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

[DanaC]

I agree that they've seemed to lose sight of what made the characters compelling and sympathetic. Even the new intro by Oliver sounds like he is apologizing for being a shittier, less interesting character.

Oh so true!

Also - the opening voiceover makes very little sense now. They'd have been better altering it completely, rather than trying to sort of keep it as it was but updated for the new setup. It's like they lost the intro by a process of chinese whispers.

The inch and I joke that the series should be called People Who Are Not Who You Think They Are. We hear that at least once a show.

Ha! excellent.


As to Jessica Jones - yeah, I am psyched for that. I wonder what they're going to do with that, now that Kilgrave is gone. Will there be another season big bad - or is it going to be more of a weekly detective thing? The dance between those two was such a big part of the first season - it was such a personal battle - I do hope they manage to find something equally compelling.

[footfootfoot]

I guess the advantage of the Marvel and DC universe is that they can play free and easy with the back story.

[DanaC]

K- I'm well and truly back on the AoS horse.

I kind of puttered about through some of season 3 but kept dropping off it. Then didn't touch it for over a year - maybe even a year and a half - I left it with just a handful of episodes left of S3

The one thing I really liked about S3 was Brett Dalton as Ward/Hive - truly creepy and unnerving.

Started watching again about a week and a half ago - ripped through the remaining eps of S3 and am now approaching the S4 finale.

This back half, Agents of Hydra, is awesome.

Everybody has really stepped up their game, and Iain de Caestecker deserves an Emmy nod for his portrayal of Fitz in this season. I've always liked him as an actor - from the very first thing I saw him in (which I think was The Fades) I've anticipated him doing great work. But, I think the Fitz avatar is some of the best I've seen from him. He really does have great range.

The story is great too - the whole season has been great.

[DanaC]

Ah man - loving season 5. It's really good storytelling. And no characters that bore me to tears whenever they're on screen (which is what hampered seasons 2 and 3 somewhat) - they've balanced the different narrative strands and character development much better in later seasons.

Seasons 4 and 5 are a real step up in story for me. They've really found their voice - so obviously viewing figures are slipping and rumours of cancellation abound.

[DanaC]

If this ends up being the last season of shield, they look like the're going out on a high. This season has been superb.

The Devil's Complex (last week's ep) was so tense. The directing, the writing, the acting - it came together brilliantly. Iain de Caestecker is awesome. So are Henstridge and Bennet. The whole cast are great this season, but de Caestecker in particular is knocking out of the park.

That whole sequence from dark Fitz taking Daisy to the big reveal was pitch perfect.

[DanaC]

Just watched a review of that episode and it made an excellent point. Spoilers below:





It was a very ballsy decision not to leave any kind of question mark over Fitz's culpability. They could have had Hydra Fitz as a manifestation like the other threats appear, do the deed and then leave our Fitz picking up the pieces. Or they could have had Fitz going through this psychic break but not being brought to awareness until after the deed was done. It would have been him that did it, so he would have had to wrestle with that, but there would be some reading possible in which he was not fully culpable.

Instead they had the psychic break get him to the brink - but it was fully our Fitz that did that to Daisy - no room for confusion, he did it, it was him, and he still believes it was the right thing to do even though it was reprehensible and a complete betrayal of his friend.