Marvel's Agents of Shield

[Bogatan]

I gave up on channel four, I can understand they are a few weeks behind so they wont need to take another break before the end of the series, but as it ties in Captain America the wait was frustrating and they have been editing the show quite badly in places.

Anyway I just watched the first post Winter Soldier episode and finally the show seems to have properly found its feet.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Episode 17 runs parallel to the end of Winter soldier as a result I spent he whole show trying to guess who was on whose side. And the ending, I just don't know, is that real?

Anyone who gave up on it for very legitimate reasons might want to check out the latest episodes on 4. A lot of those problems have now been addressed and most of the early (dull) mysteries have now been cleared up and the last 5 episodes should be rather interesting.

[Toph]

All i could think while watching Winter Soldier was "What's happening to Coulson??? Dude, if they went and got Skye and Fitz-Simmons, they'd wrap this up in fifteen minutes!"
I went to see Cap, because I didn't want Shield to spoil it. But as it turns out, I'm kinda upset with myself for Cap spoiling Shield.

I've enjoyed AoS for it's whole run, but these last several episodes have been out of the park.
Their early reliance on Extremis as the catch all superpower maker was off putting (I really didn't like it in IM3, and think the movie could have done without it and still been just as good), but they've sense started to use it less and bring in more interesting opponents.
Deathlock has been very satisfying.

[duffism1981]

I was watching the show at Channel 4 pace, until they stopped for months at the end of the year. Though the American schedule can be frustrating with showing one or two episodes then on a break for weeks, then repeat, I have been sticking with their pace.

I have never really managed to stick with any one hour show, as I usually just stick to cartoons and comedy, but while Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D did take some time to get going, it did start to pick up interest with the long awaited "Why is Coulson alive" storyline. Now with the events of The Winter Soldier being brought into the show as of last night'a American showing, this is looking like it is going to be a great end to the series.

[Fortmax2020]

Can we remember to use the spoiler tag please or keep comments to episodes so far screened only on Channel 4? There are those of us who are keeping pace with the show there and trying to avoid knowing what is coming up. The US isn't that far ahead of us from the sound of things so shouldn't be to hard too do.

Thanks.

[The Doctor]

Bogatan's post did have spoiler tags on it.

-Ralph

[Fortmax2020]

It did and they were appreciated but I find any mention of future eps even in general terms such as when movie ties in occur spoiler enough.

[Toph]

Trust me, knowing when and where it and Cap 2 tie in is not a spoiler. In fact, it's critical knowledge, because the two mutually spoil each other.
So knowing that in advance you have to decide which is more important to you. Because if it's AoS, then you know not to see Cap 2 until it's over. If it's Cap 2, there are a lot of threads in AoS that have been setting up for Cap, and it's important to know when to hit the breaks, so you know when its best to see Cap.

Because seeing Cap in the wrong place, you can pretty much figure out several major plots that AoS has been building for the entire season, even though Cap doesnt call them out by name.

Also, I apologize if I inadvertently spoiled anything specific. I have zero knowledge of where it is in the UK broadcasts. I've tried to keep my posts as vague as possible, as I don't know how to use the spoiler tags on mobile. (Mobile doesn't offer any HTML options while posting, and the buttons don't work right on my phone on the "full site" option.)

[Pinwig]

Apr 10, 2014 12:32:13 GMT Toph said:

Also, I apologize if I inadvertently spoiled anything specific. I have zero knowledge of where it is in the UK broadcasts.

Using this thread and an episode guide I've just worked it out for my own sanity, episode 15 is on tomorrow night in the UK. I have only just watched 11, and I say 'watched' in a loose sense. I am a big marvel fan, read comics and have seen all the films, but this show I found generic and dull. Boring characters. I'm still with it only because the missus likes it. So five more episodes for me until it gets interesting... hmm, that's a big ask!

[duffism1981]

I did my best to be as generic as possible to not accidentally give away any spoilers. I had to avoid twitter when the latest episode was airing in the US to avoid live tweet spoilers, so I do not want to spoil anything for anyone else.

The show did take a long time to get going, and you do have characters such as Ward and Skye, that I just want killed off as they are awful, but I do like Coulson, Fitz-Simmons and May. It is hard to believe that the actress who plays May was Chun-Li in the live action Street Fighter movie and looks great for a woman of 50. She may look better now than she did in 1994.

[Toph]

I personally think Ward is 100% irrelevant to the show. He brings nothing to the show that Coulson or Mae don't already, save for forcing two awkward "love triangles," one between him, mae, and coulson, and another between him, mae, and skye.
And those are things the show doesn't need.
But I have a theory on that that's a massive massive spoiler for the most recent US episode, and I won't get into.

Skye, whether one loves or hates her (I don't dislike her, but she's not in my favorite characters bracket, either), at least she brings a unique skillset to the table, though I don't think they write her as interesting as she could be.

[Bogatan]

Ward has grown on me, but his relationships have thus far been the worst part of the show.

SPOILER: Click to show

Spoiler
The only relationship/on screen chemistry I've really bought in to with ward is with Simmons (and to a lesser he and Fitz make a good double act) which seems to have happened completely by accident and then avoided as it conflicts with Skye and Mae plot lines.

[Toph]

I agree with that, completely.

[The Doctor]

Apr 10, 2014 10:39:14 GMT Fortmax2020 said:

It did and they were appreciated but I find any mention of future eps even in general terms such as when movie ties in occur spoiler enough.

I find the best way to avoid spoilers is just to stay out of a thread about the thing until you've seen/read/heard the thing.

-Ralph

[duffism1981]

I am sure from now on we shall not post anything that maybe a spoiler for anyone watching at the UK pace. A week or two after Thor The Dark World appeared in cinemas, AoS had an episode following on from that and about Asgardians. If you know that this show is in the same Universe and same time frame as the Marvel movies, you would have known that the plot of The Winter Soldier was going to some how effect the series.

I can understand why Fortmax is upset about the episode being mentioned as the post Winter Solider episode, but nothing at all about the episode has been mentioned outwith spoiler tags.

We are a good bunch of lads here, so I am sure that we shall make sure we do not spoil anything either on purpose or unintentionally without the use of spoiler tags.

[Bogatan]

Apr 10, 2014 12:53:35 GMT Pinwig said:

Apr 10, 2014 12:32:13 GMT Toph said:

Also, I apologize if I inadvertently spoiled anything specific. I have zero knowledge of where it is in the UK broadcasts.

Using this thread and an episode guide I've just worked it out for my own sanity, episode 15 is on tomorrow night in the UK. I have only just watched 11, and I say 'watched' in a loose sense. I am a big marvel fan, read comics and have seen all the films, but this show I found generic and dull. Boring characters. I'm still with it only because the missus likes it. So five more episodes for me until it gets interesting... hmm, that's a big ask!

If you don't like any of the characters you maybe are wasting your time. But the format, storytelling, structure, character interaction all seem to step up week after week from around the point you're at.

[Bogatan]

I too apologise if my first post contained any spoilers, but everyone seems to have seen Winter Soldier and the ending of that film was such an upheaval it couldn't help affect Shield so didn't consider what I wrote could be considered spoilers. But if they were sorry.

[Pinwig]

Apr 10, 2014 20:25:35 GMT Bogatan said:

If you don't like any of the characters you maybe are wasting your time. But the format, storytelling, structure, character interaction all seem to step up week after week from around the point you're at.

That's quite useful to know actually, thanks. Next time we watch an ep I'll start paying attention again. 

[Hero]

Very behind on this show, but will eventually climb back up.

[Toph]

Without spoilers.

Tonight is the first post Cap 2 episode.
If you're vaguely familiar with the MU, the show's been a little predictable, which in and of itself is not a bad thing.
But now, I can't see where this is going anymore. It's a shame its almost the end of the season!

[Jim]

Apr 10, 2014 19:08:26 GMT The Doctor said:

Apr 10, 2014 10:39:14 GMT Fortmax2020 said:

It did and they were appreciated but I find any mention of future eps even in general terms such as when movie ties in occur spoiler enough.

I find the best way to avoid spoilers is just to stay out of a thread about the thing until you've seen/read/heard the thing.

Exactly what I did when I saw this thread spring into life around the time of Winter Soldier! I also unfollowed Bleeding Cool on Twitter and via RSS as I know how they are with spoilers and their passive-aggressive tabloid style shenanigans. Finally caught up today!

SPOILER: Click to show

I went to see Cap first as I figured SHIELD would be playing off of that more than the other way round; I had expected we might hear Steve's address to SHIELD, it would have been a nice tie-in, but I guess it was only at the Triskelion.

As soon as we saw in Cap what was going on with Hydra I started to wonder who was going to turn out to be the traitor and my first thought was Ward (he finally gets a second dimension to his personality) and that by implication his SO might turn out to be on that side. Which is a double-edged sword as Agent Garrett has been very likeable, but will at least be a charismatic bad guy (Paxton has been great).

The last few episodes had definitely been picking up, but personally I haven't found it as bad as most people seem to make it out to be - quite enjoyable on its own terms, even.

Also, Ming Na Wen is 50? I seriously would not have guessed that.

-Jim

[Bogatan]

Yeah I can't quite get my head around that, I guess if I caught a mid 90s episode of ER she would look younger, but she also doesnt seem to be ageing like normal people.

Episode 20 spoilers

SPOILER: Click to show

Spoilers
Hill makes her largest mcu appearance and is rather good despite not getting to do that much. I do wonder if shes being lined up for season 2 and whatever reboot is surely inevitable by now.

Best line is a bit of perfect Coulson
"If I come out, will you shoot me? Because then I won't come out"

Also Deathlocks casual line about just following orders, theres something about the delivery that reminded me how good J August Richards is.

[Toph]

Gonna try to do spoiler tag since mobil site doesnt like me doing board code.

Warning though, it hasnt allowed me to edit or delete my posts lately.

SPOILER: Click to show

Loved that line. Loved the episode as a whole, and really felt for Skye. Actress has gotten amazing the last couple eps. Her pure terror when she realized Ward was hydra was palpable. And she carried that suppressed anxiety soooo well in this one.

Though Coulson's simple "Huh." At the end got the biggest laugh from me.

[Toph]

Yay! It worked!!!!

[Hero]

Second season renewal.
www.deadline.com/2014/05/abc-picks-up-marvel-agent-carter-renews-agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d/

[duffism1981]

Fantastic news.

[Jim]

Excellent. It was never a bad show, but it has become significantly more compelling in the wake of Winter Soldier.

-Jim

[legios]

Took the opportunity of the various catch-up services being available on my cablebox to check in with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D again just to see what it is like at the back half of the season. Caught last weeks episode over a meal today. It just isn't for me. I can see where they are going with the post Cap 2 stuff, but I didn't really feel there was anything there that was going go bring me back for next week. It just doesn't really do much for me. Ah well. Always said I would give it a second chance to see what it was like when it had settled down so it was due time.

Karl

[Jim]

Apr 30, 2014 22:58:49 GMT Toph said:

Though Coulson's simple "Huh." At the end got the biggest laugh from me.

Yes, felt that was a very Whedonesque touch in a series that could do with a few more of them. Final episode had a few more moments like that. Still isn't quite as good as it should be, but I'll look forward to season 2 on the strength of the last few episodes.

SPOILER: Click to show

Shame in some ways to see Paxton go, he's a great character actor in a show which needed better characters. I was kind of sad to see him turn out to be Hydra from that point of view.

Good to see Trip as a cast member, definitely an improvement on Ward who was a pure personality vacuum only made interesting by turning out to be Hydra.

Glad also that Coulson survived the season, for a little while I was sure he wouldn't. They've certainly been hedging their bets by making sure the main characters of the movies (and the cellist!) remain unaware of his resurrection.

-Jim

[Toph]

Well, the only possible way you can reveal coulson is by having Tony be in the middle of some arrogant, smartass speach when Coulson shows up with that dopey look Clark Gregg does so well.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

I enjoyed the season finale. The Fitz and Simmons scenes were, as usual, the tops, and the entrance of you-know-who had me punching the air.

SPOILER: Click to show

The villain send-off was predictable knowing Joss Whedon's previous work but may have been a laugh-out-loud moment for viewers who haven't seen the same thing happen before on Buffy (it even happened to Dracula, as I recall).

Martin