anyone surprised here?

I think the dialogue being so cheesy is an added reason for why I don't care about any of the things thrown in our faces as reasons to care about the characters.

What a waste of Samuel Jackson. Talking about cheap production, Fury's eye scars looked painted on and the nonsense about authority wasn't funny at all.

I think the broad remit of exploring the quirky is broad enough to have something new each episode a-la shows like Fringe and all the Star Treks and Star Gates, hell the Mentalist and all the NCSI shows as well. This should provide material to explore each show, but shows like Star Trek could use this open remit to explore things like national borders, cultural differences, military actions and other things. The cop shows could use their open remit to explore any criminal behaviour any average human interaction that goes sour and leads to bad behaviour. I'm not sure what SHIELD has to tell us? Did everyone feel the black guy's working class diatribe from the end of the first episode came out of nowhere? When SHIELD tried to explore exploitation of the poor it felt like they didn't spend enough time exploring the poor guy's situation as much as they should have.

Since I mentioned Star Gate and Star Trek, another point comes to mind. In those shows, you know the respective armies; the Stargate control team and military units and the Trek ships are powerful, get shit done teams. They have backup too if needed. They are in control. In the films, I got the impression that SHIELD were on top of everything as the top secret agency. In this series I'm not getting any of that. The desire to have a banded-together team - a device for generating interest - actually works against convincing the audience that SHIELD are boss.

Something else which works against the show is the feeling that nothing major can occur in this show. It's like a c-title in the Avengers or X-Men line. You know the C book can't contain anything that's going to influence the A title's direction. So, why care for the C title?

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:54 pm

Just a bump with this show is awful.

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:58 pm

I dropped it after episode 3 I think. I tried to watch the episode with the Scorch character who I was hoping would be Sunfire, but after 7 minutes I stopped watching it. I'm totally done with this show I think.

MGM · Post by **MGM** » Tue Nov 26, 2013 1:32 am

I think I stopped in episode 3 or 4. I just couldn't bother with it, even as background noise. Not for me, this one. A shame, 'cause I would've loved to like it.

Stocky Boy · Post by **Stocky Boy** » Tue Nov 26, 2013 5:45 am

I'm still watching it. It's so fucking cliche.

I've skimmed my above post. I stand by everything I've put up there.

MGM · Post by **MGM** » Tue Nov 26, 2013 6:23 am

Why are you still watching it, than?

Stocky Boy · Post by **Stocky Boy** » Tue Nov 26, 2013 9:31 am

I think it's 6/10. If it wasn't for the fact that it's Marvel related, I would have stopped watching a 6/10 show.

This show really is the same problem you get when you buy the second/third tier of the X or Avengers books or the tie-ins to a crossover. You know nothing big can happen in this book/show, since the big material is saved for the premier book/film.

XIII · Post by **XIII** » Tue Nov 26, 2013 2:07 pm

I have the first episode somewhere on my computer. I need to watch it though your post don't make me looking forward to it.

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Tue Nov 26, 2013 3:48 pm

I'm losing interest, may drop it and pick it up later when the season is over.

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Tue Nov 26, 2013 8:57 pm

I have 3 episodes lined up to watch. I only watch them when doing other stuff.

The comparison to B list avengers titles is pretty much bang on.

The Netflix Marel Knight stuff should be great though.

MGM · Post by **MGM** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:29 am

If onl because that's supposed to be street-level and therefor won't rely on special effects that much.

XIII · Post by **XIII** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 8:28 am

Just watched the first 20 minutes of the first episode, it feels and looks like something straight out of the 90s. And it's slooooooooooooow.
Might watch the rest but not sure.

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 8:55 pm

I've still only ever seen the first episode and despite its numerous flaws, it showed promise. Perhaps I'll get into watching the rest of the season when it's on Netflix Instant

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:58 am

I finally got caught up last night. It's ok not bad but not fantastic. Doesn't have a "Joss" feel anymore, which sucks.