Agent Carter 1.01 and 1.02

[selenak]

That started promisingly.



So far, I really like it, with the one nitpick that the scene where the male SSR agents beat up the captured guy to "interrogate" him while Peggy uses the time to do heroics elsewhere is just there, without the show indicating whether it's meant to be an okay tactic or as a sign of the supposed "good guys" being morally compromised far beyond being chauvinists. (Sorry, but I can't turn off the real life relevance here.) The other nitpick I have is more on the funny side: is that a yellow Volkswagen Beetle Peggy is driving early on? In 1946? Guys, I know the Wirtschaftswunder was something to behold, but it didn't happen that fast.

Okay, on to why these two episodes were very well done. First of all, of course, Peggy. Who is great: fiercely competent, still grieving for Steve but also determined to handle current day life instead of longing for the past. And whom the show gives various relationships both existant and developing: the friendship with the waitress (cause for regular Bechdel passing) and until her demise with Colleen, de Souza, played by Enver G. whom I last saw being fabulous in Dollhouse as Victor/Tony, Howard in his one scene and of course Original Edwin Jarvis, who looks like he's going to be Peggy's primary sidekick on this show. All these "Agent Carter"/"Mr. Jarvis" conversations have a vibe of "Mrs. Peel, we're needed", don't you think? Only in this case with Peggy as the boss. (Aside from the part where he's keeping something from her on Howard's behalf, but given the time frame, I suspect that "something" is Peggy's future job as an end goal.) It's a neat developing dynamic between them, and I wonder whether Jarvis got an (so far off screen) wife on this show to make it clear from the get go that it's not going to be a romantic one? Whereas Agent de Souza, fellow war trauma survivor, looks like an intended potential love interest, unless of course he's really the true traitor, which isn't mutually exclusive. (His actor being so incredibly versatile actually makes me suspect the later, in which case, poor Peggy, because they have a nice low key friendship at the office going.)

The show also tries for a greater nod to history than the costumes, with Colleen and the waitress (damm, I wish her name hadn't escaped me!) in their conversations with Peggy mentioning that the employment situation for women is now worsening because of all the returning GIs. The Captain America radio show which vexes Peggy so with its swooning damsel and ra ra ra dialogue is a hoot, but only because the show proper actually really does avoid those clichés and the CA movies have as well.

Speaking of knowing meta on genre conventions: Peggy's "must not allow anyone get close else they become target" angst is immediately dealt with instead of hanging over the rest of the show, and Jarvis gives her the "heroes need a support team, and cutting yourself off the world you want to protect is stupid" speech which is basically the anti Nolanverse interpretation of Batman credo. Since Peggy isn't Bruce (who btw does have a support team in most versions, including the Nolan one), she listens. It also reminds me of one of the endearing attributes of the MCU - not in every movie, I'm not claiming that, but if they're on, they take care to include acts of support and heroism from the "civilians" instead of presenting them as mere set decorations.

Lastly: part of the fun of any spy show are the disguises, and so far Peggy is doing fine in this regard as well. My favourite so far was the ice truck inspector.

Comments

[likeadeuce]

I took it we were supposed to see the rough interrogation as a manifestation of the jerks at SSR doing it wrong - hence Peggy's cup of tea comment - but I definitely wish it had been handled better. Also Sousa's collaboration w/ the rest of SSR in all things except being mean to Peggy seems to support the theory of him being the secret bad guy. ( I've seen speculation it might be Angie - the waitress- but I think if she's working for anyone it's likely Stark).

[endeni]

/unless of course he's really the true traitor, which isn't mutually exclusive. (His actor being so incredibly versatile actually makes me suspect the later, in which case, poor Peggy, because they have a nice low key friendship at the office going.)/ - OMG, did think of that! But now the more I think about it the more plausible it seems... If that's going to be the case poor Peggy indeed. ;(

[jesuswasbatman]

I heard this was always intended as a short-term miniseries, making this less of an issue, but I was really put off by this given the implication that all of this heroism will be counterbalanced by SHIELD paperclipping Arnim Zola and setting up the events of Winter Soldier. Is there any sign of this?

Although what I've heard about S2 of Agents of SHIELD gives me the impression that the people behind Marvel film and TV are backing away from what actually happened in Winter Soldier as fast as their legs can carry them.

[wee_warrior]

I haven't watched any of the Captain America movies (nor really anything Marvel after 45 minutes of Avengers, in which I decided I wanted to watch a spy drama with Black Widow and Bruce Banner instead of what we got* and that superhero movies are probably not really my thing), and I'm happy to report that at least the first episode of Agent Carter worked fine on its own. Although I didn't know it was only a miniseries? That's disappointing. This is so much better than the Shield one. Ah well.

--
*My inner baby mythology geek is still crying at the thought of Loki Odinsson. Blasphemy! j/k, but I had troubles of the irrational sort here, thus obviously no Thor movies for me, either.